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apologies for adding this request on to another thread firstly.
I used the spinning coin tut to make our football club logo spin,
Now i would like to try to make the text and dragon appear to extend out from the face of the logo.
Whilst researching how to make the original one im pretty sure i came across a thread with a similar effect but i cannot seem to find it now. Does anyone remember that thread or is there a tut you could point me to please?
Hi Neil,
To have the text and dragon in relief (extend out from the circle shape) they must be vector shapes.
In Xtreme select a font that matches the logo text. Follow Egg Bramhill's video tutorial for fitting text to a curve http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ns9jreRjY7A.
Import your logo an then use the Shape Editor Tool to draw shapes over the dragon's shapes. Once you have the shapes group them so they can be handles as a single shape.
With your text on the curve and the dragon group position them as they appear in the logo. You may need to resize one or both so they fit together nicely. Group the dragon group and the text. Copy and paste into Xara3D6.
Show the cursor in Xara3D6, it should be at the right side of the group you pasted to the work area. Hit the enter key to move to a new line.
Switch back to Xtreme and create a circle large enough to cover the text + dragon group. Copy the circle and paste into Xara3D6.
Within Xara3D use a shift key and the cursor keys to select the circle. Change the extrusion so that it is smaller than the default extrusion on the Text+Dragon.
That's probably the way that I would do it but you can also select the [button] option (on the left hand side) instead of pasting in a circle.
Nadger, this tutorial may help as well
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cNeB8dxQCu4
hi
thanks for the help guys,
i am way out of my depth here im afraid, i bought xtreme and i have had a few goes in it but its nothing like the only other program i've ever used (paint.net) i dont understand any of it, ive watched several tuts but none of them seem to be aimed at complete beginners, they seem to be expectant of a certain level of understanding already.
i really am a beginner with no previous knowledge of this type of work. i've never "made" anything with PDN, only using it to resize photos, add references on maps for travel instructions and the like.
i wont give up but i have to admit xtreme has completely wrecked my head up to now, and as i dont have the time to sit for hours with it, im finding it very difficult to understand.
Neil
Neil it is difficult for some of us to know how to provide more help. Most of us have been drawing with pencil and paper since before we can remember. Using Xara Xtreme is an extension of that drawing skill.
If you could ask a specific question then we could provide specific information.
ok Bill,
well i got stuck at the second part of your post above, i had my logo imported in to xtreme, but that shape editor tool seems to have a mind of its own?
i just end up with lines everywhere and none of them anywhere near where i first put them? in paint.net you put a line in and use the nodes to manipulate it, xtreme does this too but then once i get one part right i go to do the next and it messes up the previous bit i'd just done. does that make sense?
when i said about the tut's i watched expecting a certain level of knowledge, i mean that although the authors talk over the video, their cursors move and click things to change tools, or drag items in etc without the viewers being able to see what they are doing. so to me it appears that the people making the video help files already expect the viewer to be of a certain standard and know what they have chosen, clicked, imported etc. (which unfortunately i dont)
dont worry i do realise that im at a distinct disadvantage compared to 99.99% of people on the forum due to never having done anything like this in my life, like i said i wont give up but things you guys seem to do in seconds leaves me baffled for days.
I do like my spinning logo so maybe it will have to stay at that point in its design for a while:D
When using the [shape editor] on nodes you may find it easier if you select the [cusp join].
Perhaps this will help (or else I am on the wrong track):Quote:
Originally Posted by nadger
Yikers! Seems like Salaam responded while I was making my "tutorial".
Neil sometimes it is easier to lay down the lines using the Pen Tool which always creates Cusp nodes unless you drag while the left mouse button is down. Then switch to the Shape Editor to bend the straight lines.
I agree with that - I think a better way to start off, and then learn to handle the shape editor tool fully when you've had more experience - it worked for me
I found the following class to be extremely useful. It is now self study, but it is very helpful for a beginner and the teacher is very responsive.
http://www.eclecticacademy.com/self-...ses.htm#xara-1
thanks for all the help guys,
i've attched my attempt at tracing the dragon, pls tell me if this is what you meant?
if im on the right tracks could someone then explain how to "group" the shapes next please.
i think im best doing this job one small step at a time?
its just taken me 90 minutes to get this far, but at least i think i kind of understand the shape tool a little more now. on that note why does it always fill the shape when connecting the last link per item?
regards
Neil
that looks good
down at the bottom left at the end of the color bar you will see a white square with a black grid - first press escape to make sure nothing is selected then put your mouse over this square [it will show 'set no color'] - left click on this and when prompted to make current graphic attribute click 'set'
you have now told the program not to fill the shapes with any color when you close them, ie join them up at the end
to undo this follow the same procedure but on the black square of the color bar, rather than the grid [you can choose another color of course if you wish]
it is very important that nothing is selected when you make this change, otherwise the change will be applied to the selection rather than setting the fill the way you want it
cheers
ok i've grouped it and pasted into 3d, i have played around with various options but the dragon is hard to keep defined as soon as i try to put depth to it, even small amounts.
am i missing something or is this due to the intricacy of the design? ie: to many lines/edges to keep focus on?
Neil
I don't know if I have missed something as I don't know why Handrawn posted the information concerning [fills].
Nadger; [animation] documents should only be used when creatring animations within Xtreme.
