| Outlined Text in PI 4.2 | |
There are no hidden secrets in this tutorial, just a simple effect that PhotoImpact has, but not everyone knows about or uses. The "Paint on Edges" effect can be used for many other applications also, so this tutorial will introduce you to how it works. This tutorial will also introduce you to another tab on the easy palette, the gradient gallery.
Ready? Let's make the title image!
1. Okay, open a new file large enough for your text image. I work on 500x300 or 600x400 images depending on which computer I am on. Your background can be any color, and your text can be any color.
2. With your text tool, type a word. Any word. I am using "Outline". Since I am making a title, I made my text large, however I have tested this in most text sizes.
3.
To make the neato fill on my title image, I opened up my easy
palette (View-->Toolbars and Pallettes-->Easy Palette). With
your text selected as an object, click on the farthest left
button to make the drop down list show. Choose the gradient
gallery.
4. Try different gradients until you find one that looks neat in your image. I used the one called "Shine".
5.
The gradient fill is a neat effect, but the text is missing
something - it isn't catchy enough or defined enough. So we
want to add the outline...in this case I am going to use basic
black but you can use any color you want. With your text still
selected, select the paint brush tool. Set your settings to
the color is the color you want as an outline, and the brush
is about 5 pixels wide with a soft edge of at least the same
as your width. Go to Effects-->Paint on Edges and choose it.
6. If the outline is too wide or too thin, undo and select your paint brush again. Adjust the size accordingly and redo the paint on edges. When you are happy, right click and merge.
I added a drop shadow to the title image.
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