This is a video tutorial on taking vector art and importing it into Cinema 4D to create a 3D object that can be animated, textured, and manipulated in 3D space. In this tutorial, written by David from filmmakingcentral.com he shows you exactly how to do this. David was nice enough to allow us to repost this on our blog. He is using artwork from the free Vector Sample Pack from our Arsenal.
Continue reading to watch the video and read the step by step tutorial.
Tutorial: Vector Illustrations into 3D
I was cleaning out some of my files the other day and came across a folder full of stuff I grabbed at SIGGRAPH this year. I came across this great looking postcard from the gang at GoMedia. Their “Arsenal” royalty free vector art is amazing. I got inspired and thought “let’s make some cool 3D works with it!” So here we go.
The following tutorial has 17 steps but they go fast once you understand what to do. I did this in Illustrator CS3, Photoshop CS3, and Maxon Cinema 4D. You can visit adobe.com and maxon.net for demos to follow along if you like. I used one of Go Media’s Arsenal freebie downloads for the vector art.
Step 1
Open the vector sample from Go Media in Illustrator.
Step 2
Pick a graphic you like. I chose one of the “banners”.
Step 3
Select graphic then copy and paste it into a new document. You can leave all the defaults.
Step 4
Feel free to scale the graphic or not. Since its vector you can enlarge it later without any consequences.
Step 5
Save new document with a new name. Then close Illustrator.
Step 6
Open Photoshop.
Step 7
Go to File > Open > your_new_file.ai
Step 8
Command + click (Mac) in Layers tab the file to create a selection.
Step 9
Go to Paths > Make Work Path. Use a tolerance of 1.
Step 10
Go to File > Export > Paths to Illustrator. Then close Photoshop.
Step 11
Open Cinema 4D and go to File > Open > your_paths_to_illustrator_file.ai
Step 12
In the Objects Panel click on the + to expand the imported file.
Step 13
Select all the paths then right click and choose Connect.
Step 14
Click on Nurbs > Extrude Nurb to add an extrude nurb to the Object panel.
Step 15
Make your paths file a child of the extrude nurb by dragging onto extrude nurbs.
Step 16
Logo is now a 3D object! Click on render view to see.
Step 17
This file can be animated, you can add materials, lights, background, floors etc. Creativity has no bounds.
Thanks David for writing the tutorial and doing the video demonstration. Again, check out his site www.filmmakingcentral.com.
Go Media is a creative agency based in Cleveland, Ohio. Besides the GoMediaZine, we also work for clients and sell stock artwork and design files on the Arsenal.
October 9th, 2007 at 8:22 pm -
i didn´t know this ,its so amazing ,keep em coming
October 9th, 2007 at 9:09 pm -
Really cool, Hmm, is that how the sketch and toon addon in C4D works? Of course I mean in reverse; where it takes the Rendered object and converts it to paths and vector art. Never played with C4D but I read up on it, really interesting program.
October 10th, 2007 at 2:13 am -
Hi Rui, Sketch and Toon makes Cinema 4D objects look like sketches or illustrations. Lets say a client wants me to make an illustration of a building or a car etc. I can model it in C4D and apply the Sketch and Toon module. A perfect illustration will appear. It does not make paths etc. Its for a finished product. I can animate it and more!
More info here http://www.maxon.net/pages/products/modules/sketchandtoon/sketchandtoon_e.html
Cheers! David
October 19th, 2007 at 12:03 am -
You can save some time, and just save the .ai file out of illustrator as version 5 or older and import it straight into Cinema 4D. No photoshop needed.
Just a thought!
Luke
October 25th, 2007 at 6:14 am -
wow thanks so much for this I am new to cinema 4d and had no idea you could do that. I look forward to makeing some 3d projects for the user forum. Now if you will excuse me I have to brew some coffee and play all night with this.
October 25th, 2007 at 12:45 pm -
Even in PSD you can export directly path information. You do not have the need to lose data with the transformation via selection.
