- In this chapter, I'll introduce you
to the world of 3D inside Illustrator.
As you may be aware, Illustrator's sister program,
Photoshop, offers an array of 3D features, as well.
It's important to know which program to use when,
which is why I offer this helpful analogy.
If you think of 3D in Photoshop as being as big as the sun,
then 3D in Illustrator is approximately
the size of a very small rock.
It's just dinky by comparison and not nearly as shiny.
Permit me to elaborate.
In Photoshop, you can construct entire 3D scenes.
You can have objects interact with each other.
You can cast shadows all over the place.
You can ray trace, and you can achieve
photo realistic results.
In Illustrator, each object is independent.
They can't interact with each other.
They can't cast shadows.
And by comparison, you get synthetic results.
And yet, Illustrator's 3D features
offer five important advantages.
One, 3D is a dynamic effect,
so you can change your mind any time you like.
Two, Illustrator does a bang up job of creating 3D symbols,
particularly those with beveled edges.
Three, you can create 3D type in no time at all.
Four, you can create 3D revolutions,
so you can take half a circle, for example,
and revolve it around an axis to create a sphere.
And five, Illustrator lets you map artwork
onto the surface of any 3D object.
So, okay, 3D in Illustrator is just a pebble,
but sometimes even a small thing can make a big impact.
And my guess is that you'll really be rooting
for that scrappy little pebble
as you watch the following movies.