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Once again, it seems like vector shapes get the hero points for being
so easy to work with quickly and with total flexibility. So why isn't
Paint Shop Pro just a vector program? Because a shape is nice, but raster
effects can bring an object to life.
Effects in Paint Shop Pro are all layer-based. An effect that is applied to a layer
will not apply to any other layer in the document. You can use a selection
to restrict most effects to an area of a layer, though. Also, make sure
you read Masks are Easy ... Really,
for an in-depth look at what you can accomplish with layer masks.
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Top image has a black rectangle with Layer Opacity
reduced to 52. The design in the background is showing through. In the
lower image, the same settings were used, but the Layer Blend Mode was
changed to Dissolve.
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Layer palette effects
To make the contents of a layer partially transparent, and allow the
objects on the layer below show through, adjust the Layer Opacity slider
in the right section of the Layers Palette to the left. In the sample
shown here, I set the opacity of the solid black rectangle to 52, which
allows the spotted texture to partially show through. Each layer is
adjusted individually, and the effect is seen on the entire layer.
As a variation, you can also set the way that the layer behaves with
the Layer Blend Mode. In the next sample, I have used exactly the same
settings, but changed the blend mode to dissolve. To bring up a long
selection of blend mode choices, click on the flyout arrow and select
the desired effect.
Have you ever tried to add an effect to a layer, but found that the
effect spilled over the object edges, ruining the look. In the image
below, I created a new layer with two lines. In both examples, I filled
the layer with yellow. The first one has the Preserve Transparency option
activated. Click on the lock to protect transparency, or, in other words,
to prevent adding anything to the background of a layer. In the second
sample, the preserve transparency was deactivated, and the entire layer
filled.
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A green rectangle on a layer with Image>Effects>Blinds
applied. The gold shapes have had the layer opacity reduced.
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Effects menu
I am not going to go into depth on the Effects menu, since there are
so many effects in this program, that we could be here next year on
the same topic. However, the effects work just as any other layer command.
The entire layer is affected if nothing is selected. If a selection
is active, the effect will apply to the selected area only. Keep this,
as well as the Preserve Transparency option in mind as you experiment
with the various effects.
Most of the effects come with several controls for adjusting the appearance.
Don't be afraid to test many values for each setting. Also, for the
best chance at success, activate the Auto Preview option and move the
Effects window away from the canvas as much as possible. It is important
to see the effect in relation to the rest of your image, as well as
to see a larger version of the effect than the thumbnail allows.
If you have not stretched your knowledge of working with layers, maybe
today is the day to start. Many of the techniques can take a while before
they become automatic, but the time savings, and quality improvements
are well worth the effort. Make those layers work hard for you ... that
is why they are there.
Next time we will move to Fireworks layers.
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