I like using the convex style lettering on trucks and such, and there are alot of nice ones out there. Chuck Davis' Convecta is really good, and Dan Antonellis are great also. I have a few that were put out by the fontry too. But, if you have a font that you like really well, and you want to convex it, here's what I do. First, decide what two colors you will be using for your convex treatment. Course, this will have alot to do with your layout. After you have done this, Cut two sets of your base letters. One in your dark color, and one in your lighter color. This could be two colors of yellow, white and beige, Kelly green and lime green, etc. I usually sketch out the word I am convexing on paper to use as a guide. If you haven't used much convex lettering, check out some in Signcraft and other mags to get the general idea. Using my sketch as a guide, I use a stabilo pencil to mark the lines on the set of letters I am convexing. After I do that, I then take an exacto knife,(carefully), and make the cuts on the lettering after it has been weeded. After you have made your cuts and weeded out the parts you don't need,take the first set of letters and apply them to your substrate. If you are using an outline, apply that first though. Now, line up the other set you have convexed and apply them over the base set. There you go! Perfect convexed lettering. The bulkier type letters are more easy to do this with, but just about any typestyle can be done this way. NOt as easy as the pre-made fonts, but it works great!
------------------ John Deaton III Deaton Signs&Grafix 109 N. Cumberland Ave.,Harlan, Ky. 40831 606-573-9101
[This message has been edited by John Deaton III (edited January 09, 2001).]
Posted by Deb Fowler (Member # 1039) on :
John,
A convex letter was one of the first I ever learned after the continual vertical stroke lesson. I haven't really done much of them anymore since the jobs didn't call for them. (maybe I was always getting "around" to it! I would like to get back to these, and feel like you have encouraged me now. Thanks for the tip. If you ever feel like posting pix, that would be great too!
ps. convex is a most interesting letter! reminds me of the Escher artwork!
thanks, Deb
------------------ Deb Creative Signs "All the gold in the world cannot buy a dying man one more breath. So what does that make today worth?" Og Mandino
Posted by Dave Grundy (Member # 103) on :
John...A couple of years ago I did a step by step on creating convex lettering in Corel. It is in the step by step section of the main page at http://www.letterhead.com/steps/appy/index.html Not trying to toot my own horn here but I figured you might find it interesting. Also, Dan Antonelli had an excellent article in SignCraft on the subject too. Sorry I can't give you the issue because I am not at home right now.
------------------ Dave Grundy shop#340 AKA "applicator" on mIRC "stickin' sticky stuff to valuable vessels and vehicles!" in Granton, Ontario, Canada 1-519-225-2634 dave.grundy@quadro.net www.quadro.net/~shirley "A PROUD $ supporter of the website"
Posted by John Deaton (Member # 925) on :
Read your step by step awhile back Dave, and also Dan the mans. Both very good too, and I have used them. I thought I'd give one other way to do it without the computer time involved. I have used this way quite a bit,and it works really well. I can cut the beveled part of the lettering in just a few minutes cause I use alot of this style and have gotten used to doing it. Hand cutting aint the best way, but works almost as good.
------------------ John Deaton III Deaton Signs&Grafix 109 N. Cumberland Ave.,Harlan, Ky. 40831 606-573-9101
What color combo's look the best. I want to try, but I don't want to reinvent the wheel if someone else already has.....
------------------ Mike Duncan Lettercraft Signs Alexandria VA
" I set aside a few minutes everyday for myself, Then I am able to take off for a week at the end of the year"
Posted by Dan Antonelli (Member # 86) on :
John -
The issue of SignCraft that I wrote the article in is Issue # 101.
Doing the prisms by hand is a great idea, too! Steady on the X-Acto.
The only thing I was thinking about is that sometimes, after you do the cool truck lettering they'll want a logo too (assuming you haven't sold it up front) - so then you may have to create the computer generated paths anyway.
BY the way, nice web site! I love the logo design section!
"You won't get wise with the sleep still in your eyes, no matter what your dream may be" - Rush
Posted by Jeff Lang (Member # 336) on :
I you cut it by hand, you could try & scan it before applying the mask so you have a copy. Then next time you can run it through the plotter, no?
------------------ Jeffrey P. Lang Olde Lang Signs Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 412 732-9999 oldelangsigns@msn.com
Posted by captain ken (Member # 742) on :
I have done this a few times in flexi sign, I am sure it is similar to Dan's aproach, manipulating the nodes or control points to create a second layer.
------------------ -------------------------------------------------- "A wise man once said that, or was it a wise guy?"
Ken McTague The Witch city Salem, MA
Posted by Henry Barker (Member # 174) on :
I bought Signlab 5 Colormaster to run with my Gerber software last year. I was at a signshow at the time and got talking to a tech guy from Signlab, I asked about making convex fonts in an add on module and was told that something might be available this year??
That would be fun!
------------------ Henry Barker #1924 akaKaftan SignCraft AB Stockholm, Sweden. A little bit of England in a corner of Stockholm www.signcraft.se info@signcraft.se
Posted by Ryan Ursta (Member # 1738) on :
Henry, I have sl colormaster also. Let me know if you hear anything on that module. I was hoping they would come out with somthing like that!
------------------ Ryan Ursta Ursta Graphics 27 West Shenango St. Sharpsville Pa. 16150 Call: 724•962•2206 "letters of Recommendation"
Known as "Ugraph" on mirc
Posted by Chuck Peterson (Member # 70) on :
Convex lettering is one thing I still find a lot easier to do by hand than with a computer. I'll create a file on the computer if its a logo or a design that's going to be used over and over and resized.
On pages 218 & 219 of "The Corel Draw WOW Book" shows a sort-of complicated looking step-by-step for creating center-line guides for chiseled letters. The examples are very similar to what you're looking for. Briefly what they're saying to do is break letter into individual line segments, select opposing lines & create 1-step blends to form a center guide line. After trying a few examples it doesn't seem so hard after all. I tried to create a script but it wouldn't work. (using draw7)
The example uses straight-sided letters but can also work on s's etc.. Try it 1st with an I or L or H. Convert to curves. Then using edit nodes, select all & break paths to form individual segments. Again, select all & under arrange, break apart. Now you can select lines indv. Select 2 opposing. Open blend roll-up. create 1-step blend. If center line appears as dot in center, click tab on blend tool which looks like old-time elevator dial. Then click map nodes. Using arrow tool which appears, select a node & upon doing so opposing node is hi-lited automatically. select that one & click apply. The center line should appear.
Good luck,
PS: A footnote at end of page says: "If you're looking for thorough instructions for chiseled effects on letters of all forms, check out CorelDraw Design Workshop by J. Scott Hamlin and Barry Meyer, published by Sybex."
------------------ Bill Cosharek Bill Cosharek Signs 1031 Whitehead Lane N.Huntingdon,Pa 15642 bcosharek@juno.com
Posted by Wayne Marchant (Member # 1277) on :
Bill,
Is that the actual name of that Corel book ? Where'd ya get it ?
Yes - that's the name of it. I got it from a computer show vender last summer. I mentioned it here back then & remember Steve sayin' that it was available at Amazon.com. If you're a resident of Letterville I think you get a discount (but don't quote me).
------------------ Bill Cosharek Bill Cosharek Signs 1031 Whitehead Lane N.Huntingdon,Pa 15642 bcosharek@juno.com
