How to Create and Edit 3D Objects in Adobe Illustrator
Posted on 16th June 2023
Adobe Illustrator is a vector graphics editor developed and marketed by Adobe Inc. It is the industry standard vector drawing application and can be used to create and edit 3D objects.
In this article, we will show you how to create and edit 3D objects in Adobe Illustrator.
Creating 3D Objects
There are two ways to create 3D objects in Adobe Illustrator:
- Using the 3D Revolve Effect
- Using the 3D Extrude & Bevel Effect
Using the 3D Revolve Effect
To create a 3D object using the 3D Revolve effect:
- Create a new document in Adobe Illustrator.
- Draw the object that you want to revolve.
- Select the object and go to
Effect > 3D > Revolve. - In the Revolve Options dialog box, specify the options for the 3D object.
- Click
OK.
Using the 3D Extrude & Bevel Effect
To create a 3D object using the 3D Extrude & Bevel effect:
- Create a new document in Adobe Illustrator.
- Draw the object that you want to extrude and bevel.
- Select the object and go to
Effect > 3D > Extrude & Bevel. - In the Extrude & Bevel Options dialog box, specify the options for the 3D object.
- Click
OK.
Editing 3D Objects
Once you have created a 3D object, you can edit it by going to Object > 3D > Edit Scene. This will open the 3D Options dialog box where you can edit the various options for the 3D object.
When you have the 3D object you want to edit selected, the next thing you need to do is open the “Appearance” panel. With the “Appearance” panel open, you should see a list of the different attributes that you can edit for the selected 3D object. The different attributes that you can edit include the “Material”, “Lighting”, and “Render” attributes.
The “Material” attribute allows you to specify the material properties for the selected 3D object. The different material properties that you can specify include the “Ambient”, “Diffuse”, “Specular”, and “Emission” properties.
The “Ambient” property specifies the ambient color of the selected 3D object. The ambient color is the color of the object when there is no direct light shining on it.
The “Diffuse” property specifies the diffuse color of the selected 3D object. The diffuse color is the color of the object when there is direct light shining on it.
The “Specular” property specifies the specular color of the selected 3D object. The specular color is the color of the highlights on the object when there is direct light shining on it.
The “Emission” property specifies the emission color of the selected 3D object. The emission color is the color of the light that the object emits.
The “Lighting” attribute allows you to specify the lighting properties for the selected 3D object. The different lighting properties that you can specify include the “Light Position”, “Light Color”, and “Light Intensity” properties.
The “Light Position” property specifies the position of the light in relation to the selected 3D object.
The “Light Color” property specifies the color of the light.
The “Light Intensity” property specifies the intensity of the light.
The “Render” attribute allows you to specify the render properties for the selected 3D object. The different render properties that you can specify include the “Render Mode”, “Quality”, and “Shading” properties.
The “Render Mode” property specifies the render mode for the selected 3D object. The different render modes that you can specify include the “Wireframe”, “Solid”, and “Texture” render modes.
The “Wireframe” render mode renders the selected 3D object as a wireframe.
The “Solid” render mode renders the selected 3D object as a solid.
The “Texture” render mode renders the selected 3D object with a texture.
The “Quality” property specifies the quality of the render. The different quality settings that you can specify include the “Low”, “Medium”, and “High” quality settings.
The “Shading” property specifies the shading method for the selected 3D object. The different shading methods that you can specify include the “Flat”, “Gouraud”, and “Phong” shading methods.
The “Flat” shading method shades the selected 3D object using flat shading.
The “Gouraud” shading method shades the selected 3D object using Gouraud shading.
The “Phong” shading method shades the selected 3D object using Phong shading.
How to Create and Edit 3D Objects in Adobe Illustrator
Create a New Document
To create a new document, open Adobe Illustrator and click on “File > New.” A new document window will pop up. In the “Name” field, type in the name you want for your document. Then, choose the dimensions for your document. The default settings are fine for most purposes, but you can change them if you need to. Once you’re happy with the settings, click “OK.”
Create a 3D Object
To create a 3D object, click on the “3D” tool in the toolbar. Then, click and drag on the canvas to create a 3D shape. You can also click on the “3D” menu and choose from a variety of preset shapes. To edit a 3D object, double-click on it to open the 3D panel. From here, you can change the position, rotation, and scale of the object.
Add Text to a 3D Object
To add text to a 3D object, click on the “Type” tool in the toolbar. Then, click on the object and type in your text. To format the text, you can use the controls in the “Character” and “Paragraph” panels. To change the position of the text, double-click on the object to open the 3D panel. Then, use the “Text” controls to adjust the position of the text.
Export a 3D Object
To export a 3D object, click on “File > Export.” In the “Export” window, choose the file format you want to use. For most purposes, the “PDF” or “EPS” format will work fine. Once you’ve selected a file format, click “Export.”
