Hi, I'm a new Carrara user currently using Carrara 3D Basics. Is there a way to import a picture and use it to outline a shape in Carrara? I heard that Carrara's predecessor, Infini-D, allowed you to do that. Also, what size should I use for a Photoshop project that I wish to use as a texture in Carrara? Any help would be appreciated.

Hi, I'm not completely fluent in what Basics has compared to the regular Carrara program. In the regular Carrara program, you have the ability to import images into the vertex modeler room on the walls. I think that is what you are looking for but I don't know if Basics has it. That's where to look though.

Thanks for your response. No, Basics just comes with the spline modeler and not with the Vertex Modeler. Do you work with the spline modeler alot? I could use some pointers on how to design specific objects (like an apple) from scratch but I don't know how to get started. I fiddle around with it a little bit but I imagine there are rules I should know about first. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Maybe you mean importing an Adobe Illustrator file for creating a spline shape? If so, in Photoshop, take your shape and make a path around it. Save the path and then export to .ai file format. In Carrara, go into the spline modeler and import .ai and you should have the shape as the 1st layer of the extrusion. From there you are on your own. Hope this helps! :D

The spline modler is great. Hopefully this image will help you get going. Mark

Hi, there! Welcome to the fun and cool world of 3D! I started out using RayDream3D which was very much like Carrara Basics. RD3D also only had the spline modeler, but it was still very powerful. What mpal76 said is correct -- if you can create an Illustrator file (*.ai) you can import it into Carrara's spline modeler and then sweep and extrude it into a 3D object. The limitation is that you can only (unless I'm mistaken) import the first point of a spline model from AI. The modeler is pretty easy to use, though, to create new cross-sections in the model as you build it. For Mark's apple above, start out by drawing a circle on the drawing plane. Then as he shows, select geometry>extrusion envelope>symmetrical. This will allow you to draw the cool curvy path that describes the outside of an apple. Good luck!

Thanks for filling in the blanks sfdex!

Wow! You guys are awesome. I'll be trying these suggestions. I have Illustrator at work (I hardly use it) so I'll definitely try it out. Thank you all so much! MPAL

mpal76--if doing AIs at work--Carrara only accepts version 8files or earlier, (via Illustrator/Export/Illustrator Legacy etc.) If you have Hexagon, it only accepts AI version 3!.

Thanks. Good to know. I'm using Illustrator CS, which I believe, is version 8.

Actually CS is v10, you'll need to Export to a legacy format (v8 or V3) CS2 changed this function back into the Save As area. Actually, Hexagon does import AIv8 although the import window says v3. Just useless tidbits... ;)

Cool! Thanks.