Your software allows you to place a shadow around any object.
The following types of shadows are available:
Drop Shadow | Block Shadow |
Perspective Shadow | Cast Shadow |
Applying Shadows
- Select the desired objects.
- From the Effects menu, select Shadow.
- The Shadow tab appears in DesignCentral.
- The Shadow tab appears in DesignCentral.
- Adjust the parameters in DesignCentral or drag the control points.
- Click Apply.
Adjusting Shadows Using DesignCentral
When shadows are applied to objects, the following attributes can be adjusted in DesignCentral:
Offset |
Specify the Horizontal and Vertical Offset (distance) from the original object. These fields are not available for Cast shadows. |
Ratio and Angle |
Specify the Height Ratio and Slant Angle relative to the original object. These fields are only available for Cast shadows. |
Distance |
Specifies the distance between the object and shadow when offset or overlap is selected. |
Perspective Ratio |
Specifies the Perspective Ratio. This field is only available for Perspective shadows. |
Color |
Selects the shadow color. |
Relief Mode |
Determines how the shadow is produced with respect to the original object. |
Transparent |
When selected, activates the Advanced Shadow options. This will create a smooth shadow effect |
Advanced |
Advanced shadow, also known as Smooth Shadow. applies a transparency to objects to smooth and soften edges, or to create a neon effect. |
Smooth Shadows
Select Apply Transparency and click Advanced to adjust Smooth Shadow settings
Blending Mode | Offers a number of blending options: Normal, Darken, Lighten, Hue, Saturation, Color, Luminosity, Multiply, Screen, Overlay, Hard Light, Soft Light, Difference, Exclusion, Color Dodge, Color Burn, and Linear Burn. |
Opacity | Specifies the amount of transparency. |
Blur Amount | Specifies the amount that the edges of the shadow are softened. The presets are 100, 75, 50, and 25%. |
Blur Radius | Specifies the amount of softening of the shadow color. A higher radius will produce more blurring, a lower radius less blurring. |
Resolution | Allows you to increase the on-screen resolution to improve shadow smoothness, but at the risk of slower processing speeds. Select a lower resolution to speed processing time. The presets are 72 (default), 100, 150, 200, 250, and 300 DPI. |
Examples of Shadow Relief Modes
Block and Perspective Shadows
No Backing | With Backing | Offset | Surround | Offset Surround |
Drop Shadows
No Backing | With Backing | Offset | Surround | Offset Surround |
Cast Shadows
No Backing | With Backing | Overlap | Offset Relief |
You can see the difference when backing is applied if you separate the shadow from its original object.
No Backing | With Backing |
Adjusting Shadows Using Control Points
Click and drag the shadow to adjust the Horizontal and Vertical Offset (Drop and Block shadows), Perspective Ratio (Perspective shadow), and Height Ratio and Slant Angle (Cast shadow).