Fireworks Shadow Techniques

Adobe Fireworks is a bitmap and vector graphics editor primarily aimed for the use of web designers. It can come as a standalone Adobe product or as part of an Adobe Creative Suite. Bundling it with other Adobe products is beneficial when making projects that can be integrated with other Adobe programs like Adobe Photoshop, Flash and Premiere Pro. When using Fireworks, many users take advantage of its shadow application techniques as these help add dimension to their graphic works.

Applying a Basic Shadow Effect

To create a basic shadow effect in Adobe Fireworks, click the object where the shadow should be applied, then check the "Properties" pane at the bottom of the screen. This allows you to have a direct technical insight of the characteristics affecting how the object looks and the possible effects you may want to use to enhance or modify it. From the right side of this pane, click the "+" button near the word "Filters" until a pop-up menu appears. From the "Shadow and Glow" option, click the "Drop Shadow" button to apply a basic drop shadow to the object.

Modifying a Basic Shadow Effect

A basic shadow effect applied to an object creates the said effect using the program's default settings. You can change these settings so the shadow effect you get is according to your intended look. You can access your shadow effect's attributes under the "Filters" section of the object's properties. Double-clicking "Drop Shadow" from the list allows a pop-up window to appear. This contains the settings for the said effect. You can change how the shadow appears on your object by changing the values of its opacity, softness and angle on the area provided.

Exploring Options

When you have more than one object that you need to apply shadows on, especially if they are similar or identical to each other, you can simply choose the copy-paste option for faster creation of the shadow effects for all these objects. Also, when making any change in the properties of your shadow effect, you can check the "Knockout" option, which makes the actual object disappear. This allows you to simply keep the shadow of the original object if you only want only the shadow to appear in your final project.

Object Duplication

Although a basic shadow effect can be a simpler and easier option, it is also possible to use the object duplication process to create a shadow effect on the object. By creating another layer, you can turn the duplicate copy on the new layer into the original object's shadow. You can use Fireworks' "Magic Wand" tool, then click "Select Inverse" from the "Select" menu. You may fill the selected object with black, then simply feather its edges to have a softer look. By further lowering the duplicate object's opacity, usually from 25 to 50 percent, and also changing its location, you can create a shadow effect for the object.

---

Adobe Fireworks is a bitmap and vector graphics editor primarily aimed for the use of web designers. It can come as a standalone Adobe product or as part of an Adobe Creative Suite. Bundling it with other Adobe products is beneficial when making projects that can be integrated with other Adobe programs like Adobe Photoshop, Flash and Premiere Pro. When using Fireworks, many users take advantage of its shadow application techniques as these help add dimension to their graphic works.

Applying a Basic Shadow Effect

To create a basic shadow effect in Adobe Fireworks, click the object where the shadow should be applied, then check the "Properties" pane at the bottom of the screen. This allows you to have a direct technical insight of the characteristics affecting how the object looks and the possible effects you may want to use to enhance or modify it. From the right side of this pane, click the "+" button near the word "Filters" until a pop-up menu appears. From the "Shadow and Glow" option, click the "Drop Shadow" button to apply a basic drop shadow to the object.

Modifying a Basic Shadow Effect

A basic shadow effect applied to an object creates the said effect using the program's default settings. You can change these settings so the shadow effect you get is according to your intended look. You can access your shadow effect's attributes under the "Filters" section of the object's properties. Double-clicking "Drop Shadow" from the list allows a pop-up window to appear. This contains the settings for the said effect. You can change how the shadow appears on your object by changing the values of its opacity, softness and angle on the area provided.

Exploring Options

When you have more than one object that you need to apply shadows on, especially if they are similar or identical to each other, you can simply choose the copy-paste option for faster creation of the shadow effects for all these objects. Also, when making any change in the properties of your shadow effect, you can check the "Knockout" option, which makes the actual object disappear. This allows you to simply keep the shadow of the original object if you only want only the shadow to appear in your final project.

Object Duplication

Although a basic shadow effect can be a simpler and easier option, it is also possible to use the object duplication process to create a shadow effect on the object. By creating another layer, you can turn the duplicate copy on the new layer into the original object's shadow. You can use Fireworks' "Magic Wand" tool, then click "Select Inverse" from the "Select" menu. You may fill the selected object with black, then simply feather its edges to have a softer look. By further lowering the duplicate object's opacity, usually from 25 to 50 percent, and also changing its location, you can create a shadow effect for the object.

---

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  Refining Your Design In Adobe Fireworks Smashing Fireworks

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  20 Useful Fireworks Tutorials for Designers

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How to Mat a Picture for Framing

Presentation is crucial when submitting artwork to a gallery or educational institution. For this reason, many art programs require photographers to mat their pictures before submitting them in a portfolio. Even if submission guidelines don't require matting, many professional and aspiring photographers opt to use mat board to present, protect and archive their work. Mat board is a common art supply found in most art, photography and frame stores.

