Apply transparency randomly to many faces ? 1

[artbrush]

Hi all,

I drew an abstract creation of lots of different sized rectangles with a blue fill and no stroke.
Then I extruded them to get a 3D look.
I now have these solid blue panes overlapping eachother.
What I can't figure out to do now is, how to apply a random (or gradual) transparency value to all the many faces in one go. Preferably within a from-to percentage range.

Can this be done in Illustrator 10 ?
And if yes, how ?

 

[Triska]

Surprised no one got back to you sooner on this one... it's a good one !

First off... the KeyCuts: fill(,) grad(.) stroke (/)

The special differences in the application of a gradient fill to objects lies in at least one distinction, although there are many more ways to select/apply attributes.

A. Individual objects (non-compund) take fill/grad/stroke on an individual basis, each receive it's own mini-gradient when all are selected and Gradient filled(.) (under Fill/stroke on toolbar)

B. Objects part of a Compound Path (Ctrl+8) take on fill/grad/stroke as if they were a single surface, even if they are not overlapping. Shape Modes though (Add to shape area) give you even more flexibility to undo/redo, and are the hottest thing since the oven.

C. Groups, are not. Although they will transform together, which is all you need sometimes, their appearance attributes (fill/grad/stroke among others) are still separate.

So you can see that it depends on how you select, group, and compound your objects that determine their response to fill/grad/stroke.

Sef.

It is alright to decorate construction, but never construct decoration. - Pugin, on Arch.

http://www.elucidesign.com

 

[artbrush]

Triska, thanks.
Your reply helped me so much.

Before, I tried to achieve what I wanted with the panes grouped together.
Also I drew one blue pane (only fill) saved it as a scatter brush. Adjusted the parms, drew some paths and applied the scatter brush to the paths. Then I adjusted the parms of the brush some more. But the results weren't satisfactory either.

So thanks again very much !

But, being the ungrateful b.sterd I am, I would like to ask you another question.

How can I achieve the random transparency effect like is shown in the 1st and 4th examples on this page :

http://www.vertigo3d.com/popart/index.html

(

http://www.vertigo3d.com/popart/big_bluepanes.html)

and (

http://www.vertigo3d.com/popart/big_lensflare.html)

?

 

[Triska]

Hmmm...very interesting.

I took some time to play around with the symbolism tools on this one, they they are one option and there is a Random Opacity setting available. However:

1. Symbolically speaking It's tough to mix Randomness with Order artfully. Since the symbolism tools only apply to symbols you are constrained by the initial shape of the symbol, which isn't great at all, because half the impact of your suggested effects lie in their constantly/randomly varying SHAPE. NOT their Size, Rotation, Color Etc. The symbol tools cannot modify shape at all. You can fake it by breaking your piece up into areas, each w/ slightly different symbols, and therefor shapes, maybe use the blend tool to generate versions.

2. Pop 'em It seems that you have some of the functionality of 3D Pop art? The extrude? That's crucial for the 3D look of course... which is very time consuming to fake in AI. Unfortunately, I don't believe you'll be able to use AI tools to randomly modify existing objects from Pop-art (or anywhere) since they aren't based around a common *Illustrator* symbol (even though, they are apparently based on a common PopArt symbol, or 'basic shape.')

3. So, you are left with one recourse, as usual,...REAL art, which as you know, sometimes translates to REAL repetition. It is unfortunate that Adobe didn't see the potential utility of symbol stainer tool with normal objects... Maybe we should bug them. I'm serious.

But, hey, for now, what more randomness can be achieved than with movements of the hand... I hope you have a pen tablet for this one, or a quick finger, HA! Here's an example of what you can do, you'll need SVG viewer:

I did this by just flicking my pen and moving the rectangles around after I used 'Divide' pathfinder to smash up a mees of rectangles...

http://www.elucidesign.com/TEK_examples/RandomTrans.svgz

so..
'Random Transparency' may not be as important as is first seemed to me. I selected 3 areas of my rectangle jobbies and specified 3 diff. levels of trans. But when they interact in *layers* with each other, many more levels of trans. are created... you may want to create 5 levels.

Once you've done that, use the Magic Wand tool set to Transparency w/ a small tolerance to select out the objects with same trans. (Double click the wand tool in the toolbar for these options.) Then Tweak some or all of the collections of objects w/ same trans. to get the look you want. Learn the Wand...It ROCKS.

Also, you might then apply a Shell warp or some shape warp over the whole bunch to 'Bend' them into a slight curvature. (I'm thinking of the look of example 4. Here:

http://www.vertigo3d.com/popart/index.html)

Let me know where this gets you.

