Combining Graphic Styles with 3D Rendering

[stacie_allen@adobeforums.com]

I'm still a novice at this, so bear with me. I'm attempting to create a land schematic and need to render a 3d rectangle by extrude and bevl, and then apply a graphic style. Once I apply the graphic style, it always cancels out the 3d effect and I'm left with a 2d rectangle. I've tried it both ways--applying the graphic style first, and then the 3d effect...which leaves me with the graphic style on only one face of the rectangle, and also by rendering the 3d rectangle and then applying a graphic style. Neither works. For instance, I want to take a rectangle, apply a "concrete" graphic style, render it as 3d, and voila, have a rectangle looking like a slab of concrete. I'm sure I'm missing something very basic, but thats why I'm here. Please help.

I'm using CS in Windows XP.

thanks!

[James_Talmage@adobeforums.com]

Stacie,

First, draw a path (a simple rectangle will do). Then apply the Style you want. For example, try the one named RGB Stucco in the default Styles (since this one has a texture).

Now look at the Appearance Palette to see the various components of this Style. The Appearance Palette reveals how the Style is built. This Style consists of a Roughen Effect, a Stroke of none, a Fill, and a Texturizer Effect.

Now apply the 3D Effect. Don't worry that it doesn't look right. Look again at the Appearance Palette. You'll see that the 3D Effect is now listed at the bottom of the stack. The key is to understand that the components shown in the Appearance Palette are applied *in order* of their listing.

In the Appearance Palette, click the 3D Effect and drag it upward. Drop it just above the Texturizer Effect.

That's probably more like what you are trying to achieve. Now you can simply drag your object onto the Styles Palette to create a new Style of your own, which includes the 3D Effect. Thereafter, you can draw any other shape and apply the whole thing with one click.

JET

[stacie_allen@adobeforums.com]

That is wonderful, I never would've thought of trying that. Thanks a ton. Keep an eye out, I'm sure I'll be back with a million questions.

Stacie

[stacie_allen@adobeforums.com]

Does anyone know how to do a cutaway effect from a 3d rectangle? Using extrude and bevel, is there a way to overlay an object to make the front corner of the rectangle look as if you are seeing a cross section? Something to the effect of this...

<http://www.geoart.com/portfolio/graphics/schem_dome.html>

Each layer would be a separate 3d image, I'm just not proficient enough to know the best way of going about this.

Any ideas as to what program can render these sort of images? Probably an industry specific software?

Thanks,
~sa

[James_Talmage@adobeforums.com]

Actually, you could do a decent job of that using AI together with Photoshop. Create the textures in Photoshop; map them to surfaces of objects extruded in AI.

Play around with these three things using AI's 3D Extrude:

1) Draw several shapes. Have at least one enclosed by another. Have another partially overlapping another. Object>Compound Path>Make. Extrude or Revolve the compound path.

2) Using the same shapes, Group them rather than compound them. Apply 3D Effect.

3) Using the same shapes, Select them, but do not group or compound them.

Note the differences in results between applying 3D Effect to individual objects, groups, and compound paths. Explore the Map Artwork options, which lets you map any artwork you have used to define a Symbol onto the surface(s) of your choice. You'll get the idea of the capabilities/limitations.

If you want to do much of that kind of thing, though, consider any decent 3D modeling program. I've done projects similar to that for several geo-synthetic, mining, and erosion control manufacturers, using a combination of Bryce, Cararra, and Photoshop.

JET