Instructions

1

Measure the rabbet (the inset edge on the back) of the picture frame or trace the picture frame backing on a piece of mat board. Use a mat cutter and mat guide or a straight edge and utility knife to cut two or three pieces of mat board to fit the rabbet size. One will be the back mat, and the other two will be the inner and outer frames.

2

Center the picture on the back mat. Use a pencil to mark the position of the corners. Never write on the actual artwork; only write on the mat board.

3

Take measurements for the frame: measure in from each edge of the back mat and continue measuring past the edge of the artwork 1/4 inch or more on each side. If you'd like a larger frame, measure in more than 1/4 inch. Some photographers make the frame a little wider on the bottom edge.

4

Measure and mark a second piece of mat board to make the inner frame. Cut a window out of the mat board with a mat guide and bevel cutter or utility knife and straight edge. A bevel cutter is preferable, since it will cut the mat board at a slight angle and frames the photo more nicely.

5

Measure and mark a third piece of mat board to make an optional outer frame. Each side of the outer mat should be at least 1/4 inch longer than the sides of the inner frame. Cut the mat board with a mat guide and bevel cutter or utility knife and straight edge.

6

Place the inner mat over the picture on the back mat, and center the outer frame over the inner frame. If you cut the frames with a bevel cutter, place the frames with the angled-side up. If satisfied with the presentation, move to the next step. If unsatisfied, trim the frames for a better fit or start over with a new piece of mat board.

7

Attach two photo corners to the back mat where you marked the top corner positions earlier. Slide the top two corners of the picture into the photo corners. Slide the bottom two corners of the picture into two more photo corners, and press them down on the back mat to hold them in place.

8

Attach the top edge of the inner mat frame to the back mat with two linen tape "hinges." Don't let the tape touch the artwork.

9

Place the outer mat frame into the picture frame. Place the inner frame, picture and back mat into the picture frame together. Replace the frame backing. Your matted picture is now ready for presentation.

---

Presentation is crucial when submitting artwork to a gallery or educational institution. For this reason, many art programs require photographers to mat their pictures before submitting them in a portfolio. Even if submission guidelines don't require matting, many professional and aspiring photographers opt to use mat board to present, protect and archive their work. Mat board is a common art supply found in most art, photography and frame stores.

Instructions

1

Measure the rabbet (the inset edge on the back) of the picture frame or trace the picture frame backing on a piece of mat board. Use a mat cutter and mat guide or a straight edge and utility knife to cut two or three pieces of mat board to fit the rabbet size. One will be the back mat, and the other two will be the inner and outer frames.

2

Center the picture on the back mat. Use a pencil to mark the position of the corners. Never write on the actual artwork; only write on the mat board.

3

Take measurements for the frame: measure in from each edge of the back mat and continue measuring past the edge of the artwork 1/4 inch or more on each side. If you'd like a larger frame, measure in more than 1/4 inch. Some photographers make the frame a little wider on the bottom edge.

4

Measure and mark a second piece of mat board to make the inner frame. Cut a window out of the mat board with a mat guide and bevel cutter or utility knife and straight edge. A bevel cutter is preferable, since it will cut the mat board at a slight angle and frames the photo more nicely.

5

Measure and mark a third piece of mat board to make an optional outer frame. Each side of the outer mat should be at least 1/4 inch longer than the sides of the inner frame. Cut the mat board with a mat guide and bevel cutter or utility knife and straight edge.

6

Place the inner mat over the picture on the back mat, and center the outer frame over the inner frame. If you cut the frames with a bevel cutter, place the frames with the angled-side up. If satisfied with the presentation, move to the next step. If unsatisfied, trim the frames for a better fit or start over with a new piece of mat board.

7

Attach two photo corners to the back mat where you marked the top corner positions earlier. Slide the top two corners of the picture into the photo corners. Slide the bottom two corners of the picture into two more photo corners, and press them down on the back mat to hold them in place.

8

Attach the top edge of the inner mat frame to the back mat with two linen tape "hinges." Don't let the tape touch the artwork.

9

Place the outer mat frame into the picture frame. Place the inner frame, picture and back mat into the picture frame together. Replace the frame backing. Your matted picture is now ready for presentation.

---

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  Mat Frame - ArtToFrame.com

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How to Make a Darkroom Bag

Once you have set up your darkroom, you will need to assemble your tools for developing your film. Keeping the chemicals and smaller items you need in a bag that you designate as your darkroom bag is a great way to keep all of your materials accessible and in one place. Here are a few things to keep in your darkroom bag.