Also I don't think that you want to have lines (outlines) of the dragon. I thought that you wanted the dragon shape. A shape is generally one line with its ends joined. A line has 2 unconnected ends.
Forgive me if I have mis-understood, as the last 2 posts have thrown me.
-Once you have selected a line (or shape) a small black square will indicate the start postion. If you zoom in you will see the start node and the end node.
-If you further select the shape using the [shape editor tool] (located to the left, an 's' shaped figure below the pencil icon) and then click on either the start or end node you will then be able to join the 2 nodes by dragging one over the other (using an automatically appearing 'cross hair). Once you see the 'thick black cross' you can release the mouse and the line will beome a shape.
The bottom left message should tell you that you have '1 shape' (rather than '1 line).
If you have 2 separate lines which need to be joined, you must select both lines and again drag one start/ end node over another start/ end node.
Anas
I was replying to the last line of post #14......
Thanks Steve,
I understand your post now but Nadger has confused me even more.
Neil can you post your .xar file where you made your dragon shape?
It will help us see what may be causing the problem you are having.
As an example the first attachment shows the black coloured dragon shape I made using the Shape Editor Tool in Xara Xtreme.
The second attachment shows that shape as pasted into Xara3D6 along with a circle also made in Xtreme. In Xara3D6 I decreased the bevel on the dragon shape so it has sharper edges.
He posted the dragon .xar file in #14
Thanks Anas. I missed that. :o
Hmmm...
i think im confusing myself too, he he he.
right if im reading your guidance properly everyone i think the reason my attempt doesn't work well is because i kept it as a "traced" image, basically as if i had drawn the outline using tracing paper and a pencil.
but what i needed to do was to trace the dragon (no not chase the dragon ppl!!) and then fill it and use it as a solid image?
am i on the right lines here?
i havn't had time to look at the curved text part yet but i did watch egg's video tut and think i will be ok to follow it. my other problem is i dont have the file for that actual font, well not for windows. i only have it for a mac (so if you have shago regular for windows and would like to trade for the mac version pls let me know) its not a free font thats why i dont have it.
Neil
Yes, as you stated before, XX fills in the shape when the end nodes join.Quote:
Originally Posted by nadger
In your Mac, shape the text around a curve and convert the text into shapes using your favourite mac graphics editor and then export as a vector using .eps or pdf etc. which can be imported into X3D or XX.Quote:
Originally Posted by nadger
ooops i've not explained very well again sorry.
originally the dragon kept filling in black and i thought that was wrong so i asked on here how to stop it happening, now i have a traced dragon that isnt filled and i cant get the thing to fill up, it keeps telling me to select an item first, i have clicked it, highlighted it, drawn a box with the selector tool etc but each time i click fill tool and choose a colour it asks me to select an item?
i dont use a mac, the guy who made the original logo for us used a mac and he chose that font, he sent me the font file but i use a pc running windows, so i either need to buy a mac or find someone with shango regular for windows. im opting for the latter as i dont have £1300 spare for a macbook:eek:
apologies if my previous post wasnt very clear
Neil
try selecting the dragon and then simply left clicking on a color on the color bar - does that work
[xtreme fill tool is not a flood fill tool it will not fill empty space]
please can you elabhorate on "select the dragon"
i have done all sorts to select it but nothing fills
press escape just in case to clear - then left click on the outline of the dragon - you should see the selection handles appear round it
your method allows me to alter the outline colour but it doesnt fill it
can you post up a file with it in ?
here is what i have up to now.
ok - in a nutshell you have not joined the lines into closed shapes - that is you have made line adjacent, but they are not joined as one
if you ungroup all the grouping you see you have 10 seperate lines - shown here re-colored for clarity
really you need to make each of the three areas [tounge/body/far-wing] just one closed line each
this can probably be fixed if you do not wish to retrace [retracing is good practice]?
I thought that I explained how to change your lines into shapes which can be then filled with my pretty bitmap images. Added to that you also have Egg's video.
ok thanks for that, i understand what your saying.
i will retrace it, but as it took me an hour and a half last time im not going to attempt it tonight:eek:
thanks again for your time and advice.
Neil
quick fix is to patch all the joins > convert to shape > combine shapes > break shapes
not as difficult as it sounds just manipulating the space automatically so quick
this will work I have just tried it
I can post this up if you wish, but you should do it salaam's way as well for practice if you want to learn the program better
ok seeing as you are nearly there really here is the fix file
you will see that I have patched over where your lines join in grey
what you need to do is to select everything [press ctrl+A]
then arrange menu - click 'convert line to shape'
then arrange menu, combine shapes, 'add shapes' [everything is now connected properly]
then arrange menu 'break shapes'
you then need to select everything again and group
you can recolor if you want - but xara3D is not fussy on color of shape
@salaam
sorry didnt forget you honestly, i am very grateful for our help and your explanation about the cross etc will help me thanks.
@handrawn
thank you for your help, i will have a go with your file tonight after work, and i will also try retracing it for my own knowledge also.
this forum is full of top people. im learing every day (baby steps yes, but a step will some become two:)
Neil
its all learning :)
BTW - the reason you need to group at the end of the fix is because there is more than one shape there - you can separate them out, but this is unnecessary here - easier to group and xara3D will treat as one shape
tracing gets easier the more you do it..