June 2014 Video Tutorial - Creating 3D Semi-Transparent Cubes in Xara

[Barbara B]

June 2014 Video Tutorial - Creating 3D Semi-Transparent Cubes in Xara



When you pose a 3D cube or rectangle shape, the most you can hope to see are three sides. Unless the cube is partially transparent! This month Gary shows you how to use the Extrude tool to make a reference model, how to create backside planes for your own cube, and how to apply transparency and color to make a drawing that looks as though it was created in a modeling program. If you think the power of Xara to the second power is awesome, wait until you see Xara cubed (X³).

Enjoy the flick (about 12 minutes) and then show us your cubes.

[Gare]

There are actually four parts to this tutorial: getting an extruded cube posed so it looks visually interesting, calculating one line to arrive at three backfaces for your own cube, playing between transparency and linear fills so eventually you can see all six sides of the cube—sort of like a glass cube except there are no intense and sharp specular reflections, and finally how to fake a shadow cast from the cube.

This is do-able for every skill level and I think it's a pretty neat thing to be able to do.



My Best,

Gary

[angelize]

I enjoyed this tutorial, and here is my cube. I decided to make mine red and it reminded me of strawberry jello so I did a second version with a little wobble

[Gare]

Frances, aren't you going to stain the carpet without putting a plate under that Jell-o™ ?

I love it! Three thumbs up.

If enough interest is shown in shading cubes (over creating them), I'll supply some "wireframes" later this month.

Well done, Angelize.

Actually a well done cube of Jell-o™ would look puddly and burnt. You get what I mean, though. :)

-g

[Gare]

By the way, there have been 233 visits to the Giveaway—the cloud PNGs that I sweated over (now don't go feeling guilty or anything...), and no art posted, no comments.

This is good stuff, folks!

Get the background composition element of your dreams right here

See what you can do here by mixing and matching Xara Xone tutorials?



Hmmm?

My Best,

Gary

[stygg2003]

The clouds are top notch Gary and I will get to do a post with the cloud, I'm just finishing the semi-trans. cube, which is an excellent video and tutorial.

Stygg