August 2013 Tips and Tricks: Mapping Text to Wafting Fabric

[csehz]

Ernie that is great how you did, please keep posting on the forum

[angelize]

I've used a different approach. My perspective is off on this one now that I look at it again but here is how I did the text. first I took note of the resolution of the paper bag photo which is 96 dpi

I molded the text to the bag then converted it to editable shapes. with my text group still selected I went to the transparency tool and chose bitmap from the drop down list of transparency shapes this gives you the default striped bitmap so on the info bar I opened the bitmap name dropdown and chose the paperbag bitmap and set the transpaency to stained glass. Lastly I clicked on the text group (while still in the transparency tool) anywhere just as long as you don't click the transparency handles. This brings up a fractal resolution box and I typed in the resolution of the paper bag bitmap (96 dpi)

[WillPete]

Not to detract from the method described by Gare which certainly has equal merit, I've always used the 'Liquid Warp' tool installed with Xara Xtreme/Designer Pro and Xara Photo & Graphic Designer (with the exception of the new 64bit version of DPX9) to flow artwork around folds and ripples in fabrics. It is often quickly done.

this is lovely! it looks alive and love the liquid color.

[stygg2003]

That is great way of doing the Text Francis and gives a great finish, it looks part of the bag and not plonked on it Going to give your technique a try as well as Ernie's, but your method seems quicker and less fiddly, no offense to Ernie's method as I will try both. Thanks Francis for sharing.

Stygg

@ Ernie - thank you for showing how you did it.

[Big Frank]

I think what this thread proves is that there are many ways in Xara to produce extremely realistic effects, especially if you're doing web work, but if your end result requires a high resolution, e.g. for printing onto quality magazines (1200 or even 2400 dpi) exhibition stand panels or advertising hoardings, the vector path is the better one for scalability. Remeber, if you're printing in a high quality magazine, an 8 inch by 10 inch image with a 300dpi resolution would have a pixel dimension of 2400 px (8x300=2400) by 3000 px ( 10 x 300=3000), so unless your image displays crispy at that size in Xara, you're better off using vector for that media type. But for web work, the quick and dirty path is the obvious path where speed and efficiency matter.

[stygg2003]

Thanks for that info. Frank, I'm not up to scratch about size, printing, dpi and
such, so all info. welcome. Anyway after looking at the methods used by Ernie
and Francis, I did one with elements from both.

Stygg

[Gare]

Let me point out a minor caveat regarding outputting text to 300dpi: you're never going to get text as sharp as with outputting vector art, close, but I tried using 300dpi text as art in a book once, and at small sizes, it still came out fuzzy compared to vector files sent to a PostScript imagesetter.

Say you export some vector shapes, okay text shapes, to Xara EPS file format, and send the file off to the poor misguided publisher that doesn't use Xara for Desktop Publishing but instead has foolishly chosen InDesign. They place that EPS file where it needs to go, and when the PostScript imagesetter hits the vector part of the file, the instructions are to print this area at as high a resolution as the imagesetter is capable.

I haven't seen a lot of difference between a high res bitmap and a vector rendered to dots, but my experience has been is visible, at large display sizes.

My Best,

Gary

[ernie-f]

Hi again!

@stygg2003: You did it well, it looks better then my. But I'ld done it only with vectors and no bitmap(effect).

@Gare: I go with you! A path as vector send to an imagesetter would be exposed in the highest resolution the machine and RIP (Raster Image Processor) can do.
A Bitmap-Text in 300ppi is limited to 300dpi. That's physic, the Imagesetter usally (the modell limites) has a expose resolution about 2450 dpi.
An image which is limited to 300 ppi can be exposed only to 300 dpi even the imagesetter does 2450 dpi.

Greets from Germany

Ernie

[stygg2003]

Thanks for the comment Ernie. Yes I used a bitmap as in the method by Francis and took the tip from your image in adding nodes and shaping the text a little to the crumples on the bag. As Gary put it, a little photo-foolery and speaking of which, I added my little foolery and it must look ok as no one as noticed it?

Stygg

[csehz]

Could I ask a risky question, I mean maybe that is evidence but - what can be considered as clear vector from Xara tools?

Drawing a shape and color okay that is vector. Also as learnt Xara does bitmap bevels so Bevel tool is out, and also the shadows are bitmaps.

But for example are the applied Feathers vectors? Or applying Fractal fill or transparency, those are vectors in Xara?

My first thought to solve this bag task with maybe opacity mask from the paper and paste it on the text, but so that is probably also would be bitmap like that