vector art concepts.

[Clear80]

im working on vectoring a praying mantis (from a photo) and i came across a problem in the vectoring. on the mantis, the mantis has all sorts of colors and textures for his skin, plus there's all sorts of really detailed parts to the face. all sorts of unique and interesting shapes. there no way to create all that detailled shapes by just using fills, and transparency effects (as if you were trying to draw a wheel with spokes) so my question is, how does vector art come together? i tried to emulate the textures and colors with the blend tool but it seems you really have to get your hands dirty with vector art)

i think i realized something. i need to actually take each shape on the face, and each color and layer them in a massive amount of layers. does that sound right? for example, if i was creating an eye, i would need to take each color/shape i see and keep layering them to i have emulated the entire eye.i would need to lock each layer in place after drawing it so it would stay in order. seems, (if im understanding this right) vector art is alot of work. or is there an eaisier way? also im drawing the photo by look at it it (with the photo in the background) and then drawing what i see. i heard some people actually draw right on top of the photo? please explain this vector art stuff to me in layman's terms.

[Soquili]

Hi Clear80,

Vector art is like other art. One artist may use pencil and paper. Another may use water colours, and a third may use pastels, oil paint, and acrylics.

A vector artist may create a photo quality image on a single layer and another may create a simpler drawing using many layers.

It is all personal preference.

In your example of a praying mantis you could make it look like a cartoon insect. You could draw it with every detail you can see. Or you could draw it with less detail but still achieve a look that could be almost photographic.


The attached image is a vector drawing that represents a Granny Smith apple. It consists of 12 shapes all on one layer. None of the shapes are very detailed. The look is achieved with fills, feathering and transparencies. I chose a very round shape rather than making it conform more to that of an actual apple. It still does not make it less recognisable as being an apple (in my mind at least ).

[Clear80]

wow that actually makes a good deal of sense on how you did that.

[Burpee]

Hi clear80, people here pointed me to the artwork of Valery Kouleshov and one piece attracted me because of the subjects I like to draw. See this lion:

http://www.graphics.com/modules/Gall..._africa?full=1

I am doing a deer trying to emulate his style so I can learn to use Xara the way I want. It is very hard as the deer's hair/fur is multicolored and I have to puzzle out how Valery created his image. I imagine that your praying mantis is the same. Perhaps this image might give you some ideas.

I am putting the base figure on a locked layer and then the head on another, the neck on another, the ears on another and the eyes on yet another layer.

I'd really like to see what you end up accomplishing or even a WIP.

[Soquili]

Clear80 different subjects can be drawn using different methods.

The apple is a single object with 12 objects on one layer.

The attached .xar file is an unfinished portrait that I started years ago. I no longer have the reference photo so probably will never finish the drawing.

The .xar file is attached for you to examine.

There are 120 objects on 5 layers. Other portraits I have done have many thousands of objects on many layers.

In the attached file the face is on one layer. In other portraits each area of the face has it's own layer.

Personal preferences change from project to project.

[Big Frank]

What I like most is how tiny those xar files are! Compare that to the size of PSDs!

Anyway, here's a portrait I spent hours and hours on (wow look at the date ). It's pretty OK but I can't say I'm terribly happy with it. Anyway, if nothing else it was a great exercise in patience. Sorry to say I haven't done anything that adventurous in all the time that's passed.

3633 objects. And it is slow as hell to redraw even in wireframe mode.

[Burpee]

But Big Frank, she is outstanding. I especially like the background and her hair.

[Scotty]

Hi Big Frank,
Lovely piece of work!!
On the humoroous side it must have been done awhile ago I can see the gray hair starting to show.
Jim

[X-Newbie]

I really like the picture Big Frank.. Are there any good tutorials on how to do work like this? i want to do a graphic like this of my children.

[Caseydave]

Here's one i did with 137 shapes