How do I create or rotate 3D shapes in Adobe® Illustrator®?

Adobe Illustrator has plenty of innovative tricks that can make your yearbook design and illustrations jump off the page.

The 3D effect in Illustrator allows you to create a three-dimensional object from a two-dimensional shape! You can extrude (give the object depth by extending the object along its z-axis), bevel (round off an edge or add facets to it), rotate objects in 3D space and revolve. Here are a few tips.

To Extrude and Bevel an Object:

• Select the object.
• Choose Effect > 3D > Extrude and Bevel.
• Click the Preview button in the 3D Extrude & Bevel Options dialog box to see the object change as you apply the effects.
• To add depth to the object:
  • Enter a number between 0 and 2000 in the Extrude Depth text box, or
  • Drag the slider in the pop-up window.
• Click More Options.
• In the Surface section, choose a Shading Color.
  • If the object is black, choose a color other than black to give the object a three-dimensional look.
• To bevel the edge of the object, choose a bevel style in the Extrude & Bevel section.
  • In the Bevel menu, enter a number between 1 and 100.
• After achieving the desired effect, click OK.

To rotate a 2D or 3D object in 3D space:

• Select the object.
• To rotate a 2D object, choose Effect > 3D > Rotate.
• To rotate a 3D object, select the object and double click the effect in the Appearance palette.
  • In this example, 3D Extrude & Bevel was used on the object.

• To set the angle of rotation:
  • For easy and unconstrained rotation, drag the face of the track cube at the top of the options dialog box, or
  • Choose an option from the Position drop-down menu.

• To adjust the perspective, enter a value between 0 and 160 in the Perspective field. A value higher than 150 may cause the object to extend beyond your point of view and appear distorted.
• Click OK.

To Revolve an Object:

Because revolving an object involves sweeping the object in a cylindrical motion, the two-dimensional object should only depict half of the desired  three-dimensional object.

• Select the object.
• Choose Effect > 3D > Revolve.
• Click the Preview button in the 3D Revolve Options dialog box.
• In the Revolve section:
  • Enter a number between 0 and 360 in the Angle field, or
  • Drag the slider in the pop-up window .

• To create a ring-shaped object, enter an Offset value between 0 and 1000.
• To set the object’s axis, choose Left Edge or Right Edge.
• Click OK.

Revolved object with offset value of 100

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Volume 8 Issue 3