Contours can be interesting Eh?

[Ross Macintosh]

I'm still facinated at how the contour tool can create interesting effects fom a single filled shape...

Regards, Ross

<a href=http://www.designstop.com/>DesignStop.Com</a>

[Ross Macintosh]

I'm still facinated at how the contour tool can create interesting effects fom a single filled shape...

Regards, Ross

<a href=http://www.designstop.com/>DesignStop.Com</a>

[gwpriester]

but those would make some cool fill patterns.

Gary

Gary Priester

Moderator Person

<a href="http://www.gwpriester.com">
www.gwpriester.com </a>


XaraXone


http://www.gwpriester.com/flag.gif

[Ross Macintosh]

What are you/anyone not sure about? Perhaps I can clarify. Maybe...

Regards, Ross

<a href=http://www.designstop.com/>DesignStop.Com</a>

[Jonathan Payne]

I really recommend you have a play with this method. It is really easy to achieve some great effects. Attached are pictures of a few things that you can do with variations of this kind of theme (using feathers, two different kinds of transparency and more colours).

On my web page I put up a little tutorial showing how to do another nice contour trick. Unfortunately I did the page a while ago and I now regret using such horrible colours for the pictures [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_wink.gif[/img] .

[maak]

I just played around with this a little and I am amazed about the possibilities, espacially when using (more) color. I attached an example file...

yours:maak.

[Ross Macintosh]

Interesting image Maak. Like Gary noted, that kind of pattern could make a cool fill.

Regards, Ross

<a href=http://www.designstop.com/>DesignStop.Com</a>

[Ross Macintosh]

Jonathan - the technique I use is directly based on having seen your page and your cool discovery.

In an earlier thread here's what I said about it: Yes the contour tool can create some interesting effects. I think we can all agree that when Xara Ltd. created the tool, such effects probably weren't on their mind. Jonathan Payne discovered that hidden in the straightforward tool were some interesting capabilities. See the thread Enter the Void -Experiments in Contouring to see examples and learn more. Also see Gallery seemed too quiet... for a couple animated gifs made using the technique and Pretty Poison for some other neat examples.

I posted the example below before. I guess it is okay to plagerize myself. The technique used involves giving the wheel shape a multicoloured linear fill and a transparency. I then contoured it (inside) with many steps. The magic happens when you Ctrl-select the original shape from within the contour and edit its fill and/or its transparency. Each edit results in modifications to all the contour steps. It is of course necessary to have a very high level of transparency. With many transparent contours one atop the other the effect is generated. It is a lot of fun to play with and exciting because it is hard to know what to anticipate. I added a feathered white shape above as a highlight. The colours are a result from the contouring fun.


http://talkgraphics.infopop.net/1/Op...&ul=7641926951

Hope this encourages you to try it. If you do - here's a good tip: Start with a multicoloured linear fill that has some tight colour changes (drag colours from the colour bar onto a linear fill's editing arrow). That fill can later be changed to conical, circular, or elliptical and still keep all the colours. The tight colour changes work wonders in the contour.

Regards, Ross

<a href=http://www.designstop.com/>DesignStop.Com</a>

[Bob C.]

Is this a variation of the fish-net stocking thread by eachfound and talked about by RUSS-USSR and John S. Clements?

Can this tool along with blends be used to get the fish net effect?

Bob C.

[Ross Macintosh]

I'm sure blends are the way to go when making fishnets. (Blend Tip: After applying the blend you can still edit the objects that were blended and watch the blend modify interactively. Ctr-click to select either the blend's start or end object. Use the shape editor tool to modify).

This contour technique clearly works well to create wild colour fills. If you look at the linked threads you'll see many examples of the creative fun you can have with the technique. Go for it.

Regards, Ross

<a href=http://www.designstop.com/>DesignStop.Com</a>