3D tends to be a new thing for most people, so we get a lot of questions about it. Here are the most frequently asked ones, the basic answers, and links to our video tutorials that explain the answers in depth.
1: My Illustrator files won’t import, why?
Save Illustrator Files as Invigorator 10 files. Invigorator can’t read vector files saved out in newer Illustrator formats. So save your files as Illustrator 10 files to ensure they’ll come into 3D Invigorator. See the tutorial on Illustrator files:
http://digitalanarchy.com/3Dinvig/tutes.html#t6
2: My complex Illustrator file isn’t coming in correctly. Why?
Divide and Conquer: For complex objects, save out paths separately and import them separately. With lots of paths, Invigorator may not always figure out what you want to do. So breaking your logo (or art) into it’s component pieces and importing each of them will ensure you get exactly what you want.
3: How do I create a hole in my object?
Use Illustrator Groups to create holes. Group one path within another and 3D Invigorator will interpret the inner path as a hole. See the video tutorial on Illustrator files for more info:
http://digitalanarchy.com/3Dinvig/tutes.html#t6
4: I’ve created an object with several materials on it. Can I save all the materials together?
Save Object Styles so you can use them on other objects. Go to the Object Styles Swatches and select Save Object Style from the dropdown menu. It’s pretty easy. Take a look at our tutorial on materials for a bit longer explanation:
http://digitalanarchy.com/3Dinvig/tutes.html#t7
5: My text/logo looks ‘blocky’, and curves aren’t smooth. What’s wrong?
Use object Smoothness to get better looking Objects. Most computers/graphics cards can handle having Object Smoothness cranked all the way up to 100. If you have a lot of objects, Invigorator may slow down a bit, but usually you won’t see a performance hit. Check out this video tutorial for a bit more info on Smoothness and 3D objects:
http://digitalanarchy.com/3Dinvig/tutes.html#t3
6: I’ve created a complex logo in 3D Invigorator, how can I reuse it? / Can 3D Invigorator be used as a Smart Filter?
You can save anything you create in 3D Invigorator by going to File>Save Scene As… However, we recommend using Invigorator as a Smart Filter. It’ll allow you to make changes at any time, even a year later. This is a big deal because if you spend the time creating a logo in 3D Invigorator, if you just apply it as a regular filter… all that setup is lost. Invigorator renders out the logo to Photoshop layer, but the 3D geometry is not saved. So it’s important to either save the scene or use 3D Invigorator as a Smart Filter so you don’t have to re-setup the logo or artwork next time you want to use it. Here’s a tutorial on using Smart Filters:
http://digitalanarchy.com/primatte/tutes.html#t5
7: How do I use multiple materials on one object?
Using the Profile Viewer you can drag and drop materials on different parts of the object. The Profile Viewer shows the front, back, and sides of the object. You can drag materials on to the front and back. The sides can be divided up into many different parts and each part can have a different material. Here’s a tutorial on the Profile Viewer:
http://digitalanarchy.com/3Dinvig/tutes.html#t5
8: How do I create textures like brick or concrete?
Use jpegs to create custom texture materials. Take a picture of Concrete and use it as the Color map and the Bump map. Click on the picture icons next to the Color parameter and the Bump parameter in the Material Editor. This will allow you to select and load the jpeg image into your material. Check out this tutorial on texture maps:
http://digitalanarchy.com/3Dinvig/tutes.html#t8
9: How do I make lighting adjustments?
Use the Light Editor to move lights or add them. You can also click on the Light icon at the top of the 3D Invigorator UI.
9 1/2: What’s the difference between Photoshop 3D capabilities and 3D Invigorator?
This is 9 1/2 because the question is really about Photoshop. There are lots of differences, but the main one is that 3D Invigorator is designed specifically for create 3D text and logos. So it’s much faster and easier to create high quality 3D logos with 3D Invigorator. We have a video tutorial that shows you a complete comparison between Photoshop’s 3D and 3D Invigorator. It’s here:
http://digitalanarchy.com/3Dinvig/tutes.html#t1