Basic question about 3D graphic file conversion

General discussions about Inkscape.
khuri430
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri May 10, 2019 1:53 pm

Basic question about 3D graphic file conversion

Postby khuri430 » Fri May 10, 2019 2:37 pm

Hi I'm new to inkscape. I used to do some graphic works with adobe illustrator and found this open source drawing program.
I just started inkscape and felt that User Interface is a bit hard for newbies.
I especially really liked this program can easily make a 3D graphic.
Btw I'm wondering if 3D graphic deteriorates when I convert file from .svg to .jgp.

User avatar
druban
Posts: 1917
Joined: Fri Nov 20, 2009 10:48 pm

Re: Basic question about 3D graphic file conversion

Postby druban » Fri May 10, 2019 3:00 pm

Even assuming you mean .jpg, this question doesn't become any clearer. Can you explain better? Inkscape does not make 3D graphics but I'll go out on a limb here and assume you mean 3D box. Still not clear... Converting svg to jpg always results in quality loss, but not very much at high settings.
Your mind is what you think it is.

jessialpha
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri May 10, 2019 4:28 pm

Re: Basic question about 3D graphic file conversion

Postby jessialpha » Fri May 10, 2019 4:35 pm

A 3D file format is used for storing information about 3D models. You may have heard of the most popular formats STL, OBJ, FBX, COLLADA etc

User avatar
druban
Posts: 1917
Joined: Fri Nov 20, 2009 10:48 pm

Re: Basic question about 3D graphic file conversion

Postby druban » Fri May 10, 2019 8:15 pm

good luck!
Your mind is what you think it is.

Polygon
Posts: 393
Joined: Thu Dec 19, 2013 3:27 am

Re: Basic question about 3D graphic file conversion

Postby Polygon » Sat May 11, 2019 5:10 am

jessialpha wrote:A 3D file format is used for storing information about 3D models. You may have heard of the most popular formats STL, OBJ, FBX, COLLADA etc

I won´t expect 3d-graphics and 3d-files to be the same - as s/he especially mentioned AI. ;)

User avatar
druban
Posts: 1917
Joined: Fri Nov 20, 2009 10:48 pm

Re: Basic question about 3D graphic file conversion

Postby druban » Sat May 11, 2019 6:31 am

Yes, I would be very interested to see if Inkscape can be made to import, parse or render any of those formats! DXF maybe but only with restrictions I think.One can work with 3D objects in Adobe Illustrator in an extension type of way, or in Adobe Dimensions, and get the result flattened to a vector format. Inkscape has the extension render 3D polyhedron and wireframe sphere, and of course the 3D box tool, but I don't quite think of those as working with 3D.

So what am I missing here, I would appreciate an explanation... Polygon? Anyone?
Your mind is what you think it is.

Lazur
Posts: 4717
Joined: Tue Jun 14, 2016 10:38 am

Re: Basic question about 3D graphic file conversion

Postby Lazur » Sat May 11, 2019 7:49 am

jessialpha wrote:A 3D file format is used for storing information about 3D models. You may have heard of the most popular formats STL, OBJ, FBX, COLLADA etc


This.

Saddens me.

Image

On the bright side Druban could take it better.


My guess is that 3D would mix pretty well with 2D vector drawings, if they were all NURBS based.
Since polygon modells don't have an "infinitely accurate" shape and projecting the model onto a plane would result in ugly contours.
Blender has an option to render polygon models to 2D vectors. Yet it only does is render in toon style and centerline trace the result in a second go. Needless to say the output is ugly -unnecessary nodes everywhere where you'd expect a simple curve. No exact tangent point placement.

What would that take?
Probably an open 3D format and editor of NURBS. Then, an equivalent in 2D.
"Paths" that are defined by B-splines -unlike in inkscape/svg specs.

If those were possible, maybe a native "B-spline"-based mesh gradient could top that. A 3D shader would/could then render shades into a full vector mesh.
Maybe then relying on an pdf or eps output could be ditched. With a new printer format...



AAnyway back to ontopic.

khuri430 wrote:I especially really liked this program can easily make a 3D graphic.
Btw I'm wondering if 3D graphic deteriorates when I convert file from .svg to .jgp.



Probably original poster mistaken vectors with 3D in general.
And the raster format with "jgp" -jpg misspelled.

Deteriorate may be a bold expression.
They are not compatible as per se and both have they pros and cons to be used explicitely for different jobs.
I rather call false expectations if you experience a "quality loss".
You lose "vector quality" and gain "raster quality".
Don't expect the raster equivalent to be scalable.
Vice-versa don't expect raster brushes on your core vector graphic.

User avatar
druban
Posts: 1917
Joined: Fri Nov 20, 2009 10:48 pm

Re: Basic question about 3D graphic file conversion

Postby druban » Sat May 11, 2019 9:24 am

I still don't get it. And I'm ok with that!
Whatever I said to make anyone think that I wasn't 'taking it well' was probably miscommunication. Obviously I don't know enough about 3D Files interacting with Inkscape and I would like to know more.

Off topic:
I am also curious if the TV show 'Jeopardy' is known all over the world? I wonder how people who have never seen the show might understand the cartoon that Lazur posted...
Your mind is what you think it is.

User avatar
brynn
Posts: 10309
Joined: Wed Sep 26, 2007 4:34 pm
Location: western USA
Contact:

Re: Basic question about 3D graphic file conversion

Postby brynn » Sun May 12, 2019 4:21 am

Well, I'll add my bit, attempting to answer the original question.

If you're looking for true 3D modelling, try Blender, which is also open source.

Inkscape can create simulated 3D in a 2D environment.

Inkscape SVG to JPG will probably not create any noticable deterioration. However, that's vector to raster, so it changes the inherent nature of the images. But they are both 2D formats.

To learn how to use Inkscape, I would suggest starting with Help menu > Tutorials > Basic, Shapes, and Advanced (don't worry, "advanced" one really isn't very advanced - really is an introduction to working with paths). My signature has links to tons of other tutorials.

User avatar
druban
Posts: 1917
Joined: Fri Nov 20, 2009 10:48 pm

Re: Basic question about 3D graphic file conversion

Postby druban » Sun May 12, 2019 11:15 am

Just for further clarification, I mentioned Inkscape's render Polyhedron extension above, which can render a set of geometric solids (supplied with the default Inkscape install as OBJ files), as well as render any OBJ file loaded from within the extension.
Unfortunately the extension's built in parser does a bad job with large files and is best suited to small generally convex objects. Notice the mistake with the cow's legs!
The extension can only render an orthogonal projection of the object from a specified angle.

g149020.jpg
g149020.jpg (100.12 KiB) Viewed 3013 times


I have never tried it with other formats.
Your mind is what you think it is.


Return to “General Discussions”