learning Illustrator

Post by **hubird** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 3:55 pm

I wanted to make a schematic overview of my studio setup, the hardware of computers, hubs and external gear, including audio-, midi-, usb and ADAT connections.
So I tried vector drawing in Photoshop, but this wasn't flexible enough.

I bought a fat book about the use of Adobe Illustrator, and I'm exploring the technics at the moment.
Vector drawing, man I have to get used to it

But I'm able already to draw a 4 part clover...

here's one sheet of some tutorials, they were to download as pdf files, but after loading them into illustrator you can use them as regular Illustrator files (after having saved it as a I. file first).

BingoTheClowno · Post by **BingoTheClowno** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 5:35 pm

That's cool, quadratic beziers are fun!

Post by **hubird** » Fri Oct 26, 2007 6:05 pm

I know almost nothing of mathematics, but I can understand that every line between two anchor points is calculated with one formula, with one ax determing the depth of the bow and another one the deviation from the middle point.
The position of the handles (length and corner) takes care of both factors.
't' is tangent?
great link, thanks

The beautiness of maths

fourth- and fifth order curves:

I can imagine these type of calculations are necessory to i.e. make a robot walk like a human

or for the orbit of a interstellar drive, passing several objects each with it's own gravity, in relation to the distance to them

astroman · Post by **astroman** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 3:30 am

that trick almost exactly had it's 20th birthday recently...
tho the first 5 years you had to get along with seperate drawing and preview modes (for the postscript rendering)
the original version ran on a 16 MHZ machine with 4 MB of Ram

cheers, Tom

braincell · Post by **braincell** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 5:56 am

2D vector rocks. It's too bad that so many artists want to make raster images or 3D vector graphics instead of 2D vector. I'm learning Animator Pro and it seems really basic compared with the 3D programs that are available. As far as I know, it is the only commercial 2D vector animation program available.

Complex things are just a bunch of simple things put together.

I use Corel Draw for 2D vector images. Here is an example of my art:

BingoTheClowno · Post by **BingoTheClowno** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 7:02 am

Anime Studio formerly known as Moho is OK too.
http://www.lostmarble.com/

braincell · Post by **braincell** » Sat Oct 27, 2007 7:43 am

Anime Studio is a raster program, which uses a virtual version of the onion skin technique first developed by Disney. It is not a vector graphics program.

Post by **hubird** » Sun Nov 04, 2007 10:21 pm

I made this studio setup drawing in Illustrator.
It's absolutely a non-technical and amateur picture, but for me it does what it should do.
I tend to forget about the details after some time, it helps with trouble shooting, and it makes you think about the best yet most simple solutions.

Working with two computers made things more complicated because of the extra ADAT and Midi routings.
Then there's a KVM switch for usb and monitor switching.
The Machinedrum uses the TM-1, a midi to usb converter, the MonoMachine and the Virus are pure midi.
The RME HDSP is great as it offers double midi in/out, a midi merge box adds an extra input.
Together with the usb inputs on the OSX mac these midi inputs make it possible to record all external midi sources in Cubase instantly.
Synth knob movements, microKontrol and PC1600 go directly to the OSX mac.
The A880 midid patchbay does the Midi to instruments routings, and the PAD-80 is merged with the main input (sequencer).
If I ever need to have Midi directly into the OS9 mac, I just have to switch to another program of the A880 to route the microKontrol to it.

Not all audio cables are drawn, to keep it a bit clean, but the Luna box tells it all (16 inputs from Virus, Machinedrum and MonoMachine, a few outputs to the external audio inputs of these instruments).

Scope is great, you can have it all

sharc · Post by **sharc** » Sun Nov 04, 2007 10:44 pm

Hey you forgot the kitchen sink Huub

Seriously though, that's a nice looking setup

The chart could come in handy if you need to move house/rooms/play live etc. Good work

braincell · Post by **braincell** » Wed Nov 07, 2007 10:43 am

That would make a nice album cover.

Post by **hubird** » Wed Nov 07, 2007 12:44 pm

hubird wrote:Not all audio cables are drawn, to keep it a bit clean, but the Luna box tells it all (16 inputs from Virus, Machinedrum and MonoMachine, a few outputs to the external audio inputs of these instruments)

this chart was mainly for the Midi and USB (and ADAT) connections.
But it is possible to check the whole range of connections.
For the audio routings of the external gear I just made another chart.
Not really necessory, but I just love working in Illustrator

To zoom in and have everything crystal clear is fantastic

Post by **hubird** » Wed Nov 07, 2007 12:49 pm

braincell wrote:That would make a nice album cover.

wish I had the album ready instead of the cover

valis · Post by **valis** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 9:19 am

Great schematic hubird.
I've used Illustrator for over 10 years and the best I've ever achieved for a studio diagram was this:

That was 4 years ago and didn't include much beyond the central audio routing hub of gear.
Pretty lame when I'm capable of doing commercial quality work and use it nearly daily.

next to nothing · Post by **next to nothing** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 9:37 am

that purple variation of the cigar etiquette looks lovlely valis!

Post by **hubird** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 5:17 pm

thanks Valis. So I don't have to feel ashamed too much about my hobby-istic approach? I really thought that

Originally I made tabel based matrixes of connections for several units, with text indications of the connections, but it was more complicating than enlightening.
Then I decided to do it more graphically.

The use of colours is so useful, they are distinctive on their own.
It's now clear what are instruments, controllers, computers or 'utility' stuff like hubs or printer, in the chart above.
Also, using different colors for the cables avoids the excessive need of the curved 'cable bridges'.
Important was the arrangement of the 'building blocks', as it's better not to have too much line 'crossings'.
You should be able to see the flow of the signals in a wink.

@ Stardust: there was also an audio patchbay involved, hence I decided to keep the instruments audio connections in the chart above just indicative, as it would be too much.

So I made a separate chart which does those audio connections.
These are actually streight forward, so it wasn't really necessory to outlay them.
Yet it can be handy to check for mono or stereo status of the routing, and a few details regarding what connections have to be patched to either a not used Luna slot or to the analog-in of Scope.
The instrument colors are kept consequently along the routing, including for the cables.
Maybe some of you -with a more complicated setup- will be inspired to create something similar.

It's nothing compared with the real (drawing) stuff you are doing Valis

I love that program tho, it's a joy to work with it

astroman · Post by **astroman** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 8:32 pm

valis wrote:...Pretty lame when I'm capable of doing commercial quality work and use it nearly daily. ...

I hope it's just a label ... vanilla-flavoured cigars, omg

cheers, Tom

ps: great charts, Huub

Post by **hubird** » Thu Nov 08, 2007 9:00 pm

hm, I forgot the digital connection with the Lexicon MPX...that is for next breakfirst then

edit: spdif added

and no, there are no holes in the MachineDrum and the patchbay, it just allowes graphicly clean cable routing