Matrix 5 CONVERSION TUTORIALS

Matrix Art: Raising up parts of a bitmap: Page 1

Matrix Art: Raising up parts of a bitmap If you are working with a small picture but
When you wish to raise up parts of a bitmap to create a more you need the model to be rather large, the best thing
pronounced 3-D relief design in Matrix art, place the to do is to start by placing the bitmap at a small size
Background Bitmap you’ll be using and trace around the parts on the grid, complete the mesh in Matrix Art, and
you wish to raise up with the Curve tools in Matrix. Use the then use 2D Scale on the finished mesh to size it up
different colors in the Layers Menu to control the relationships to the desired scale. The mesh will retain its detail
between different parts of the mesh, placing the lower parts of only it will be larger, thus yielding the desired effect.
the image on lower layer colors and the higher parts of the
image on higher layer colors. To complete this model, we’ll use 2 The next step is to select the lowest layer color
the Sculpt tools, too. Then, for a more advanced application of from the Layers Menu, Creation yellow, to make it
Matrix Art, learn how you can use the program to trim out any
unwanted parts of a bitmap – for instance, the background of a active, and draw a Rectangle around this
bitmap – thereby leaving only the parts you want to be mesh. bitmap, taking care to stay right on the edges of the
bitmap.
Matrix 5.3 Skills Render of Finished Model

Place
Background Bitmap

Rectangle

Interp Curve
Matrix Art
If the background of your image is pure black,
like this one, and your grid is black in Matrix, (i.e.
1 To begin, use the Place Background you’re not a technical writer!), you’ll need to change
Bitmap tool to put the bitmap you’ll be raising up into the background color temporarily in order to see the
the Looking Down viewport. edges of the bitmap and draw this rectangle
correctly. To do so, type the word “Options” into the
Command line.

From the Rhino Options portion of the menu,

select the Colors option. Click on the Viewport
Background swatch (yours will be black) and select
a new color from the color wheel. Click OK twice to
close the menu. After drawing the rectangle, as
described above, repeat this step and turn the color
back to black.

About the size of the bitmap when using Place

Background Bitmap: Keep in mind what size bitmap
you are using when you’re drawing this curve. If the
bitmap you are using is at a fairly low resolution,
place the picture at a smaller size onscreen. If it is too
big, when the bitmap is applied to the curve the pixels
3 Now, we need to determine which parts of the
in the image will be visible, making the mesh appear
bitmap will be raised up and where each of those
choppy and unrealistic.
parts falls in relationship to the parts above and
below it. For example, the wings of the angel are the
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Matrix Art: Raising up parts of a bitmap: Page 2

lowest thing in the image, so we’ll keep these on the the upper arm. Finally, trace the hair with the highest
base layer (Creation yellow). Next up from that is the color you’ll use today: User Green.
face. The hands and hair will appear “higher up” in
the 3D image than the face. So we’ll use the next
lowest color in the Layers Menu, Cutting orange, to
trace the face.
To proceed, select the Cutting orange layer

color, making it active, and use the Interp

Curve tool to trace around the face of the angel.

Note: Be certain to always use Closed Curves that

are planar in the Looking Down viewport when lifting
up parts of a bitmap in Matrix Art!! 6 Now, click on the Art button in the Matrix Main
Menus to open the Matrix Art menu. Select all of the
curves, including the yellow rectangle that follows
the shape of the bitmap, and input them into the
Curves preview window. The mesh preview will
appear in the viewports:

Don’t worry about crossing over other areas we’ll

be lifting up (hair and hands), because these will be
on higher layer colors than the face and can
therefore be made to “ignore” the parts of the orange
layer that is “under” them. 7 To begin, determine the shape, height, and
relationships of the various layer colors (which each
4 Select the next layer color up in the menu, Finger represent a part of the finished mesh surface) in the
maroon, and draw another Interp Curve to trace Layers portion of the menu. I like to start from the
around the robe of the angel: the next lowest part of bottom and work my way up. So, click on the yellow
the bitmap. #1 button, causing it to be highlighted in pink and
made active. Now, select a Profile Shape for the
yellow parts of the mesh by clicking on the Load
Profile arrow.

I used the Dome profile here. As you move the mouse

over each profile, the preview image will change on-
the-fly to reflect the shape.

5 Use the next color up, Heads purple, to trace the

lower arm. Repeat, using the next color up, User Blue
(I skipped gray because it’s so hard to see!), to trace
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Matrix Art: Raising up parts of a bitmap: Page 3

With the #1 yellow layer still active, click and

drag the Surface Height slider to indicate the base
Adjusting relationships between the layers: When
height for the mesh surface.
adjusting the relationship between two colors, there
are a few rules to keep in mind:

1) The color that is higher on the list is always

dominant to one that is lower on the list: i.e., in
this case purple (#4) is dominant over maroon
(#3) and orange (#2).
About Surface Height: Keep in mind that the lowest
part of the bitmap will start at this height and the 2) To control the relationship between the two,
Bitmap Height slider found in the Picture menu in the dominant color (in this case, purple) must be
Matrix Art will define the highest part of the surface. active.
Each layer color on top of this one will add its own
height, depending on its relationship to the layers 3) The strip of colors beside the dominant menu
beneath it, so adjust the height for each one while item will help you adjust the relationship
keeping this in mind. between two colors.

