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SPECIAL EFFECTS
Extruding and revolving involves a two-dimensional shape that is pulled (extruded) along its z-axis. You can also re- volve and extrude around the y-axis, which creates a circular path that builds the three-dimensional object.
Digital illustration yields an array of special effects through specially concocted vector formulas.
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CHAPTER 4: ILLUSTRATION
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Illustrator has a set of special effect plug-in modules, which are software programs that have been installed. Commercial plug-ins are also available and can be dragged into Illustra- tor’s Plug-ins folder.
The source of these images is the two-dimensional blue star with a thin stroke of latte color (top left). The object can be extruded with a cap that fills the object (the cap is the blue color, top row second from left) or without a cap (top row, right). You can rotate the three-dimensional object. The 3D Extrude and Bevel menu (bottom) generates a solid by spin- ning the shape (middle row, right). Here I revolved the star only partway. All this magic is done with one interface.
You should have a reason to use a particular effect. Just employing an effect because it is available doesn’t hack it. Your audience will immediately sense if a visual effect has just been slapped on.
Pseudo 3d
Surface Texture is the discernable surface quality (rough/ smooth) of an object.
Although illustrated graphics are two-dimensional, design- ers work with visual effects that cause the appearance of dimension.
The four ovals are filled with dimension-producing effects located in the Textualize menu.
The illusion of depth attracts attention because there is a echo of reality that visually flat images lack. It’s basically a bait-and-switch tactic. Sometimes it is called “2-D as 3-D”.
In the context of non-computer assisted drawing, surface texture refers to the physical surface on which a drawing is made. In digital illustration, surface texture relates to the treatment applied to the surface of a vector object. There are many ways to create the illusion of depth using such texture mapping techniques.
The examples clustered here identify four different forms of pseudo 3D: extruding & revolving; drop shadow; surface texture; and overlapping.
A drop shadow simulates the cast shadow created when an object is positioned slightly above a background surface with a primary light source coming from one direction.
Overlapping refers to creating the impression that one ob- ject rests on objects behind it.
Drop shadows are amazingly effective in adding a subtle and non-distracting level of interest to a computer screen or printed page. This effect seems equally effective with drawn objects, type, photographs, and other types of illustrations.
When the edge(s) of a self-contained object is superim- posed above another object, the object that appears to be on top seems to be closer to the viewer than ones “be- neath.” The stacking is done by levels.
The drop shadow added to the star (top left) shows the default values of the Drop Shadow interface (right). Note that you can adjust the location of the drop shadow, its de- gree of offset from the source, its opacity, and its color.
In this sample the arrows (left) seem to recede by overlap and size alone. The star shape (right) adds softening of the color green, which was done manually.