Free Web Hosting Provider - Web Hosting - E-commerce - High Speed Internet - Free Web Page

Shining Light

This tutorial was created by Kate Elliott. The aim was to make the effect of light shining out from behind an object, as seen on TV programme titles... Naturally, I had to include the effect on Image Effects. Pictures by Kate; text by me, based on Kate's original instructions.

Shape outline
Start by creating an object for the light to shine from behind. Here, we've drawn a line to represent your shape. It is easiest if you use the "Paint on Mask" tool (from Picture Publisher) or paint on a selection (Photoshop) to mask the area on the left of the line. Create an object from this mask, but then create the mask again from the object. You might want to hide the object for a moment now.

Filled behind shape outline
Make sure you are editing the base layer.
Fill the mask/selection. Solid colours work quite well, but Kate recommends using a diagonal gradient fill, such as green->light green->green. The effect of this is subtle, but attractive.

Blur the edge.
Next, blur the base layer so the edge becomes less distinct. A low-power gaussian blur is quite good here. Then apply a high-power motion blur to the right.

Finally, unhide the object you made previously. This should still be filled with the background colour, giving you this effect. Pretty cool, I think.

[ Main Index ]	[ What's New ]	[ Photo Editing ]	[ Techniques ]
[ Gallery ]	[ Links ]		[ Frames On ]

This page was created by James Corrin. All pictures and text belongs to him or the appropriate author. Permission to use any pictures or text from these pages must be sought from the work's author. This page was last updated Sunday 11 February 2001. Email: webmaster@imageeffects.8m.com

	Start by creating an object for the light to shine from behind. Here, we've drawn a line to represent your shape. It is easiest if you use the "Paint on Mask" tool (from Picture Publisher) or paint on a selection (Photoshop) to mask the area on the left of the line. Create an object from this mask, but then create the mask again from the object. You might want to hide the object for a moment now.
	Make sure you are editing the base layer. Fill the mask/selection. Solid colours work quite well, but Kate recommends using a diagonal gradient fill, such as green->light green->green. The effect of this is subtle, but attractive.
	Next, blur the base layer so the edge becomes less distinct. A low-power gaussian blur is quite good here. Then apply a high-power motion blur to the right.
	Finally, unhide the object you made previously. This should still be filled with the background colour, giving you this effect. Pretty cool, I think.