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How do you...
outline trace a JPEG image to create a template of the basic shapes? Is this possible? I am trying to find an intelligent way of getting the basic shapes of a corporate logo traced out so I don't have to recreate everything from scratch - which will prove time consuming if I have to.
Thanks...
http://matrix.scranton.edu/networkre...tz-logo-sm.jpg
To trace this logo by hand should take about 10 minutes or less. I guess I should do a speed tracing video for youtube to show this, in Xara tracing a logo is really easy.
s.g.
Great!! If you can show me how to trace the major elements in this logo in 10 minutes you will be my new hero!
I've been trying to redraw boxes and superimpose ellipses on top to get the arc just right and....OMG, so much work!
Here are a couple of ways to easily trace the light red part of the logo (the part with the text in it). I'm not in front of a computer with Xara installed at the moment, so I can't take any screenshots, sorry...
You could:
Draw a rectangle with the Quickshape Tool and line up the "corners" with the corner of the red part of the logo. Then, do Arrange->Convert to Editable Shapes.
With the shape still selected, select the Shape Editor tool. Click and drag upwards on the center of the top line. This will bend the line, allowing you to shape it to the curve. You can then do the same thing with the other three sides to get the light red shape outlined.
OR:
Using the Pen Tool, you can click on one corner, then click on the next corner to join them together as a line. From there you can directly shape the line by clicking and dragging on it to curve it as needed. Once you get that side done, you can click on the next corner to continue the shape. Eventually when you get back around, click on the first point again (the cursor will show a plus sign) to join things together.
Either way, you could then use the contour tool to create an outer contour to get the yellow and black stripes that go around the shape, or duplicate the shape and size it up a bit, or just trace those lines out as well.
<<With the shape still selected, select the Shape Editor tool. Click and drag upwards on the center of the top line. This will bend the line, allowing you to shape it to the curve. You can then do the same thing with the other three sides to get the light red shape outlined.>>
Odat, good suggestion BUT...when I try to place the bend points symmetrically there is no way to do that. How do I perfectly place a bend point in the middle of the rectangle's upper line? Then when I place the other bend points - how do I place them exactly between the end points of the rectangle and the newly placed center bend point. Symmetry is a big issue here and I see no way of placing these without "guessing" where the center of things are.
Is there some combination of keystrokes to place bend points in the center of existing lines? Is there a way to place newer bend points perfectly between other bend points?
I like the line bending thing. But again, how can I ensure that I am in the center of that line before bending? Plus, how do I do mirror bending? I want the opposite side to bend at the same time so I KNOW that they are identical.
Any ideas on symmetrical bending, mirror bending, or center assurance before bending??
Help!!
Xara Xtreme needs more intuitive mirroring options.
Fuerza,
When you draw your rectangle outline, create Guides using the Ruler and identify and mark with the guidelines your center point. From there you will see where to place your cursor at both top and bottom when you stretch it to the desired shape. Don't forget to "Convert to editable" shapes before you try to edit the rectangle.
ron
Further to Ron's graphic example, note that you can also accurately place guides to indicate the locations you want to stretch to in addition to the tangent direction as suggested by Ron. I'll sometimes even put intersecting guides to help me in the precise placement of edit handles on a curve. Guides are your friends!
Ok, I've drawn the rectangle, activated the rulers, and double clicked on the rectangle to get a bullseye in the center. Now, how do you draw the guidelines? I don't see anything in the drop down menus "Draw guidelines" or "Place guidelines". And how did you get your bullseye to turn red and big?
Wow, it JUST shouldn't be this hard to get Xara to do helpful things. Can you tell I am getting frustrated? Arrgghhhh!!!!
Fuerza,
Place your cursor on the top ruler, click and drag the line to the cross point. Then click and drag from the ruler on the left to the cross point. I drew the bullseye myself for illustration purposes.
ron
It hasn't been mentioned, but you will want to turn magnetic snap on, if it isn't already (it's the icon in the toolbar that looks like a magnet). If you select the rectangle while it's still a Rectangle (before you Arrange->Convert to Editable) and enter the Rectangle tool, you'll see a little x in the center of the rectangle that you can snap your guidelines to.
Also, I apologize as I was going to mention that you probably would want to use a couple of guidelines, but I completely forgot to mention it.
I only know one way to do mirror bending so that the sides bend at the same time, but it only works on squares and all sides move, not just the ones you want. However, in a pinch you can draw only half of the rectangle, then make a copy and mirror it and join the two together.
