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Ulead PhotoImpact XL Manual

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Ulead Systems, Inc.
August 2003
User Guide
2 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
First edition for Ulead
®
PhotoImpact
®
XL, August 2003.
© 1992 – 2003 Ulead Systems, Inc.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any
means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or storing in a retrieval system, or
translated into any language in any form without the express written permission of Ulead Systems, Inc.
Software license
The software described in this document is furnished under a License Agreement which is included with the
product. This Agreement specifies the permitted and prohibited uses of the product.
Licenses and trademarks
Ulead is a registered trademark and Ulead PhotoImpact, PhotoImpact, EasyPalette, and the Ulead Systems
logo are trademarks of Ulead Systems, which may be registered in certain jurisdictions. Microsoft, Windows,
the Windows logo, Windows NT, Windows XP, and Microsoft Office are either registered trademarks or
trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. Acrobat
®
Reader
Copyright© 1987 - 2003 Adobe Systems Incorporated. All rights reserved. Adobe, the Adobe logo, PhotoShop,
the PhotoShop logo, Acrobat, and the Acrobat logo are trademarks of Adobe Systems Incorporated. Java
TM
and
the Java
TM
logo are trademarks of Sun Microsystems, Inc in the United States and/or other countries. Paint
Shop Pro and the Paint Shop Pro logo are trademarks of Jasc Software, Inc.. All other product names and any
registered and unregistered trademarks mentioned in this manual are used for identification purposes only and
remain the exclusive property of their respective owners.
Sample files
Files provided as samples on the program CD can be used for personal demonstrations, productions and
presentations. No rights are granted for commercial reproduction or redistribution of any sample files.
North & South America International
Ulead Systems, Inc. Ulead Systems, Inc.
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Support:
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Support: http://www.ulead.co.jp/tech
China
Germany Ulead Systems, Inc.
Ulead Systems GmbH http://www.ulead.com.cn
http://www.ulead.de Support: http://www.ulead.com.cn/tech
Support: http://www.ulead.de/tech
TABLE OF CONTENTS 3
Table of Contents
CH. 1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................. 9
What would you like to do? ......................................................................................................10
Installation ................................................................................................................................11
First-time PhotoImpact users ................................................................................................................. 11
Reinstalling programs ............................................................................................................................ 12
Running the programs ........................................................................................................................... 12
PhotoImpact ................................................................................................................................. 12
GIF Animator ............................................................................................................................... 12
Album ........................................................................................................................................... 12
Photo Explorer ............................................................................................................................. 13
Overview of the programs ....................................................................................................... 13
PhotoImpact ........................................................................................................................................... 13
Album ..................................................................................................................................................... 16
GIF Animator .......................................................................................................................................... 17
Photo Explorer ....................................................................................................................................... 17
What’s New ............................................................................................................................... 18
Learning PhotoImpact .............................................................................................................. 19
Installing online documentation .............................................................................................. 19
CH. 2 THE PHOTOIMPACT WORKSPACE ................................................ 21
Introduction to the workspace ................................................................................................ 22
PhotoImpact panels ................................................................................................................. 24
AccessPanel tools ................................................................................................................... 24
The Layer Manager ............................................................................................................................... 24
The Document Manager ........................................................................................................................ 25
The Browse Manager ........................................................................................................................... 26
The Selection Manager .......................................................................................................................... 26
Using a selection ......................................................................................................................... 26
Using the EasyPalette .............................................................................................................. 27
Creating and organizing your galleries/libraries ................................................................................... 28
Importing and exporting galleries ............................................................................................... 29
Customizing the EasyPalette ................................................................................................................. 29
Modifying and adding Gallery thumbnails ............................................................................................. 30
Using your images as Gallery preview thumbnails .............................................................................. 30
EasyPalette Pop-up ............................................................................................................................... 31
Using the Quick Command Panel ............................................................................................ 32
Using the History Tab ............................................................................................................................ 34
Personalizing the workspace .................................................................................................. 35
Customizing toolbars ............................................................................................................................. 35
Color Management ................................................................................................................................. 36
CH. 3 GETTING STARTED .......................................................................... 39
Basic concepts ......................................................................................................................... 41
Creating new images ............................................................................................................................ 41
Opening image files ............................................................................................................................... 43
Opening CMYK files .............................................................................................................................. 43
Using the Browse Manager to open files ............................................................................................. 44
Acquiring images from scanners and digital cameras ......................................................................... 44
Acquiring images from WIA devices ..................................................................................................... 46
4 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Saving images ....................................................................................................................................... 46
AutoSave ............................................................................................................................................... 47
Printing images ...................................................................................................................................... 47
Calibrating your printer ............................................................................................................... 47
Using Print Preview ............................................................................................................................... 48
More print functions .............................................................................................................................. 49
Print Multiple ................................................................................................................................49
Print Poster .................................................................................................................................. 51
Images and the Web .............................................................................................................................. 51
Sending images through the Internet .......................................................................................... 52
Acquiring images from the Internet ............................................................................................ 53
Viewing images ..................................................................................................................................... 54
Zooming on an image .................................................................................................................. 54
Adding a view ............................................................................................................................... 55
Using the Global Viewer ............................................................................................................. 56
Viewing images in other modes .................................................................................................. 56
Using the clipboard ................................................................................................................................ 57
Performing cut and copy operations ........................................................................................... 57
Performing a paste operation ...................................................................................................... 57
The Clipboard submenu ............................................................................................................. 59
Duplicating images ...................................................................................................................... 59
Recovering from mistakes .................................................................................................................... 60
Cropping an image ................................................................................................................................. 61
Perspective Crop ................................................................................................................................... 62
Resizing an image ................................................................................................................................. 63
