williams-et-al-1983-apple-ii-computer-graphics

CHAPTER 6-TEXT AND LOW-RES 45preliminary planning. We will take you through the process of creating aLow-Res apple (what else?!).The first step is to make a sketch of the figure, in this case an apple.Those of you that claim no artistic abil ity can fi nd patterns to tracechildren'scolori ng books and cross-stitch or embroidery patterns makegood sources of simple figures. Figure 6-3 represents the preliminarysketch of the apple.Figure 6-3. An apple.After your sketch is completed to your satisfaction, the outline must beblocked to fit with the Low-Res bricks as in Figure 6-4. Notice that the leafwas omitted in the blocked figure; it proved impossible to block in arecognizable manner. It is better to identify that type of problem befo reyou begin working with the computer!Blocking is not as simple as it might be since the Low-Res blocks are notsquare. The height of each brick is approximately two-thirds its length, andthat distortion must be accounted fo r. Perhaps the simplest technique fo rproportioning the blocks is to use very fi ne graph paper-perhaps tensquares to the inch-and defi ne each block to be three squares long andtwo squares high. Place your sketch over the graph paper and go over theoutline again while applying fi rm pressure with the pen. This will leave animpression of your outline on the blocking paper, and then you maysquare up the outline as in Figure 6-4.