Here's a technique to create a cutout type effect using Corel Photo-Paint 10 (or higher). This effect makes it appear as if text has been punched out of a surface, allowing the surface beneath to show through.
Difficulty: Easy
Time Required: 5 minutes
Here's How:
- Create a new document. Be sure to set the paper color to the color you want to see behind the cut out text.
- Open the Objects Docker (Window > Dockers > Objects).
- Create a new object above the background. Fill this object will a solid color. This will be the color surrounding the cut out text.
- Use the type tool to create your text in a bold typeface. Before rendering your type, click the render type to mask button in the property bar.
- Then switch to the pick tool and you will see your type selection.
- Go to Object > Clip Mask > Create from Inverted Mask. This punches the text out so you can see the background behind. Now we need the shadow.
- Choose Object > Clip Mask > Combine.
- Duplicate this object by dragging it to the New Object button in the Objects docker. You should have a solid background and two objects with the text punched out.
- Hide the top object by clicking the eye symbol in the Objects docker.
- Select the middle object (the one just above the background) and click the Lock Transparency button on the object docker.
- Choose Edit > Fill and fill with black. Note: Do not use the paint bucket fill tool because it may not fill all the pixels; for instance, the middle part of an O or B.
- Important: Click the Lock Transparency button on the object docker again to unlock transparency.
- Go to Effects > Blur > Gaussian Blur. Choose a blur amount that looks good to you. A setting between 2 and 5 works well.
- Click the eye on the topmost object to show it, but keep the middle object selected.
- Switch to the pick tool and offset the middle object slightly down and to the right. Optional: Combine all objects with the background and crop the image.
Tips:
- Remember you can always blur more, but you can't unblur easily so start with a small amount of blur and then adjust if needed.
- To make it appear as though the cutout text is floating higher off the background, use more blur and offset on the shadow object.
- Fill the background or the topmost object with a photo or texture for interesting variations.