Changing resolution .................................................................................................................... 63
Changing dimensions by resampling ......................................................................................... 64
Making a screen capture ...................................................................................................................... 65
Advanced concepts ................................................................................................................. 67
Applying commands to multiple files ..................................................................................................... 67
Batch Manager ............................................................................................................................. 67
Batch Convert .............................................................................................................................. 68
Import/Export .......................................................................................................................................... 69
Export to SVG ....................................................................................................................................... 69
Partially loading images ......................................................................................................................... 70
Stitching images together ...................................................................................................................... 71
Automatic stitching ...................................................................................................................... 72
Manual stitching .......................................................................................................................... 73
CH. 4 IMAGE EDITING ................................................................................. 75
Automatically enhancing an image ......................................................................................... 76
Auto-process - Batch ........................................................................................................................... 76
Enhancing digital camera photos using ExpressFix .............................................................. 77
Understanding color correction .............................................................................................. 79
Using the color correction commands .................................................................................................. 79
High Dynamic Range ................................................................................................................ 86
Creating and saving a camera curve profile ........................................................................................ 86
Optimizing images .................................................................................................................................. 88
Using the Retouch Tools .......................................................................................................... 90
The Color Retouch Tools ............................................................................................................ 91
The Burn and Dodge Tools ......................................................................................................... 92
Using the Painting Tools ........................................................................................................... 92
Working with Paint Tool attributes ......................................................................................................... 93
Specifying the painting mode ...................................................................................................... 94
Erasing colors in PhotoImpact ............................................................................................................... 94
TABLE OF CONTENTS 5
Painting Texture menu ........................................................................................................................... 95
Using the Paint as Object mode ............................................................................................................ 95
Using the Edit Active Objects Only mode .............................................................................................. 96
Using the Color Panel ............................................................................................................... 97
The Color Tab ......................................................................................................................................... 97
Single Color ............................................................................................................................................ 97
Setting a Gradient color .............................................................................................................. 98
Swatches Tab ....................................................................................................................................... 99
Gradients Tab ...................................................................................................................................... 100
Color Table Tab .................................................................................................................................... 101
Using the Fill Tools .................................................................................................................. 102
Choosing a fill method ......................................................................................................................... 103
Filling an area with a texture ............................................................................................................... 104
Using Delete and drag-and-drop to fill ................................................................................................ 106
Performing drag-and-drop texture fills ............................................................................................... 106
Using the Tool Panel color tools ............................................................................................ 107
Changing the Tool color ....................................................................................................................... 107
Selecting colors from the Color Picker pop-up menu ......................................................................... 108
Using the Ulead Color Picker .................................................................................................... 108
Picking colors from an image or entire screen ....................................................................... 109
Editing the color table for an Indexed color image .............................................................................. 109
Loading and saving color tables ......................................................................................................... 110
Cloning parts of an image ...................................................................................................... 110
Saving a tool’s attributes to My Gallery ................................................................................. 111
CH. 5 SELECTIONS & OBJECTS ............................................................. 113
Working with selections ........................................................................................................ 115
Pick Tool ............................................................................................................................................... 115
Standard Selection Tool – selecting regularly shaped areas ............................................................. 115
Lasso Tool – selecting irregularly shaped areas ............................................................................... 116
Magic Wand – selecting an area containing similar colors ................................................................ 117
Determining color similarity ...................................................................................................... 118
Mask Mode ........................................................................................................................................... 119
Moving a selection area marquee ....................................................................................................... 121
Preserving the base image ................................................................................................................. 121
Creating smooth-edged selection areas ............................................................................................. 122
Softening a selection edge ................................................................................................................. 122
Creating a border around a selection ................................................................................................. 122
Using Color Range ............................................................................................................................... 123
Adding to or subtracting from a selection .......................................................................................... 124
Expanding a selection area ................................................................................................................. 124
Using the Selection Manager .............................................................................................................. 125
Working with objects ............................................................................................................. 125
Managing object layers ....................................................................................................................... 125
Sorting objects .......................................................................................................................... 126
Grouping and ungrouping objects ............................................................................................ 126
Changing an object’s layer in an image ................................................................................... 127
Setting an object’s properties ............................................................................................................. 128
Editing objects ..................................................................................................................................... 128
Making a selection area on an object or multiple objects ................................................................... 129
Using Defringe ..................................................................................................................................... 130
Match Background Color ..................................................................................................................... 130
Adding a shadow to an object ............................................................................................................ 131
Separating a shadow from its object ........................................................................................ 131
6 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Copying and moving an object between images ................................................................................ 132
Duplicating an object ........................................................................................................................... 132
Deleting an object ................................................................................................................................ 132
Spacing and aligning objects ............................................................................................................... 132
Using object libraries ............................................................................................................. 133
Saving selections to the object libraries ............................................................................................. 133
Retrieving an image or selection ......................................................................................................... 136
Using the Measure Tool ......................................................................................................... 137
Using the Transform Tool ....................................................................................................... 138
