Q.
"Is there a way I can make a 3D net grid effect in fireworks? I can do it in freehand using envelope and 3d grid tools, but can't figure it out using FW." __Brent

Here's another exercise in which you'll make use of a grid. Just as we did for the wire frame globe exercise, let's change the grid setting from 36 x 36 pixels to 30 x 30 pixels. Choose View > Grid > Edit Grid. In the Edit Grid dialog box, change the color to light blue or green, check both Show Grid and Snap to Grid, then change the grid size.

Since you'll be dragging rectangles against the grid and it's necessary to keep track of the number of grid squares you are working with, it's a good idea to label the rows and columns of the grid in some way. We've used numbered blocks in this illustration.

Click the Rectangle tool. Choose a stroke color. Use no fill color.

Drag across and down the first column of the grid. Begin the second rectangle in the first column of row two. Drag across to column 2 and all the way down. Begin the third rectangle in the first column of row three. Drag across to column three and all the way down.

Continue in this manner until eight rectangles are drawn, each one column wider than the last, and one row shorter.

Once you've finished drawing the rectangles, turn off the Grid view and delete the number columns. Your drawing should look like this one...

Now for the fun part. One at a time, select each rectangle and ungroup it (Modify > Ungroup). Once all the rectangles are ungrouped, click the Subselect tool and use it to select the Bézier points at the top right corner of the rectangles. Press Delete to remove the Bézier points. The rectangles will collapse into triangles.

Voila! There's your 3D net Grid, ready to be grouped, rotated and warped in any direction you like.

Power User's Tip:  you can smooth curved stroke objects quite noticeably by drawing them larger than you need. Use a Basic > Soft Rounded stroke set to 1 pixel. Once you have finished drawing, choose Edit > Select All, then Modify > Group, and then Modify > Convert to Bitmap. Use the Transform tool or Numerical Transform to reduce the size.

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