Don't get too frustrated, though! One of the neat things about Xara is the many different ways to approach pretty much everything that you want to do. In the beginning it can be taxing trying to figure out how to do things, but once you start getting the hang of what is possible, you're suddenly able to apply knowledge from previous problems to new ones.
Ron, thanks for sharing how to do that. Now, my question is...
how do I stretch the top AND bottom simultaneously so that they are identical in the distance I have pulled them. Again, symmetry is a big thing for this design.
Ok, I'm trying to put to good use all the advice and "how-to's" that are being shared. I have managed to make the principal rectangle - dark red box - and put the curvature on both top and bottom. I now have to make the inside rectangle - bright red. My plan was to simple clone the large rectangle and stretch and squeeze it to match the original. BUT...when I did this it changed the curvature/arc degree of it. One thing that is obvious from the original is that the curvature of the two rectangles are parallel to each other. When I do it this way, the curvature changes - ever so slightly - yet is changes. So...how do I stretch and squeeze the the rectangle is such a way that the top and bottom curvature won't change in relationship to the large rectangle?
Fuerza,
Here's another crappy illustration from me on what I would do. Use the contour tool and note the setting I have chosen so that you are not getting a blend, just a duplicate. With this setting on the contour tool, you duplicate your original shape and then click and drag your duplicate with the contour tool to the desired size.
ron
Quote:
Originally Posted by Fuerza
Ron,
Another good suggestion. I tried it but it is not working. When you stretch/squeeze the shape using the contour tool (along with the setting you mentioned) it insists on keeping the X/Y aspect looked. I now need to be able to unlock those in order to stretch one way while keeping its shape another way. Again, wow...this is complicated!
Fuerza,
In the last illustration the duplicated shape is in red outline; is that not what you were trying to do?
ron
Ron,
Actually, I am recreating the entire logo. So I have to do both boxes the large background box and the centered foreground box. But, as I said, they both have the same parallel curvature and I am having a hard time keeping aspects lock on the cloned background box and I try to stretch and shrink it. This is tedious work and I am now wondering if I would have an easier go at it with other vector graphics programs. What do you think?
I don't know of any program that will automatically intuitively manipulate every vector point just where you want it. Any program is going to require some manipulation of objects. In my experience, which admitedly is limited, there is no other program more flexible than Xara. That's not to say that other programs don't have functions that Xara doesn't. I'm just looking at the big picture and the whole package.
Using the guide lines and some simple manipulation of the shape, I have created the wider and shorter shape.
It really isn't that much work. It took me maybe 30 seconds at most.
ron
Hi Fuerza,
In my experience with vector graphics applications Xara Xtreme is the most intuitive and the easiest to learn.
Of course I have not used every vector graphics application. Those I have used are : Adobe Illustrator, Corel Draw, Macromedia Freehand, Serif Draw Plus, and Inkscape.
30 seconds?! 30 seconds?!?!?!
Man, that makes me feel like a total inept!! You most certainly have a better handle on this program than I do. I am coming from CorelDRAW and Inkscape. Sure, I have only been using this program for a week - good thing I am only doing the demo version first - but if I base my decision on only a week's worth of experience, I am leaning towards a 'no' - as in not to purchase this program.
Ron, are you located in the States? If so, tell me your phone number and I'll give you a call. You can tell me how to do those two shapes, in all their accuracy, in 30 seconds. (That's not a dig, but a compliment)
Fuerza,
LOL! I think when you see how I do it you'll understand how easy it really is to do this. I'm attaching the Xara file I've been using and you can see what I've done. It's really easy. You place your graphic on one layer, make that layer uneditable, create a new layer over which you trace your original image.
The reference to 30 seconds was to the last rectangle I drew and shaped, I did not apply the 30 seconds to drawing the whole logo. That would take about 15 minutes if I were pressured. If I had the font used in the logo it would take me less than that.
ron
Took me about 25 seconds to do this much.
ron
Ahh, took me 4 more minutes to add the spikes or rays.
ron
Some of the lettering done in 10 min. However, I can't tell what font it is exactly.
ron
That's as far as I'm going to take it. To learn the program is by use, learning the tools. You can't expect to pick up a new program and immediately appreciate all that it can do.
ron
Wow!!