Rotating images ................................................................................................................................... 140
Straightening images ................................................................................................................. 141
3D transformation ...................................................................................................................... 141
Working with Object Eraser Tools ........................................................................................ 143
Using the Stamp Tool ............................................................................................................. 144
CH. 6 WORKING WITH TEXT AND PATHS .............................................. 145
Adding text .............................................................................................................................. 146
Text Panel ............................................................................................................................... 147
Style ............................................................................................................................................ 147
3D ............................................................................................................................................... 148
Split Text .................................................................................................................................... 148
Gallery ........................................................................................................................................ 149
Options ....................................................................................................................................... 149
Saving text objects .............................................................................................................................. 150
Creating text effects ........................................................................................................................... 150
Editing text as a path object ................................................................................................................ 152
Wrap effects ........................................................................................................................... 153
Applying special effects to text .......................................................................................................... 153
Applying wrap effects from the EasyPalette ..................................................................................... 154
Creating your own wrap effects ....................................................................................................... 154
Modifying wrap effects ...................................................................................................................... 155
Bending text objects ............................................................................................................................ 157
Path Panel ............................................................................................................................... 158
Tracing and converting images into paths .......................................................................................... 159
Creating paths ..................................................................................................................................... 161
The Path Drawing Tool .............................................................................................................. 161
The Outline Drawing Tool ......................................................................................................... 164
The Line and Arrow Tool ........................................................................................................... 166
Drawing curves and irregularly-shaped paths ......................................................................... 167
Importing Adobe Illustrator files ............................................................................................... 170
Filling a path with the Even-Odd Fill option ............................................................................. 170
Editing paths ........................................................................................................................................ 172
Deforming the path shape ......................................................................................................... 172
The Path Edit Tool ..................................................................................................................... 172
Grouping and ungrouping paths ............................................................................................... 175
Using the Bezier Curve Tool ................................................................................................................ 175
The Freehand Drawing Tool ................................................................................................................ 177
Adding 3D properties to text and path objects ..................................................................... 178
The Material dialog box ........................................................................................................................ 179
Color/Texture Tab ...................................................................................................................... 179
Bevel Tab ................................................................................................................................... 180
Border/Depth Tab ...................................................................................................................... 180
Bump Tab ................................................................................................................................... 180
Reflection Tab ........................................................................................................................... 181
TABLE OF CONTENTS 7
Transparency Tab ...................................................................................................................... 181
Shadow Tab ................................................................................................................................ 181
Light Tab .................................................................................................................................... 181
Shading Tab ............................................................................................................................... 182
Making the surface of 3D objects smoother ...................................................................................... 182
Creating transparent objects .............................................................................................................. 182
Using bump maps ................................................................................................................................ 183
The Z-Merge Tool ................................................................................................................................ 184
Special effects for text and path objects ............................................................................. 187
CH. 7 SPECIAL EFFECTS ......................................................................... 189
Special effects and filters ...................................................................................................... 190
Applying effects and filters to an image ............................................................................................. 191
Customizing effects and filters ........................................................................................................... 191
Dual view dialog box ........................................................................................................................... 191
Zoom Blur effect ................................................................................................................................. 192
Motion Blur ........................................................................................................................................... 193
Lens Distortion effect .......................................................................................................................... 194
Beautify Skin effect ............................................................................................................................. 196
Star Filters ............................................................................................................................................ 196
Shear effect ........................................................................................................................................ 197
Film Grain effect .................................................................................................................................. 198
Diffraction Filter ................................................................................................................................... 198
Multivision Filter ................................................................................................................................... 200
Sunlight effect ..................................................................................................................................... 201
Moon effect ......................................................................................................................................... 202
Creating special effects ......................................................................................................... 204
Warp with Grid .................................................................................................................................... 204
Custom filter ......................................................................................................................................... 205
Custom effect ...................................................................................................................................... 206
Paint on Edges ..................................................................................................................................... 207
Edge Preserving Blur ........................................................................................................................... 207
DeInterlace ........................................................................................................................................... 208
Flatten Uneven Areas .......................................................................................................................... 208
Animation effects ................................................................................................................................ 209
Frame-based animations .......................................................................................................... 209
Playing a frame-based animation ............................................................................................. 210
Storyboard-based animations .................................................................................................. 212
Saving animations ............................................................................................................................... 213
Saving GIF animation options ................................................................................................... 213
Artist Texture ....................................................................................................................................... 214
Texture Filter ........................................................................................................................................ 215
Creative Warp ..................................................................................................................................... 216
Crystal & Glass effect ......................................................................................................................... 216
Lighting ................................................................................................................................................ 218
