how do you make a perspective grid in xara?

i realize that what i need is to build or a use template of a perspective grid. i just cant draw and do perspective at the same time. anybody have any grids to share? i think its a 'hands on' or eyes on thing. i need to have a grid already built in oder to draw on it. would much appreciate some help on how to make 123pt perspective grids in xara.

You could draw regular grid of lines or rectangles, group them, select the group, use the mould tool and apply a perspective mould, and cut and paste the group into the Guides Layer, then lock the Guides Layer. Enable turn on snap to object and grid. Now draw on top of the grid.

here's an illustrator tutorial for 3 point perspective, you can hopefully adapt it for xara:

http://www.khulsey.com/3_point_perspective.html

you may well need to start with the 2 point tutorial which is linked in the 3 point



and another perhaps simpler 3 point:

http://www.drawinghowtodraw.com/draw...rspective.html


google should throw up a few more...

Hi Stealth,

For this kind of thing I usually just use lines in Xara, with the magnetic snap to objects. For more complex jobs I sometimes use Corel’s perspective and extrude tools.

Here is a VIDEO to show you how the attached Xara file can be used in Xara.

It's a simple approach, but can be used as a guide. You can make into a template called ‘perspective’ (File/Save Template...). To open it you would go to File/New and select ‘perspective’.

Make sure ‘snap to objects’ is on. Move the horizon line up or down, snap lines to intersections, slide vanishing points (arrows grouped with vertical lines) left or right (ctrl/left mouse button, slide). Click line and use shape editor tool (F4) to select node to lines’ angles.

Hello jclements

Re: "Enable turn on snap to object and grid. Now draw on top of the grid."

Please tell me how it is possible to draw on TOP of the grid. I can't get any layer to be above the Guides layer...in other words, I can only draw UNDER the grid.

What's the secret?

Thanks

James

I tried to show the process using JING. I did not take care in being precise, particularly with the ellipse; the idea there is to make sure that each of the 4 nodes of an ellipse are positioned on a guide intersection after skewing and rotating, then ellipse will be in true perspective ... a bit tedious I admit.

Hope the below link works:

http://screencast.com/t/bYD4Mrt52

Wherever possible I draw my objects flat, place them in a box and use the mould tool to put them in perspective

Quote:

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Originally Posted by James Allen

Hi Stealth,

For this kind of thing I usually just use lines in Xara, with the magnetic snap to objects. For more complex jobs I sometimes use Corel’s perspective and extrude tools.

Here is a VIDEO to show you how the attached Xara file can be used in Xara.

It's a simple approach, but can be used as a guide. You can make into a template called ‘perspective’ (File/Save Template...). To open it you would go to File/New and select ‘perspective’.

Make sure ‘snap to objects’ is on. Move the horizon line up or down, snap lines to intersections, slide vanishing points (arrows grouped with vertical lines) left or right (ctrl/left mouse button, slide). Click line and use shape editor tool (F4) to select node to lines’ angles.

---

thanx for that

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by jclements

I tried to show the process using JING. I did not take care in being precise, particularly with the ellipse; the idea there is to make sure that each of the 4 nodes of an ellipse are positioned on a guide intersection after skewing and rotating, then ellipse will be in true perspective ... a bit tedious I admit.

Hope the below link works:

http://screencast.com/t/bYD4Mrt52

---

this is good.

Thanks for that James Allen.
I thought I knew a lot about perspective(byl hand). but I know little about doing it on the computer.
That is an excellent tip and video. Part of me wonders if it would be easier to do that with Google Sketchup and saved in a form Xara can use although that would not be a vector. I'll have to check that out.

Yup, I've done the primatives bldg shapes, windows, doors, etc., in Google SU Free, then exported as PDF or DXF and imported that into Xara on its own layer. Arcs/Circles come in as faceted/segmented but at least you can get the true spective accurate and redraw the arcs/cirlcles using the SU segments as a guide. Note, you can also export from SU as JPEG or PNG with blackline on a white background style and then color over the top of it in Xara.

Thanks Larry.

I saw your other post on Sketchup and went to the site to check it out. I couldn't find anything showing how it works, but I guess if I download I can find out. I might do that sometime soon to see what it offers.

Go to YouTube
or the SkethUp site for links to videos: http://sketchup.google.com/intl/en/training/videos.html

I think you will find that it is only the Pro version that will export to PDF. The free version you can copy and Paste if my memory is correct or import as .png or .jpeg.

Thanks jclements,

I checked it out, and Larry, it looks good.

I'll bet a Xara user started it up. ;)