Want Some Drop Shadow Tips?

[Julie - scrapaholic]

Great tips thank you.

[AngelAD]

Considering that wasn't a tutorial...that was an excellent tutorial Erin.

Thanks a lot.

 

DIDO!

 

Erin you answered my question for I am taking two courses one on PS Cs3 and PSE course ( I have 5) and we are only on our 2nd lesson so we are not yet learning drop shadows and when I asked the teacher she told me to treat it like a shape and flood fill with black and selecting my text with the magic wand then go back to the flood fill layer and inverse and delete then bring the black underneath the text and position how I want this and lower the opacity ( I think she was meaning this is how I can add a drop shadow on its own layer in PSE ) and I said WHAT! this is crazy there has got to be a way that you can add a drop shadow manually and that stinks if you can't add a drop shadow on a separate layer as I can do this in PSP and in PS CS3.

 

I have been using PSP for 3 years now and I can manually add a drop shadow and in PSP 9 and I believe newer versions you can have the drop shadow on its own layer just like in PS CS3 so that if you change your mind you just hide the drop shadow.

 

Is there a way of having a drop shadow on its own layer?

 

PSP 9 is simple - go to effects - 3d effects - drop shadow and play around with your vertical, horizontal, opacity, blur and color (you can choose a color by clicking on the color in the drop shadow dialogue box ) and add a check if you want your drop shadow on its own layer.

 

Thank you so kindly for your help, HUGS, Angel

[PBarnes]

You can add a drop shadow manually in PSE 5 so that it is on it's own layer. I didn't completely understand how you were describing it Angel, but I do something similar by creating a shape from the original object and putting it on it's own layer, fill it with black, do a Gaussian blur, position it and then adjust the opacity. Also, I believe the shadow Actions available here in the boutique create a separate layer. I know Theresa's Transparent Shadows does.

[AngelAD]

You can add a drop shadow manually in PSE 5 so that it is on it's own layer. I didn't completely understand how you were describing it Angel, but I do something similar by creating a shape from the original object and putting it on it's own layer, fill it with black, do a Gaussian blur, position it and then adjust the opacity. Also, I believe the shadow Actions available here in the boutique create a separate layer. I know Theresa's Transparent Shadows does.

 

Hello Pat,

 

It's been a heck of a day as I woke up and had no connection I knew something was going to happen as my IE and AOL for the past 2 weeks was not working correctly and very slow and freezing and shutting out. It has taken all day to get things straightened out for it's just not my pc but my 2 boys pcs and the xbox and laptop all had to be done too! aaaaaah! it's a long story whew! and I am tired but glad things are fixed ;0)

 

OK! this is what I am trying to say...

Look at these 2 screenshots in PSP9

http://img503.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p...reenshotvy9.png

 

http://img510.imageshack.us/my.php?image=p...reenshotfv6.png

 

that is how simple it is to add a drop shadow on its own layer not connected as one with the text as you see in screenshot 2 the layers palette if I wanted it that way. Even in PS CS3 it will automatically add its own drop shadow and puts it on its own layer underneath the text in the layers palette like in PSP.

 

Anyhow, I read what you said and reread what my teacher said and understand now how to make the drop shadow on its own layer and what a pain if I must say lol! and will only do this when I am creating for example a word art.

 

I will definitely check-out Theresa's Shadows do you know if the new versions are like this? Well I am sticking with 5 for a while as I have quite a few books I spent money on plus the Secrets Revealed. I know its just getting used to something new when you are so used to something else and you just know how to click click click and not even think about it.

 

Thank you very much and will definitely jot these notes down in my notepad, BIG HUGS ALWAYS, Angel

[PBarnes]

That is one of the things that PSP does better than PSE I guess. Yes, it is more cumbersome in PSE but it can be done. I've got Theresa's transparent shadows in PSE 5 but I haven't loaded them into version 7 yet but I'm assuming they will work just fine.

[Kori]

I am glad this post has been brought back to life. Drop shadows are something I haven't gotten the hang of. Thanks for the tips!

[AngelAD]

Hiya!

 

I got Theresa's Transparent Vellum Shadows and Sarah's Basic Shadows ;0) I am glad they came with Instructions or I would be driving you nuts again LOL!! Hopefully I can do this on my own ;0)

 

I am good with drop shadows in PSP and have taught others how to bring depth to images. I usually give an object 2 drop shadows one the main one where if a light or sun was coming from one direction you see the shadow where it's supposed to be the other is just giving the other side of the image depth where you use a tiny drop shadow just enough to bring the edge of the image out no overkill.

 

I have learned to give brushes in PSP good drop shadows using colors or the lightest grey and also learned if there is a colored transparent image per say a yellow transparent heart I first give the heart a yellow drop shadow that would be vertical 0 and horizontal 0 / opacity / blur / color in PSP then I add on a greyish drop shadow underneath it so that the color of the yellow transparency doesn't get lost with the grey drop shadow.

