PDA

View Full Version : Planets with rings...

PDG
03/29/2004, 04:11 AM
What a shady title, huh? I'll explain.

I'm sitting here in front of Illustrator trying to do a very simple thing. I have a planet (circle) and I want a ring to go around it. Kinda like Saturn. The ring is visible where it's closest but invisible where it travels behind the planet. Seems simple, huh? Well after several hours of trying to figure this out, I'm ready to play frisbee with my laptop.

I could just create a shape using the Pen tool, but it's such a pain and it keeps coming out chunkier on one end.

So...how do ya do it?
Scott
03/29/2004, 11:07 AM
How I would do it:

Create a circle for the planet. Then create two elipses for the rings, make them a compound path so there's an actual hole in the shape.

Duplicate both the planet and the ring. Set up the duplicates so the silouhette looks like you want it. Then select both shapes, hit the divide button in the pathfinder palette. You'll end up with about 5 or 6 shapes.

Delete everything but the ring shape. You'll be left with actually 3 shapes that make up the ring.

Select all 3 shapes and click the pathfinder "Combine" button.

Then just place that shape over the planet.

Hopefully the image makes it a little clearer.

http://www.pixeladdiction.com/bb/tutimg/planet.jpg
TinCupid
03/29/2004, 09:37 PM
Cool Jolt
PDG
03/29/2004, 11:44 PM
Sweet! Thanks for the help, Jolt. Sometimes Illustrator makes ya jump through hurdles and my shins are pretty scraped up from fallin'.
TinCupid
10/07/2004, 10:08 AM
Maybe a little late, but in Illustrator CS, just draw a crescent (vertical half-circle) with a gradiated line beside it and go to the menu and choose 3D>Rotate and it will do a very nice Saturn for you with banded rings :)
You can also adjust the perspective from the same dialog box.
PDG
10/07/2004, 10:15 AM
[QUOTE=TinCupid]Maybe a little late, but in Illustrator CS, just draw a crescent (vertical half-circle) with a gradiated line beside it and go to the menu and choose 3D>Rotate and it will do a very nice Saturn for you with banded rings :)
You can also adjust the perspective from the same dialog box.[/QUOTE]

lol..Somebody's been learning a lot methinks ;)
TinCupid
10/07/2004, 10:16 AM
Heh, I have you to thank my friend :)
swillox
10/12/2004, 07:33 AM
I think this one could be a good one in the Tutorial's, Jolt...