Enhance Lighting ................................................................................................................................. 219
Diffuse Glow ....................................................................................................................................... 219
Painting ................................................................................................................................................ 220
Particle and Animated Particle ............................................................................................................. 221
Creative Transform ............................................................................................................................. 222
Adding special Type Effect ................................................................................................................. 223
Kaleidoscope effect ............................................................................................................................ 224
Applying a Light effect ........................................................................................................................ 224
Applying a Magic Gradient .................................................................................................................. 225
Creating a Turnpage effect ................................................................................................................. 226
8 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
CH. 8 ALL FOR THE WEB .......................................................................... 227
Images for the Web ................................................................................................................ 228
Opening an image/UFO file from a Web page ........................................................................ 228
Opening a Web page as a single image .................................................................................. 229
Creating a Web background image ..................................................................................................... 230
Using Background Designer ..................................................................................................... 230
Shifting a Web background ...................................................................................................... 231
Creating a seamlessly tiled background ................................................................................. 232
Button Designer ................................................................................................................................... 233
Slice Tool .............................................................................................................................................. 234
Image Map Tool .................................................................................................................................... 237
Creating object-based image maps ......................................................................................... 237
Creating manual image maps ................................................................................................... 238
Optimizing file sizes and quality for the Web ..................................................................................... 239
Basic controls in Image Optimizer ........................................................................................... 239
Optimizing an image as a JPEG ........................................................................................................... 240
Optimizing an image as a GIF .............................................................................................................. 241
Optimizing an image as a PNG ............................................................................................................ 243
Testing your files with different settings ............................................................................................ 244
Objects for the Web ............................................................................................................... 245
Objects on a Web page ...................................................................................................................... 245
Linking multimedia objects ................................................................................................................... 245
Editing Linked objects .............................................................................................................. 246
HTML Text objects ............................................................................................................................... 247
Converting HTML Text objects to image objects ................................................................................. 248
Component objects .............................................................................................................................. 249
Rollover button .......................................................................................................................... 251
Script effects .......................................................................................................................... 253
Advanced rollover button ................................................................................................................... 259
Web Slide Show .................................................................................................................................. 260
Web pages .............................................................................................................................. 261
Structure of a Web page ..................................................................................................................... 262
Creating a new Web page .................................................................................................................. 263
Using the Web Properties dialog box ...................................................................................... 263
Adding Web images and objects to your Web page .............................................................. 266
Exporting a Web page ............................................................................................................ 266
Previewing in a browser .................................................................................................................... 267
Saving for the Web ............................................................................................................................. 267
Posting to the Web .............................................................................................................................. 268
Post to Web (single or multiple document) ............................................................................. 268
Post to iMira using Drop Spot ................................................................................................... 269
Send using default e-mail program .......................................................................................... 269
Tutorial: Putting a Web page together .................................................................................. 270
GIF Animator ........................................................................................................................... 271
Image management with Album ........................................................................................... 272
FOR PREVIOUS PHOTOIMPACT USERS ................................................ 273
SHORTCUTS............................................................................................... 277
INDEX ........................................................................................................... 285
1
INTRODUCTION
Welcome to Ulead PhotoImpact XL, the software that delivers total
image editing for the PC. Easily manage and enhance digital photos,
create stunning graphics and produce high-impact Web pages for
recreational or business use. Professional-looking photos are easy to
make using one-click auto correction commands. Add pizzazz with
loads of filters, special effects and professional raster, vector, and 3D
tools. Embed photo slideshows on your personal Web pages and share
it with the world!
This introductory chapter discusses the program overview, including
installation and upgrade procedures, running procedures and key
upgrade features. Read on and learn how PhotoImpact transforms
digital image editing from a complicated and tedious task to something
quick, easy and fun to do!
Introduction at a glance:
What would you like to do? ........................................................................................... 10
Installation ...................................................................................................................... 11
Overview of the programs ............................................................................................. 13
What’s New ................................................................................................................... 18
Learning PhotoImpact................................................................................................... 19
Installing online documentation ................................................................................... 19
10 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
What would you like to do?
With PhotoImpact, you can quickly familiarize yourself with all the features through a variety of
sources. Tip of the Day and tutorials guide you along the basics of the program, while Help topics can
clue you in on the finer points of the features. The following list should help you determine which
method is best suited to your needs.
I want to skip the manual and get started
The PhotoImpact Online Help is the best way to learn things for those who prefer exploring the
program on their own instead of reading the user guide. Online Help can be accessed in one of the
following ways:
• Press [F1] on your keyboard anywhere within the program.
• Select Help: Ulead PhotoImpact Help on the Menu Bar.
• Click Context Sensitive Help on the Standard Toolbar, and then click the item of interest. A
help topic for that item then appears with further links to related topics.
I want to see what’s new in this version
The What’s new section on page 18 offers an overview of all the powerful new features included in
the latest package. For current PhotoImpact users, you can immediately begin using the program
more efficiently by taking advantage of these new and useful tools.
I am a first time user
If you’re new to PhotoImpact, look for the Tip of the Day, which pops up each time you run the
program. This gives you hints on how to best take advantage of the features available in the program.
For further assistance while you are actually using PhotoImpact, the Tutorials section in the Online
Help offers easy-to-follow step-by-step instructions. You can also take a look at Learning PhotoImpact
on page 19 and What’s new on page 18.
I want to design for the Web
To create the most impressive and dynamic Web sites around, Webmasters and Web designers should
go to Chapter 8: All for the Web on page 227. This reveals the extensive range of tools available for
creating amazing Web pages and Web-efficient images.
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 11
I am a Microsoft Office user and want to work closely with those programs
Microsoft Office users can get straight to work with Album. Refer to the manual in PDF format on
the PhotoImpact CD. It will show you how you can use Album together with Windows to link and
embed image files into Office documents. You can also discover how to use the powerful features in
Album to manage and organize image files.
Installation
PhotoImpact XL is very easy to install. It has an auto-run feature that will guide the user to the setup
and installation process. First time users can simply insert the installation CD and follow the onscreen
instructions. Previous version users of PhotoImpact must make sure to uninstall the previous version
and back-up all necessary files before installing the latest version.
Note:
Make back-up copies of your custom galleries and libraries (typically UFO and SMP
files). You can restore these custom files using PhotoImpact’s import/export capabilities. For
details, see page 29.
