Creating the Graphic

The graphic used in this example is really very simple to make. In Ulead Cool 3D Production Studio, start by creating a new project if you don't already have one open (Figure 2). Since my video is standard NTSC DV, I chose to use the dimensions of 720x480. You can change the dimensions of a project at any time by bringing up the project dimensions menu (Figure 3) and selecting/entering the desired values (Figure 4). To create the graphic, bring up the Path Editor window (Figure 5).

Figure 2	Figure 3
Figure 4	Figure 5

In the path editor, perform the steps outlined below. In Figure 6, select the shape tool and the ellipse shape. Draw a circle. Don't worry about getting a perfect circle exactly in the center of the window, that will be addressed in the next step.

Figure 6

In Figure 7, select the object tool, adjust the circles dimensions by entering the values shown and align the circle in the center of the window. You have just created the center of the graphic disc.

Figure 7

Duplicate the path that you just created, enlarge it and center it in the window (Figure 8). This creates the outer portion of the disc. When you have finished, click OK to exit the path editor.

Figure 8

Your new object should look something like the one shown in Figure 9. If it looks more like the one in Figure 10, you need to improve the curve quality of your project (Figure 11). This will smooth out the round edges.

Figure 9	Figure 10
Figure 11	Figure 12

TIP: If I refer to a panel or toolbar in Cool3D Production Studio that you can't find, you can right click on any toolbar to bring up the Toolbars manager. From there you should be able to activate the desired toolbar or panel (Figure 12).

Now would be a good time to save the project. Periodic saves after you have performed several operations is a good idea so as not to lose a lot of work should something happen. Since this is the first save of our new project, we need to do a save as (Figure 13) in order to give our project a name (Figure 14).

Figure 13

Figure 14

Let's give our disc a little more character. In the attribute panel select the bevel attribute (Figure 15) and enter the values shown in Figure 16. The result should resemble the object shown in Figure 17.

Figure 15

Figure 16

Figure 17

Looking at the Object Manager, notice that there is a single object named "Graphic Object1". This is the name that Cool 3D Production Studio has assigned to the object. I usually try to give each object a descriptive name. When you have a lot of objects in your composition, this can make identifying the one that you want to work on much easier. To do this, double click on the object that you want to rename (Figure 18). This activates an edit box where you can type your new name (Figure 19). Click on any other object in the object tree to deactivate the edit box (Figure 20).

Figure 18

Figure 19

Figure 20

Figure 21 For this project, I wanted the graphic to have a metallic appearance on all sides except the front face which is to be in the schools color, purple. To do this go to the Face Toolbar and select all faces except the front face (Figure 21). In the EasyPalette, go to the Object Style/Material Attributes/Image Texture section and double click on the chrome texture (Figure 22).

Figure 22

The texture should show on all sides of the object except the front face as in Figure 23. Notice that the texture of the object has a different color than the chrome texture that we selected. This is because the texture is being combined with the original object color. To eliminate this, go to the Attribute Panel and select the Texture attribute. Click on the icon shown in Figure 24. Now the texture should be closer to the image texture that was chosen (Figure 25). FIgure 23 Figure 25

Figure 24

Figure 26 To put to final touch on our disc, we need to change the front face color. Go to the Face toolbar and select only the front face as shown if Figure 26.

In the Attribute Panel, select the Color attribute and click on the color icon to bring up the Color dialog box (Figure 27). In the Color dialog box, select the purple color or enter the values shown in Figure 28.

Figure 27   Figure 29

Figure 28 I want the front face of the disc to be a little duller in appearance than the rest of the object, i.e. not so metallic. To do this, change the specular color of the front face. Click on the specular color icon in the Color attribute dialog (Figure 29). In the Color dialog box, select the black color or enter the values shown in Figure 30. The object should now have a metallic appearance with the front face in colored in a dulled purple as in Figure 31. Figure 30 Figure 31

That completes the disc portion of our graphic. To finish it off we will enter the school initials 'THS'. First lets make sure that the disc is centered in our window. Highlight the position attribute in the timeline and check the X, Y and Z coordinates in the Location Toolbar. All three coordinates should be set to zero (Figure 32). Do the same check for the orientation attribute as well (Figure 33). If any of the coordinates are not zero, enter zero in the location toolbar.

Figure 32

Figure 33

Figure 34

Figure 35

Figure 36

Figure 37

Figure 38	Figure 39	Figure 40
Figure 41		Figure 42