Illustrator® CS4 Bible

Chapter 16. Creating 3-D in Illustrator

IN THIS CHAPTER

• Understanding 3-D inside Illustrator

• Extruding flat objects

• Revolving paths around an axis

• Adding highlights

• Mapping 2-D onto 3-D objects

Creating depth and adding perspective has been the desire of many illustrators. This chapter shows how you can create three-dimensional images in Illustrator. Adding 3-D to your package design, logo, or any illustration is a breeze. Take any path, type, or object and then model it into a 3-D form, adding lighting and rotating it in three dimensions. Use 3-D to take your artwork to the next level. Imagine a logo in three dimensions rotating 360° on a Web site. The possibilities are endless.

Using 3-D in Illustrator

One of the really cool features in Illustrator is the ability to create 3-D inside the application. You use the Extrude command to pop a two-dimensional item into a three-dimensional world. You can revolve a path into a three-dimensional object with highlights and even map artwork onto an image in 3-D. Not only can you revolve and extrude, but you can also rotate the object. Because your 3-D object is an effect, you can edit it at any time.

Take any flat shape and then add depth with 3-D, and you still retain all the editing abilities of the flat shape. Illustrator takes any changes you make later and incorporates them in the 3-D form. Using the Preview option, you can see what the object will look like. The extrude, revolve, rotate, and map artwork functions all appear in one neat dialog ...