How to export vectors from Photoshop. [Tutorial]

[Alan Fraser]

This is an alternate method of creating complicated outlines so that transparent png files will cast a decent shadow in SU, rather than a rectangular one.
The most straightforward way to do this is to explode the png in SU then manually trace around it, but this is very time consuming and finicky...especially if it's a complicated outlne like for a Face me tree.

This alternate method describes how you can generate a vector directly from the image in Photoshop. This vector can then be brought into SU as a blank billboard and the image projected directly onto it.

Make the selection around your object in Photoshop...if it's a transparent png, then it's a good idea to expand the selection by about 5 pixels (makes it easier to fit the image in SU, and you're only doing it for the sake of the shadow, so it doesn't need to be an exact fit.)

On the layers tab (bottom right) choose the 3rd icon from the right - convert selection to work path.

On the File menu...Export paths to Illustrator...this will export the path as an .ai file.

This then needs to be converted to a straight line outline in either Corel or Illustrator. In either application it will import colourless, so the first thing you have to do is select it and colour it black, so you can see it.

Also, you may want to add some extra nodes to the curves to create a more detailed shape. In Corel this is done by using the Node edit tool to select everything and clicking the plus sign; in Illustrator you use Object / Path / Add anchor point. Either method will place extra nodes halfway between the existing ones...probably best to do this only once or you'll end up with too many line segments.

In Corel, you'll then need to have all the outline selected and then click on the straight line icon (again in Node edit). In Illustrator you use Path / Simplify and check the straight line box.

Then export as a dwg

The first part of this process can also be performed in Corel Photopaint using a similar technique with the Mask tool.

Import the dwg into SU, stand it upright and scale it. Explode it and fill the faces in to produce a billboard. All this can be done in any order. Apart from importing it, obviously.
Import your png to approximately the same size as the blank billboard. Then position it minutely in front and do any fine-tuning to the scaling, so that it fits within the edges of the billboard. Once you are happy that it will fit, pull it away from the face of the billboard, explode it, sample the texture (Paint+Alt) and paint it onto the billboard. You can then delete the png.

All that is then left to do is hide the edges of your now textured billboard and create a Face Me component in the usual way. Hiding the edges is best done by boolean selection. In other words, double-click it to select everything, then Hold down Shift and click the face to deselect it. Hide the still selected edges.

To turn a "flat" jpg or similar into a transparent png, in preparation for the above, please see Howard's excellent tutorial here.

[Alan Fraser]

I'll do that Coen. I'm pretty busy for the next week or so, but then I'll replace this comment with some step-by-step screen grabs.

[oecodesignator]

Thanks, Alan. Thanks, Alan. Thanks, Alan. I can never thank you enough!