First-time PhotoImpact users
Installing PhotoImpact is easy as 1-2-3. Simply follow the instructions in the CD's auto-run feature
and guided tour and you'll have PhotoImpact up and running in no time.
To install PhotoImpact:
1 Insert the PhotoImpact XL CD into
your CD-ROM drive.
2 When the Setup screen appears, follow
the instructions to install PhotoImpact
onto your computer.
3 If the Setup screen does not appear
automatically, click Start on your
Windows taskbar, and then select Run.
When the Run dialog box opens, type
D:\setup.exe then click OK (where D is
the letter of your CD-ROM drive).
Once you have installed PhotoImpact, take a moment to register online by visiting the Ulead Web site
(http://www.ulead.com). Becoming a registered user entitles you to product and information updates,
as well as technical support if you encounter any problems.
12 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Reinstalling programs
Aside from PhotoImpact, Setup also installs other programs which include PhotoImpact Album, GIF
Animator, and Photo Explorer into your computer. If you uninstalled any of these programs, you can
run Setup again to reinstall them.
To install the other programs:
1 Insert the PhotoImpact CD into your
CD-ROM drive.
2 When the Setup screen appears, select
Modify. This automatically reinstalls
the other programs. Follow all
subsequent instructions to complete the
installation.
3 If the Setup screen does not appear
automatically, click Start on your
Windows taskbar, and then select Run.
When the Run dialog box opens, type
D:\setup.exe then click OK (where D is
the letter of your CD-ROM drive).
Running the programs
Click Start: Programs – Ulead PhotoImpact submenu to run the PhotoImpact programs. You can
also access them through one of the following methods:
PhotoImpact
• Double-click any image file associated with the PhotoImpact program (associated files use the
PhotoImpact icon).
GIF Animator
• After creating an animated effect, click Save. In the following dialog box, select Open with
Ulead GIF Animator and then click Save.
Album
• Double-click any .AB3 file in Windows Explorer.
• Select Album from the Switch Menu in PhotoImpact.
• Click the Album Quickstart icon in the Windows system tray.
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 13
Photo Explorer
• Double-click any image file associated with the Photo Explorer program (associated files use
the Photo Explorer icon).
• Photo Explorer is installed in a separate program folder. Click Start: Programs – Ulead Photo
Explorer submenu to run the program.
Overview of the programs
The following is a brief overview of the programs in PhotoImpact:
PhotoImpact
PhotoImpact is an all-in-one image editing solution for photo enhancement, graphic design and Web
design. With a wealth of tools at your fingertips, there’s virtually no limit to the images you can create
for great-looking images for your home, business or school projects. Some of PhotoImpact’s unique
and innovative features are listed below.
Digital Photography Offers professional techniques to enhance your photos. Sophisticated and
advanced, yet fun and easy to use, PhotoImpact’s digital imaging tools are all you need to give your
photos the professional edge.
• Advanced camera filters such as High
Dynamic Range, Enhance Lighting,
Graduated Filter, and Star Filters,
contain a remarkable array of
corrections, enhancers, and special
effects that you can apply to your
images to achieve that professional
look.
• Flexible printing options free you
from printing limitations.
PhotoImpact's extensive print
capabilities let you place great images
on almost everything - from multiple
sticker labels to CD covers to giant
posters! No added software needed.
14 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Comprehensive Web page creation Offers an integrated program that allows you to create entire Web
pages, from images, backgrounds, rollovers, buttons, text, animation, and more, without the hassle of
coding. Because Web pages are saved in the object-based UFO file format, you can update and edit
Web page content any time.
• Web page output capability generates
HTML code and attaches image
references instantly.
• Component Designer and
Background Designer creates
attractive Web page elements in just a
few steps.
• HTML text lets you add and edit
HTML-embedded text on your Web
pages to ensure easy accessibility and
superior download rates.
• Hyperlinks, image maps, JavaScript,
and image slicing let you quickly add
all the functionality and extras needed
to get your Web pages up and
running.
• Optimization capability Image
Optimizer helps you prepare all your
images and components with
maximum choices in compression and
optimization for minimum download
times and superior image quality.
Powerful graphic imaging tools Let you work intuitively to bring your creativity to the fore in Web
and imaging projects.
• Elaborate Selection capability
Improved selection algorithm lets you
make selections within objects and
multiple objects without the need to
merge them beforehand.
• Vector graphics capabilities Allow you
to create and edit complex 2D and
3D vector and raster-based objects
with the Path Tools.
• Improved text creation tools allow
you to create, edit, and transform your
text directly on your workspace.
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 15
• Special effects and animations
Including particle and wild pattern
effects, can be applied to objects,
selections and whole images.
• Animation Studio Features realistic
and vibrant animated effects with
specific key frame controls for both
photos and 3D objects, to liven up
your Web pages.
Productivity functions Let you work with a number of image files simultaneously for maximum
speed and ease.
• EasyPalette Brings stunning range of
presets within easy reach, and can be
applied to images with drag-and-drop
ease.
• Macro recording and playback Allow
you to simplify and catalog repetitive
tasks or procedures through the Quick
Command Panel.
• Superior screen capture capabilities
Let you capture any part of your
workspace, specific objects, menus
and more, then open them directly in
PhotoImpact.
• CD export capability for Web Album
and Web SlideShow Gives you the
ability to burn album or slide show
files directly into CDs for easy storage.
• Extensive file format support allows
you to work with most popular
graphics formats for greater imaging
options, including layer support for
Photoshop
TM
and Paint Shop Pro
®
files.
