done in PI 7
If you are like me and can't draw a straight line with a ruler,then the next best thing is to use shapes to make objects in PI. The many tools in PI allow you to blend, shade, smudge,lighten, etc., to give your objects a slight 3D look.
This tutorial is broken down into 3 parts to show you some of the methods I use. The first part will cover shading and blending. The second part will show you how to move the light effects around on a 3D object to give a different look to them. In the third part, I will give you some tips for using the Path Edit tool to tweak a simple shape into something a little more complex.
Remember there are no hard and fast rules for using these techniques. Everyone has their own way of doing things and just because your results don't turn out exactly like mine doesn't mean it isn't right. I will cover just some very basic ideas for you to experiment with.
These tutorials also assume you have a good working knowledge of PI and the various tools we will use.
Let's get started!
First, find the object you want to make, either something you have on
hand or a picture. Look at it closely and take note of the different
shapes that make it.
Then you can use those shapes and put them together to make your object.
For this tutorial, we will make the top part of a cordless phone. There are only one or
two shapes we need to make to keep this tutorial simple.
1.Open a 400x400 canvas. Draw a rectangle approx. 135x350;
3D round; border 10.
Open the Easy Palette and under Material
Attributes,use these settings.
2.Use the Path Edit tool; toggle on; click on the top line; when it turns red, click on the convert line, curve.Pull the curved line down like so:
3.Repeat for the bottom line.
4.Toggle off the Path edit and return to the Shape tool.
Draw a 3D round circle to fit inside the rectangle. Slider the border all the way to the right. Right-click and convert to object.
5.Draw a smaller circle, border 1 and place it in the middle of the larger one:
6. Right-click on the small circle; convert to object.
Click on the Linear gradient tool under the Fill bucket;use the Two-Color method.
In the first box use this color setting: 54,53,53.
In the second box use these settings: 118,118,0.
Starting on the top left side, drag the cursor to the bottom right.
7.Now that we have the basic shapes done, it's time to start shading and blending.
Click on the large circle to make it active.
Click on the Burn tool; in the Attribute bar, under Preset, choose Wide Burn.
Slide the Level down to about 80 and use a soft edge of 50.
Go around the large circle once, just to darken it a little.
8. Repeat the same steps as above on the small circle.
9.Right-click; select all objects; merge as single object.
Select the Blur tool;size 20, level 5, soft edge 50.
Carefully go around the edges of the large circle with small outward strokes
to blend the hard edges into the rectangle.
10.Using the same Blur tool settings, go around the outside edge of the small circle to blend it somewhat into the larger circle.
Now make buttons for the phone; add text to the buttons. Make it look like your phone at home.