How To Change a 2D Image Into a 3D Object (Video)

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I recently met Eric Beck of Backyard FX and he handed me a sticker for Indy Mogul, the site that features his show. I thought it would be cool if the Indy Mogul logo was transformed from a 2D sticker into a 3D object that could be used for a transition during the show. So I sat down and figured out a workflow.

I started out by scanning the sticker. I needed to make the sticker black and white so I could make a selection in Photoshop using the channels.

I took that selection and turned it into a work path that I exported to Illustrator. From Illustrator I exported the paths as an Illustrator 8 file and brought them into Cinema 4D. The paths come into C4D with some extra junk that needs to be deleted so we can get to the path that contains the logo information. I extruded the logo using a NURBS object, textured it, and added a few lights and a camera and my transformation from 2D to 3D can be seen in this Indy Mogul logo animation.

I really like this work flow because it is super fast and it saves me from having to trace, model, or duplicate the logo. This technique can be used to transform your logo into a 3D logo for use in your show or for a client project. I’ve also created a video tutorial explaining how I achieved this. If you have any questions please leave a comment below.

Technorati Tags: 3D, Cinema 4D, Eric Beck, Illustrator, Indy Mogul, Photoshop, tutorial, video

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