I'm going insane with a simple logo. pls help

[Nezman]

My boss has asked me to make a promo CD and left me in the deep end and then sodded off on holiday.

I'm trying to make a simple 3D logo.

I already have the main name made up and spinning in Xara3D, because it was simple text that it wrote in Xara3D, but the logo is killing me!

I have Xara Xtreme on the computer but no idea how to use it.
I've spent days reading up and cant cant anything to work for me. I've searched for videos on youtube, and read loads of threads on TalkGrapics, but nothing is explaining it simply for me.



I just want to make the white transparent. I did try utilities > bitmap tracer but it came out like this. I'm not sure i did it right, Even if this is right, I have no idea what to do with it next.



I did try tracing round the outer shape of the "R" with the TRACE SHAPE (F4) tool, but when i complete it and got the "+" symbol, it just turns black. Then I wanted to throw the computer out of the window

Could someone pls explain what I need to do. Really simply because I'm struggling now

Thanks,
Nick

[steve.ledger]

Welcome to the Forums Nezman.

If you just want the logo to have a transparent background you can use the Mehdi Eraser plugin or Stained Glass Transparency. Then save the results as a True Color+Alpha .PNG file

If you want to extrude the logo, then you will need to recreate it from a vector circle and an outlined font 'R'. This can then be grouped and extruded.

[Nezman]

Thanks for the welcome Sledger.

Yes I would like it extruding, but how do i do it? I know once the file is ready i can extrude it in Xara3D, but I know nothing about vectors or how to create them. i'm trying to impress my boss by showing that I can learn quickly. I wanted to have it finished by his return. I thought I could, but not having much luck.

I'm used to Photoshop, so i have this idea in my head that all i need to do select the white by drawing around my image and then pressing delete. Leaving me with the circle with the R in the middle and the rest transparent ready for Xara3D.

I'm not going to be that lucky am I?


This is only a small part of a project. I need this as a spinning logo which will be placed in to a video promo which I'm making in Sony Vegas.


Edit-
I can see the stained glass button, and everything turned grey. But then I dont know what i'm doing.
In fact when i clicked on stained glass from the drop down menu, it didnt do anything. So I tried edit>select all, then stained glass. Then it all turned grey.

Your 3rd picture is what i'm after, but obv it will be spinning. I can see you did what I wanted very quickly, so i dont know why i'm not able to get me head round it.
This is all i'm able to get



I also have this image as a .PSD with a transparent background. Will that be any help to me?

Sorry for sounding really thick, but my background is Audio and Video Production. 3D logos and graphics are a complete new world to me that I know nothing about

[iamtheblues]

No that won't work. You need to vectorize the image in Xara Xtreme, that is, draw your circle with an outline but no fill.
Then Type the letter "R" in the font you want, it looks like that needs the fill removed too.
Align the circle and the text and group them both. Now copy the result to the clipboard.
Next export the result as a .png file with alpha transparency.
Now you can load up Xara 3D and after removing the text it starts with and the oval frame, paste the clipboard contents.
Go to the Texture options, tick the texture tickbox and press the "Load Texture" button.
Select the .png file you exported earlier and that's just about it.
Saludos,
Bob.

[gwpriester]

The problem you are having is using a bitmap instead of a vector shape as has been suggested.

If you use a bitmap in Xara 3D, it is seen as a simple rectangular shape.

In order to extrude the logo in Xara 3D, it has to be a vector object. A vector object is defined by its outline and is a series of paths. A bitmap is a rectangle in which the image is defined by many small dots or pixels. What you create in Xara using the drawing tools is a vector shape. You can copy and paste the vector object or objects and paste them into Xara 3D and they will extrude as Bob or Steve's example.

Does this make sense?

[Nezman]

Thanks to everyone helping on this. Gary -I understand why it has to be a vector, but I just dont know how to do it. I had only heard of a vector this morning when it was suggested.

I drew a circle and typed an "R" in side it, got rid of the fill on both and then grouped them and saved them as a PNG



Then I went in to Xara3D and pasted from the clipboard. All I got was a large, thick circle. Not sure if this was right?

Then I went to texture and loaded the file i has just saved. this was my result-



I really dont think graphic design is for me. I've tried all day and discovered I dont have the talent for this.

Is there anyway of making my lines thickers, for the circle and for the outline or my "R"?

Also, what font did you use from your examples?

I know the image that was given to me was specially made. It was oringinaly the "Galliard Font" from a Mac, and then the tail of the "R" was slightly changed. But what has been used in the examples above is very close. I think i will have major problems copying their design exactly, so I might as well use the closest one to it and hope no one notices.

I was also thinking that wouldnt it be easier to just do the "R" and then use http://img5.imageshack.us/img5/6770/samplezjj.jpg in Xara3D to automatically put a circle around it? or does it not work like that?

[kinetica]

Hello Nezman

I see you are very, very frustrated here and that not much is helping. Please email me here: david@kineticadesign.co.uk and I will help you all I can. I hate it when I am that frustrated and angry with something, and I can feel your pain. Please feel free to email me. One day you will do the same for some other poor soul.

[iamtheblues]

You need to copy your logo to the clipboard form Xtreme before converting it to a .png file.
The unconverted work in Xtreme is always vector, and Xara 3D can use this vector information to create your logo.
The .png file is a raster file, made up of pixels that you add to the vector as a texture.
Don't worry if you don't get all this information straight away, but understanding that the text and shapes you create
in Xtreme are vector shapes, and that photos are made of pixels and are rasters is something you need to know.
A raster file will become "pixellated" (blocky) the more you zoom in on it, but a vector will always look clean and sharp no matter how close you zoom in.
Saludos,
Bob.

[amoore]

Sounds as if the biggest hurdle you have to get over right now is starting to think in vector, rather than bitmap. That's why the movies have made no sense to you.

Gary's explanation of the difference between the two is accurate. Personally, I have difficulty with the word "path", which I've never gotten a handle on. Vectors are independent objects that remain independent and editable. When you draw a vector circle, you get a circle with nice clean edges. No jaggies. There's no background to hide or get rid of. You can squish it or stretch it. You can come back in two weeks and still squish it or stretch it, or turn it into something else entirely.

I find using vectors to be infinitely easier and more flexible than trying to control individual pixels in a bitmap.

BTW, it's probably too soon to decide that you don't have the talent to work with graphic design. You're just trying to run before you learn how to walk. Plus, you've boxed yourself into a corner by putting your emphasis on proving something to your boss rather than on learning how to use a wonderful new skill. (Been there, done that — many times.) Just take a deep breath, and put your focus on exploring the tools in Xtreme. Use the logo as a vehicle rather than an end result. Once you stop beating on yourself, you'll be surprised at what you can do.

[ss-kalm]

Why does he even need the png in this case ......... ?

Nezman - Lets start from basics. Ignore the letter for now.

Open Xtreme.
Draw a circle - use CTRL to constrain the shape to a perfect circle.
Change the fill to transparent - NOT white, transparent - The hatched square at the end of the colour bar.
Select the circle.
Press CTRL-C to copy to the clipboard.
Open Xara 3D
Delete anything on the screen.
Press CTRL-V to paste the circle into X3D.
Adjust extrusion by pulling the edges, and rotate by getting the cursor on the object and pulling it around.

Once you feel comfortable with this, go back to the design in Xtreme, add a "R" to suit. In whatever font you have that is close.
Run through the same steps as above (i.e. Transparent > Select > Copy > Open X3D > paste > manipulate to suit ....)

Don't worry about textures or lighting or anything else for now.

When you feel comfortable with this, then you can start to add lighting and animation.