Lancer | 14 years ago | 7 comments | 1 like | 5,961 views
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I have a number of team logos in .jpg / .png that I would like to go beyond just spinning, etc. and manipulate in a 3D look and fashion. I'm looking for the most elegant way to do this and would appreciate some suggestions - particularly if it doesn't require a lot, or expensive, software...
One method I tried which did work was to convert a simple logo into a letter of a font I created. As a "text" item, BT allowed me to manipulate it as I please as a 3D object and it works great.
However - this logo was really just a single color with a border and I was able to recreate the colors within BT. For logos that are more complex, I don't know how to get a "face" of the logo back onto the 3D text object in BT (I get a lot of tiny logos all over it instead).
If I can, I'll attach some of the files I have been playing with, including the Sports Logos.TTF font (I only have put in letters C and D) and the PNG files I am trying to mimic. The "C" logo is the simple one that is what I was trying to do - the "D" logo is the one I am struggling with...
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
I think the easiest way is to use a textured EPS layer.
You can use Maddis' utility to convert your JPG and PNG files into EPS files. And you can scale and position the texture by adjusting the TEXTURE SIZE and TEXTURE POSITION properties.
Here's a link to Maddis' utility:
michiel, 14 years ago
Another program which can convert bitmaps into *.eps files is inkscape.
inkscape.org
It installs without any problems, is well documented and has a lot of options. Potrace is also integrated.
Wolfgang
taucher1945, 14 years ago
Much more elegant than the kludge I rammed through - problem with being a newbie - you don't know what you don't know... Thanks for the show you sent Michiel - it looks great and I can work it from there. Appreciate the input from everyone.
Lancer, 14 years ago
Michiel - Maybe I could use some help... I have tried to change the .eps file for a different file/logo in the show that you sent me (which is great! - just what I wanted to do) - BluffTitler always comes back "Bluff Titler can't handle... Filename". I tried PoTrace - can't get it to produce an .eps file as output - just goes back to the command prompt with no results. downloaded Inkscape - get large .eps files - same error message in BT, tried Photoshop (CS3) - every different encoding I can - same result... Whats the secret to getting an .eps file that BluffTitler will "handle"...
Lancer, 14 years ago
Take a look at the "Fixing problems with highly detailed logos" section on the EPS page of the user guide:
michiel, 14 years ago
I love Bluff Titler! It is an amazing software... but, over the last three years, every now and then I feel the need to turn a 2D 'shape' into the animated 3D version of it... I keep returning in hope you guys find a 'simple' way to convert into .eps format but every trails ends up to the Potrace 'command line' type of solution... that's too complex for me.
I have installed Inkscape, generated a very simple pentagon shape file (not a complex logo) and BT still says it can't handle it when i save it as eps (possibly with the wrong settings to bget the right type of eps).
Could any of you very knowledgable and kind graphic gurus please post a step by step example on how to use Inkscape to procuce an eps file that BT can work with? (without getting to the command line thingy)
I usually create in Photoshop but if needed I can generate the 'shape' with Inkscape too. Anyway I just need an example of optimal scenario (format to start from>steps to take>settings for saving with Inkscape>best way to import into BT) to obtain a 3D version of a 2D simple shape.
With that I can work my way up and see what happens with more complex shapes (spinning 3D logos is my final objective), but I need to start from an eps that BT likes. :)
Thank you so very much.
Marco (Utzy)
Utzy, 12 years ago
I don't know Inkscape, but I can tell you how to use Potrace.
Having to type a command line everytime you want to convert a picture is not very efficient. What you have to do is to create a batch file:
1) Open Notepad
2) enter the folowing line: potrace -c -q d:\temp\test.bmp
3) save this file as convert.bat and place it next to potrace.exe
Now when you double click this batch file the file d:\temp\test.bmp will be converted into d:\temp\test.eps. So all you have to do is to save your logo as d:\temp\test.bmp and double click the batch file. Easy!
You can name this batch file anything you like, as long as it has the .bat extension.
Also the source path doesn't have to be d:\temp\test.bmp. It can be anything you like, as long as it has the .bmp extension.
Make sure the bmp file is a simple black on white picture and BluffTitler will happily load the EPS file!
michiel, 12 years ago