Note:
See page 18 for the
introduction to major new features in
this version. Also, see page 273 for a
table listing the major feature
changes between this version and
previous ones.
16 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Album
Album is a powerful tool for multimedia file management. Not only can you organize and catalog
your files visually through thumbnails, but you can create your own database that you can edit and
update. Album also provides convenient tools for sharing your images over the Internet. Its features
include:
• User defined fields Give you the
power to organize large collections of
images with a searchable database
through fields or categories you can
specify.
• Extensive Web support features
Provide several ways to share your
images over the Internet. Create Web
albums as well as slide shows, and
automatically generate HTML files or
create a single self-extracting file ready
to be sent by e-mail. You can also send
individual images by e-mail directly
from Album.
• Folder monitoring Allows Album to
check your system for any changes to
files in a folder and then automatically
update the albums accordingly.
• Compact mode Provides convenient
access to your albums while at the
same time revealing background
programs. This allows you to easily
drag and drop thumbnails between
Album and other programs.
• Album Manager Helps you quickly
and conveniently open, close, delete,
or remove multiple albums from the
album panel for more effective
organization of your image files.
• Exif data Automatically stores Exif
data of each image in the data field.
• Burn Album CD/DVD Outputs one
or more of your custom albums
directly to CD/DVD for easy storage
and retrieval.
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 17
GIF Animator
Ulead GIF Animator is a powerful tool for creating high impact animation for Web pages,
presentations, and multimedia titles. Composing, editing, and applying special effects can all be done
in GIF Animator. The program also gives you total control over optimization, making animations
compact and Web-ready while retaining excellent image quality. When producing the final animation
file, a variety of file formats are available, including animated GIF, Windows AVI, QuickTime,
Autodesk animation, image sequences, and even Flash animation. Here are some of GIF Animator’s
major features:
• Object-based editing While primarily
a post-production tool, GIF Animator
also gives you the capability to
manipulate objects in True Color. You
can even switch between
PhotoImpact and GIF Animator for
further enhancement.
• Animated banner text GIF Animator
helps you create dynamic, eye-
catching banner text which you can
animate. Combine different effects,
such as adding neon glow and
applying move-in and move-out
effects, and make your messages come
across very clearly.
• Plug-in filters and video effects Many
plug-ins can be added into GIF
Animator and applied to image
objects. Also, a variety of video filters
and effects helps you create impressive
transitions from one frame to another
for added impact to your animations.
Photo Explorer
Ulead Photo Explorer gives you everything you need to quickly acquire, manage, enhance and share
digital photos, audio and video files. It is the perfect companion to digital cameras, WebCams, DV
camcorders and scanners. Here are some of Photo Explorer’s major features:
• Get photos and media PhotoExplorer
automatically starts data download
when media is inserted in the memory
card reader and the Digital Camera
Wizard makes it easy to get the
images. It also captures video from
DV camcorders, Web Cams and
capture boards.
18 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
• View and organize media Browse
large collections of image and video
files. Organize and work with Zip files
as easily as normal folders.
• Enhance images Choose from crop,
color balance, red eye removal,
brightness and contrast, focus, and
more. Use photography filters like lens
distortion correction and sepia tones.
Record and add sound annotations to
your images. Batch convert images to
preferred file formats and resolutions.
• Share Print images in a variety of sizes
and layouts. Create slideshows that
include photos, video, music,
voiceover narration, captions and
transition effects. Burn slideshow
discs for viewing on PCs or for TV
viewing. Send images, video clips and
self-extracting Web slideshows by e-
mail. Print digital photos with
exceptional color to Epson printers
using the Print Image Matching
(PIM) format.
What’s New
PhotoImpact XL celebrates a decade of giving you the most innovative image editing tools for the PC.
Edit, manage and share digital photos plus so much more. More digital photography tools, more
filters and effects, more content and more learning resources. It’s everything you need to produce
professional results fast.
• The new ExpressFix™ removes the
guesswork from fixing common photo
problems such as improper color,
unbalanced exposure, and out-of-focus
photos. Through a step-by-step interface,
the wizard analyzes photos and
automatically presents various options to fix
them.
• Color Cast control brings out the true
colors in a photo by removing any color
incorrectly dominating an image. Users can
manually adjust the color of a selected area
or object, minimizing or eliminating the
undesired color from their photo.
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 19
• Enhanced High Dynamic Range gives a
photo a super-realistic quality by
combining different copies of photos and
uses the different exposure levels to extend
its “perceivable tonal range”. Even shots
taken without a tripod can be used with
this feature. Its Image Registration function
automatically maps locations of different
shots and aligns them to get a perfectly
merged photo.
• Multivision Filter lets users encircle a
single image with numerous reproductions
of that same image. The user has several
patterns to choose from, and can create
from 3 to 25 identical images, which
produces artistic results.
• Moon effect lets users easily place a truly
realistic view of the moon into an image —
an effect that even darkroom experts find
difficult to achieve.
• Sunlight effect brings out vivid colors on
photos that were taken on less than perfect
days — a must-have tool for landscape
photographers.
• Diffraction Filter adds more life and color
to photos by adorning them with rainbows.
• Displacement mapping gives more realistic
bump maps to textured 3D path objects.
Learning PhotoImpact
There are a number of ways to learn PhotoImpact, including reading the user guide, or clicking Help
whenever necessary. And be sure to visit Ulead’s Learning Center (at http://www.ulead.com) for
further tutorials and tips. But the most effective method of all is to explore the program itself. Play
with the software and you’ll be a pro in no time.
