I'm really getting into these knotty problems.
CHristine
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I'm really getting into these knotty problems.
CHristine
Wonderful work Christine - but how did you do that? Is it a single line (joined) in which case how did you achieve the regular pattern? or is there some other secret. I'm dying to know.
Brian
I like Christine's translucent version much better than mine. I suspect she added the high- and lowlights individually while I used Xara's bevel feature. Not to mention the crudeness of my loops!
Brian, the secret is creating multiples of each object and cutting off the bits that go above another intersecting object. When your bits have been created all around, the duplicate object is deleted.
There are undoubtedly more secrets that Christine and others can share with both of us.
http://home.attbi.com/~alkolka/alkolka.gif
Christine, how did you do all that without going bonkers? The illusion of one continuous entertwining shape is marvelous! The colour blends are also wonderful.
Soquili
Thanks Al Kolka, I think your Torus is splendid also. But I am awestruck by Christine's post because if you trace the line around it appears to be one continuous line (yes, I know it is an illusion but it is not the appearance of three separate rings intertwined). Also, the regularity of the loop pattern is amazing. I have to say I am really knocked out by this quite apart from the logistics of cutting out the shapes and sorting out what goes on top of which. Anyway I haven't got too much work done this afternoon because I have been trying to figure out how it was done and my efforts up to now have been feeble. Please, Please Christine - what's the secret ;-)
Brian
I am baffled and awe-struck at the same time. What a marvellous job! Was there a tutorial on intertwining at any time. If not, Christine, you must show us how. Two fascinating efforts.
Neil
I didn't realise it was one continuous line until Brian pointed it out!
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Graeme
There is much more of interest going on in Christine's original image. But, here is one way of dealing with the intertwining overlaps.
BTW, I am still working out how to duplicate Christine's torus. If I try to close a line, it becomes a weird, pretty shape.
http://home.attbi.com/~alkolka/alkolka.gif
As usual you have created something really neat.
Sooooo I want you to know I spent about 3 hours today trying to create a complicated knot by copying, cutting and intersecting shapes and pasting in place. My results of my efforts were very disappointing. Like I can do the Olympic rings with no problem, a complicated knot.....not.
Luv you anyhow.
Judi
http://fasolt.mtcc.com/~mom/xsquirrel.gif
My Stuff
you can follow the changing colors all the way around untill you get back to the original one, which is the original?? [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
Al, nice work and tutorial but your flow of color is not continual. Christines is a wonderful optical illusion and I want to know how she got that to do that!!!
Christine, where are ya, tutorial time!!! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]
Pretty please! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
Richard [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]
---Wolff On The Prowl---
Thanks for the encouragement - I really love doing these effects. but heres the secret to this one. The original shape is given a linear fill, this is then duplicated and the fill changed to start with the end fill of the previous shape and end with another colour. This is then rotated round a central point. (this was a bit hit and miss if you look closely the final shape is not quite as well spaced)
Some tweaking of the nodes is usually necessary to get the effect right.
When finished the first shape is duplicated and transparency applied to cover where it should be over the last shape. (Al's method also works here)
Then it is adding highlights and shadows to give the 3D look. There are actually 90 objects in the image.
Christine
WOW!! Now I'm even more impressed!! 90 objects?? EEK!!!! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif[/img] [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif[/img] [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif[/img] [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif[/img]
LOVE, Love, love the effect though!!! Now try animating it with the colors flowing through the tubing [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] Just a thought [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] Can't imagine how many objects that would take?? [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif[/img] Nope, never mind!! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
Richard [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]
---Wolff On The Prowl---
I love Tourus's. They are magical objects. For those folks that don't know you can create a torus by cutting a strip of paper, say 1 inch down the side of an A4 piece of paper, twist it 180 degrees and glue the ends.
You have now created a piece of paper with only one side. Try it. Run a pen down the inside of the paper, in the middle. You only get one line ?1?!
If you then cut the torus along the centre line you end up with a double torus twice the length. But if you cut the torus one third of it's width you end up with two interlinked torus's!!!!
Egg
Now that you have explained how you achieved the fills I find it even more impressive. It is a very beautiful and elegant object you have created. But please help me a bit more 'cos it is still driving me nuts. My problem is how to draw the basic shape in the first place?
Does anyone know what this shape is called ? A Torus is a kind of doughnut shape created when you whiz a conical section around a fixed point on a piece of string, which I suppose is what this is if you also apply a sine wave function to the piece of string at the same time. If such a beatiful thing doesn't have a name already it certainly should have. How about the farrelly pretzel torus ?
Egg, I think the shape you have there is what I know as a moebius strip and I agree it is very magical. I have been trying to imagine what a torus (ie doughnut) shaped moebius strip would look like and what would happen to the hole in the middle of the doughnut - but that is going way OT and is far to disturbing.
Brian
Christine
Fantastic illusion.
Now here is a smallish challenge. How can you make the overlapping parts transparent so that we see the sections that pass below :-)
Gary
Gary Priester
Moderator Person
<a href="http://www.gwpriester.com">
www.gwpriester.com </a>
XaraXone
Brian - dont let the math of it get in the way - the shape depends on how many twists you want to include. Start with a sort of italic 'S' shape and see where it leads.
