| 1 |
Firstly you need to prepare a new gallery in the Easy Palette
to be able to save your presets to. If you're unsure how to
do that, then please refer to MaryLou's Managing
Your Easy Palette tutorial first.
|
| 2 |
Start by opening a new RGB image. It doesn't matter what size
your image is as long as there is room to draw a nice size circle
in it.
Use the 
to draw a 3D Round Circle shape.
In the Easy Palette, go to Galleries/Material Gallery/All and
click on Reset. By doing that, your circle will clear itself
of any colour, bump or other materials.
|
| 3 |
Now click on either Shift+X or on the on this
 Material
button in the attributes bar to open the Material Panel. It's
here where you'll be able to turn your circle into a preset
and it's all done literally by experimentation and you don't
have to make changes anywhere that you don't want to, but I'll
give you a quick run down on various options open to you anyway.
Any changes you make in the material panel will be shown in
the preview pane.
Have fun and when you're satisfied with the look
of your preset, go on to Page 2 of this tutorial, where I'll
show how it can be saved to the Easy Palette ready for future
use.
PI 7 users, please be sure
to make a note of ALL texture, bump or reflection images
you use. You'll need to know this information for Part Three
of this tutorial.
|
| 4 |
The Colour/Texture Tab
This is where you have the option to set the colour or texture
of your preset. Right click on the sample one colour, gradient
colour or texture boxes to get more options to choose from. If
you click on the File button, you'll be able to browse your computer
for other images to use. Just double click on the image you wish
to use and it will be applied to your preset in the preview pane.
Should you decide to use a file of your own then the Options button
will be available whereas before it would have been greyed out.
This opens the Texture Options panel where you'll be given the
option to choose how you would like your chosen image to fill
your preset.
|
| 5 |
The Bevel Tab
This is where you'll be able to change the mode of your preset
with various other options to choose from should you decide
to choose 3D Custom. Try them all and see how each option affects
your preset in the preview pane.
|
| 6 |
The Border/Depth Tab
Alter the depth and the border of your preset here. Note that
in PI8 and higher versions the maximum border width is greyed
out. That's because the maximum border size is determined by
the size of the original circle drawn. Smooth spine is also
greyed out because we're using a regular shape with no edges
that need to be smoothed out.
|
| 7 |
The Bump Tab
You can apply a bump file to your image if you wish. Click
on the File button to browse your computer for any image you
choose to use as a bump. You'll find quite a few available for
your use in the Ulead PhotoImpact Materials folder but you're
not restricted to using just those. The same bump can be used
as a reflection too, so don't forget to try out that option
and also the invert bump map option.
|
| 8 |
The Reflection Tab
Click on the File button to browse your computer for a suitable
reflection file to use. You'll find quite a few available for
your use in the Ulead PhotoImpact Materials folder but you're
not restricted to using just those. Any image that appeals to
you can be used as a reflection and you can determine the density
of the reflection.
|
| 9 |
The Transparency Tab
If you wish for your preset to have a glassy transparent look
then this is the tab you'll need to click on. Here you'll be able
to set the amount of transparency to be applied after checking
the appropriate transparency box.
|
| 10 |
The Shading Tab
You have two choices here. If you decide that you'd like for
your preset to have a metallic look about it, then click on the
metallic arial button and then use the drop down box to determine
the type of metallic look you'd like your preset to take on. Be
sure to set the amount of shininess and strengh too.
You may prefer that your preset not have a metallic look about
it. If that's the case, then click on the phong arial button,
set the amount of shininess you'd like for your preset to have
and also the strength. You'll also have the option to set the
specular and ambient colours if you want. Right click on the colour
boxes to make your choice.
 
|
| 11 |
The Light Tab
Here you can choose how many lights you will need to shine on
your present and also whether they'll be spotlights or direct
lights.
Once you've determined the number and type of lights you require,
you may decide that you'd like to move the lights into different
positions. So click on the option button above the preview pane
and be sure that "Show Highlight Point" is checked.
Click on lightbulb 1 to activate it, and then click and hold down
on your mouse button over your preset on the highlight point in
the preview pane. You'll be able to move the number 1 light to
any position you choose and you can do exactly the same with any
other light. In the example on the left here, you can see exactly
where I have positioned each of my three lights.
 
|
| 12 |
The Shadow Tab
This is where you'll be able to determine whether you'd like
to have a shadow on your preset. I wouldn't normally recommend
adding a shadow to a preset because more often than not, when
you use your preset, the shadow is placed wrongly or not needed
in the particular object you're trying to create. However, the
choice is yours and should you decide to have one, then click
on the options button to open the shadow box.
|
| 13 |
So there you have it...That was a quick run down of the options
available to you in the material panel and I hope it's helped
with your own creation of your first preset. If you'd like to
follow me to Part 2 of this tutorial,
I will show how your preset can be saved to your Easy Palette
for future use.
|
