How To Make 3D Signs

[ChiefCanada.com]

Greetings

[ChiefCanada.com]

here is page 2

[louis]

Nice Rob.

[ronto]

There is a program called 'Elefont' that can make dxf files
of 3-d letters [or even paragraghs]. It's free.

of hand ... I don't have a link to it ... but it should
come up on a 'google' search.

I don't recall the full details, but I did use it long ago with
a graphics program 'Bryce'.

Maybe this would help.

ronto

[Tommy Blair]

Rob. Very nice! Could you please explain a little more on how you did the glowing sign? You said you place a wall light. Do you mean you placed a wall light fixture behind the sign symbol or placed an "add light" behind the symbol? When you say you changed the 3d dwg file when importing, what changes did you do?

Tommy

[ambrozac]

Here's the Elephont link.

http://www.armanisoft.ch/webdesign/FrmDownloads.html

[ChiefCanada.com]

Thanks for the link Cliff.

To ceate the glowing sign I deleted my existing sign. Then place a wall light from the library. Edit the 3D tab in the wall light symbol (Edit Symbol) and browse to the 3D DWG file that was made for the sign. I think I had to reset the origins to something like 0,0,0. Finish by changing materials if you wish.

[ARCHIJEF2000]

I remember this from a while back, check this link, I made this sign by importing the symbol as "Electrical"/ light (wall mounted).

http://www.chiefarchitect.com/chieft...highlight=sign

[ChiefCanada.com]

I remember seeing that post now that you mention it.

[bbabaa]

OK, I've read along and downloaded Elephont made some 3D Text, and saved it out to a DXF.

But I'm obviuosly not following the conversation here because
now I cannot figure out how to bring the DXF text into chief and place it on this symbol that I created.

Can someone give me some pointers. Or is there an easier way to create your own 3D signage text out of your own font library as opposed to being limited to the 3D text built into Chief?

The symbol is attached as well for your use...

See attached. & Thanks.

[Ray C]

here is page 2

Answer; Arts first hand?

Anonymous

[bbabaa]

I assume you meant to say go back and study what was said earlier in the thread.

I would appreaciate some clarification if you might be so kind.

I have managed to trace polylines into text... however, I am having difficulty with letters like "O" for instance which is a circle inside a circle... how can I make the inner circle be a cutout for the outer cirlce... Using the Polyline union and intersection tools has not worked for me...

No matter, when I finally convert the Polyline to a polyline solid I get a solid "O" without an open center. "See Attached"

Please, what am I missing?

[exallspaniab]

I do this sort of thing quite often - I use elefont for the lettering, and logos and things - I draw with cad and convert to slabs or pl solids.

[bbabaa]

For anyone interested:

This is what I did:

Created the "Cornerstone" text using Adobe Illustrator (or similar vector drawing program):
1. Choose Font and type onto page to establish the word(s) you wish to use in the 3D signage.
2. Grab the word and Convert to Outlines under the Type Menu
3. Export file to a .DXF format.

In Chief:
1. Create a blank plan
2. Take a Cross Section of thin air
3. Import the .DXF file created in Illustrator
4. Zoom into imported text F6
5. Explode the CAD block
6. Convert each letter into a Polyline Solid making sure that letters like "O", "R", "D", "B", etc. that you convert the main outline of the letter first, then converting the cutout outlines of each letter seperatly making a hole in the Polyline solid of the main outline of the letter converted first. See attached.

Finally:
1. Goto the plan view and take a perspective shot of the 3D Polyline Text created.
2. You can set materials if you'd like or leave as concrete.
3. Under the Tools menu in Chief - Symbol - Convert to Symbol. Save to your library.
4. Place it on your sign from your symbol library.

[bbabaa]

I just could not Get Elephont to get the lettering into an intuativley usable object for me... too many pieces... But then again, I'm not as seasoned as most on this forum.
So, if you want a Quick Easy and Painless with no drawing or tracing to do... and an endless supply of fonts to choose from...

Illustrator worked for me and in minuets I had exactly what I wanted...

Enjoy.