another challenge

[glenngosack]

Well, I'm almost embarrassed by the easy way you all have met that (simple) challenge. It seems Xara can make certain tasks so simple. All the work is excellent.
When that originally appeared there wasn't the ability to do all you can do today. You guys are amazing.

Glenn

[Ross Macintosh]

Yes creating them is relatively easy in Xara. I wonder - is it as easy using xara's competition? Perhaps if anyone is familiar with the "other" illustration programs, they could comment.

Regards, Ross

PS - I suspect it would still be difficult in a true CAD program.

[Clements]

This was done with "Rhino". Time it took was about as quick as one can use the mouse to draw two perpendicular lines and a circle and then make a selection from a menu to apply a pipe solid.

Rhino is by Robert McNeel and Assoc., Seattle, Washington. http://www.rhino3d.com

The free demo version is pretty good and doesn't take long to download. Comes with a few project-based tutorials. The Rhino 1.1 is a relatively inexpensive for a 3-D program ... approx. $800.

[jens g.r. benthien]

Ross,

----------//--
PS - I suspect it would still be difficult in a true CAD program.
----------//--

No. It's simple. See below. And click here animated knot AVI format

it's about 1.6 megs and shows how a mercury knot builds up and spins around.

OK, you really have to be extremely good, but did you expect anything else from a forum member? :-)

Enjoy,
jens

[Ross Macintosh]

Beautiful Knot Jens!

When I refered to CAD programs I was thinking about 2D CAD. Xara is afterall a 2D illustration program. Certainly 3D modelling programs can meet Glenn's challenge with ease but try doing the same in a 2D Cad.

Regards, Ross

<a href=http://www.designstop.com/>DesignStop.Com</a>

[gwpriester]

The only trick I can see is spacing the center quarter sections to the center posts are thinner.

I just recreated the shape and used the Contour Tool.

Gary

Gary Priester

Moderator Person

Be It Every So Humble...

[joroho]

Ross,
You mind enlightening all of us simple-minded folk on how you used the contour tool to come up with those funky colors?

joroho

[gwpriester]

Another approach.

Gary

Gary Priester

Moderator Person

Be It Every So Humble...

[Ross Macintosh]

Joroho - Yes the contour tool can create some interesting effects. I think we can all agree that when Xara Ltd. created the tool, such effects probably weren't on their mind. Jonathan Payne discovered that hidden in the straightforward tool were some interesting capabilities. See the thread Enter the Void - Experiments in Contouring to see examples and learn more. Also see Gallery seemed too quiet... for a couple animated gifs made using the technique and Pretty Poison for some other neat examples.

The technique involves giving a shape a multicoloured linear fill and a transparency. You then contour it (inside) with many steps. The magic happens when you Ctrl-select the original shape from within the contour and edit its fill and/or its transparency. Each edit results in modifications to all the contour steps. It is of course necessary to have a very high level of transparency. With many transparent contours one atop the other the effect is generated. It is a lot of fun to play with and exciting because it is hard to know what to anticipate.

For the funky example above I added a feathered white shape above as a highlight. The colours are a result from the contouring fun.

Hope this encourages you to try it. If you do - here's a good tip: Start with a multicoloured linear fill that has some tight colour changes (drag colours from the colour bar onto a linear fill's editing arrow). That fill can later be changed to conical, circular, or elliptical and still keep all the colours. The tight colour changes work wonders in the contour.

Regards, Ross

<a href=http://www.designstop.com/>DesignStop.Com</a>

[gwpriester]

The original image reminded me of a depth image used to make a stereogram in which white comes forward the most and black recedes the most. And so as stereograms are what I do for recreation...

Gary

Gary Priester

Moderator Person

Be It Every So Humble...