C4D is happy with eps 8 or ai8 (or lower), which contains every needed data.
The Origin point in Ai is the Origin point in C4D. xy=xyz=zero
The units (pica) AI = the units in C4D.
Also just a thought.
Have a good one and happy learning
3d.neerd
October 25th, 2007 at 1:48 pm -
Ya, you should be able to import an .ai file directly instead of opening it in ps and saving the path. I’m curious as to why you did this- seems like there’s a possibility of losing some detail this way.
November 11th, 2007 at 8:06 pm -
I tried to export *.ai from illustrator to a folder and then opened it on cinema, but it didn’t work.
Photoshop step is necessary to create a compatible working path ;^]
December 2nd, 2007 at 11:06 am -
First THAT IS AN AMAZING TUTORIAL !
But in Step 16 I can’t see anything if I render it ! Why ?
In the editor I can’t see any 3D models ?! Why ?
My File:
http://rapidshare.com/files/73801502/Try.c4d.html
(Pls help me – email: bjoernschoenfeld@hotmail.de)
THX
hOpe
December 20th, 2007 at 6:34 am -
Awesome – simply awesome!
Love the lighting effects (perhaps a tut on that too?)
Thanks for sharing
DM
December 21st, 2007 at 2:41 am -
You can do this in many fewer steps than the tutorial states, but this is a basic, yet powerful way to make many objects.
December 29th, 2007 at 2:10 am -
Thanks for all the kind words! I was stuck working on a film but will have time to do some more 3D tutorials after the holidays!
Cheers, Dave
January 5th, 2008 at 11:42 am -
Right on Guillermo, I use max and illustrator on a daily basis, and importing an .ai file into max is simple and effective for what we do.
I guess I was just surprised that you couldn’t import one into c4d. Nice work thought!
February 27th, 2008 at 12:12 pm -
I’m brand new to Cinema 4D so bear with me. When i open the .eps file into Cinema, it appears to be “outlined” when i extrude it.
how can i “reverse” the image? is this making any sense. thanks for any help.
Bobby
May 27th, 2008 at 8:41 am -
You need to save the ai file as an older format, then it will import directly. I think. Anyway, using photoshop for this seems backwards..
I would love to find out how to make rounded edges in the Z dimension after extruding – any thoughts?
August 25th, 2008 at 3:41 pm -
where can i fing 3d objects for ciname 4d?
thanks
September 8th, 2008 at 7:29 am -
where can i fing 3d objects for ciname 4d?
thanks
September 8th, 2008 at 8:06 pm -
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September 12th, 2008 at 6:13 am -
3d objects for ciname 4d
Thanks
September 23rd, 2008 at 8:36 pm -
its cool man…
October 22nd, 2008 at 5:07 pm -
thanks
October 22nd, 2008 at 5:09 pm -
very good nice thanks
October 22nd, 2008 at 5:10 pm -
very interesting very nice
October 22nd, 2008 at 5:12 pm -
very very good.ı like this dizayn
November 6th, 2008 at 5:29 pm -
Nice work thought!
March 10th, 2009 at 6:01 pm -
Featured here: http://www.presidiacreative.com/50-tutorials-to...
March 11th, 2009 at 3:35 pm -
Nice, thanks for the feature!
May 6th, 2009 at 3:19 am -
Thanks guys for the tutorial. I can take my skill to the next level now with C4d. I normally use Photoshop and illustrator for my work. Anyway, does anyone can help me on how to import C4D file to Photoshop? I cannot seem to find any tutorial for that. Thanks in advance. Cheers
July 5th, 2009 at 9:45 am -
thanks
July 5th, 2009 at 10:45 am -
thanks
July 25th, 2009 at 2:17 am -
thank you
July 27th, 2009 at 5:48 am -
thanks ,for me
August 14th, 2009 at 11:48 am -
thanks
September 9th, 2009 at 2:14 am -
Thanks. Thats a great help. When using text from AI how do you subtract the holes in letters like “D”? If you connect them all it seems to fill the holes.
