The October video is up ... >>>visit Xara Xone<<<.
Let's tawk after you've watched and played around some!
My Best,
Gary
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The October video is up ... >>>visit Xara Xone<<<.
Let's tawk after you've watched and played around some!
My Best,
Gary
I've finally had time to sit and watch the video. I enjoyed this. Most of this was for me a refresher course, but a good one :) I use the shape tool all the time for close cropping photos, tracing bitmaps to vectorize them, and for drawing it is one of my favourite tools.
Well, then, Happy Refreshing!
I need to address beginning level tasks every month in a while, you know. :)
My Best,
Gary
It's good even for those of us who use the software on a daily basis to be reminded of the basics now and again :)
Well, in that case, I hope I got it all correct!
If not, and even if so, let's discuss right here.
After spending quality time with the shape tool, I believe it's possible to wean myself away from the Pen tool. And we're talking more than 20 years using a vector pen-type tool.
I must admit I crave a B-spline tool now and then, though.
Everybody, get that clock tower drawn now! :)
My Best,
Gare
Hey, does a start count? <g>...
Still gotta take the time for more of the 3D pieces parts. Probably something to do while "watching" the debate tonight.
Take care, Mike
That is FABULOUS, Mike!
With the Shape and ellipse tools, right?
you even did the little nuances of the number markers receding as the "numbers" grow higher.
What a piece, man. You make an aging teacher very, very happy.
-g
Drew them flat (didn't trace), did the 3D thing and used the angle settings to mimic the angles of your original. Why not trace the 3D flat image? Because it is next to impossible for me to match the angles and perspective once the vector drawing becomes a 3D object.
This is the most 3D stuff I have *ever* done in Xara. So this has been fun.
But yes, the shape tool is my friend.
take care, Mike
Fool Disclosure:
There is indeed a slight perspective on the "camera" angle capturing the scene—the clock tower is not "dead on", thus complicating a totally accurate trace.
But that wasn't the point of the tutorial—it was just to get everyone's head around:
1. There is nothing wrong with tracing. Heck, Leonardo DaVinci and Norman Rockwell both traced off areas of source material, and a pantograph, one of my favorite childhood "toys", is nothing more than a big tracing machine. As long as you generated the source image, what you trace is your own. Or if you're skilled enough to make something original from a source you own, you can call a finished piece your own with an ethical conscience. And if not, you still develop skills by tracing.
2. Generally, how to work with control points, and specifically, those control points and handles that are a product of the Shape tool.
Damned clever and ambitious, Mike. you are a gifted technician, man—I wish I had your chops.
Here's my "make good": this image was capped within the modeler; and oops, the side view is a tad smaller than the front. But there is no perspective, this is an isometric view.
Actually what comes around goes around, because I designed the paths for the model in Xara, with the Shape tool.
Attachment 92680
-g
I haven't yet had time to experiment with the clock file as I've been busy with work but here are two advertisements I did today in which I used the shape tool to crop photos.
The dog photo was provided to us, the veggie pie photo is a product shot that I took today.
Excellent video Gary
I learnt a couple of new things
Shows you're never too young or too old to learn new stuff
@Frank—
Thanks!
@Frances—
It's always nice to see your work. But I'd like to keep this thread On-Topic, regarding either the clock tower tutorial or Qs and As about this month's video, okay?
Overworked moderator of this forum needs to stay focused! :)
Thanks!
Gary
I think you did good, stygg, because they blend in more or less invisibly.
Now: try not using the Mould tool, but instead making an ellipse using only the Shape tool. You can set the tool to Curves and Smooth joins and click 4 points at the points on inflection along the original curve...plus a final click to close the curve.
What say?
Good going,
Gary
Ok I have had some time to experiment with the clock file and the shapebuilder and what I have done here is to create a vector illustration of the clock face.
That is QUITE remarkable, Frances.
As in "mind-blowingly wonderful".
All paths, or are there a few bitmaps fills?
Okay, don't tell me. It's a beatiful rendering!
My Best,
Gary
Thanks Gary,
yes it's all paths traced with the shape tool (in my previous post I said shapebuilder but I meant shape/editor) I did use a variety of fills fractal plasma, linear, and flat, so I guess technically you could say it is 99% vector . And I used transparencies too. The eraser tool came in useful for creating the mottled surface which isn't exact to your 3D render but gives the general effect.
The video has had 92 views on YouTube alone, who knows how many on the Xone, I don't understand why it's always the same few people who respond and even fewer participate in the discussion. Come on, people, those of you who are determined to explore and improve their craft, and especially those of you who lurk in the shadows, take your courage in both hands and please participate! Gary has gone to enormous efforts to create these engaging and immensely watchable videos, but it has to be a two-way street, one day he's just going to say "oh why the hell do I bother?" and that would be a great shame for the entire community.
@ Big Frank—
Thanks for posting the bald-faced truth about this area, and most other forums.
If I go only by the statistics—ones that are public and also some analytics Barbara has access to—I’m a complete failure. August had 33 replies, many of them from the same core of 5 to 6 members, and yet the topic was viewed over 7,000 times.
I am not disheartened, but I am of two minds on the subject, which means I’m using two more than I usually do.