Installing online documentation
An electronic copy of the user guide is available in Adobe Acrobat
format, or the Portable Document
Format (PDF). To view this:
1 Run the file ar500enu.exe located in the PhotoImpact CD in the folder
Utilities\AcrobatReader\English and follow the installation instructions.
2 Select File: Open from Acrobat Reader, and then open the file
PI-XL MANUAL.PDF found on the PhotoImpact CD to view the user guide online.
Multivision Filter
Diffraction Filter
Moon effect
High Dynamic
Range
20 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
2
2
THE PHOTOIMPACT WORKSPACE
This chapter explains the concepts behind PhotoImpact's user interface,
beginning with a walkthrough of the workspace and its various
components, followed by detailed descriptions of the various panels
and toolbars. This chapter then concludes with assorted tips and tricks
on how to personalize your PhotoImpact workspace settings.
In Chapter 2 you will learn:
Introduction to the workspace....................................................................................... 22
PhotoImpact panels ...................................................................................................... 24
AccessPanel tools ........................................................................................................ 24
Using the EasyPalette................................................................................................... 27
Using the Quick Command Panel ............................................................................... 32
Personalizing the workspace ....................................................................................... 35
22 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Introduction to the workspace
PhotoImpact opens with a typical program window (as shown below). As you get familiar with the
different tools illustrated in this page and the next, you’ll find that they are quite easy to use. Page
references are also provided for most of the different functions allowing you to go directly to the topic
of interest for more information. The illustration below helps you quickly locate the different features.
Document Manager - page 25
Browse Manager - page 26
EasyPalette - page 27
Color Panel - page 97
Quick Command Panel - page 32
Selection Manager - page 26
Layer Manager - page 24
Panel
Manager
Panel Manager
AccessPanel
Status
Bar
Tool
Panel
Menu Bar Attribute Toolbar Standard Toolbar
Color Panel
EasyPalette
EasyPalette
Pop-up
Quick Command
Panel
CHAPTER 2: THE PHOTOIMPACT WORKSPACE 23
Tool Panel
Standard Toolbar
New Image
Open
Save
Acquire from Digital Camera
Paste
Color Balance
Print Preview
Post-processing Wizard
Undo
Redo
Acquire from Scanner
Print
Print Multiple
Copy
Cut
Ulead
Homepage
Zoom In/
Zoom Out
Help
Layout
Capture
Brightness & Contrast
High Dynamic Range
Auto Level
New Web Page
Photo/System
Properties
Program Status & Helpful Hints
Status Bar
Measurement Unit
Image Type
Setup EasyPalette Pop-up
EasyPalette Pop-up
Swap F/B Color
Background Color - page 107
Foreground Color - page 107
Quick Color Controls (Show/Hide these
controls through Preferences: General
- PhotoImpact - Tools)
Show/Hide Mask Mode [Ctrl+K] page 119
Object Eraser Tool [O] - page 143
Eyedropper Tool [Y,C] - page 109
Pick Tool [K,W] - page 115
Selection Tool [M] - page 115
Retouch Tool [H] - page 90
Paint Tool [P] - page 92
Clone Tool [N] - page 110
Fill Tool [F] - page 104
Crop Tool/ Perspective Crop Tool [R] - page 61
Path Tool [D] - page 161 Text Tool [T] - page 146
Zoom Tool [/, Z] - page 54
Stamp Tool [.] - page 144
Transform Tool [Q] - page 138
Image Map Tool [U] - page 237
Slice Tool [I] - page 234
Z-Merge Tool [B] - page 184
Show/Hide Slice Line [Shift+F7] page 235
Show/Hide Ruler [Shift+V]
Show/Hide Image Map [Shift+F8] - page 238
Set to default Foreground/Background color
Preview in Browser
Highlight Midtone Shadow
Measure Tool [Y,C] - page 137
ExpressFix
24 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
PhotoImpact panels
PhotoImpact provides you with an assortment of management tools to make working inside the
program easy and convenient. Drag and drop effects or filters from the EasyPalette right into the
workspace, view files inside folders as thumbnails before opening them with the Browse Manager or
recall the steps you have done in the Quick Command Panel. Learn more about what these and other
management tools can offer in the succeeding sections.
AccessPanel tools
Trying to keep track of numerous objects across multiple documents is quite a simple matter when
using the four components of the AccessPanel. Clicking the icons on the left-hand side of the
Shortcut Bar switches the panel layout between Layer, Selection, Document, and Browse Managers.
From within a single panel, you can organize and control any number of documents, selections, and
objects within them. Once you familiarize yourself with this panel, you will quickly find it
indispensable.
The Layer Manager
The Layer Manager displays all the objects
present in your active document as individual
thumbnails. These thumbnails reflect any
editing that you apply to the objects, and each
thumbnail is numbered sequentially by the
order (or layer) in which it was created. Change
the order, position and size, and object
properties directly from within the Layer
Manager. You can also show/hide objects by
clicking the eye icon, or lock an object’s
position by clicking the lock icon in the Layer
Manager.
Shortcut
Bar
CHAPTER 2: THE PHOTOIMPACT WORKSPACE 25
Notes:
• To select multiple objects in the Layer Manager, press [Ctrl] or [Shift] as you click
objects. To select all objects, press [Ctrl+Shift+A].