October 21st, 2009 at 10:16 am -
hey guys.. im runninginto a problem here..id like to amke an animation of a magazine flipping its pages one at a time givin u time to read whats on the page…how would i do that in cinema 4d..i dont got an issue modelling id like to go around the animating bit.any help jot me a lineat ochyengpee at gmail dot com.
thanks
Pat
November 15th, 2009 at 9:28 am -
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November 20th, 2009 at 2:01 pm -
THANK YOU BRO, THIS IS VERY HELPFUL, GOOD LUCK
November 20th, 2009 at 2:05 pm -
THANK YOU BRO, THIS IS VERY HELPFUL, GOOD LUCK
November 23rd, 2009 at 12:15 pm -
Thank man good work
November 23rd, 2009 at 12:23 pm -
Thank man good work
January 5th, 2010 at 7:10 am -
4D so bear with me. When i open the .eps file into Cinema, it appears to be “outlined” when i extrude it.
how can i “reverse” the image? is this making any sense. thanks for any help.
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January 6th, 2010 at 3:23 pm -
thanks
February 18th, 2010 at 4:21 am -
awesome dude..
February 21st, 2010 at 11:13 am -
good post
February 21st, 2010 at 11:50 am -
thanks diazine, good share
February 21st, 2010 at 12:43 pm -
Really cool, Hmm, is that how the sketch and toon addon in C4D works?
February 21st, 2010 at 2:14 pm -
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February 21st, 2010 at 2:15 pm -
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February 21st, 2010 at 4:47 pm -
I mean in reverse; where it takes the chat sohbet Rendered object and converts it to paths and vector art. Never played with sohbet odalari C4D but I read up on it, really interesting program. thanks.
February 22nd, 2010 at 5:52 pm -
Thank you very much.
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February 24th, 2010 at 6:47 pm -
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February 26th, 2010 at 11:51 am -
thanks.
March 13th, 2010 at 6:16 am -
Great tutorial , Thank you
March 16th, 2010 at 11:00 am -
Thank you very much.
March 25th, 2010 at 11:12 am -
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March 25th, 2010 at 5:53 pm -
Really cool, Hmm, is that how the sketch and toon addon in C4D works?
March 25th, 2010 at 5:53 pm -
Really cool, Hmm, is that how the sketch and toon addon in C4D works?
March 30th, 2010 at 11:53 am -
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April 18th, 2010 at 1:21 pm -
thx 4 the informations, good to know.
April 20th, 2010 at 11:27 am -
thank you
May 5th, 2010 at 4:36 am -
Thanks for this nice work!
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May 19th, 2010 at 5:11 am -
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June 2nd, 2010 at 2:46 am -
thanks man
June 14th, 2010 at 3:38 am -
where can i fing 3d objects for ciname 4d?
thanks
June 19th, 2010 at 2:37 am -
what effects we will see with 4d objects?
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July 4th, 2010 at 8:57 am -
“Even in PSD you can export directly path information. You do not have the need to lose data with the transformation via selection.”
Yes man, making paths from selection is the worst way.
Is someone want to use that workflow (illus, psp, c4d), is better copy the illustrator selection and paste paths in photoshop.
July 7th, 2010 at 3:38 am -
Bu çok güzel bir yazı olduğunu. Teşekkür ederim.
branda </ a>
TENTE </ a>
July 20th, 2010 at 10:31 am -
There's easier way to do this. Make Illustrator file, save it as *.ai. Open Cinema 4D. Go to File>Merge… and open select your *.ai file. If it is not working, please keep in mind that you probably have new version of Illustrator and old of C4D. Then just save Illustrator file as CAD file *.dgw. Open it in Cinema 4D in the same as you would do it with *.ai(File>Merge).
There's no any reasonable way to put this vectors to Photoshop. Waste of time.
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August 1st, 2010 at 1:33 pm -
Create 3D objects in Cinema 4D from vector art
August 12th, 2010 at 4:06 am -
Great 3d objects tutorial!
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