Report - 3-D Transport Model

How i made my Google SketchUp 3-D tram. Firstly i decided to use Google SketchUp because it is a free application for 3-D modelling and can be simply downloaded from the Google web page. I also decided to use Google SketchUp becasue it is very user-friendly. It is basic, yet offers a large variety of tools. It is ideal for begineers, just starting 3-D modelling.
I began my 3-D tram, firstly by simply drawing a rectangle.

I then used the Push/Pull tool to make the image 3-D, making it now a cuboid. As shown below.









I then selected the front, bottom line, and moved in so as to have an inclined edge.

I drew an arc at the front then, using the "Arc" tool. First i had to select two points, this would be the linear line. Then i had to select another point that the arc would go through. I then pulled this arc upward so the it was the same height as the tram. I then wanted this 3-D arc to be transparent, i.e. a window. So i selected the Paint Bucket option and it opened the materials window, where i chose "Translucent" and the the Blue translucent fill effect.

I also smoothed the edges the whole object. I selected each line, using the pointer and holdin down shift. I then selected "Window" and "Soften Edges".

Another tool i used in Google SketchUp was the "Get Models" tools, whereby, you can access a library full of objects, which can be downloaded directly into your image, i downloaded the door of my tram, the people and the seats into my model. It is known as the 3-D Warehouse.

Composite Image

Internal Images of Goggle SketchUp Tram

External Images of Google SketchUp Tram

Compare and contrast the features available in these 3 graphics packages:

Microsoft Paint:

• Selection tools
• Eraser
• Fill
• Eye dropper
• Magnifying glass
• Pencil
• Paint Brush
• Airbrush
• Text
• Line
• Curve
• Rectangle
• Polygon
• Oval
• Rounded Rectangle
• Colour palette

Photoshop:

• Layer Effects
• Seamless Web Graphics Workflow
• Easy Consistent Design Tools
• History Palette
• Contact Sheets
• Art History Brush
• Precise Masking
• Animation
• Web Optimization
• Image Slicing
• Rollovers

GIMP:

Advanced Manipulation:

• Full alpha channel support
• Layers and channels
• Multiple Undo/Redo (limited only by diskspace)
• Editable text layers
• Transformation tools including rotate, scale, shear and flip
• Selection tools including rectangle, ellipse, free, fuzzy and intelligent
• Advanced path tool doing bezier and polygonal selections.
• Transformable paths, transformable selections.
• Quickmask to paint a selection.

Extensible

• A Procedural Database for calling internal GIMP functions from external programs as in Script-fu
• Advanced scripting capabilities (Scheme, Python, Perl)
• Plug-ins which allow for the easy addition of new file formats and new effect filters
• Over 100 plug-ins already available

Animation

• Load and save animations in a convenient frame-as-layer format
• MNG support
• Frame Navigator (in GAP, the GIMP Animation Package)
• Onion Skin (in GAP, the GIMP Animation Package)
• Bluebox (in GAP, the GIMP Animation Package)

File Handling

• File formats supported include bmp, gif, jpeg, mng, pcx, pdf, png, ps, psd, svg, tiff, tga, pm, and many others
• Load, display, convert, save to many file formats
• SVG path import/export Advanced Manipulation

Painting

• Full suite of painting tools including Brush, Pencil, Airbrush, Clone, etc.
• Sub-pixel sampling for all paint tools for high quality anti-aliasing
• Extremely powerful gradient editor and blend tool
• Supports custom brushes and patterns

5) What are the characteristics of the following graphics file formats:

Bitmap?
A representation, consisting of rows and columns of dots, of a graphics image in computer memory. The value of each dot (whether it is filled in or not) is stored in one or more bits of data. The resolution of bitmap images, such as digital photographs, depends on both the display device and the inherent resolution of the bitmap image.
http://webopedia.internet.com/TERM/B/bit_map.html

GIF?
Known as Graphic Interchange Format. The majority of images on the Web are now in GIF format, and virtually all Web browsers that support graphics can display GIF files. GIF files incorporate a compression scheme to keep file sizes at a minimum, and they are limited to 8-bit (256 or fewer colors) color palettes.
http://webstyleguide.com/graphics/gifs.html

PNG?
A format for graphics that is useful primarily on the World Wide Web. PNG graphics can contain millions of colors and can be transparent, and are compressed without degradation of the image. However, many Web browsers can not display them. It supports alpha channels and has a and 48 bit true color (as compared to GIF's 8 bit color).
www.caddpower.com/cms/glossary

JPEG?
Joint Photographic Experts Group is also used to minimise graphics size, using compression, it is a file format used for good quality photographic reproduction on the Web. JPEG graphics are capable of reproducing a full range of color while still remaining small enough for Web use. Most of the photographs you see on the Web are JPEG format.
www.sorrentomesa.com/education/glossary.html

XCF?
A GIMP image file format that is unsupported by web browsers. It can save layer information and other information that you may want to use again, e.g. text layer.

PSD?
The suffix or extension used to by Adobe for files created using Adobe Photoshop software. Applications other than Photoshop may also be able to save or open files in this file format.
www.caddpower.com/cms/glossary

SVG?
An XML markup language for describing two-dimensional vector graphics, both static and animated. Can be used both by Web browsers and desktop publishing to produce vector graphics which are very fast and easily transmittable files.

4) What is an alpha channel? How can this be useful in your coursework project?

Designed for creating depth in computer graphics, an alpha channel works like a key, choosing the opacity of all pixels in the image.
Alpha channels will be uselful in our multimedia coursework, especially in our first team work project, where we create composite images, where we have to superimpose images of a certain form of transpot, such as a train or tram or subway into an actual picture of Derry, by making certain parts of the image transparent so that only what i want appears in the source image.
www.ic.sunysb.edu/clubs/sbutv/glossary.htm

3) What does “RGB” have to do with graphic files?

RGB stands for Red Green Blue. Computer monitors use RGB to define the colours that appear on screen. Each color in the RGB combination is measured from 0 - 255. It is the color language of computers. Computers´ monitors and digital cameras use these colors to create all the colors seen on the monitor and saved in files.

www.photographyreview.com/digitalglossarycrx.aspx