fill that follows shape outline

**dudelsack** · 29 November 2005, 09:13 PM

Might be old hat to some of you fellows/gals...but I am trying to get a good looking chrome-like fill on some motorcycle fenders and exhaust system, and I just haven't figured out how to get a fill to follow a curved shape. Straight shapes are no problem, but something curved, looks then kind of hokey and the fill just doesn't have the appearance I have in mind. Any tricks? This is the only big thing holding up an otherwise super project.....Thanks! Piperboy

**Soquili** · 29 November 2005, 09:43 PM

Hi Piperboy,

Which version of Xara are you using? The new Xtreme has Eye Candy 4000 demo plug-in that has Chrome. The attachment is a simple line converted to shape with the Live Effect applied.

**John Rayner** · 29 November 2005, 11:53 PM

How about a blend along a curve? Works well for me, if I spend the time to get the colors right... Not like the attached example...

**sallybode** · 30 November 2005, 05:42 AM

Oh, John,

This reminds me of the eyeful I got when the killer whales were mating at Marineland!

A bit more curly, though and tapered more.

**dudelsack** · 30 November 2005, 06:59 AM

Thanks everyone...will try this stuff out. The perfect solution to such a problem would naturally be a sort of bevel, that you could set multiple colors on and simply paste the attributes into a shape. That way you wouldn't get the rounded ends, like in the beautiful chrome example in the example from Soquili and you would have some control over results. The present available fills are mostly on a straight line basis, and you can paste attiributes, but the fill will not follow shape outlines. If there is a way to set color of a bevel, haven't found it yet, but you have anyway still got those thin lines between the heart of the shape and the bevel itself. If you are trying to get a rounded, 3D effect, this is just not quite what I picture as being correct.

If this isn't able to be done in Xara....it could be a good addition to the next version. If it is able to be done, like to have a chrome fill really follow the curved outline of a motorcycle fender and have it end up looking like a fender, I'd love to know.

If this uploading thing works, see what I mean with bevels...just doesn't look 3D...and having a chrome blend follow an exhaust pipe, wouldn't end up as nice as it could with simply having the ability to paste a fill into a shape and having it follow the outline. Maybe there is a way...any ideas are certainly welcome. It will take me a bit to answer...I'm in Europe...time difference
Smile

**jens g.r. benthien** · 30 November 2005, 03:29 PM

If you need a line with round ends, select the line, go to the line gallery and select 'round cap' - see pic below.

**Soquili** · 30 November 2005, 04:07 PM

I've also had doubts about the beveled ends that the plug-in creates. Doesn't make for a very believable exhaust pipe. Using the Clip View with an invisible object can remove those ends. With little tweeking, it could be possible to make a chrome object that looks real.

This is the same image as my previous post, but I added an invisible rectangle behind the curved shape and selected both and applied Clip View.

**Bob Hahn** · 30 November 2005, 04:15 PM

Depending on your ability, you can always try and simulate the effect you want by drawing it. Using shapes, colours, highlights, shading and not be too dependant on plug-in effects to complete your desired effect. Anything can be done in Xara.

-Bob.

**jens g.r. benthien** · 30 November 2005, 04:19 PM

Or you can draw your curve with rounded ends -> convert to shape -> adjust the end bulge of the shape -> apply chrome effect. Should work, but I didn't have the time to test it.