This lecture is an overview of how to achieve some 3D effects to enrich your 3D Character design to be used on Cereal Box packaging. When digitising drawings for 3D rendering you can use a combination of software tools to achieve your desired finish. For the purpose of this subject, it is recommended that you work in Photoshop and Illustrator.

1. VIRTU DESIGN INSTITUTE
Written by Rachel Hawkins
2D & 3D GRAPHIC DESIGN
VDIS10019
BASIC TOOLS FOR
3D RENDERING

2. VIRTU DESIGN INSTITUTE: 2D & 3D GRAPHIC DESIGN - VDIS10019 2
This lecture is an overview of how to
achieve some 3D effects to enrich
your 3D Character design to be used
on Cereal Box packaging.
When digitising drawings for 3D rendering you can use
a combination of software tools to achieve your desired
finish. For the purpose of this subject, it is recommended
that you work in Photoshop and Illustrator.
There are some software tutorial resources available to you
on the Virtu Youtube link:
www.youtube.com/channel/UChDtm_NW5ViQcUl3S-5mTFg
Here you will find three tutorials that cover helpful basic
Photoshop and Illustrator software skills like;
• Live Tracing
• How to create compound paths
• How to create clipping paths
• Distort, scale, rotate images
• Deep etching (cutting out an image)
• Plus more....
VIRTU YOUTUBE LINK
www.youtube.com/channel/
UChDtm_NW5ViQcUl3S-5mTFg

3. VIRTU DESIGN INSTITUTE: 2D & 3D GRAPHIC DESIGN - VDIS10019 3
There are several key factors to consider in the development
of your 3D character drawing that will help to bring it to life.
GRADATION
Gradation of size and direction
produce linear perspective. Gradation
of colour from warm to cool and tone
from dark to light produce aerial
perspective. Gradation can add
interest and movement to a shape. A
gradation from dark to light will cause
the eye to move along a shape.
PERSPECTIVE
Perspective is an approximate
representation of the of a three-
dimensional object on a two-
dimensional surface (paper or screen)
so as to give the impression of their
height, width, depth, and position in
relation to each other.
LIGHT & SHADOW
The way light hits an object
determines it’s shading and is how
the eye determines the appearance
of flat 2D object from 3D forms.
When light hits a 3D object it can
cast a shadow. Shadows ad depth
to a form and will enrich the 3D
appearance.
CONTEXT
Context may be the environment in
which your character is presented.
Placing your character in the context
of a space with perspective will help
bring the shapes, colour, texture and
shading to life.
TEXTURE
The way a surface feels or is
perceived to feel. Texture can be
added to attract or repel interest
to an element, depending on the
pleasantness of the texture. It is a
great way to make your character
look lifelike and tactile.
A SENSE OF HUMOR
A character is a comical
representation of something that we
see in real life. It is important that you
approach the design process with a
sense of humor and the perspective
of a child’s view so that you are open
to new textures, colours and shapes.
SCALE/PROPORTION
Using the relative size of elements
against each other can attract
attention to a focal point. Proper
use of scale and proportion or the
exaggeration of these elements will
help to make your 3D Character and
its surroundings look realistic.

4. VIRTU DESIGN INSTITUTE: 2D & 3D GRAPHIC DESIGN - VDIS10019 4
Gradients
Use gradients as a way of creating light and shading in your design. You can achieve gradients with colours and neutral
tones in both Photoshop and Illustrator. Your gradients can also have transparencies so that they reveal colours and textures
beneath them. Illustrator also has a useful gradient library that can be accessed through the swatches tab to help you along.
All gradients can be edited in the Gradients tab. See below screen grabs to locate them.
Photoshop Illustrator
Double click or drag
on the gradient
toggles to edit the
gradient. You can
also flip and rotate it
in this menu
Select your object are with the magic wand
selection tool or in any other way and create
a “New Fill” (Gradient) in the bottom of the
Layer tab.

5. VIRTU DESIGN INSTITUTE: 2D & 3D GRAPHIC DESIGN - VDIS10019 5
Texture
Use textures to make your character more lifelike. You can use
photos of textures and place them into the shapes in your character
design to give the form depth and make it more lifelike. By using
textures you will evoke the brains experience with the senses touch
and sound (hearing) and therefore enhance the experience that
your character gives the viewer.
You can use photos of textures like metal, wood, plastic, glass,
water, foods and fabrics like - leather and silk, etc.
The below link shows you how to use photos of textures in your
illustration. Have a look at this online tutorial:
Adobe Illustrator & Photoshop tutorial:
Create a realistic 3D character without 3D software
http://www.digitalartsonline.co.uk/tutorials/photoshop/create-realistic-3d-
character-without-3d-software/#2
This online tutorial shows another way of using photos of
textures in 3D rendering in illustrator:
Adobe Illustrator tutorial: How to make objects look 3D
in Illustrator
http://www.digitalartsonline.co.uk/tutorials/adobe-illustrator/create-quirky-
3d-imagery-in-illustrator/#1