That was a joke.
@ The Universe—
Okay, on one hand, I could try brow-beating, “Hey, lurkers! You’re missing out on a great participation here!!!” Um, I’ve tried that numerous times over the years, as has our Administrator and the best we’ve ever gotten is perhaps two new participating members. And then at least one drops off over the ensuing weeks, strongly suggesting that they posted out of guilt and not a need to be an active member.
It just doesn't work, trying to shame someone into being an active tg member.
On the other hand, I could try the Rewards System: for every member who has not posted in this area before October 2012—who posts at least five times each month, they get to be in a lottery for a cool prize. Or a promotion from Member to a new—purely puffery—status: Active Member, and Ready To Learn!—or something.
Looking at both hands, I’m at a loss. Calling our lurkers doesn’t work, and some members consider “lurker” an insulting phrase like “troll”. And a Reward, points-style system leaves me feeling like a hypocrite. It then suggests that my monthly work needs additional motivation to make people engage, discuss, and learn even more after the tutorial is done.
I do work hard, damned hard, not just on the glossy, silly production values on the videos, but also on content that is often requested right here on the forum. I did two parts on image-retouching because the active members here requested it, remember?
So here’s my idea:
What do the people reading this, who have not posted yet, think we can do to draw you folks out and participate?
First five new respondents get a Pepperidge Farms™ Sausalito™ Macadamia Nut cookie.
Don’t ask how I can deliver it. I know I left two in the bag last night.
Attachment 92712
-g
The Xone is the best place in the forums for learning and refreshing and I don't know why so many people don't participate, you do not have to be a master to try your hand out here but you will certainly learn something. As Big Frank has said, it would be a great pity if Gary got fed up and said sod it, then that would be a major blow for all! This months tut. also includes the clock tower and I liked it so much, I dismantled it and put it in my bathroom :D Great tut. as usual Gary, excellent video.
Stygg
I always watch your videos Gary and I do learn a lot. But, I guess I am in so much awe of the talent here that I don't participate.
To show willing, here is a photo composite. Roger in the red shirt was added from another photo and a pole was cloned out.
That's a real nice bit of work you did there Grace, really neat.
Stygg
@Grace and stygg—
I've been around the block a few times and the sad reality is that all forums have a participation versus attendance ratio of significantly less than 1.0.
This reality is hardly cause for me ever feeling it's time to quit. By the way, stygg, I was born in and live in New York State and don't think I've ever said "sod it", although I'm familiar with what it means. :)
No, you folks who regularly check in are ample reward for what it is I do here, I love to see your work and how you grow every month, and the discussions we have about Xara, and related subjects like "Art".
I wish I could think of something that would encourage participation without using psychology, not that psychology would work.
If the classroom never fills up, hey, at least I'm building a nice video portfolio, aren't I?
++++++++++++++++
@Grace—
That's a superb piece of retouching! Would you say that the video tutorials this year made it a little easier?
By the way, DON'T...EVER...feel intimidated by the talent around here. Almost without exception, people don't post on this thread to get ego validation. Members come here to talk about the tutorial, an artistic principle, and consider this: your retouching is so good, perhaps there's someone who is intimidated by your talent now, and they're afraid to post?
It happens! Let's all park the egos at the door and just be ourselves and share around here, okay?
Life's too short, you know?
BTW, Grace, if the piece is done, it's done, but if you're open to suggestions, you might want to draw a small shadow below the fellow in red on the end, because everyone else is casting a dense, partially transparent, bluish shadow on the concrete.
@myself—
Gary, are you considering doing a tutorial in the near future on "lighting"? How to simulate shadows and light a shape correctly so it looks more photorealistic?
-g
I did a different take on this. I traced a french curve, added some test and a pencil
Will have to do the clock soon.
Attachment 92734
That looks really good Larry.
I like the sound of a tut. about lighting and shadows Gary, especially the shadows, they fascinate me because they can be so complex and not just dark area's. I enjoyed doing the shadows in the Box tut. One question I have is, in the clock pic I posted, which is all vector apart from the fills for the hour ellipses, I tried as you suggested using the shape tool for tracing these tops, make inflection points, final click to close the shape then use the handles to shape the ellipse in smooth and curve position, trouble is I find it a bit difficult to finally arrive at the correct shape because when you drag on one handle to make a curve, its opposite moves of the line so I end up sought of going backwards and forwards so to speak, must be doing something wrong or missed something in the tut. :rolleyes:
Stygg
Hi stygg—
There's an "art" to manipulating vector path control handles. Now it's possible that the control point's handles in one area are such that the fulcrum of the handles makes adjusting them ungainly.
Or you really want a cusp connection but the control point is smooth. To toggle between smooth and cusp you double-click with the Shape tool.
You always have the Pen tool, stygg, if you're not "getting" the Shape tool. I myself confess that the Shape tool is a "hard sell" for me, because I used CorelDRAW's Pen tool extensively for five years before adopting Xara. and there's a difference between promoting a tool and recommending it, I need to say in the name of honesty.