Instructions

1

Purchase a medium size bag like a messenger bag. Put a small reference book in your bag. A resource to guide you through should you have questions is a good thing to have. Put several plastic or metal reels in your bag. You will load your film onto these.

2

Store your developing chemicals in plastic bottles that you are less likely to break once you get into the darkroom. Some are concentrated liquids, but others require mixing ,so it is a good idea to have mixed them in a well-ventilated area and stored in a plastic bottle. Add these to your bag.

3

Store your stop bath in a separate plastic bottle that is well-labeled and easily accessible in the dark.

4

Keep a bottle of fixer stored in a plastic bottle as well. Label accordingly.

5

Add containers of any extra materials you like to use. For example, wetting agent, hypo clearing agent, or fixer test solution. Make sure these are also accessible in the dark as well.

6

Finally, keep a timer in your bag so you can be sure to process your film correctly and timely.

---

Once you have set up your darkroom, you will need to assemble your tools for developing your film. Keeping the chemicals and smaller items you need in a bag that you designate as your darkroom bag is a great way to keep all of your materials accessible and in one place. Here are a few things to keep in your darkroom bag.

Instructions

1

Purchase a medium size bag like a messenger bag. Put a small reference book in your bag. A resource to guide you through should you have questions is a good thing to have. Put several plastic or metal reels in your bag. You will load your film onto these.

2

Store your developing chemicals in plastic bottles that you are less likely to break once you get into the darkroom. Some are concentrated liquids, but others require mixing ,so it is a good idea to have mixed them in a well-ventilated area and stored in a plastic bottle. Add these to your bag.

3

Store your stop bath in a separate plastic bottle that is well-labeled and easily accessible in the dark.

4

Keep a bottle of fixer stored in a plastic bottle as well. Label accordingly.

5

Add containers of any extra materials you like to use.

Enhance your photography skill,The Top Secret Photography Techniques

. For example, wetting agent, hypo clearing agent, or fixer test solution. Make sure these are also accessible in the dark as well.
6

Finally, keep a timer in your bag so you can be sure to process your film correctly and timely.

---

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How to Add a Background to a Digital Photo

With a few basic tools common to most image manipulation programs, such as Adobe Photoshop or GIMP, the digital photographer can enhance their photographs by replacing the background in an image with a different background. Whether you are replacing a backdrop with a wooded scene or trading a cluttered living room for a quiet street, the process is basically the same. Learning this process will open a range of possibilities for taking your photographs beyond simply capturing what you see in front of you.

Instructions

1

Open the foreground image and select the background. As stated on Adobe's website, "A selection isolates one or more parts of your image. By selecting specific areas, you can edit and apply effects and filters to portions of your image while leaving the unselected areas untouched." There are a number of tools that do this and the one that works best depends on your image. The marquee and lasso tools allow you to draw the selection using freehand, a path can be created with the pen tool and turned into a selection, the magic wand will select an area based on local color, and the masking tool lets you paint a mask over part of the image that then turns the unmasked area into a selection.

2

Open the background image and select all or part of it. Copy the selection to the clipboard and then return to the original image.

3

Paste the copied image into the selection on the original image. Move the background around to ensure the best placement. You want to avoid edges that just touch each other or placing areas of low contrast together. Overlapping foreground items over background items adds depth and believability to the composite image.

4

Apply a filter, such as a Gaussian Blur or Unsharp Mask, to help blend the textures of the two images together. Subtlety is the key here, so make sure the filter you apply is kept to minimum. For a Gaussian Blur or Unsharp Mask, this means keeping the pixel radius low.

---

With a few basic tools common to most image manipulation programs, such as Adobe Photoshop or GIMP, the digital photographer can enhance their photographs by replacing the background in an image with a different background. Whether you are replacing a backdrop with a wooded scene or trading a cluttered living room for a quiet street, the process is basically the same. Learning this process will open a range of possibilities for taking your photographs beyond simply capturing what you see in front of you.

Instructions

1

Open the foreground image and select the background. As stated on Adobe's website, "A selection isolates one or more parts of your image. By selecting specific areas, you can edit and apply effects and filters to portions of your image while leaving the unselected areas untouched." There are a number of tools that do this and the one that works best depends on your image. The marquee and lasso tools allow you to draw the selection using freehand, a path can be created with the pen tool and turned into a selection, the magic wand will select an area based on local color, and the masking tool lets you paint a mask over part of the image that then turns the unmasked area into a selection.

2

Open the background image and select all or part of it. Copy the selection to the clipboard and then return to the original image.

3

Paste the copied image into the selection on the original image. Move the background around to ensure the best placement. You want to avoid edges that just touch each other or placing areas of low contrast together. Overlapping foreground items over background items adds depth and believability to the composite image.

