Archipelis 3D user manual

Introduction of the tool

Thank you for using Archipelis 3D 1.0.

Archipelis 3D is an innovative concept in 3D design that you will find both exciting and easy to use. You can easely create 3D models within minutes by simply tracing a background image or by just starting with a blank view. The model is automatically textured. Archipelis 3D uses an intuitive approach to sketch out shapes which can then be enhanced with textures and photographs.

How to create 3D models with Archipelis 3D

Archipelis 3D takes a different approach to creating 3D models by simply drawing its shape! Just draw the contour of the various shapes of the model (for example: the head, the body, the legs) and Archipelis 3D merges them and applies textures. It is also possible to use a picture or photo as a background and follow the contours on it. Thus, very simply and in about ten minutes, it is possible to create realistic organic models.

Main features:

Draw 2D shapes to build 3D objects
Reposition, reshape, scale and move shapes
Merging process
Visualization modes: textured, cartoon, Environment mapped as well as anaglyphic (stereo with red-blue glasses)
Zoom in and Zoom out
Multiple texture management and texture baking
Multi plane viewing selection and you can view your model from virtually any angle
Mirror shapes
Intuitive contour editing for precise and fast curve editing
Undo management
Export format: .wrl (VRML 2.0)
On-line 3D print purchase (Not available on iPad)

Principle

The interface is made of a single 3D viewing area with buttons all around. In draw mode, when you draw a contour in the drawing area, the corresponding 3D shape appears. Then, in the default mode, you can move around. You can also change the size and location for instance with the "circle command". You can draw a second shape near the first. You can then select the merge button to get the fusion of the two shapes. The result is the unified 3D model (one mesh having a correct topology).

It is also possible to work with pictures on the background. For that, just drag and drop an image into the drawing area. This image is used as the basis of your work to draw various shapes.

Presentation of the user interface

The graphic user interface is made of various sets of buttons:

buttons related to project management
buttons related to design modes
buttons related to visualization modes
buttons related to the help and information
buttons related to appearance
the command circle

Project management

Several actions are available:

[New]

[Load]

[Save]

[Save as]

[3D Print]

[New]: to create a new project.
[Load]: to load a project (extension ".designer").
[Save]: to save the current project.
[Save as]: to save the current project under a specified name.
[3D Print]: to order the 3D print of the model. (Not available on iPad - replaced by a gallery to share your VRML model with other users). This button also exports to VRML 2.0/97 format (the texture can be exported if you are in textured visualization mode).

Design modes

Several design modes are available:

[Default]

[Draw]

[Zoom]

[Contour]

[Mirror]

[Default]: to set the default mode. You will have access to interactions like picking a shape, turning around the model, using the command circle.
[Draw]: to set the drawing mode. You will be able to draw a 2D contour in the drawing area.
[Zoom]: to zoom in or zoom out. To zoom in, start with the top-left and finish with the bottom-right of the area you're interested in. To zoom out, simply do the same from bottom-right to top-left.
[Contour]: to set the edit contour mode. You will be able to modify the contour to correct errors and bad drawings. Once finished, you will have to click on the button again to apply the modifications (regeneration of the 3D shape).
[Mirror]: to duplicate the current shape and get a mirrored shape. Click again to remove it.

Visualization modes

Several rendering styles are available:

[Envmap]

[Cartoon]

[Textured]

[Anaglyph]

[Views]

[Envmap]: to display the 3D model with an environmental mapping style that gives a chrome or metal looking appearance.
[Cartoon]: to display the 3D model with a cartoon like rendering.
[Textured]: to display the 3D model with all the available textures mapped on it.
[Anaglyph]: toggle to display the anaglyphic 3D mode (red and blue glasses are needed to catch the relief feeling). Note that if you click a second time, red-blue is replaced by blue-red and if you click a third time the anaglyphic mode is removed.
6 possible [Views]: each face of the cube represents a viewing plane. The highlighted face represents the axis and point of view you are viewing on.

Help and information

Several actions are available:

[Help]

[Website]

[Help]: to display this user manual.
[Website]: to launch a browser and visit Archipelis web site.

Appearance

Several actions are available:

[Load texture]

[Image selection]

[Remove texture]

[Edit texture]

[Colors]

Archipelis 3D allows you to load multiple textures on each viewing plane (i.e. up to 6 textures for each face of a cube), when you trace an image the texture is automatically applied to the 3d model.

The [Load texture] command loads a new picture (".jpg", ".bmp", ".gif", ".png", ".tiff" extension among others) (On iPad, you have access to the image database on your device). Archipelis will load the texture and put it on the current face of the virtual cube. You can have a different texture for each view of the model, for example the top can have a green texture, the left a blue texture, and the right a red texture; Mind you are not limited to basic colors but can use photographs as well.
[Image selection]: There is a selection of some images to be used as textures (Not available on iPad).
The [Remove texture] command remove the current texture.
The [Edit texture] command calls the image editor in order to improve the texture. If no texture is available, or on request, it is possible to generate a texture starting from the rendering of the existing 3D model. When finished reworking the texture, save it, quit the image editor and then close the dialog box. (Not available on iPad)
[Colors]: When you're not in textured visualization mode, you can set the color of the current shape.

Command circle

Here is the command circle:

After drawing a shape, it is possible to adapt it, modify it or parameterize it using the command circle. For a given current shape, a circle is displayed around. Here you have access to several commands which are listed below.

[Translation]: to translate the current shape on the plane related to the viewpoint.
[Scale]: to scale the current shape in all directions.
[Z translation]: to translate the current shape on the depth axis (relative to the view where the shape has been created).
[Z scale]: to shape the current shape on the depth axis (relative to the view where the shape has been created).
[Stretching]: to strech the current shape on the depth axis (relative to the view where the shape has been created).
[Merge]: to merge all the shapes of the model.
[Remove shape]: to remove the current shape.
[Undo]: to undo the last (undoable) modification.
[Shape view]: to display the view used to define the current shape.

It is also possible to apply swivel modification on X or Y axis using the sliders showed above.

Shortcuts

Find below the list of shortcuts: (Not available on iPad)

[S] save
[U] undo
[Space] Merge
[Backspace]/[Delete] Remove current shape
[X] View toggle on the X plane
[Y] View toggle on the Y plane
[Z] View toggle on the Z plane
[Enter]/[Return] Set view of current shape definition
[M] Mirror Toggle

Settings

It is possible to modify the settings of the application by editing "Misc/settings.txt" file. (Feature not available on iPad).
You can specify an_attribute=a_value lines like the following.

Language can be [English] (the default value) or French.
TextureEditor corresponds to the executable file to execute in order to modify the textures. C:\WINDOWS\system32\mspaint.exe is the default value. For Mac OS X, you can specify something like open -a PaintBrush.