If you can take and post a screen capture of the problem area, or post the Xa file and draw and arrow at where you're having difficulty, I can look at it today—visuals are easier to describe visual problems than text!—and post a better recommendation for you to proceed, stygg.
My Best,
Gary
Just tried your suggestion and started off by using the Pen tool to insert the four inflection points, dragging each side to make the curves and finished off with the Shape tool in Cusp and line mode, worked fine, give or take .1 pixel. I'm happy with that for now untill I get more pratice in, I think practice is the main thing here and remembering all the options open to you. :D Thanks for the input Gary much appreciated.
Stygg
"BTW, Grace, if the piece is done, it's done, but if you're open to suggestions, you might want to draw a small shadow below the fellow in red on the end, because everyone else is casting a dense, partially transparent, bluish shadow on the concrete.
@myself—
Gary, are you considering doing a tutorial in the near future on "lighting"? How to simulate shadows and light a shape correctly so it looks more photorealistic?
-g "
Ah my persnikity husband missed that, he won't touch the computer himself - but he watches over my shoulder as I try:). I will see what I can do, I may need to wait for your shadow tut.
Watching your videos teaches me a lot. Keep up the good work.
Historically—if you can call the past 10 months "History"—when I open up voting or suggestions about the month-to-come's tutorial, interest and participation in THIS month drops off!
So I don't want to dwell on November's tutorial, but I think 1.)detecting, doing the artistic investigative work, and then 2.) producing shadows with Xara—might attract at least two of the above members next month.
:)
Deal! This sort of stuff is completely do-able in Xara:
Attachment 92740
-g
That is a pretty darn good piece of retouching, Gary! =D>
Well, thanks!
But this isn't my image gallery—I host this place to share how to do some of this stuff.
That's a photo of my kid brother when he was in his 30s; notice that in addition to selecting carefully around his edge, I made sure the host scene of the beach had the same lighting on the objects as Dave does in the original photo.
One of the secrets of special effects retouching is to do as little as possible! "Get it right in the camera", is always said.
Then the work of recreating and extended the shadow by drawing the shape and experimenting with transparency and color of the shadow.
TIP: Shadows are almost never black.
TIP: Shadows outdoors seldom have a fuzzy edge. Lighting from the sun casts a hard edge shadow, and the only time a shadow gets soft is when a homeless orphan asks it for money. I'm kidding: shadows can get soft on overcast days and when the surface the shadow is cast upon is rough...so it becomes diffuse instead of focused.
More next month!
-g
I am slightly confused. the tuts are great and this was no exception and thank you for them. What is the difference between the shape tool and the pen tool? They seem to be the same. Thanks in advance for setting me straight.
Hi ber61—
I showed the Pen tool in some detail >>in the September video tutorial<<
The skinny is:
• The Shape tool can be used to edit curves, control points and control point handles while you draw. And the Shape tool doesn't actually draw, but instead creates lines between points you click on the page.
• The Pen tool isn't even featured on the toolbar in Xara Designer Pro X—I show how to reveal it in September's video. you click with the Pen tool to create lines between points and you can click+drag to make curves, but the Pen tool doesn't really have any power to edit control points—you most always need the Shape tool after working with the Pen tool.
Some people prefer to stick with the Shape tool for all drawing and editing; it might take a little longer than working with eh Pen tool, but there's less extensive editing after using the Shape tool.
They aren't the same, but they both produce control points and path segments in-between points.
My Best,
Gary
Thanks Gary I think it is sinking in. They are similar tools but the shape tool is more.
This opinion is purely my own, ber61:
• If you're just beginning with Xara as your first vector drawing program, you probably should start practicing with the Shape Tool. The Xara Group itself promotes it as the drawing tool of choice in Xara, and like bicycle riding and archery (????), you pick up expertise as you repeatedly use the tool, you'll work faster as time goes by, and eventually swear by it.
•If you came to Xara after years and years working with Illustrator, CorelDRAW (especially CorelDRAW), or some other program that offers a Bezier spline tool—often called a Pen tool—then the Shape tool is a "hard sell". People tend not to swim upstream.
Happy to report, though, that Xara has both tools. it's a win-win for artists and designers.
My Best,
Gary
Gare . . . help!
I was following your October Tutorial and have been stumped.
On the second page, you talk about joining shapes. I created the inverted V. Then I dragged and dropped a copy to the right of the original. Using the selector tool, I dragged the copy over the original but my cursor did not tell me I was going to connect the two different lines. My shapes did not join and still have two inverted Vs.
You stated when you drag an end point over a different selected node the cursor tells you that you are going to connect the two different lines.
How do you select a node and then drag a different object over it. Doesn't one object deselect when you select the next one
If I hold the shift key down, then both objects will move. Sorry, I really can not figure this one out.
Don't hold Shift, Beanpole.
I think what you're not doing is both Vs need to be selected, and the points where you want to join them need to be in close proximity, ideally, they're overlapping. Then carefully and with some deliberation, with the Selector tool, click the end control point of one V and drag it over to the end point of the other one. You should get a cursor that's an arrow wuith a tiny + symbol in a box.
Yes?
No?
Attachment 94872
-g
Thank you Gare. I got it now. I practiced it a few times and now it works fine. :)