1) Create a new blank image of 500x500 pixels with a
white background (File/New).
The boomerang is based on a path for a simple triangle. This simplifies
the process of creating smooth rounded corners.
Start with a grid to position the points precisely. The grid will be set
to 25 pixel spacings in order to achieve the curvature and shape required.
Select View/Grid and also View/Snap to Grid (CTRL Y) are at it.
Select View/Rulers (CTRL R) then double-click any ruler to bring up the
ruler and grid settings dialogue box.
Click Grid in the left hand pane to show the grid settings: alter the spacing
for both horizontal and vertical to 25 pixels; the Show Grid and Snap to
Grid checkboxes should both be set. Click OK.
2) Create
a triangular Path: select the Path Node Edit Tool from the ToolBox.
When the Paths Property Bar appears the Add Nodes icon should be selected.
If not, select it. |
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Draw the triangular path. Click the x=250, y=100 point on the grid to
start the path at the apex of the triangle; then click on the following
points: x=50, y=300; x=250, y=300; x=450, y=300; to complete the triangle
and to close the path, click again on the start point at x=250, y=100.
Click the Node Edit(1) icon and select all 3 points by scribing a marquee
around them;
click Elastic Mode on (2), then To Curve (3), then Smooth (4).
Now the shape appears a bit like a triangular donut or a hotdog. |
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3) Now to shape the corners properly: click away from
the curve to deselect all points then select the centre bottom point; drag
it to x=250, y=200.
Next select the lower points: drag their handle, the outer handle to smooth
the angles. The shape should look like image left-below. The final shap
of the boomerang path.
4) Save the Path by clicking
on the Export Path on the Path window in the object dockers. (this will
help if something goes wrong later or if you need to start over, at least
you won't have to recreate this path!)
5) Create an
object from the path: click the Path to Mask icon on the Paths Property
Bar to convert the path to a mask. Check the Anti-Aliased box so that our
curves remain as smooth as possible, then click OK.
To see the path, make sure you have Show Mask Marquee selected (select this
icon on the main Toolbar). Save the mask as a channel by selecting Mask/Save/Save
as Channel from the Menu. Now save the entire image (File/Save As) as boomerang.cpt.
Leave the image in Corel PHOTO-PAINT (.cpt) format to ensure all the layers
that we create later remain intact. |
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Create a new object (click the New Object icon in the Objects Docker).
At this stage we can don't need our grid any more so hide it by deselecting
it from the View menu. Also, deselect the Snap to Grid feature.
Select the Objects Picker Tool on the ToolBox to return from path edit mode
to ‘normal' mode. Make sure the path is still visible.
6)
Lets add some wood fill to the object: as we need to manipulate the wood
fill first, we need to fill an entire page rather than just the boomerang
mask at this stage: make sure you have saved the mask and select
Mask/Remove.
Fill the new object with the wood fill: select Edit/Fill from the Menu,
when the dialogue box opens, select Bitmap Fill then click Edit, when the
second dialogue box opens, choose or in the Preview window or, if you cannot
find a suitable fill, Load then find the wood fill you want, OK
twice (leave the bitmap fill options at the defaults).
Now we have a complete page of wood fill.
Boomerangs are usually made from a curved piece of wood, therefore we need
to curve the grain of our wood fill to add some realism.
Mesh Warp:
open the Effects/3D Effects/Mesh Warp dialog box and place it beside the
image so that both are visible at the same time side-by-side for better
control over the effect.
Move the nodes on the grid of the Mesh Warp dialogue into a position similar
to that shown up-right then click OK.
You can always undo it and try again if it doesn't seem right. Notice that
we can estimate the correct shape better by leaving the path visible in
the image window placed alongside the dialogue window. |
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7) The boomerang takes shape: we don't need to see the
path any more so choose the Path Edit tool and then the Hide/Show Path icon.