 

Well this shall be fun learning again in PSE lol!! thank you ;0)

 

I had better get movin to clean up the house a bit and start my PS CS3 lesson as I am still contimplating on my other design layout for PSE.

 

HUGS, Angel XOXO

[Lucy's Mama]

Wow Angel--I always wondered about how to shadow a layer that I'd worked so hard on the blending to get it how I wanted. It never occurred to me to add a second shadow to help preserve the transparency.

 

To add my two cents: I sometimes use the mesh warp tool (in pspx) on my shadow layers. I zoom way in, tighten the grid if need be, and then gently tug at the corners here and there. A tiny pull can really make a difference once you already have the color and opacity just right. Another tip--as you play with the mesh, it helps to keep the curves gentle, meaning that if you pull, say, the shadow on a corner of a paper or alpha out, adjust with the nodes around it ever so slightly so that the curve isn't so drastic.

 

If I'm feeling unsure about whether warping will be a good idea on an element, I'll duplicate the shadow layer, make it invisible, and then work on the copy so I can delete it if the effect doesn't look natural.

 

I love learning new stuff! Thanks

[AngelAD]

Hello Emma, Lucy, and Friends,

 

I have found a way to hide the drop shadow just in case later on you decide that the drop shadow does not look right and you don't want it or you want to change the drop shadow settings, instead of doing the image or text over, or doing the flood fill in the previous message explains.

 

It's so simple once you have added your drop shadow and decide later you don't want it go to...

 

To hide or show all layer styles in an image

Choose one of the following:

Layer > Layer Style > Hide All Effects.

Layer > Layer Style > Show All Effects.

 

VOILA!! I knew there had to be a way of doing this as if PS CS3 and PSP can do this why not PSE I have 5 so don't know about the other versions.

 

Hello Lucy,

 

I haven't tried the the warp tool for shadowing yet but in PSP I use my point to point and modify to expand or contract if need be and then I add the same color as of the transparency for the drop shadow and then bring down the opacity of that drop shadow if it the color is too strong and uncheck the add drop shadow on its own layer...Now you can add a greyish or black drop shadow to it ;0)

 

Also another way with transparency if it is square vellum all you need to do is with your magic wand select the inside of the vellum flood fill on a new layer of a greyish color and put this layer underneath the vellum layer...using your mover tool just like with the flood fill text (that I explained in my previous message) and move the shadow till you are happy then to get rid of the drop shadow behind the vellum again using your magic wand go back to the vellum layer and click inside now back to the drop shadow layer and delete and now you only have the drop shadow coming out of the sides, and enhance the drop shadow by using the guassian blur and lowering the opacity on the layer palette, but to give it more depth to bring out the left side and top I went back to the vellum layer and using the magic wand clicked inside the vellum and on the vellum layer palette I clicked on the icon sun and gave the settings angle is 0 then 7/1/40 Voila! See Image below

 

Thank you for the tips I will give that a try and see how that works ;0) I find this fun as everyone has different ways, Thank you, HUGS, Angel

PS I used PSE Backgrounds

 

 

Wow Angel--I always wondered about how to shadow a layer that I'd worked so hard on the blending to get it how I wanted. It never occurred to me to add a second shadow to help preserve the transparency.

 

To add my two cents: I sometimes use the mesh warp tool (in pspx) on my shadow layers. I zoom way in, tighten the grid if need be, and then gently tug at the corners here and there. A tiny pull can really make a difference once you already have the color and opacity just right. Another tip--as you play with the mesh, it helps to keep the curves gentle, meaning that if you pull, say, the shadow on a corner of a paper or alpha out, adjust with the nodes around it ever so slightly so that the curve isn't so drastic.

 

If I'm feeling unsure about whether warping will be a good idea on an element, I'll duplicate the shadow layer, make it invisible, and then work on the copy so I can delete it if the effect doesn't look natural.

 

I love learning new stuff! Thanks

[KarinaS]

How do you make a shadow on a black background?? Is there even a need to? Newbie here....thx

[AngelAD]

How do you make a shadow on a black background?? Is there even a need to? Newbie here....thx

 

Hiya! Well that depends on how black it is some blacks a drop shadow can be seen but the majority of times I use a Gradient Glow. I am a newbie here as for Scrappin but I have been Taggin for 3 years and to bring out an object on a black background we use Gradient Glow. I also have PSE 5 and I see they have Gradient Glow but haven't played with it but in Paint Shop Pro it is in Eye Candy 4 Plugin. Eye Candy's Filters are awsome and believe can be switched to PS programs not sure will have to find out...

 

Getting off track...So as I was saying depends on how black? Is the Image hanging off the black? and if so or not you can add a Gradient Glow not too thick a nice thin glow and lowering the opacity of the gradient glow will make your image stand out.

 

I don't have time now but will make an example ;0)