Fauvel AV36 glider 1:33 by Philippe Rennesson

[nando]

Leif, first of all i want to give you my compliment for the hard work you did to enhance the graphics of this model and many thanks for your generosity, giving them for free to all of us. Then MANY THANKS for the quality of the description how do you explain, step by step, the process that you applied. Every thread you do is a true master course in modeling.

So I tried to apply your teaching on my project of a canoe. I stopped it because I didn't reach a good rendering of wood on the planks but your suggestions about the use of the "clipping path" tool gave me the wish to try it on.

I'm using in my projects free tools, so I had to find the way to use the clipping tool with Gimp.

1) So i took my vectorized model ( i'm using Inkscape ) into Gimp, taking only the filling, putting it in a level with trasparency as background.
2) I imported in a different layer the image of the texture which I choose.
3) I choose, in the layer with the shape, the "alpha to selection"
4) in the layer with the texture I choose to invert the selection then I delete the selection, and tatahh! We have in the layer the texture clipped with the shape of the layer underlying.

Then I saved the texture in a png format and i imported it in a dedicated layer into Inkscape.

I have some problem with the boundary of the texture which isn't so sharp, but at the scale of the model it isn't so important.
But have you some hint for correct this problem? I saw in your sample images that you haven't this kind of problem.

Here some pics of the process and of the test i did.

The original vectorized



Plank Filling



Gimp Texture



Texture into Original



Blurred boundary



vs sharp boundary



The result is far beyond my expectations.





Thanks again, Leif!
Best, Nando

PS: what does CRS mean?

[cblf49]

CRS means Can't Remember "Stuff". (We have to keep it clean here.)

[Leif Ohlsson]

Very interesting application. So glad to see the general method proved to be useful for someone else, and that it was possible to follow. The problem about distinct edges I handle this way (if I remember correctly):

1) Make texture jpg or psd (or whatever pixel format) slighly larger than the outlines of the part.

2) In your vector (svg or similar) program, place imported pixel file under vector outline of part.

3) Make copy of vector outline, and use copy to create a so called clipping path combining it with the textured import, thus cutting out surplus texture area (running outside outline). The outline thus exists in two identical shapes - one as a black or grey outline, another as an invisible clipping path blotting out surplus texture area. Think of the clipping path as an invisible sheet of paper with a part-shaped hole cut out in it.

This is the way all the professional designers handle their textured parts, if you study their products more closely. The only difference is that they very rarely or never go to the trouble of cutting out the texture parts close to the intended shape. Instead they usually import the same rectangular piece of texture over and over, and cut it out to the correct shape with the help of a clipping path. Perfectly alright, but sometimes very difficult to work with if you want to rearrange parts. But, then again, that's not why they made their design...

Beautiful work on the canoe! - Leif

[nando]

Perfect!
I followed your hint and using the texture image into Inkscape, I clipped it using the contour: the result is perfect and far easier to do.



Thanks, Nando

[Leif Ohlsson]

Way to go! -L