midora Posted December 24, 2012 Share Posted December 24, 2012 (edited) This plugin allows the digital image editor "Paint.NET" to create nets for kaleidocycles. A kaleidocycle is a ring of pyramids which can be twisted inwards and outwards to show different sides of the pyramids. See the simple example of an animated kaleidocycle: In Paint.NET you are able to fill the visible sides of the models with your own images. Then save and print the net. Cut out the model, fold it, glue it together, and play with the result. Or do a 3D visualization of your kaleidocycle. Download Find the latest version >> PaperKaleidocycles 1.3 (24.1.2013)Installation Unzip "PaperKaleidocycles vX.X.zip" and copy the plugin (.dll file) into the "Effects" folder of your Paint.NET installation. A typical location is "C:\Program Files\Paint.NET\Effects". After a restart of Paint.NET you will find the plugin under Menu->Effects->Tools. Language support English Deutsch: Ist in Paint.NET als Sprache 'Deutsch' ausgewählt, dann sind auch die Dialogtexte und die Texte auf der erzeugten Seite in deutscher Sprache. Package content The effect dll PaintDotNET.DinA4Landscape300dpi.pdn and PaintDotNET.LetterLandscape300dpi.pdn are empty template files for Paint.NET PaperKaleidocycleDinA4Example.pdf and PaperKaleidocycleLetterExample.pdf are examples to skip the process of generating a kaleidocycle net in Paint.NET. So if you just like to test printing, cutting, folding, and glueing then use an example. PaperKaleidocycleDinA4Smileys.pdf and PaperKaleidocycleLetterSmileys.pdf are examples PaperKaleidocycleRYGB.gif is an animated GIF file to demonstrate the cycling. Instructions Create a new image in the size of the paper you like to use (here Din A4) Open the Paint.NET 'New' dialog Set 'Resolution' to 300 dpi (pixels/inch) Set 'Pixel size.Width' to 3508 Set 'Pixel size.Height' to 2480 This will create a landscape A4 page (29.7cm x 21cm) You may save this empty image in Paint.NET file format (.pdn) and set it to read only. This way you can double click the file to open it in Paint.NET as a paper template. Open plugin (Menu->Effects->Tools->Paper Kaleidocycles) Because effect plugins are not able to figure out unit and resolution of the image you have to set both values first. Now set the mode to 'Design' and choose your model. If you selected 'Hexagonal kaleidocycle' then you will see the shape of four hexagons in the selected size in the main window. The content of the shape is the previous layer data. Instead of 'Keep layer data in template' you may choose one of the examples. The image above shows the 'Letter & numbers' example in the top views. Click OK to finish this step. Fill in the hexagons with your own images. It doesn't matter if you are overpainting the area outside of the hexagons. The plugin will ignore these areas later. An other way is to do step 2. on a new transparent layer. Then you can place your images on the layer below, move them to the right position and merge the layers. Open plugin (Menu->Effects->Tools->Paper Kaleidocycles) again. Now set the mode to 'Output' (don't change the other parameters). The plugin will render the net. If you used the 'Leters & numbers' example before then you will get the following result in the main window:Click OK to finish this step. Print the image. OK this sounds easier than it is because the build-in printing is limited. You will get better result by saving the image as PDF using the ImPDF plugin (with the default settings). Then print the PDF with a PDF viewer (Set 'Page Scaling' to 'None' in the print dialog). But as long as the aspect ratio of the printed page is not destroyed and you do not care about the exact size of the kaleidocycle you can still go on. Follow the instructions on the paper. Take the model in both hands so that top view 'A' is visible. Now twist the model to see top view 'B', 'C', and 'D'. Visualization There is an additional mode called 'Visualization'. It renders top, front, right, and bottom view of the model to the main window. By changing the cycle state property you can see your model in different states. Here is an example of an star kaleidocycle: More options Instead of 'Design based on top views' you may choose 'Design based on mirroring/rotating a triangle'. This way it is easier to fill the faces with a pattern. 