Graphics Programs Reference
In-Depth Information
FERSTER
Gary Ferster
For the most part, Gary Ferster's Illustrator work has tended to be clean and linear.
He prefers 3D applications such as Lightwave 3D for rendering complex
illustrations, saying “It would take me forever to create a vector environment that
equalled or matched the 3D artwork.” Once rendered in 3D, replicating complex
objects is relatively simple, but in Illustrator replicating complex objects, such as
gradient mesh or blended objects, has been much more labor and time intensive.
Gradient mesh objects are too complex to make into an Illustrator brush, and
although they can be made into symbols, as vectors or rasterized, the Symbolism
tools aren't precise enough for medical illustration purposes. Now that Illustrator
brushes can contain rasters, Ferster was able to paint with brushes created from
rasterized versions of his complex elements. Beginning with a larger gradient mesh
oval and a smaller object blend (figure
a
, above left), he then stacked the blend on
top of the mesh and grouped them together (figure
b
). After creating a duplicate of
the group to preserve a vector version of his blood cell, he selected the duplicate
and chose Object> Rasterize, set the Resolution to High (300 ppi), and clicked OK
(figure
c
).