However, we do need the mask now, select Mask/Load/boomerang to load the
boomerang mask back in again. On the ToolBar, click Copy then Paste As Object
to copy the masked portion of the wood fill to a new object: check for it's
presence on the Objects Docker, make sure it is selected, then click the
eye icon on the wood fill to hide it and inspect the boomerang by itself.
Rename the object boomerang.
8) Adding some
realism. Boomerangs are usually a bit worse for ware after having been thrown
all around the place, lets add some wear-and-tear and some shading and some
roughness. From the Effects menu, select Noise/Add Noise. Leave the type
as Gaussian, and adjust the sliders to Level 20, Density 40, then click
OK
Add some round shading: click the Paint Tool and show the Tools Settings
Rollup. On the Tool Settings Rollup, select the Airbrush then Large Soft
Cover from the Type dropdown, make sure that the paint colour is black,
also, make sure the boomerang object is selected on the Objects Docker and
the Lock Transparency checkbox (this last step is very important).
From the Mask menu select Create/Stroke Mask then Middle of Mask Border
and click OK. If you have a grey furry border outside the boomerang shape
then you have forgotten to select Lock Transparency on the Objects Docker
and you will need to undo then redo the effect. Save image at this stage.
9) Add text. For this text we need a heavy, wide font.
Select the Text Tool and then the Centre alignment from the Text Property
Bar. Click near the centre of the image, underneath the boomerang and type
a text (here Australia). |
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Adjust the position of the text if necessary, then click the Object Picker
Tool to create the text mask. Check the Show Mask Marquee icon on the Toolbar
if necessary to see the mask. Save the mask as a channel (Mask/Save/Save
As Channel).
10) Give the text a wooden fill: click
the Wood Fill object on the Objects Docker then click Copy and then Paste
As Object (on the ToolBar) to create a new object with the wood fill.
Then click 3D Effects/The Boss from the Effects menu (the mask is active).
Adjust the settings to: width 8, smoothness 100, height 50, brightness 100,
sharpness 10, direction 45, angle 45, drop-off mesa, then click OK. Save
the image at this point.
Select the boomerang in the Objects Docker, then click Copy, then Paste
As Object, move (drag) the new object down below the wood fill object, then
make it invisible, click the eye icon (this is a backup copy of boomerang
in case things go wrong). |
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11) Create the Down text: the
‘Down Under' text is engraved into the boomerang.
Each word is located on a separate arm of the boomerang and thus we need
to create each word separately.
Click the Text Tool, use the same font but change its Size (smaller). Ensure
the Render to Mask option is checked: click on a blank white space in the
image and type "DOWN", click the Objects Picker Tool to render
the mask. (Turn the Show Mask Marquee feature on if you don't see the text
mask immediately).
Click the small triangle beside the Object Picker Tool to open the Object
Picker Tool flyout and select the Mask Transform Tool. Move the mask down
so that the leading edge of the ‘W' is central to the left arm of
the boomerang.
Click once on the mask to display the rotation handles: rotate the mask
so that is lines up with the left arm of the boomerang. Click Apply on the
Property Bar when you are satisfied with the position of the mask. Save
the mask as a channel with a name such as DOWN text. (it's possible create
a new paths for the text as in tutorial n.32)
Engrave the DOWN text to give the mask some body: make sure the boomerang
object is selected (not the backup copy), select 3D Effects/The Boss from
the Effects Menu then change the settings to the following (the previous
settings have been retained): smoothness 25, height 100, sharpness 5, angle
75 and then click OK.
This should give the boomerang the appearance of carved or etched text.
The UNDER text: Using the same steps above for the DOWN text, create
some UNDER text. This time however, align the mask along the right hand
arm of the boomerang. Save the mask as UNDER text then Boss it as before.
The DOWN and the UNDER text after bossing to make them appear engraved
into the boomerang. Now we have an engraved boomerang and some wooden text:
move the two objects around so that the text is above the boomerang and
add a background, as you want. |
| from a tutorial by David Mutch (http://www.visionary-voyager.com.au/corel/photopaint) |
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