Playing With Blocks

Playing With Blocks
and 3D Picture Cubes

Sher'd Memories Tutorials

Software: PhotoImpact
All versions should work just fine

Skill Level: Beginner

You will be need
*PhotoImpact
*3 copyright free, coordinating photos of your own,the PhotoImpact Samples folder or choose from the Copyright-Free Photo Sites

This tutorial is designed to teach you to make blocks and a 3D Picture Cube with the help of the Grid and Ruler features in PhotoImpact.

If you are doing this for the Beginners Workshop

You will be posting 2 images...
The block from Part 1
The 3D Picture Cube in Part 2

You may add a simple frame to your block filled canvas.

re-size to BW forum guidelines

Setting the Grid Preferences

Open a 600x600 pixel canvas.
Select View → Guidelines and Grid → Grid to display the grid or...
...use the menu bar in the bottom right corner of the screen like the first image on the right.
Click on the Units Icon and select Pixels → Ruler → Grid

To customize your grid even further, go back to the menu bar at the top and choose
File → Preferences → General → Guidelines and Grid
You will only be changing the Grid settings for this tutorial, but this is where you would also customize the Guidelines.

Horizontal spacing=50
Vertical spacing=50
Pixels
Color=Black (You can choose any color that you would like for your grid.)
Snap tolerance=50
(Adjusting the Snap tolerance will set how close an object needs to be from a guideline or grid before snapping to it.)

Now you're ready to create a block!

Part 1
Creating A Block

Turn on Snap to Grid by using the menu in the bottom right corner and selecting
Unit → Snap to Grid.

Select the Path Tool → Rectangle
Right Click on the color picker on the Attribute toolbar
Select → Natural Texture Fill → Tab Group → Natural Texture
Double click on one of the following Natural Textures
NT03• NT12• NT17• NT29• NT30• NT43• NT45• NT46• NT47

Drawing your first square

Place your mouse over the corner where 400pixels horizontal and 300pixels vertical meet.
Click and drag diagonally down right 3 squares.

You now have a perfect 150x150pixel square.

Transforming the square

Select the transform tool → slant (1.)

Drag the top right handle up one square (2.)

On the menu bar select Object → Duplicate

Photo → Light → Brightness and Contrast → Choose the bottom middle thumbnail and click 4 times

With the Transform tool selected

On the attribute toolbar → flip horizontally (1.) and drag left until the two pieces meet on the 300pixel vertical line (3.).

You're doing great. All you need to do is top off your block!

Making the top of the block

Draw another 150x150pixel square somewhere above pieces A and C

Photo → Light → Brightness and Contrast → Choose the bottom middle thumbnail and click 2 times

Select the Transform Tool → Distort

Drag the bottom left handle of piece B to the top of where A and C meet (4.)

Drag the top left handle of B to the top left corner of C

Drag the bottom right handle of B to the top right corner of A

Drag the top right handle of B to the intersection of 250pixels vertical and 300pixels horizontal

Turn off Grid and click in white space to de-select

You might have a white line showing at the intersections of your block. You will want to get rid of these. (5.)

With B selected, use the down arrow key on your keyboard and make 1 or 2 clicks to correct the edge. Do this with piece A if necessary using the left facing arrow key.

You now have a beautifully shaded block ready to add to your Easy Palette.

With one piece selected go to
Object → Select all objects
Drag your block onto your Easy Palette.
Choose Yes when asked 'Save multiple objects as a single thumbnail...'
Give it a name of your chooseing and save in your 'My Objects' group

Now you've got a great 3D block tucked away and ready to go for your 3D Picture Cube!

Filling your canvas with blocks

With all objects still selected, go to

Object → Merge as Single Object

Turn your Grid and Snap to Grid back on

Duplicate and drag your block up and left until the bottom right side of E sits on the top left side of D (6.)

Continue duplicating and filling in your canvas

If you are having trouble getting your blocks to touch you might try turning off Snap to Grid.
You do not want to see any white lines.

When you are finished filling your canvas, turn off your Grid and Ruler

You now have a very cool, eye-tricking, 3D image!!!

If you are doing this for the Beginner's Workshop, please resize your image to 400x400 pixels, add your watermark and post in your BW forum. You may add a simple frame if you choose.

There are lots of things you can do with added objects, split shadows, shading and re-sizing to give even more of an optical illusion. Check out the images below to get some ideas for your own creations. Have some fun and show off your illusions in the BW Extra-Curricular Activities Forum.

Now on to Part 2 - Creating a 3D Picture Cube

Part 2

The following images show some different possibilities for using your block.
Let your imagination be your guide!
A big thank you to the friends and students that contributed their beautiful designs.

Dalton

Pam

Sophie