I'm brand new at this 'Forum thing' but I'm desperate for a good idea.
I am trying to create colored grid patterns, for example to create a 3D effect for human clothing etc.
So far I do it like this:
1) Draw the shape's outline. 2) Draw the grid lines in both directions. 3) Break ALL grid lines at ALL intersections (including outline)
4) Join the broken nodes to create separate, closed, 4-point polygons. Before this task can be done, a copy for ALL adjoining vectors needs to be made.
5) Separate all polygons for the 1st color (say red). 6) Dito for the 2nd color (say blue).
7) To group 5) above - apply red - no outline 8) To group 6) above - apply blue - no outline
9) Move 7) and 8) as described above on top of each other to form a red-blue grid pattern. 10) Add the outline shape if required.
This method of pattern creation is extremely time consuming. Does anyone know of a speedier version to complete the task?
I appreciate your help - Thank you - hfas
Try this.
Draw the shape. Then use the Graph Paper Tool to create a square grid of approximately the same size. Modify the grid to match your shape using the envelope tool. Then you can break apart the grid and have a bunch of little polygons ready made.
Hello Rikk
Thanks for your quick response. I played with your idea and it works quite nicely - especially after converting the graph paper lines to curves.
The only problem remaining is that the graph paper lines are spaced equidistant. The lines on a grid pattern wrapped on a cylinder, for example, are spaced closer and closer as the pattern approaches the cylinder's edge - thus the desired 3D effect.
Perhaps Corel will introduce a set of such 'wrapping tools' in X4? For my line of work CorelDraw does have many advantages over any 3D drawing tool.
Thanks again - Hans Faessler
I sometimes get lazy and just flip/copy a square, maybe change it color and do it all over again.... That's a residual habit from the Corel 3 days.
Conforming graphics to a 3-D appearance is easy with the ENVELOPE TOOL!
Construct the grid in a flat box arrangement and apply the interactive Envelope to it... then select the ORIGINAL mode of manipulation.
Points within the Envelope will be affected as the points within a Bézier curve! When you move the handle bars around you will notice the acceleration type distortion to the affected graphics. Adding nodes along the outside of the Envelope shape with do even more distortion.
In fact, you can even (roughly) match the effect of the Perspective Effect with the Envelope in Original Mode.
There is a pretty neat relationship with Envelopes, Bézier's and 3-D space as Bézier transforms are applicable to multiple dimensions... So, one thing I do often is take two elipses that represent the top and bottom of a cylinder, placing a rectangle to represent the sides. Trimming the top of the rectangle with the top elipse and working the bottom with a couple of trims and intersects.
The structure of the remaining curves in the top and the bottom have control handles and nodes that equate to a real life arrangement that the Envelope tool in Original Mode then does a great job with. In short, the Original Mode Envelope tool does great 3-D looking effects.
Sorry, I was offline for a few days.
Thanks for your response - Interesting!
Now, drawing the actual grid lines is not really my problem, although I like your approach (Envelope) and it works well.
Problem: Once the grid looks the way I like it - How to break all the nodes at the intersections? In other words: How to create all those 4-point polygons? This is assuming that such polygons need to be created in order to apply the alternating coloring pattern.
How did you do this in your sample image? What do you mean by "flip/copy a square"?
Two ways.
1. If you don't have overlapping polygons, you can simply ungroup. CTRL U
2. If the polygons do overlap because you have done some serious enveloping,,, <Arrange><Shaping><Simplify>