DIGITAL GRAPHICS & ANIMATION

Complete LESSON 5

CREATING SPECIAL EFFECTS

Creating Special Effects

Color can . . . Convey a mood Change the perception of space and size Focus attention Add emphasis and Improve quality.

Shadow effects may make an object appear to sink into the drawing area; and a blur effect may make an object appear to be far off in the distance.

Creating Special Effects

Most graphics programs include features for creating certain common effects, such as shadows, blurs and glows.

In addition, many effects are achieved by incorporating color and scale.

In this lesson you will work with vector color and apply special effects to bitmap and vector graphics.

Work with Color

Color – called hue, is usually the first thing the viewer sees and responds to.

Understanding the way viewer’s react to color and incorporating standard color techniques in your graphics can help you create appealing and informative images.

The color mixer panel or palette allows you to mix custom colors based on the current color system.

A Color System

A color system defines standard colors. It may also be called a model.

Color systems are available for graphics to be displayed on a computer screen and for printed graphics.

A graphics program usually has a default color system that you can change at any time.

When you select a color, the color values on a palette are displayed in the “current color system” boxes.

Use a color system

The two main color systems for use in a graphics program are the RGB and the CMY or CMYK- model.

The RGB system creates colors by combining different values of red, green and blue. These are the basic colors of light in the spectrum we can see.

The RGB model is often is most often used when graphics are to be displayed on devices that use light to display colors, such as computer monitors.

The CMY or CMYK

The CMY/CMYK system creates colors by combining percentages of cyan, magenta, and yellow.

These colors are the colors of ink – often called process colors – used in four-color printing.

The CMY system is used most often for drawings that are to be printed, either on a local printer or by a printing press.

The CMY or CMYK

The CMY system is called CMYK when black is added to the mix.

In four color printing, all colors are mixed from the four basic process colors.

The designer can select a spot color – from a color systems such as Pantone Matching System for a specific color.

Use spot colors when it is necessary to have an exact color (such as a client’s logo color) or when printing with one or two colors.

A Color Wheel

A typical color wheel has 12 gradients of color ranging from red to violet.

The primary colors are red, yellow and blue.

Secondary colors are created by combining the primary colors: red mixed with yellow makes orange Yellow mixed with blue makes green blue mixed with red makes violet

A Color Wheel

Intermediate colors are created by combining primary color with secondary colors adjacent to it on the color wheel such as Blue-Green.

Cool colors: range from green to violet Warm colors range from red to yellow Analogous colors are next to each other on

the color wheel Complimentary colors are opposite each

other.

Apply Color Effects

In addition to applying colors to fills and strokes, most programs provide options for creating color such as textures, gradients & patterns.

Textures can be applied to fills or strokes to make an object look as if it is painted on a textured surface.

Patterns are bitmap graphics applied as a fill. Gradients are a type of pattern that blends

colors to create different effects.

Apply Gradients

By default, most gradients blend two colors – the current fill color and black.

When you apply a gradient, you usually strat by selecting a fill color.

Then, you select the gradient pattern type such as: linear, which blends the colors horizontally

across the object or Radial, which blends the colors out from the

center of the object, from the Fill category or type list.

Apply Color Correction Effects

Most graphics programs have tools for applying color corrections effects to vector objects and bitmap images.

You can usually adjust the value, contrast, brightness, saturation, and opacity. Value, which is sometimes called lightness, is the

range from black to white. Value van be measured by the level of brightness.

When you increase the brightness, you add white to a hue; when you decrease the brightness you add black

Apply Color Correction Effects

Contrast refers to the degree of separation between the values of different parts of an image. You adjust the contrast to change the degree separation.

Saturation measures the intensity of color, and

Opacity measures the level of transparency. You can use these concepts to add

dimension to an image and to separate foreground objects from background objects.

Apply Color Correction Effects

You can also use them to make it easier for someone with a color deficit condition to see and interpret your image.

You can help a person who has trouble seeing and differentiating between colors by: increasing contrast increasing lightness differences between

foreground and background colors and by avoiding using colors of similar

lightness or saturation next to each other.

Apply Color Correction Effects

You can modify the color adjusting the saturation, which sets the color intensity

and the lightness, which controls how much light appears to be reflected from a surface.

In some programs, you can also modify the hue based on the current color system. Increasing the brightness adds white, while

decreasing the brightness adds black.

Apply Color Correction Effects

Change the brightness and contrast of an image to correct photographs or other bitmap images that are too dark or too light.

You can also use these settings to adjust the color of vector graphics.

