3-D effects are some of the most powerful and fun (and by the way, some of the most resource-consuming) features in Illustrator. From a simple semicircle you can generate a globe. From two-dimensional text you can extrude 3-D perspective.
When you generate a 3-D object, a sphere from a semicircle for example, you can map objects onto that 3-D object. You can visualize this process by thinking about drawing a picture on a balloon, and then inflating the balloon. The drawing is analogous to the mapped object on a 3-D effect.
3-D effects are . . . effects. They are applied to a curve, but they are not permanent objects. This means that when you edit the underlying path from which a 3-D object was generated, you reshape the generated 3-D effect.
All this will become clearer as you work through this chapter. I’ll explain how to apply 3-D effects: extrusion, revolved effects, and rotation.
Extrusion transforms selected objects so they appear to diminish as they approach a vanishing point. Beveling is similar to extrusion but is usually applied to shapes or curves to transform them into 3-D objects.
Extruded type, for example, is often used to create a dynamic “comin’ at ya” effect (Figure 88a).
To generate a 3-D object by extruding a shape, follow these steps:
Type works well for this effect.
Figure 88b. Rotating the position cube to change an extrusion vanishing point.
You can change the appearance of objects to which extrusion has been applied by editing the original path. You can also change the appearance of the effect by changing the stroke and/or fill of the original path.
Arguably, the most powerful single feature of Illustrator is the ability to generate 3-D rotation and revolve effects. It’s not the most useful, most used, or most productive feature, but in terms of taking a simple path and making it into something entirely different, nothing is more dramatic than applying 3-D rotation or revolve effects.
A simple and basic example is revolving an angled straight line to make a cone or rotating a simple curve to generate a bell (Figure 89a).
Figure 89a. A bell revolved from a curve.
To generate a rotated 3-D object, follow these steps:
Figure 89b. A simple s-shaped curve will revolve into a bell.
Figure 89c. Rotating a curve 360 degrees.
Are there times when you might rotate an object less than 360 degrees? Not many, but one example would be if you wanted to show a bell or cone with a section cut out.
Mapping artwork onto a 3-D effect is like drawing on a balloon and then blowing it up. As the balloon expands or changes shape, the artwork you drew changes as well. Mapped artwork on 3-D effects stretches in complex ways corresponding to the generated 3-D effect (Figure 90a).
Figure 90a. Type mapped on a sphere.
Only symbols can be mapped onto 3-D effects. For a full discussion of creating, using, and editing symbols, see #91, “Creating Symbols and Applying Instances.” For the purposes of mapping artwork on a 3-D effect, you need to know that artwork, including vectors and type, can be dragged into the Symbols panel, turning it into a symbol. Once you have placed the artwork you want to map in the Symbols panel, follow these steps to map the artwork on a 3-D effect:
To create 3-D rotation and revolve effects, see #89, “3-D Rotation and Revolve Effects.”
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