'Model orientation and rotation': Allows you to adapt the 'Rotatable view' in visualization mode. Edited October 11, 2017 by midora Added link to zipped DLL 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midora Posted December 29, 2012 Author Share Posted December 29, 2012 v1.1 (29.12.2012)- New model: Square kaleidocycle- Updated user interface- Print mode adds now top views and instructions to the paper- Improved Design & Example Mode Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ego Eram Reputo Posted December 30, 2012 Share Posted December 30, 2012 Ah. Now I understand! Great use of animation to explain what the plugin does. Quote ebook: Mastering Paint.NET | resources: Plugin Index | Stereogram Tut | proud supporter of Codelab plugins: EER's Plugin Pack | Planetoid | StickMan | WhichSymbol+ | Dr Scott's Markup Renderer | CSV Filetype | dwarf horde plugins: Plugin Browser | ShapeMaker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midora Posted January 12, 2013 Author Share Posted January 12, 2013 Ah. Now I understand! Great use of animation to explain what the plugin does. I know for this kind of plugin you have to spend a little bit more time for documentation. Great to see that it makes some sense. I have to say, the animation is not generated by the plugin. I hope there will be time to do this in the future. The next version will contain a simple 3D visualization mode to see the effect of cycling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midora Posted January 12, 2013 Author Share Posted January 12, 2013 v1.2 (12.1.2013)- New models: Star kaleidocycles (decagonal .. icosagonal)- New mode: 'Visualization': To show the effect of cycling (Top, front, right, and bottom side view)- Renamed 'Print' mode to 'Output' mode- Renamed 'Square' kaleidocycle to 'Octagonal' kaleidocycle- Changed property 'Outer diameter' to 'Outer radius' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pdnnoob Posted January 16, 2013 Share Posted January 16, 2013 (edited) does that animation remind anyone else of hexaflexagons? Looks like a cool plugin! <downloads> Edited January 16, 2013 by pdnnoob Quote No, Paint.NET is not spyware...but, installing it is an IQ test. ~BoltBait Blend modes are like the filling in your sandwich. It's the filling that can change your experience of the sandwich. ~Ego Eram Reputo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midora Posted January 19, 2013 Author Share Posted January 19, 2013 Me, but this is not a big surprise ;-) I guess you know that flexagons are flat. Both kinds of paper toys are based on triangles but that's it. There are more paper toys on the way (like the flexagons or different kind of solids, boxes, ...). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midora Posted January 24, 2013 Author Share Posted January 24, 2013 v1.3 (24.1.2013)- Added some examples which can be used in the different modes- Output mode: Added folding markers to the net and removed the inner lines of the net- Output mode: Added 3D view of the folded model- Visualization mode: Added 3D rotation controls- Design mode: Added design based on a single triangle (mirroring or rotating of the triangle)- Design mode: Added information about the number of pyramids, faces, edges, and vertices- Design mode: Added the uncolered 3D model- Design & Example mode: Removed but added an template or example choice selector to design mode All the examples are based on stock images free for non-commercial usage. I.e. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pdnnoob Posted January 25, 2013 Share Posted January 25, 2013 I finally got around to trying this... This will probably keep me occupied for a few weeks. I'm not the greatist origami artist, but its simple enough that even I can figure it out. Very nicely done! Quote No, Paint.NET is not spyware...but, installing it is an IQ test. ~BoltBait Blend modes are like the filling in your sandwich. It's the filling that can change your experience of the sandwich. ~Ego Eram Reputo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ajfudge Posted June 10, 2013 Share Posted June 10, 2013 Hi Martin Osieka, the link you provided is just inaccessible. Any other place where I can download your plugin? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ego Eram Reputo Posted October 11, 2017 Share Posted October 11, 2017 Added link to zipped DLL. 1 Quote ebook: Mastering Paint.NET | resources: Plugin Index | Stereogram Tut | proud supporter of Codelab plugins: EER's Plugin Pack | Planetoid | StickMan | WhichSymbol+ | Dr Scott's Markup Renderer | CSV Filetype | dwarf horde plugins: Plugin Browser | ShapeMaker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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