4

Apply a filter, such as a Gaussian Blur or Unsharp Mask, to help blend the textures of the two images together. Subtlety is the key here, so make sure the filter you apply is kept to minimum. For a Gaussian Blur or Unsharp Mask, this means keeping the pixel radius low.

---

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Family Portrait Ideas on a Staircase

Family portraits create lasting memories for your close, extended and future family members. Whether you hire a professional or take your own portraits, a staircase offers many different options for portraits. Use a few different positions, backgrounds and poses to determine the best photograph. Narrow down your choices to four different pictures and pick the best one for your portrait.

Staggering Effect

Use the staircase to your advantage and stagger your family members. Situate the tallest family members toward the back and the shortest at the front, so everybody has space to be seen. Also try positioning your family members (tallest to shortest again) so they are looking out over the stair railing. Have everybody place a hand on the stair rail and turn his or her head to face the camera.

Action Shot

Utilize the staircase as a way to create an action portrait. If you have two teenage kids, for example, have them slide down the staircase (in a safe manner) while you (the parents) are coming down the stairs. Use whichever facial expression you might make if it were a spontaneous situation happening in your household.

Casual

Use your steps and staircase as props to create a casual family portrait. Hang jackets, backpacks or any other items commonly found in your staircase area. Leave anything on the steps (like shoes or homework assignments, for example) for props as well. Discuss amongst one another how each would like to pose for the photo. For example, if two people wanted sit, one person wants to stand and the other wants to sprawl out on the steps, figure out the best way to utilize these positions for the photo.

Holiday Portrait

Capture a family portrait for all kinds of holidays by using the staircase as a decoration backdrop. For example, if you wanted to take a Halloween portrait, decorate the staircase with some cotton cobwebs and plastic spiders. Gather everyone for a picture (using any of the above ideas or one of your own) to capture the holiday spirit. Be sure that everyone is dressed in his or her costume for a Halloween portrait.

House Arrest Portrait

For a goofy family portrait, gather the family along the staircase for a jailhouse-style picture. Have your family place their hands through the railings and their face against them (not through the railings for safety purposes) as though they were jail bars. Print the photo in black and white and share with your extended family and friends as a gag.

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Family portraits create lasting memories for your close, extended and future family members. Whether you hire a professional or take your own portraits, a staircase offers many different options for portraits. Use a few different positions, backgrounds and poses to determine the best photograph. Narrow down your choices to four different pictures and pick the best one for your portrait.

Staggering Effect

Use the staircase to your advantage and stagger your family members.

Enhance your photography skill,The Top Secret Photography Techniques

. Situate the tallest family members toward the back and the shortest at the front, so everybody has space to be seen. Also try positioning your family members (tallest to shortest again) so they are looking out over the stair railing. Have everybody place a hand on the stair rail and turn his or her head to face the camera.

Action Shot

Utilize the staircase as a way to create an action portrait. If you have two teenage kids, for example, have them slide down the staircase (in a safe manner) while you (the parents) are coming down the stairs. Use whichever facial expression you might make if it were a spontaneous situation happening in your household.

Casual

Use your steps and staircase as props to create a casual family portrait. Hang jackets, backpacks or any other items commonly found in your staircase area. Leave anything on the steps (like shoes or homework assignments, for example) for props as well. Discuss amongst one another how each would like to pose for the photo. For example, if two people wanted sit, one person wants to stand and the other wants to sprawl out on the steps, figure out the best way to utilize these positions for the photo.

Holiday Portrait

Capture a family portrait for all kinds of holidays by using the staircase as a decoration backdrop. For example, if you wanted to take a Halloween portrait, decorate the staircase with some cotton cobwebs and plastic spiders. Gather everyone for a picture (using any of the above ideas or one of your own) to capture the holiday spirit. Be sure that everyone is dressed in his or her costume for a Halloween portrait.

House Arrest Portrait

For a goofy family portrait, gather the family along the staircase for a jailhouse-style picture. Have your family place their hands through the railings and their face against them (not through the railings for safety purposes) as though they were jail bars. Print the photo in black and white and share with your extended family and friends as a gag.

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  Family Portrait Ideas - Photography Tips, Tricks, and Techniques

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  Staircase Design Inspiration, Pictures and Remodels

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  Tips for Creating a Stairway Photo Gallery

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  Tips for Creating a Stairway Photo Gallery Use a stairwell's abundant wall space to display images of the people you love.

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  Basement Stairway Ideas - Better Homes and Gardens - Home ...

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  Basement Stairway Ideas. Design a basement staircase that fits your space and complements the style of your home.

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  Family Photo Wall - Wedding Planning Ideas and Inspiration ...

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  Read Martha Stewart Weddings' Family Photo Wall article, and browse more wedding decoration ideas, seasonal reception themes and color palettes, stationery and ...

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