Welcome to the exciting world of Strata Software! This Script will walk you through some basic fundamentals which will be a great tool to get you started in the amazing world of 3D illustration and multi-media.
Step 1: Pull up a new screen under the File menu, click on New.
Step 2: Place your cursor on the sphere tool located in the tool palette in the left hand side of your screen. Click on the sphere icon to activate it. Move your cursor to the screen, and wherever you click a sphere will appear. For this example, create a sphere in the upper right hand corner of your screen.
Step 3: Move your cursor to the texture palette located at the bottom of your screen. Use the scroll bar to locate the mirror texture (pull down menu to the left of scroll bar indicates the texture you are at, and can also be used to find texture). Click on the "Mirror" texture and drag and drop onto the sphere. You will not notice a change at this point.
Step 4: Place cursor on 3D cube tool located in the tool palette in the left hand side of your screen. Once activated, place your cursor in the lower left hand side of the screen. Click and drag cursor to opposite side of screen to create a long rectangular shape at the bottom of your screen.
Step 5: Once again, go to the texture palette and locate the "Tile-red and black texture." Drag and drop texture onto rectangle.
Step 6: Find the Text tool on your tool palette indicated by the "T." Once activated, click on your drawing window and a text dialog box will appear.
Step 7: Type the name "Strata" in the text box. Click on OK to close window.
Step 8: To size the text, click on the Sizing tool located to the right of your magnification tool on your tool palette (Sizing icon has two boxes with arrow).
Step 9: Once activated, grab a handle on your text and pull to enlarge the text.
Step 10: Keep "Strata" text selected and pull down the Modeling Menu. Select "Swept Surfaces" and under that, choose "Extrude."
Step 11: The Extrusion dialog box will appear. Use the default setting and click OK.
Step12: To show a 3D perspective, place your cursor on the Eye tool located at the upper left hand corner of the drawing window. Slide this tool back and forth for different lens angles and perspectives. Slide Eye tool all the way to the right to show a wide angle 24mm lens view.
Step 13: Move cursor to the Magnification tool on tool palette. Once activated, double-click in the middle of the drawing screen (keyboard shortcut, press command key then =. This fits image to the window).
Step 14: Go to the texture palette and choose the "Wood-oak" texture and drag and drop onto "Strata" logo.
Step 15: Pull down Rendering menu and select Environment Effects. The Environment Effects dialog box will appear. Select the "Jungle" Background from the pull-down menu. Then select the "Jungle" from the Reflective menu. Both preview windows will show clouds. Click OK.
Step 16: Click on Rendering tool in the tool palette indicated by a camera. Directly below this tool, click on the Stills pull down menu and select "Better."
Step 17: When moved to the drawing screen the cursor will show the camera icon. Click on screen to render. Now sit back and watch things fly! Depending upon the speed of your computer, rendering times will vary. Regardless of your Power Mac type, rendering time should be under three minutes.