4) Click on the block where the dominant color

8 Repeat Step 6 for #2, the orange layer color and (purple) lines up with the location of the
#3, the maroon layer color. The Dome profile was subordinate color in the bottom row (maroon) to
used for both. Also for both colors, Surface Height adjust their relationship.
was lowered to about 0.5 mm, since both orange and
maroon build up on the height of the yellow layer. 5) Click as many times as is necessary until the
desired outcome is achieved. Each outcome is
marked by a different outline-color around the
box and is indicated in the Methods Key at the
top of the Layers interface.

In this case, click where the purple and maroon

layer colors line up in the “matrix” of the Layers
Menu interface until the blue outline, “Cut”, appears
(one mouse-click). Repeat: click where purple and
orange line up so purple also cuts through orange.

With purple active, click once where it lines up with

orange and maroon, to Cut through both of the other
layers (indicated by the blue outline:

9 As you might expect, make #4, the Heads layer, Before this adjustment: After it:
active and adjust its Profile shape. Now you can see
that the purple arm has a big “divit” in it where it
“falls off” the maroon robe. It also “poofs up” where
it goes up and over the orange face. To fix this, you
need to adjust the relationship between the purple
and maroon layers.
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Matrix Art: Raising up parts of a bitmap: Page 4

If you wish, you may add some height to the purple

layer at this time. Its height will now not take into
account the height or shape of the maroon or orange
layers. (1 mm Surface Height was used here.)

10 Repeat Step 9 for #4, the Blue layer. Like the

purple layer, this one should Cut through the maroon
layer (blue outline on swatch where blue lines up with
maroon in the layers menu matrix). This time, you 12 Now we’re really getting somewhere! Repeat
must also take into account the relationship of the Step 10 for the green layer, #7, taking care this time
blue layer to both the purple and the orange layers. to adjust the relationship between green and maroon
For example, where the purple hand goes under (the robe) as well as between the green and orange
the blue one, the blue one “poofs up” unnaturally. To (the face). Use the blue outline (cut) between green
change this relationship, click on the swatch beside and maroon and use the green outline (grid) between
the #5 blue menu item where it lines up with the green and orange (the face) to ease the transition
purple swatch at the bottom of the menu, clicking the between the two.
left mouse-button twice to select the green “Grid”
outline. This option causes both layers – dominant
and subordinate - to build up from the background
behind them, meaning that they can compete for
height (i.e. the one with the higher Surface Height
value will appear on top). That way, the prominent
break will not appear between the surfaces. Repeat
for the blue and orange layer relationship.
13 Now it’s time to apply the bitmap to this image.
(Left) Original relationship (white outline); (Middle)
Before going into the Picture portion of this menu, it
Cut relationship (blue outline); (Right) Grid
is imperative that you click on the #1 Yellow swatch in
relationship (green outline: correct)
the layer menu to make this layer active.
The bitmap will only apply to the layer that is
currently active. So, if you mistakenly go into this
screen of the builder with a different layer color
active, the builder will try to apply the angel bitmap to
just that layer (i.e. the entire angel will appear only on
the robe, if #2 orange is active!). With that color
active, click on the Picture menu to open this part of
the interface:

Make #1 Yellow active because it is the layer to

which you wish to apply the bitmap. THEN (and ONLY
then!) click on the Picture menu to open this portion
of the interface:

11 Then, raise the Surface Height of the blue layer

so it’s taller on the model than the purple surface,
(about 1.3 mm used here), re-creating the effect of the
original bitmap where this arm is higher than the 14 Click on the Load Bitmap button to select a
other. bitmap to place on the layer displayed beside the
Current Layer indicator (should be #1 Yellow). IF THIS
IS INCORRECT, return to the previous screen and
select the correct layer, making it active, and then
return to Picture and proceed.
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Matrix Art: Raising up parts of a bitmap: Page 5

Navigate to the “angel.bmp” file and click on

Open to open it in this interface. The angel will
appear in the preview window. However, it is likely
16 Now, let’s return to the Bitmap menu. Select the
that she will be off-center of the yellow square
Trim to Bitmap option to trim out the background of
onscreen. To center her, click on the Fill Shape
the image. Remember that this will only work if the
button, further down on-screen in the interface.
image is on the plain black (0,0,0) background. Also, it
will only work if the layer on which the bitmap was
placed (#1 Yelllow) is active. REMEMBER TO MAKE
Using Fill Shape: Fill Shape is the best option here – THIS LAYER ACTIVE before returning to the Picture,
over and above using the Scale Height & Width Effects, or Sculpt menus to work with the bitmap
controls to manipulate the bitmap to the correct size – further!!
because we initially placed the bitmap onscreen with
Place Background Bitmap and traced all the areas
to raise up in reference to the placed bitmap. With Fill
Shape, all of the characteristics we trace will
maintain the scale of the bitmap placed onscreen.