Oh, and check out my KeyCuts

http://www.elucidesign.com/TEK_examples/Sef's_AI10_Windows.pdf

I hope it works, 'cuz my .pdf plugin is broke! go fig.

Sef.

It is alright to decorate construction, but never construct decoration. - Pugin, on Arch.

http://www.elucidesign.com

 

[artbrush]

Sorry I got back only now.
Just checked out your site. I was very impressed with the Print design section. Especially your work for the CTS.
Also liked the work of the artist (Steven Boone) you did the website design for.

1. Symbolically speaking

With a scatter brush I could get everything looking similar to Vertigo's example except for the random transparency/opacity. But because a scatter brush is applied to a path, and the scattered brushes on one path are not editable seperately I could not apply different transparency settings. Let alone randomly and in one go.

So I still had to draw short seperate paths (pencil tool) on seperate layers making up a sinus (or any other shape).
Then apply the scatter brush to each path seperately, tweaking the parameters a bit when necessary.
Then select one path at a time and apply different transparency settings. Still not the same because all faces of the panes on each path had the same transparency.
(In the Vertigo example you can see some blue panes with different transparency settings for each face.)
Unfortunately it's already binned.

2. Pop 'em

Yes I use 3D PopArt. If I extrude a rectangle, It creates a Group of 5 Paths (the bottom face is never drawn). I can move each path and apply everything applicable to paths to them.
So I extruded one rectangle into a blue pane, copied it several times on the same layer. Then opened some of the Groups and changed the transparency settings of each path (=face). But this is such a pain to do.
Result :

http://berenhuis.tweakdsl.nl/SVGZ/TEST/Blue_Panes_Try05.svgz.

And here with all panes selected and a (Object >> Envelope Distort >> Make with Warp >> Arc) :

http://berenhuis.tweakdsl.nl/SVGZ/TEST/Blue_Panes_Try05_Arc.svgz

(Object >> Envelope Distort >> Make with Warp >> Flag) :

http://berenhuis.tweakdsl.nl/SVGZ/TEST/Blue_Panes_Try05_Flag.svgz

3. So, you are left with one recourse, as usual,...REAL art
I agree with you on the first AND the second point your making. But bugging Adobe is not something I have the guts for.

The RandomTrans.svgz you did is a very impressive one.
I couldn't get it similar to yours because I don't have a Wacom, but close enough with my mouse.
After buying Illustrator there wasn't much savings left to buy a Wacom. Maybe we should all bug Adobe for lowering their prices. LOL.

Next I will try the magic wand to apply transparency.
It didn't even cross my mind to try it this way.
A very interesting one to explore !

BTW, everything is OK with your KeyCuts PDF.

 

[Triska]

Scatter Brush ! Of course !

Then use Object > Expand Apperance
Then Object > Expand

And you will have all of your individual brush bits separated from each other, and can do with them what you will.

Then select some of them, apply 30% Trans. (or whatever)
select some others, apply 50% (&quot
still other, apply 70%

Then move them all around till you have the look you want,

Then if you need later, use the magic wand set to Trans. to 'Pick out' the 30 or 50 or 70% groups to remodify their transparency further(otherwise you're stuck click-selecting the individuals, or Group selecting) The Wand isn't used for applying the Trans. initially... only for reselecting (by tolerance) the 30/50/70% groups after they've been mixed all up again (That's why it's called the "Magic" wand)

I bet you'll be on your way!
Sef.

It is alright to decorate construction, but never construct decoration. - Pugin, on Arch.

http://www.elucidesign.com

 

[artbrush]

Triska,

Just wanted to let you know that I haven't done much since my last post.

We officially have a heatwave over here in The Netherlands.
It was 35-38 deg C (95-100 deg F) and very humid when I wrote the last message. I just couldn't cope anymore.
Forecasts are that the coming days the temperature will be a bit higher and also very humid. Also it will not rain until Wednesday.
Now (10:10pm) it's 28 deg C (82 deg F).

OK, enough talking about the weather or this reply will be deleted because it's off-topic.

I'll give the Magic Wand selection technique a shot early tomorrow morning when it's still bearable.

Will keep you posted how I'm doing.

 

[artbrush]

OK, this is the end result :

http://berenhuis.tweakdsl.nl/SVGZ/TEST/Blue_Panes_Try06.svgz.

(I didn't bother modifying the transparency of some of the darker blue faces.)

I learned a lot from this.
Thanks again !

 

[Triska]

Excellent, very dynamic, and the fully saturated, electric blue top faces are very surrealistic in comparison with the other faces.
Great work.

I learned a lot too! Thanks for the challenge!
This is my whole intention of being here to post to begin with... I look forward to the next!

Sef.

It is alright to decorate construction, but never construct decoration. - Pugin, on Arch.

http://www.elucidesign.com