Circle/curve generator?


Circle/curve generator?
#1
Is there a tool available that can draw a curve or circle with a given radius, and then approximate that curve with bricks? Thanks.

[edit]

I recalled that MLCad has a mosaic generator that can take a bitmap image as input. But I haven't found a good tool to draw the circles.

1. Paint.NET output isn't symmetrical in my tests.
2. GIMP draws the circles too thick. I want them only 1px thick.
3. This tool is pretty good, but I don't know how to get rid of the gray lines. https://donatstudios.com/PixelCircleGenerator
4. Ditto. http://www.mineconics.net/

I have a copy of Paint Shop Pro somewhere. I will need to dig it out of storage.
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RE: Circle/curve generator?
#2
(2016-11-01, 2:57)Michael Horvath Wrote: Is there a tool available that can draw a curve or circle with a given radius, and then approximate that curve with bricks? Thanks.

[edit]

I recalled that MLCad has a mosaic generator that can take a bitmap image as input. But I haven't found a good tool to draw the circles.

1. Paint.NET output isn't symmetrical in my tests.
2. GIMP draws the circles too thick. I want them only 1px thick.
3. This tool is pretty good, but I don't know how to get rid of the gray lines. https://donatstudios.com/PixelCircleGenerator
4. Ditto. http://www.mineconics.net/

I have a copy of Paint Shop Pro somewhere. I will need to dig it out of storage.

If all you want is a paint program that can draw symmetrical bitmap curves, you can use MS Paint. Hold down Shift while drawing an oval to get a circle, and unlike Paint.NET, MS Paint draws symmetrical circles (as far as I can tell). Blow up the resulting image if you need to (without any smoothing) to make it pixellated. Do your actual drawing at 400%-800% zoom to better see what you're doing. (Note that I'm using MS Paint in Windows 10 with Anniversary update, but I think it has behaved this way pretty much forever.)
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RE: Circle/curve generator?
#3
(2016-11-01, 4:33)Travis Cobbs Wrote:
(2016-11-01, 2:57)Michael Horvath Wrote: Is there a tool available that can draw a curve or circle with a given radius, and then approximate that curve with bricks? Thanks.

[edit]

I recalled that MLCad has a mosaic generator that can take a bitmap image as input. But I haven't found a good tool to draw the circles.

1. Paint.NET output isn't symmetrical in my tests.
2. GIMP draws the circles too thick. I want them only 1px thick.
3. This tool is pretty good, but I don't know how to get rid of the gray lines. https://donatstudios.com/PixelCircleGenerator
4. Ditto. http://www.mineconics.net/

I have a copy of Paint Shop Pro somewhere. I will need to dig it out of storage.

If all you want is a paint program that can draw symmetrical bitmap curves, you can use MS Paint. Hold down Shift while drawing an oval to get a circle, and unlike Paint.NET, MS Paint draws symmetrical circles (as far as I can tell). Blow up the resulting image if you need to (without any smoothing) to make it pixellated. Do your actual drawing at 400%-800% zoom to better see what you're doing. (Note that I'm using MS Paint in Windows 10 with Anniversary update, but I think it has behaved this way pretty much forever.)

Thanks! I was able to create the attached image in case someone needs it. It is scaled up 10x for clarity. Normally, it is 32x32px which is the same size as a baseplate according to MLCad's mosaic generator.

Mike


Attached Files
.png   curves_col_big.png (Size: 1.67 KB / Downloads: 118)
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RE: Circle/curve generator?
#4
(2016-11-01, 2:57)Michael Horvath Wrote: Is there a tool available that can draw a curve or circle with a given radius, and then approximate that curve with bricks? Thanks.

[edit]

I recalled that MLCad has a mosaic generator that can take a bitmap image as input. But I haven't found a good tool to draw the circles.

1. Paint.NET output isn't symmetrical in my tests.
2. GIMP draws the circles too thick. I want them only 1px thick.
3. This tool is pretty good, but I don't know how to get rid of the gray lines. https://donatstudios.com/PixelCircleGenerator
4. Ditto. http://www.mineconics.net/

I have a copy of Paint Shop Pro somewhere. I will need to dig it out of storage.

I ended up using GeoGebra to create an exact sketch of what I want, then reproducing the sketch in POVray and rendering at a small scale and without antialiasing. For instance, I've attached an (enlarged 10x) curvy road image to this post.

Eventually I would like to write a script that generates custom unofficial road models that follow splines and other shapes. (I did this for POV-Ray already, but details like road stripes are harder to pull off in LDraw.)

Mike

[edit]

It seems MLCad's mosaic generator is not converting my image exactly. There are missing bricks, and extra bricks where there shouldn't be any. I need to find a different program. Sad


Attached Files Thumbnail(s)
   
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RE: Circle/curve generator?
#5
Here's another example. The road is modular in 64x64 stud blocks. The green areas can be filled with a SNOT road surface if you follow one of Mike Gallagher's systems.

http://gallaghersart.com/gallery/view/category/roads


Attached Files
.png   modular_streets.png (Size: 922 bytes / Downloads: 108)
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