Preparing the Bitmap for Trim to Bitmap Option: A

quick way to trim out the unwanted portions of the
Before Fill Shape: After Fill Shape: bitmap is to prepare the bitmap ahead of time in a 2-D
editing program so that the Trim to Bitmap command
in Matrix Art can be used. Using a simple 2-D editing
program such as Gemvision’s Digital Goldsmith or
Adobe Photoshop Elements, trace around only the
part of the bitmap that you want to appear as the
mesh. Then, cut and paste this onto a pure black
(0,0,0) background, as in this example.

After using Trim to Bitmap, everything in the bitmap

that is pure black (0,0,0) will be deleted by Matrix Art,
15 Based on the results, you may wish to adjust the leaving only the image that you want as the mesh.
Bitmap Height in this menu as well as the heights of Beware, though: if your original image is very
the colored parts of the preview mesh in the previous dark, some parts of it may be the 0,0,0 black value,
menu to attain results you like better. Just remember and these will be deleted as well, leaving holes in
to make the color you’re going to change active first, your mesh surface! To avoid this problem, use the 2-
then D bitmap editing program that you used to trace out
the original bitmap and, before pasting it onto a black
background, Lighten the image overall.
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17 If you like your mesh this way, you’re all done! If After Carve:
you want to tweak it some more, creating the
“cupped” appearance of the wings, let’s go to the
Sculpt portion of the Matrix Art menu and work some
magic! Start by selecting the Deposit tool with a low
amount of Height (0.5 mm), a medium-sized Diameter,
and a large Falloff.

Take note: the last four commands (Smooth,

Smudge, Fade, Erase) work only after Carve or
Deposit have been used to affect the surface of the
mesh. They smooth out the area already sculpted, on
a scale from less to more aggressive (Smooth
through Fade), with Erase being the most drastic of
all: “painting off” any changes you’ve made by
repairing the bitmap back to its original state.

19 Now, have some fun with the Sculpt tools. You

Click and drag the mouse over the edges of the
can do as much or as little as you want. For instance,
wings, raising up the edges. Raise the Height 2 or
shrink the Diameter and use Carve to give the
three more times and concentrate increasingly on the
angel’s hair some more curls. Or, use Deposit to add
top of the wings where they “wrap around”, thereby
shape to cheeks, nose, and face. Use Effects menu
creating a “ramp” along the edge of the wing up to
too, and play around with the blur or brightness of any
the highest peak of the wing.
problem areas you see. The possibilities are endless!!
.5 mm height: .85 mm: 1.5 mm:
Below, Carve used on hair to create more texture;
Deposit used on face to lift up nose, eyes and
cheeks. Small Diameter used for hair and face; large
Falloff and Fade used for cheeks.

Repeat on the other wing.

18 Next, select Carve and set a large diameter. With

only about 0.5mm indicated for the height, carve a
shallow “dip” in the wing to place it behind the
angel’s robe. Use Smooth, Smudge, and Fade to
ease the sharpness of the carved and deposited
material, as necessary. Repeat on the other wing.
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Matrix Art: Raising up parts of a bitmap: Page 7

20 When you are done, decide whether or not to preview window in Matrix Art, get the Profile
Cap your model and then use Create Mesh to see the shapes, surface heights, and layer relationships you
results. want for each layer. Then, make sure that the #2
orange layer is active and go to the Picture menu in
Matrix Art. Apply the original bitmap, as before, to
this layer. Use Fill Shape, as above.

The remaining steps describe how to trim away

unwanted parts of an existing bitmap in Matrix Art:
Only orange and yellow layers visible below, for
clarity:
21 In this example, the bitmap was traced out and
placed on a black background in a 2D graphics-
editing program so that it would successfully work
with Matrix Art’s Trim to Bitmap feature. If you don’t
have a 2D graphics-editing program that you can use
to run these pre-processes, it is possible to trim the
part of the picture you wish to use away from the
remainder.

Here is the original bitmap image:

23 The trick now is to go back to the Layers menu

and make the #2 orange layer active. Then, click on
the first swatch – where it interacts with the yellow
layer – until the Trim / Build option (the yellow
outline) is activated in the Methods Key.

To use this one in Matrix Art while achieving the

same results as above is an exercise in the skillful
use of the Layers portion of the interface. To begin,
use Place Background Bitmap as in step one,
placing the original bitmap this time. Now, draw a This works because of the dominant relationship of
rectangle on the Cutting orange layer color that the higher layer color in the layers menu. The
matches the edges of the bitmap. And, use Creation dominant color (orange), will be “trimmed to” the
yellow to trace around just the shape you want to subordinate color (yellow), beneath it so that it only
appear in your mesh: in this case, the angel. appears where that color appears; in other words, the
orange bitmap only appears where the yellow curve
22 Complete the remaining curves, as described was drawn, effectively trimming out the unwanted
above. After inputting all of the curves into the Curve portions of the bitmap.