Tracing image for modeler

[n9103h]

I have searched, but to no avail. Please don't laugh at the question, unless it is with me.

I have to build an image, a wrench, needs to sorta look like the real thing. I can scan in the technical diagrams.

Is there a process to take those images as the outline for modeler? I have adobe products and Aura.

I am not sure, besides scanning, what the steps would be. I am guessing it has to be saved in a from modeler can load. I would at least have my basic image to work from.

Any suggestions or previous threads that I could not find??

Appreciated.

George

[Markc]

In Modeler, open the Display Options (D).
Under the Backdrop tab you can load 2d images as a background.
You need to play around with the scale, if you create a rough shape of the object in LW, you can adjust the scale of the image to suit.
Don't forget to save the preset otherwise when you exit Modeler you will lose all your settings.

[n9103h]

thanks, I will try that in a few minutes. much appreciated.

[WirePeople]

If you feel more comfortable drawing with Adobe products, you could always trace the outline of your wrench in Illustrator, save the path as an .eps. (It used to be that it worked best if you saved as Illustrator version 8, don't know if this is still true.) Then when you open Modeler, you could click File>Import>EPSF loader and it will give you the window to import that .eps file as a path or a closed polygon. It gives a pretty good starting point to model the rest through extrusion, etc.

[wrench]

Yep, it has to be Illustrator 8 or earlier. After 8, Adobe uses PDF as the basis for AI/EPS files and LightWave still doesn't speak it, even though 9 was released in 2000.

B