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Texture cont.
There is also a “Pattern Overlay” tool in the ‘fx’ layer style in Photoshop. You can load your own patterns/textures into it. This
is a great place to load textures and apply shadows to shapes at the sake time.
Photoshop

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CONTEXT
Context is the environment in which your character lives. Placing your character in the context of
a space with perspective will help bring the shapes, colour, texture and shading to life.
Below is a two part online tutorial showing how to illustrate a 2D drawing into a 3D character
illustration. This particular tutorial gives a good amount of focus to the context and
surroundings of the character and how this enhances the personality and narrative of the
image. This is applicable to how you should approach your cereal box packaging. Think of
your character illustration in the context of the cereal packaging and how it will look as a whole
finished product. Check out the two part tutorial:
Create Character Driven Book Cover Art Using Illustrator and Photoshop
Part 1 and Part 2
Part 1 - https://design.tutsplus.com/tutorials/create-character-driven-book-cover-art-using-illustrator-and-photoshop-part-1--vector-3445
Part 2 - https://design.tutsplus.com/tutorials/create-character-driven-book-cover-art-using-illustrator-and-photoshop-part-2--psd-6515

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Shadows
To give your illustration depth you can use light and shadow. Depending on which angle you choose to have light cast on
your character, it will send a shadow onto the background. You can create these shadows with automated tools like ‘drop
shadow, inner glow, inner shadow, outer glow and outer shadow... or by creating gradients that have transparencies on the
edges.
Photoshop Illustrator
Radial
Gradient
Drop Shadows
Check out the changing
shadows cast by these characters.

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fx (Effects)
Photoshop fx
Photoshop

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Creating 3D Shapes - Photoshop
Some of the 3D capabilities are limited to Extended Versions of the software. Photoshop’s 3D capabilities are quite diverse and
really fun to play with, if not a little complex requiring advanced Photoshop skills. It is however simple to follow step by step
tutorials to achieve effects you are after. You can create shapes from scratch and place 3D effects on them or create 3D effects
from photos. I recommend the later process in particular for the development of your 2D character drawings to 3D.
To start, you will need to have your drawing or object on a transparent background. You will also need to be in a 3D workspace.
2D Photo
3D Render

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Creating 3D Shapes - Photoshop cont.
Below are 3 links to online tutorials that take you step by step through
how to make 3D objects of different kinds. You may or may not have the
extended version on Photoshop required by the first two links however
every version of photoshop is capable of the 3rd link.
Create 3D Objects by Inflating 2D Photographs in Photoshop
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqAi5mNa2gM - Complex (advanced Photoshop)
Create a 3D Object in Photoshop
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CB4632-k7_E - Complex (advanced Photoshop)
Cheat At Photoshop: Change any 2D objects into 3D
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjVrmm4VFrg - Easy (basic Photoshop)

12. VIRTU DESIGN INSTITUTE: 2D & 3D GRAPHIC DESIGN - VDIS10019 12
Creating 3D Shapes - Illustrator
Illustrator has an ‘Extrude & Bevel’ tool that can be found under the ‘Effect’ menu. There is also ‘Revolve’ and ‘Rotate’ tools.
The ‘Extrude & Bevel’ tool is perfect for creating your cereal box shape in 3D. You can then copy and paste the shape into
photoshop to finish it off or complete the finished graphic in Illustrator. To start, selected a shape you have drawn and go to the
menu. Once the shape is created in 3D, you can “Expand Appearance” so you can edit it’s faces with colour and gradients.
The online tutorial listed on page 5 is
relevant to this exercise also:
Day 23: Applying 3D Extrude & Bevel
http://www.vectordiary.com/illustrator/apply-
ing-3d-extrude-bevel/

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Photoshop: Transform - Distort
Using the “Transform - Distort” tool in Photoshop, you can drag the edges of your finished cereal box front to fit the 3D render
of the box. There are several ways of achieving this same finish, however this is a nice simple way. I suggest designing/colouring
the top and sides of your cereal box to enhance your presentation.

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Conclusion
The above tools and links will assist you in developing your own style in creating your 3D character. Using a combination of
these tools and techniques will help you to create fun and colourful unique character design.
The internet has an ocean of helpful tutorial and you are encouraged to explore and play with the software to learn and
express your creative flare.
Please direct any software questions to the appropriate thread in the forum and we will endeavor to answer it for you.