| Muted Background in PI 4.2 | |
We
are going to make the background on this
page in three easy steps! First, you need a suitable image,
if you don't have one, you can download the image I used for
this page by right clicking on the picture here and choosing
"save image as..."
I have already cleaned up this image and made it seamless using the WEB -> Create Seamless Tile function in PI4.2. You can also use images such as 20/20 to create a neat seamless tile.
1. Right click on your image and choose "select all". Right click again and choose "Convert to Object".
2. Open a new image with the same dimensions of your current image and a white background. Choose the "pick" tool (the top arrow on the side toolbar), and click on your original image; do not release the mouse! Drag the object layer that you have click on onto the blank white image you just created. You should now have two images that look the same. Alternatively, you could just select the base image of your original image and paint it white.
3. Select the object layer of the image that has a white base image by clicking on the image. Right click and select the bottom option, "Properties". A new window should open that looks like this:
Set the Transparency level to somewhere between 60 and 80%, depending on how light you want the background. I used 70% for this background. Right click and merge, you now have a muted background!
|
TIPS FOR USING MUTED BACKGROUNDS Always make sure you can easily read text on the background. I like to use bold text on my muted backgrounds to make it easier to read. When creating the buttons and other items for the page, make sure you create them on a background that is similar in color to the muted background. Then when you make them transparent they will blend in better. For example, when I created the top header of this page, I used a white background, which you can see if you look closely. Normally I would have used a cream or light lavender background, but I wanted to illustrate this tip. For the same reason, I have stopped using drop shadows on muted backgrounds. They will capture more of the color you create them on so more will show around the image. This can be used effectively, but is usually a distraction. I personally feel that the buttons should be as simple as possible. A muted background is a wonderful way to use a gorgeous piece of artwork, and simple buttons and text can really emphasize the background. |
© 1999-2001 Tiffany Ring Deco-Ration!Web Design, licensed to About.com. All Rights Reserved. To submit your own content to this site, visit the article submission form.