Gary - I'll have to think about that one but in the meantime I did this with it.
Christine
You and your findings are beautiful! : ) .
There ought to be a Nobel prize for graphical ingenuity. You'd be this years recipient in Stockholm.
Regards, John
I used to do that trick when I was a kid. Make chains for Christmas tree decorations. Also included it in a magic show.
When I draw what I call "bending ribbons", I often have a problem of getting the correct ribbon width and curve shape just before and after the bend. I usually do a isometric or use a calligraphic pen in CorelDraw to approximate the look and then tweek the result. Sometimes I also get a long, thin strip of paper or real ribbon and use it as a model.
Question: do you have any shortcuts/tricks/drawing principles other than using your artistic eye?
I think I'll start a new thread and post an example of using bending ribbons for flow arrows in technical illustrations.
Christine
Good. It is a blush well deserved.
Your quite correct, it is a mobus not a torus. It's been years since I messed around with these, but strangley enough I did create some for my grandaughters after reading Christines post.
John
I cheated. After trying to draw it from eye, I photographed one and traced over it.
Christine
Your animation really gives it a hollow feel. Here's one you've inspired me to produce.
Egg
Egg
Christine - These are totally staggering, especially the animated version. And thanks for the mini-tut. Penny
P.S. And Egg's brush is brilliant too - just missed it on first posting.
[This message was edited by Penny O'Rorke on July 20, 2002 at 10:30.]
I'm am staggering around going "do I make a try at this one??"
Just wonderful Christine, not really what I was looking at in animation, but seeing yours it's perfect, a yin and a yang colored ball traveling on the endless journey of infinity!!!
Egg your amazing example of the transparent version is quite amazing as well. Frame it and hang it on the wall, brag about it to all your friends and family, Hang it on your Christmas tree this year. It's really cool!!
Brushes?? That is an evil word around here in my house when saying XaraX and brushes in the same sentance. [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] You are a terrible tease, Egg, shame on you!! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
Great stuff folks!!! ***** five stars each *****
Richard [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]
---Wolff On The Prowl---
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Christine
That animation is wild! I love it.
Eric - Brilliant!
Gary
Gary Priester
Moderator Person
<a href="http://www.gwpriester.com">
www.gwpriester.com </a>
XaraXone
I'm on a roll with this one.....Here's a celtic type one.
Egg
Thanks Christine for the tut, I haven't had a chance to try it yet, but obviously I was trying to do a knot the hard way.
Egg great stuff!
Judi
.....I really must get to bed. This one's slightly different in as much as the under over sequence is altered.
Egg
.
by the the response to what I thought was just a 'quick' image.
Eric that transparent one is incredible - I haven't had time to try Gary's suggestion yet and doubt that I will even dare attempt it after seeing yours.
Love the brush also - but then I love Xara's ability with brushes.
Christine
It's Sunday morning, you're supposed to be having a lay in! What are you doing up so early?
Thank's for the comments, but you are the inspiration so it should be me thanking you. Anyway, this time I am going to bed.
Egg
To see what the basic shape should be like is to create a simple twisted brush - apply it to a circle and ....
Christine
Christine since you posted your first image I have been hooked. It's taken me two whole days but here is my attempt at the basic shape. Many, many thanks for sharing your technique.
Brian
So glad to see you didn't give up, thats a very good torus and the colour blends are excellent. As you have found doing these can be addictive til you get it right.
I have another I have been working on, on and off for some time just can't get it quite right though - it is a border pattern which I can get right all the way round to the last corner then it looks wrong. I'll post it if I ever get it right.
I see you are a software engineer - I have had dealings with several software companies in Northampton - ( I am an I.T. Manager) - are you allowed to say which one you work for?
Christine
Christine,
I've gone back to more closely follow your original example. And I'm more impressed with your work than ever.
Adding the highlights and lowlights was difficult for me since I lack the graphics artist background that others on the forum have. Needless to say I looked closely at your and Egg's examples.
Thanks for a wonderful challenge!
http://home.attbi.com/~alkolka/alkolka.gif
I really like the continuous loop effect achieved with these knot patterns.
Christine: Awesome work!
Egg: Great work!!! Get some rest...
I am impressed by all of these.
[img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif[/img] [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_eek.gif[/img] [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img] [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_biggrin.gif[/img]
"Wherever you go, there you are."
Randy Allen
Thanks for the encouragement. I agree, it certainly is addictive. Actually, I'm still having trouble using lines or line segments because I don't seem able to apply a linear transparency to lines (I have to convert them to shapes first). Alternatively, cutting out segments of brush lines leaves a visible join.
Keep working on the border problem you have set yourself - I look forward to seeing the results.
Who do I work for - I'm freelance but work mostly in the Healthcare sector.
Brian
That is reaaally cool!
Very nice looking creation!
I also enjoyed the animation that you created for our RAM that thinks he is a Wolff... [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img]
Ahhh! I just had lamb chops for supper...
Risto
risto@ristoklint.com
Visit my web site!