Most programs combine Brightness and Contrast settings in the same dialog box.

Apply Color Correction Effects

Opacity controls the amount of transparency in a color.

It is measured as a percentage, with 100% being completely transparent.

Decreasing the opacity is useful if you want the viewer to be able to see an object that is layered behind another object.

Opacity controls may be found on the same menu or in the same dialog box as other color correction options or it may be an option in the properties panel

Apply Special Effects

You can enhance graphics objects by applying special effects such as shadows, glows and bevels.

You can adjust the position of a shadow or the shape of a bevel.

In addition, some effects are enhanced by hiding – or knocking out – the shape ityself.

Apply Bevels and Embossing

Use an embossed effect to make an object appear to be pressed into the drawing area

Most programs also let you apply a raised emboss to make an object appear to rise out of the drawing area.

Bevels also give an object a raised appearance Inner bevels, adds the effect within the edges

of an object Outer bevel, adds the effect outside the edges

Apply Shadows and Glows

Shadows and glows are effects that let you add depth. Dimension, and highlights to objects. Drop shadows add a shading along two sides

of the outer edge of an object Inner shadows ad the shading inside the

edges Glows apply a halo of color around all edges,

and inner glows apply the halo inside the edges

Use Sharpen and Blur

Use sharpen and Blur effects to adjust focus or sharpness of an image. The sharpen effect brings blurred images into

focus. The blur effect lessens the focus.

Save Custom Effects

To achieve a particular effect, you may have to adjust multiple settings and even use multiple effects.

Once you have an effect just right, you can save it to use in the future.

The method for saving a custom effect varies Usually you simply save the applied effects as a

style, which is a collection of saved formatting settings

Using styles is a good way to ensure consistency in your files

Create Masks

The mask effect hides or accentuates a specific portion of an image.

There are two basic types of masks. Vector masks Bitmap masks

Vector Mask

When you create a vector mask, you use a vector graphic to define the shape of the mask.

You can use a rectangle, polygon, or ellipse Vector masks are also called clipping masks

in some programs. In the end, only the area within the vector

object’s path is displayed, while the are outside the path is masked, or hidden. An example would be a picture inside a shape

Bitmap Masks

Bitmap masks are sometimes called layer masks because they overlap and obscure underlying pixels.

You can create a bitmap mask using a method similar to creating a vector mask.

Simply paste a bitmap object as the mask instead of a vector object An example would be the cloud in front of a

lighthouse that looks like fog

FAST FACTS

You can mix custom colors using a color bar or by entering color system values

You can use color to create illusions of distance, depth, and scale

You can use color effects to add texture, patterns, and gradients to fill strokes

Color correction effects make it possible to enhance and improve vector and bitmap images.

FAST FACTS

Special effects make it easy to highlight objects as well as add interest and epth to an image

You can save special effects as styles to use again

If you are unhappy with an effect, you can edit or remove it

Masks let you hide or emphasize portions of an image.

Lesson 5

Daily Grades

Lesson 5T/F Questions1. Shadows can be applied only around the

outer edges of an object2. Opacity controls the amount of

transparency in a color3. Saturation is another word for color.4. Objects filled with a bright color often look

larger than objects filled with a dark color.5. CMY is a color system used only for web

graphics.

Lesson 5T/F Questions

6. In most graphics programs, you can apply only one effect to each object

7. When you apply a vector mask, the area inside the vector path is displayed and the area outside the path is masked.

8. Bitmap masks are sometimes called layer masks

9. Textures can be applied to strokes but not to fills

10. Patterns can be applied to fills but not to strokes.

Lesson 5Fill in the Blank Questions1. The four colors of ink used in printing are

sometimes called_____2. Use _____ color when you must match an

exact color such as a client’s logo.3. Increasing the brightness adds _____, while

decreasing the brightness adds _____.4. To make a color completely opaque, set the

opacity control to _____.5. Apply a(n) _____ effect to place a halo of

color around an object

Lesson 5Fill in the Blank Questions

6. By default, most gradients blend _____ with the current color fill.

7. Patterns are _____ graphics applied to a fill.

8. Some effects are enhanced by ____ or knocking out – the shape itself.

9. A(n) ____ gradient blends colors horizontally across an object.

10. _____ measures intensity of color.

Lesson 5 Vocabulary Define the following terms1. Bevel

2. Brightness

3. CMY

4. Color Systems

5. Contrast

6. Emboss

7. Glow

8. Hue

8. Mask

9. Opacity

11. RGB

12. Saturation

13. Shadow

14. Spot Color

15. Style

16. Value