How to get the most out of Selva: 2D to 3D transformations
Welcome to this easy step-by-step tutorial which will help you master Selva in no time! We'll help you turn any two dimensional object (such as 2D logos, images, photos, text, etc.) into three dimensional, high quality 3D printable objects.
Using selva is easy as A, B, C: you simply upload your 2D file (jpg, png, or similar) and we'll do the rest. In seconds you'll get your 3D model, ready to print!
However there are a few tips and tricks that will help you make the most our of your
transformations. So take a look at this quick guide, and get ready to transform!
1. Know what to transform
The first step is to identify what do you want to transform. Right now we are going to concentrate on transforming logos, drawings and texts.
2. Clean up your image
Once you decided what is it you want to transform, take a good look at your image. We said we'll do the work, but it's surely easier if we can understand what is it you want to transform exactly. This means we need a proper image of the logo, text, or drawing you wish to have in 3D.
Make sure there is good contrast between the logo and the background of your image. This means no shadows or bright spots, the more uniform the background is, the better.
Take the picture from a good angle so all the elements are visible and without warp. Also, centre your image so you only see the elements you want to transform.
The first one shows a little bit of warp on the logo, plus the logo isn't centred so you can se some black background (that will be detected as part of your logo). The second on is better, but we have a streak of light that makes the background uneven (causing the confusion of part of the logo as background). The third image is the IDEAL! Clean logo, clean background, clean model!
Once you get a really clean high contrast image, you can't go wrong!
3. Check your quality
High image resolutions make better transformations. There's no need to use huge images, but a decent image size won't hurt. Bigger images led to better details on your transformation, specially if you're working with complicated designs.
4. Think about colors
When working with two colors transforming images is super easy, one color for background the other one your logo. With more colors, however, things get more interesting. By default Selva recognizes white as the background and black as part of your logo, but what about the rest of the colors?
Usually lighter colors will be associated with white and darker colors with black. You can change this by adjusting the "threshold" controller, allowing you to experiment with the detail of your image.
Here we can see some threshold variations. While in the firs image the gray is integrated with the background, on the second one we can see more detail, as the gray elements form part of the logo
If you want to go a bit further you can manipulate your original 2D image, in order to control which parts of the 3D model will stand out. Play around with blacks and whites, always keeping in mind that dark objects will extrude (stand out) and white ones will remain flat.
When we change the logos outline to black, this gets extruded, giving a different feel to the logos model. Once more we tweak the threshold to get different results.
5. Ready to go!
Once you are completely satisfied with your transformation, it's time to make something out of it. Wouldn't it be super cool to print it? These are the final steps you need to check to have an awesome object in your hands.
If your 3D model has individual elements that are not connected to one another (most likely) once you print it you'll have individual pieces floating around. What you need in this case is an element that holds everything together. Click on "Use this model to create something cooler!" and choose to place your model into a base platform (rectangular or circular).
If you're looking for something really cool you can place your model on a phone case, a keychain, a trophy and more, ready to print and use!!
If printing is not the first thing on your mind you can always download the high quality STL file in exchange of Selva Credits.
And if you want to print, but don't own a 3D printer, you can still have your design printed using our partner's imaterialise online 3D printing service. Click on "Print this with i.materialise" to have your object printed in the material you want (plastic, ceramic or even gold!) and delivered to your door.
