Adjust Geometry Click the
Geometry button at the top of the
3D Effects dialog box if needed, to display the
Geometry settings. Here you can adjust the amount of roundness in the
Rounded edges of your object, and the ratio of the front face of the object to its back face (the
Scaled depth ). The
Rotation angle applies only to a
3D rotation object and controls whether the profile is rotated a complete 360 degrees to create the object. You can adjust the amount of extrusion by changing the
Depth .
125. Apply 3D Effects
The
Horizontal and
Vertical Segment amounts apply to rounded shapes; by increasing these values, you can make a rounded shape more smooth. The higher these values, however, the longer your shape will take to draw. The
Normals affect how your object's surface is rendered when lit and when a texture is applied. These settings are best left at
Object Specific , which selects the best formula for each object. With
Flat, you can let each of the vertical and horizontal segments become more apparent, or smooth them with
Spherical . You can invert the
Normals , which makes an object appear as if lit from within. You can choose
Double-Sided Illumination, which simulates both interior and exterior lighting. You can also create
Double-Sided , or open ended, 3D objects, like an open ended box.
On each page of this dialog box, after setting the effects you want, click the
Checkmark button to apply them to the selected 3D object.
KEY TERM
3D rotation object Created with the
Modify, Convert, To 3D Rotation Object command, this type of object starts as a profile which is then rotated 360 degrees through its y-axis (a pole running up and down through its center).
NOTE
Understanding all the mathematics that produce appropriate 3D effects is fairly advanced. This task just skims the surface of the 3D effects you can apply. Fortunately, you can always try one of the options, adjust the 3D effect, and then select the Undo command to back up and try something else.