Illustrator Please give honest opinions, you won't hurt my feelings!

[mflintjer]

Well, after reading meehoo's thread, I decided to jump into AI with both feet! This is a very poor start i know (at least in my own eyes), i just followed a simple tute and thought it came out kinda' neat.

it's just a ewer bowl, or if you don't know what a ewer and bowl is, it's what they used to use for washing hands before they had running water. It was something that the more well-to-do families used anyway -- farmers normally used the hand-style water pump! :B (a little history lesson)

If someone could give me some pointers on using the 3D revolve to smooth stuff out a bit better than this, I'd appreciate it muchly!!

Using AI CS (great gift from my dad for Xmas -- yeah baby!)
1. Created the path i wanted
2. Changed colors (fill and stroke)
3. Effect>3D>Revolve around Y-Axis (settings; -18,-26,0; smooth shading) -- the result is the second picture. Don't know how to create bowl without the blocky shadowing effect. [confused]



4. Then used the Smudge tool to get the first picture!

Edited:

Can't seem to get the attachments to load up in the proper order so I edited the post to reflect this!

 

[meehoo]

mflintjer-

Hey I think that looks great. I'm not familiar with the new 3d features of ill. since I'm still using 10. The only weekness of the image are the polygons that show up in the gradients. It looks like a low poly count 3D render.

Keep going with the image...add some water, a table.

Thanks for your imput to my thread.

 

[mflintjer]

I'm starting to understand it more -- the more I mess with it! Here is a revised version. Can't seem to make it smoother than this though! anyone with any ideas -- all suggestions are welcome.

And meehoo -- np to relying to your thread, and thanks for the kudos thus far!! 8}

 

[kiwi]

I am an AI klutz,had ver 9,dont have it on my puter now at all.I do occasionally try the Expressions vector program its also very good.


This pic is bitmapped not vector,but I was after a way to reduce that banding and low poly look for ya mflinter.This is what I came up with,and hopefully {not being AI savvy} you might be able to reverse engineet some bits in AI


First thing I did was on a new layer sample the lightest {close to} and the mid {semi darkest} tones on the bowl.Next i used these to colors with clouds,it covered some of the lines up ncely {set to overlay} For the next part grab an airbrush and gently samle colors close to the lines and crefully brush some tone over top of them.


I added the concentric rings to give the eye something to follow which enhances the cylindrical type 3d effect.


Next I used the dodge tool and a texture brush to add some blemishes etc to the wood,which also hides more of the lines.


Some creative masking in places to add more shadow and enhance it in other areas.


Last but not least an adjustment layer for tweaking the color



Pretty abbreviated but I know you guys are familiar enough with PS to reverse engineer it...hth

 

[mflintjer]

Kiwi, WOW 8))

That looks great, and do understand what you mean by reverse engineering. I'll give it a try a little later, right now I'm trying to add some water to the bowl. Having trouble making it look right -- water layer looks like it's overflowing on the front edge of bowl, tried a couple of different things, but to no avail! }:\

Will start again with a different plan this time -- making the water and the bowl in the SAME layer, maybe this will hide the water on the front of the bowl!

 

[kiwi]

Think reflection,think ok whats directly over top of the bowl which is going to be reflected in the water.Try taking a snap of your ceiling,preferably with ligths etc,add that.

Water is incredibly tough,but once you get youre reflection looking ok then mess around with ripples,or wavyness of it.


The other problem with the water is that youre view is up close,so the eye goes ah! that water is close enough to see to be able to see down into,which makes it even tougher again.

 

[mflintjer]

Ok, it took me a while to get this done (been busy with other things lately) -- but got back to it earlier this evening! Tel me what you think.

I know it still looks plastic-like, but I am still trying to get a grasp on this very confusing (although fun) program. [confused] 8}

 

[mflintjer]

ok, either you guys are blown away by the artwork -- or this really sucks!! [confused] 8} 8D

 

[kiwi]

Oh sorry just saw it ;\


No it doesnt suck at all,its just an incredibly hard thing to do in 2d bud.



Try a reflection map on top of the bowl and try to see if you can mimic the fresnel type effect of water maybe


Stu.

 

[mflintjer]

i'll try that, thanx!!