At 11:14 AM 12/11/97 -0500, you wrote:
>Does anyone out there know of a means of converting a three dimensional
>image into a simple line drawing? In other words, is there a way of
>getting the program to outline the picture? If photoshop cannot do this is
>there another program that can?


hi craig!

i think that i know what you're trying to do, but i don't think it'll be as
easy as we'd all like it to be!  there are several filters in photoshop (are
you using 3.0 or 4.0?) that you can try.  if you're using 4.0, there should
be filters in the filters/sketch pulldown that MAY work - you'll have to
experiment.  they are:  chalk & charcoal, photocopy & stamp.  in
filters/stylize (this filter is also in photoshop 3.0), you could try the
find edges & trace contour filters.  how well any of these work depends on
the levels in your image - if you can get the image to be as tonally flat as
possible, i think these MIGHT work better.

another, more time-consuming way to get the edges is to trace them with the
pen tool, then stroke your path with the paintbrush.  i have a feeling that
the filters won't perform the way you'll want them to, and tracing/stroking
gives a very clean image.  if you thin you might be re-sizing this in the
future, you may want to consider importing it into a program like
illustrator or freehand, then tracing - you can re-size without worrying
about pixellation or jaggies that way.  if you have a tablet & stylus, it'l
be pretty easy, too!

i hope this helps out - i'm just spewing ideas & i'm sure there are much
better ways to do this, but this is all i can think of at the moment.  if
you have any questions, feel free to call/email!!

julie

--
julie kulak
scientific illustrator, suburban housewife
engineering animation, inc., chicago
312.425.8153 desk
312.425.8101 fax
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