First of all, I made this tutorial to share how to create low poly arts with my colleagues and my students. Feel free to share this tutorial with others.You need to download the Image Triangulator.
Image-triangulator download | Concept farm’s Behance page
Image-triangulator download | Concept farm’s Behance page
The developer says that “Image Triangulator gives you the ability to triangulate any image. The level of abstraction you get depends on the amount of points you plot. The app will allow you to save your plotted points as a text file and the final image as a pdf”.
This great application help you save a lot of time and efforts when you create the mesh – the triangles. If not, you have to draw all the triangles with Adobe illustrator’s pen tool. Also, you can save your points as .txt file and reload them when you need it. Also, export the low poly art as PDF, so you can edit it in Illustrator whitch is great.
Let’ start with the old work without the tringulator app for comparison.
This great application help you save a lot of time and efforts when you create the mesh – the triangles. If not, you have to draw all the triangles with Adobe illustrator’s pen tool. Also, you can save your points as .txt file and reload them when you need it. Also, export the low poly art as PDF, so you can edit it in Illustrator whitch is great.
Let’ start with the old work without the tringulator app for comparison.
– You need to start with a image you want to play with. It would be better to have high quality image. It does not have to be high rez, but has good contrast and color. If the image is too bigm the image trangulator will scale it down.- You need to open the image triangulator.
(a design team called Concept Farm distribute this application. Thank you!- This application has very minimal functions. Keep it mind it does not has zoom in/out and un do.
(I hope it would have zoom in/out and un do, so I can deal with more details.)
(a design team called Concept Farm distribute this application. Thank you!- This application has very minimal functions. Keep it mind it does not has zoom in/out and un do.
(I hope it would have zoom in/out and un do, so I can deal with more details.)
– Let’s start with a sphere because it’s better to have good understanding of lighting and shade
– Isn’t it easy to draw?
– Largely, almost every objects are consists of spheres or cylinders.
– Let’s draw a low poly cylinder.
– Let’s draw something cool. It would be a good practice because it’s a sphere and has some details.
– Start with the outline and draw the mesh roughly. Always, think about light and shade.
– It looks like a tomato, but not enough.
– Add more points and take care of details.
– TA-DA!
– Let’s create a low poly banana! Isn’t it looks like a cylinder?
– Add more points to have a better gradient.
– The Image Trangulator does not have zoom-in/out and un-do (command+Z) like Adobe product, but it has Loupe (L) and Eraser (E) function. They are really useful!
– When you show Loupe (L), there will be a small window on the top left-hand corner of the window.
– If you don’t like your points, you can remove them using the Eraser (E) function.
– Save the points as .txt and save the low poly graphic as PDF.
– Have you seen purple banana? Here is a great tip. You can load the points and another saturated photo. Let’s see the result.
– Load the points
– See. In a min you can create purplish low poly banana
– It’s time to open it in Illustrator.
– Open the PDF and release Clipping mask.
– It would be better to copy and paste the vector graphics to a new document.
– Add the stroke so you can see the all triangles.
– Delete useless triangles.
– If you want add a background or edit the vector graphics in Illustrator
– Let’s try more complex one, rose.
– When you add points, always think about the shape of the object, light and shade of the object. to make a better piece.
– Use Loupe (L) and Eraser (E) function to deal with details.
– It’s time to try something cool, a beautiful toucan bird.
– Start to draw a mesh.
– It looks like a bird but need more details
– Draw the eye and add more points for its beak and claw.
– Save the PDF and don’t forgot to save the points as.txt.
– Open the PDF in Illustrator and Release Clipping Mask to edit it.
– Add the stroke to see all the triangles.
– Get rid of useless triangles.
– TA DA
– The last practice will show you how to edit the low poly graphic in Illustrator.
– When you are done with the Image Triangulator, as it as PDF and do not for got to save your points as .txt!
– Since the Image Triangulator does not have zoom in/out function, you cannot take care of some details. So, you need to bring it to Illustrator to edit it.
– Open the PDF using Illustrator and Release Clipping Mask to edit it
– It would be better to copy the vector graphic and paste it into a new document.
– Add a color to strock, so you can see the all the triangles.
– Get rid of triangles you do not need.
– I do not like those orange triangles because that’s the part of the purple cap.
– Use the spoiler tool (I) to pick some colors from other triangles.
– It’s time to deal with details. You need to see the outlines (Command+Y)
– Use Direct Selection Tool (A)- With the Direct Selection Tool, select points at the same place
– Use the spoiler tool (I) to pick some colors from other triangles
– I don’t like the “i” sticks to “T” and “d”.
– It seems like the trialgles are divided more.
– You can add a line and divide them using pathfinder.
– You can add a line and divide them using pathfinder.
– Ungroup it after dividing them.
– Add one more line.
– Divide them.
– Change the color of the triangles.
– It would be better to pay attention to details to make a better piece.
Good Luck!
Hope you are able to create your own low poly art!
Please share your work if possible.
Thank you!!