March 2013 Video tutorial: Creating Neon and other Noble Gases

**Gare** · 22 March 2013, 06:42 PM

Okay, okay, I'm late. This month is an expansion on what I'd started on this thread Creating Glows.

I think you'll have fun with this technique and be able to create "neon" sculptures of your own design after following along. Please be nice to Nick Curtis, the talented fellow who created one of the typefaces you can download for free—see the section below the Download button this month.

If you've believed that the Blend tool is just for shapes, get ready for a pleasant surprise as you blend open paths to make light of Southwest cuisine.

the link

Click image for larger version.

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So if you're not designing neon gas sculptures like this and are getting gas pains, digest this tutorial, and then let's talk right here, eh?

My Best,

Gary

**angelize** · 22 March 2013, 08:46 PM

The video doesn't appear to be working on the Xara Xone Page, I click on the play button and get the spinning indicator which just spins and spins. I was able to go to youtube and watch it there.

I hope to have time later to do the tutorial, I've now got all kinds of ideas for neon compostions in my head!

**Gare** · 22 March 2013, 08:58 PM

Hi Frances—

UPDATE: Barbara is using the latest Flash plug-in for Explorer 9, it works fine, so the problem is probably your version of Flash Player within your browser. Might want to update it, or forget it and click our direct link all the time (sigh).

Okay, I just updated Internet Explorer's Flash plug-in Get it here, UNCHECK the MACAFFEE BOX before you download! and IE 9 displays and plays the video in the box.

My Best,

Gary

**angelize** · 22 March 2013, 10:42 PM

Hi Gary, I think it may have been a server glitch It's working fine now.

Here is my rendition of the neon sign

**stygg2003** · 23 March 2013, 07:06 PM

Not done the main drawing yet of South of the Border but I did the pepper on its own, I'm trying to work between Gary's tut. and Stained glass by Francis, they are both excellent.

Stygg.

**Gare** · 23 March 2013, 07:08 PM

Looks good, Stygg!

I'm going to expect top see some original drawings before too long. The chili pepper is good for an appetizer, now let's see the main course!

It's not hard to find fast food neon signs from the 50s and such on the Web. Get creative with your new skills!

-g

**Rik** · 23 March 2013, 08:47 PM

I thought I would put the tutorial lesson onto a different design.

**stygg2003** · 24 March 2013, 02:05 PM

Gary, the row of V's in the top shape of South of the Border, is the shadows made using the same technique as the arrows?

Stygg

**Gare** · 24 March 2013, 02:24 PM

The green "cartoon exclamation" Vs around the hat use exactly the same technique as all the rest of the neon in this tutorial, stygg. You create a thin and a thick line, offset the thin one a little, bland the two, copy the blend and convert line to shape, make the shape nearly invisible, use the Shadow tool to create the glow around this nearly invisible shape.

Take the finished file apart and see what I did.

-g

**stygg2003** · 24 March 2013, 03:16 PM

I've sorted it now Gary, I knew how to do it but today it appears Xara was being a little quirky, when I copied the blends into a new doc. and selected change line to shape to make the shadow, all I kept getting was lines, so I thought something was done different, any how it's working fine now and I've completed the V's, she must have got her maths. in a twist

Stygg