Poor bevel effect

[meltsner]

I did this in X4, but am not completely pleased with the result. You can see in the picture the bevel is rounded where it should be straight, like in the corners. I've seen users that had the opposite effect, 'straight' bevels (node-to-node) where a curve was supposed to be, but not this.

Does anybody know how to get a proper bevel? For what it's worth, this is not the exact font I am using (needing) but it is very similar, a "blocky" font. Thanks.

EDIT- circled the "curvy" areas in question.....

 

[Shovelhead]

I did this in X4, but am not completely pleased with the result. You can see in the picture the bevel is rounded where it should be straight, like in the corners. I've seen users that had the opposite effect, 'straight' bevels (node-to-node) where a curve was supposed to be, but not this.

Does anybody know how to get a proper bevel? For what it's worth, this is not the exact font I am using (needing) but it is very similar, a "blocky" font. Thanks.

Use that as a template to manually create a vector bevel.

 

[sarge]

i dont see anything .. must be my bi-focals .. oh .. i dont use bi-focals

 

[meltsner]

I thought of manually creating a bevel, and even tried, but was too much work (especially in the curves). Perhaps I wasn't doing it the easy way (just by freehand). How would I use it as a template?

 

[Shovelhead]

I thought of manually creating a bevel, and even tried, but was too much work (especially in the curves). Perhaps I wasn't doing it the easy way (just by freehand). How would I use it as a template?

Enter wireframe mode and draw away.

 

[meltsner]

Sarge-didn't see your post.
The effect is not quite as pronounced with this font, but take the "1" for example. The middle, or TOP, of the bevel at the top of the 1 should be a straight line, just like the 1's outline. Instead it starts halfway into a curve, if you get my meaning.

 

[Shovelhead]

Sarge-didn't see your post.
The effect is not quite as pronounced with this font, but take the "1" for example. The middle, or TOP, of the bevel at the top of the 1 should be a straight line, just like the 1's outline. Instead it starts halfway into a curve, if you get my meaning.

You don't have that control with a raster bevel effect.

 

[jscarl]

I noticed that some points are ok. Ware you using for cutting software.?

 

[luggnut]

when i bevel with Photoshop it does that if you take it all the way... so if i use the effect and don't draw like shovel said, i only bevel around the edges. i attached a pic from the net, it has a bevel profile called ring that gives it a "shiny" look

 

[meltsner]

I'm actually not cutting this out, I'm just trying to recreate a logo into a vector one.

Well, I might just have to freehand draw this. Just thought there might be a feature I'm missing. Another problem with freehand though is--- the light direction. Eg. at the bottom of a curve it might be lighter and then a gradient fill will follow the curve.

 

[Mike Paul]

Computer generated bevels and prismatics will do that.
Dice it up with your path edit tools for nice, clean, smooth, sharp edges.

 

[sarge]

i got it now .. i wonder why it didnt show up at 1st .. my bad

 

[luggnut]

there's a tutorial on letterhead fonts about bevels ...

 

[meltsner]

Computer generated bevels and prismatics will do that.
Dice it up with your path edit tools for nice, clean, smooth, sharp edges.

I'd love to, but am afraid it's a bitmap bevel, not vector. Unless I'm missing something.

 

[Joe Diaz]

I try to keep bevels vector in most cases, especially logos. You never know how the customer might intend to use the design in the future, so keeping raster out of the equation is usually the way to go. What I like to do in Corel is use the built in bevel tool as a guide and go in by hand and trace the effect, thus ending up with an all vector finished product. You can fine tune things as you go. Then you can really go in there and edit the gradients and colors one might choose to use.

 

[meltsner]

Looks like freehand's the way to go. I found one tutorial on Letterhead fonts ("prismatic" or something like that. Thanks luggnut!) that helped give me a little idea. Just a little more work than I expected, but I guess everything can't be instant can it?
I agree Joe, I'd love to keep it all vector, and tracing on top of the bitmapped bevel is how I had started, but quit real shortly.... I'll try it again though.

Thanks all for the quick responses!
meltsner

 

[wes70]

Xara has great bevel effects.

 

[Mike Paul]

I'd love to, but am afraid it's a bitmap bevel, not vector. Unless I'm missing something.

Yes the bitmap bevel blows and that's not the one you would cut up...

If you created the two digits you should be able to do it in vector format..

 

[meltsner]

If you created the two digits you should be able to do it in vector format..

Not quite sure what you mean here...... I noticed it looks like the bitmap (when uncombined) is actually "masked" in the shape of the object, or at least I assume. I can node edit the outline of the bitmap, but it simply "crops" it.

I tried Xara Xtreme, it's beveling capabilities are better in some ways then CD, but worse in others......

 

[sarge]

as long as this thread has been active couldnt you just replicate it .. it doesnt look that difficult