Ron,
First, you must understand...I was not expecting you or anyone to do this for me. You just seem to know the ins and outs of this program and I am impressed how far you have gotten in such little time. My newbie status to Xara is making it a bit difficult to figure out the best way to get design aspects done on this logo. I truly appreciate your willingness to share your knowledge and experience on how to design the various elements in this logo. I will continue to plug away as the learning experience will make it easier for me to do other things in the future. Again, thanks...
Do you know of any tutorials that tell how to cut in half a drawn triangle in order to apply two different colors to it? I'm currently working on the rays.
Also, any tutorials how to make text bend with the curve of a shape?
Here's one thread that should help with your text bending question.: http://www.talkgraphics.com/showthre...t=bending+text
For the triangle: Draw a line across the triangle where you want the separation of colors to be. Select both the line and the triangle and do a "ctrl4". This will slice the triangle in two.
ron
Fuerza,
If you're short on time, you might try here:
http://www.brandsoftheworld.com/sear...rand_id=137483
But you'll have to convert the Illy CS2 .ai file to something Xara can open/import.
Hope this helps.
- Steve
Actually,
I just now opened it with Adobe Reader and saved to my desktop as a pdf, and then imported it into Xara Pro using the merge option.
Great suggestion, Steve. I didn't realize the brand was that well known.
ron
Thanks for the tip, Ron! I'm sure that will come in handy in the future.Quote:
Originally Posted by RonDuke
If anyone is looking for the font, it looks very much like 1979:
http://www.dafont.com/font.php?file=1979&text=SHEETZ
Richard
Ron,
many new .ai files are just pdf files; if you rename them simply replacing ai extension with pdf, xara xtreme will directly import them.
regards
Luciano
Steveward, thanks on that keen suggestion about the Brand site. That helped alot.
Ron, as always, thanks for telling me how to open that puppy in Xara.
UserFriendly, thanks for the 1979 font. I actually learned about that about a day or so ago. The actual font I believe is Mata-condensed, but Mata isn't free like 1979. ;-)
Now, my new question is: how do I import design elements I created in Inkscape to Xara. I worked on the rays for the logo, which are more symmetrical than the originals, in Inkscape way before I started this project in Xara. I would hate to have to recreate all those in Xara from scratch.
Luciano,
I just tried your suggestion my appending .pdf to the Sheetz file I download. I attempted to open and import the file in Xara and got an error message; but when I did Ron's suggestion it worked. Perhaps you would like to try it and tell me what I am doing wrong.
Hi FuerzaQuote:
Originally Posted by Fuerza
PDF export from inkscape 0.45-1 imports into xarapro quite well as long as the drawing does not contain any transparency - including any transparency in graduated color, which is turned on in inkscape by default.
Hi Fuerza,
the trick works only for ai files which are in fact pdf is disguise just like this one.
I renamed the file as seen on top of the picture, then I dragged and dropped in Xara Xtreme PRO 3.2 and that was all.
Ciao
Luciano
An easy way to tell if an Adobe Illustrator .ai file is a .pdf file in disguise is to open it with a text editor like notepad.
If the first line is %!PS-Adobe-3.0
then it is an older file format, the numbers will be different for different versions of Illustrator.
if the first line is %PDF-1.4
then it is a .pdf disguised as an .ai file :)
Ron,
You said that you were able to do the lettering on the curve in about 10 minutes. I have watched Egg's video on text on a curve - super frustrating, he's all over the place with his instructions; and I've read other threads. Would you mind writing a basic list, like 1.) 2.) 3.) , of the steps to do, if you remember them. I want to be able to put the text in the shape without having to redraw the shape, as other videos have suggested. I'm trying different things but it is hard. For example, when I go to 'center' the text, it puts it somewhere that is not the center - this makes no sense why the program is doing this. Thanks...
Fuerza,
Here's one that took about 15-20 minutes to create as I had to hand draw the Sheetz font.
Try pulling it apart to see how it's been constructed.
Egg
Egg,
Thanks for showing me this. 20 minutes to do all of it?!?!?! You have NO idea how envious I am that you can do it that fast. I have been working on this for DAYS!!! You hand drew the font?!?!? How the hell do you do that? I would love to learn how to hand-draw fonts that quick.
Handrawn was a real trooper in giving me some very detailed step by step instructions on how to do the curved text.
I am now finished with it - it needs some very minor touch-ups - but it looks good.
I will dissect your version Egg and see what I can learn from it. Reverse engineering is fun!! ;-)