• Transparency and object merging options, both useful tools for changing an object’s
display qualities, are readily accessible on the Shortcut Bar.
Thumbnail menu commands contain a number of practical tools used for manipulating
objects.
The Navigation icon opens a separate area at the bottom of the Layer Manager, where
documents can be magnified by adjusting a slider or using the zoom tools. When the
document does not fit in the window, the frame on the document enables you to select the
area to display.
The Document Manager
The Document Manager displays open
documents in the workspace as thumbnails.
It’s easy to switch between a handful of open
documents using the Document Manager.
Click or double-click (if the document is
minimized) a document thumbnail to bring it
to the top of the workspace.
Notes:
• The active document has a blue border around its thumbnail image in the Document
Manager.
• Select multiple thumbnails then select one of the Batch Manager commands on the
Shortcut Bar to apply that command to all selected documents.
• Move your cursor over a thumbnail in the Document Manager to display that document’s
properties.
• The Navigation icon opens a separate area at the bottom of the Document Manager,
where documents can be magnified by adjusting a slider or using the zoom tools. When
the document does not fit in the window, the frame on the document enables you to select
the area to display.
26 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
The Browse Manager
Browse for image files on your computer or
local network with the Browse Manager. Image
files can be identified more easily in the Browse
Manager as they are displayed as thumbnails.
Open files by double-clicking a thumbnail or
by dragging the files to the workspace.
Click Recent Files to view the documents you
have recently opened in the workspace.
Double-click the thumbnail to open or to make
active the file in the workspace. The number of
files displayed can be set in the Preferences
dialog box [F6].
Right-click Recent Files to open a pop-up
menu where it displays the folders that you
have recently accessed.
Tips:
•
Batch Convert - Convert the file format or data type of all images in the selected folder
(see page 68).
•
Batch Task - Apply a previously recorded task to all images in the selected folder.
The Selection Manager
The Selection Manager lets you store frequently-used selections and masks for easy storage and
retrieval. You can store up to 99 items in the Selection Manager. Placing a selection in the manager is
easy: simply make a selection using any of the selection tools, then right-click to reveal the context
menu, and choose Save Current Selection.
Using a selection
To use a selection in your active document,
double-click the selection from the Selection
Manager or drag it into the active window.
Once placed, you can modify an existing
selection by clicking + or - on the Selection
Manager or the Attribute Toolbar. For details
on modifying selections, see page 124.
Recent files icon. Scroll
to the top of the tree view
pane to see it.
CHAPTER 2: THE PHOTOIMPACT WORKSPACE 27
Using the EasyPalette
The EasyPalette provides you a location where you can store different items such as tools, settings,
effect presets, templates and many more for quick access. Also, the easiest and most convenient
method for applying special effects and filters is to drag them from the EasyPalette directly onto an
image, selection area, or object. Items in the EasyPalette are separated into various galleries and
libraries. Galleries contain filters and effects while libraries contain different types of objects that you
can use in your documents. Create your own galleries and libraries to better manage the items you
want to store in the EasyPalette.
The EasyPalette has an icon on its Shortcut Bar which allows you to access the Setup EasyPalette
Pop-up dialog box and set up your EasyPalette Pop-up.
Using the EasyPalette:
• Click or to switch between the
available galleries and libraries.
• Click to set up the EasyPalette Pop-
up. For more information regarding the
EasyPalette Pop-up, see page 31.
• Toggle between displaying the
EasyPalette in the Tree view or
Thumbnail view by clicking .
• Use View menu commands and
Thumbnail menu commands to
customize the EasyPalette. For more
information regarding these, see page
30.
• In Galleries, Tr y allows you to use
your images as preview thumbnails. For
more information regarding this, see
page 30.
28 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
To apply an item from the EasyPalette:
1 Select View: Toolbars & Panels -
EasyPalette or click the EasyPalette icon
in the Panel Manager.
2 Click Galleries for special effects, paint
tools, fill tools, and so on.
Click Object Libraries for object or path
presets.
3 Click “+” / “-” or double-click each
gallery and library to display and hide
details.
4 Select an effect from the available
galleries and double-click it or drag and
drop it on the document to apply.
Creating and organizing your galleries/libraries
You can create and save your own gallery of objects (see Chapter 5) and special effects (see Chapter 7).
Because both galleries and libraries store numerous images, objects, and animated effects, they can
become quite cluttered at times. You can organize them by placing them into user-defined tab groups.
You can also place your most frequently used galleries or libraries inside the EasyPalette Pop-up for
quicker access. For more details on the EasyPalette Pop-up, see page 31.
To create a gallery or library:
1 In the EasyPalette, select Create from
the Gallery Manager or Object Library
Manager menu.
2 Enter a name for your gallery or library
in the Name Box. To change the path
and the folder, type in or browse for a
new destination in the Folder Box.
3 The Tab groups window specifies the
tabs belonging to the new gallery. Click
Add/Remove to add or remove tabs
from the gallery.
4 Click OK.
CHAPTER 2: THE PHOTOIMPACT WORKSPACE 29
Importing and exporting galleries
Use Import, Export, and Package to share preset galleries and libraries with friends and colleagues.
From the Gallery Manager or Object Library Manager submenu, select any of the following
commands:
• Import Allows you to load any gallery files (*.SMP) or object library files (*.UOL) into the
EasyPalette.
• Export Saves the active gallery/library as another file in a specified folder.
• Package Saves the active gallery/library as another file in a specified folder, including all
linked custom image, texture or background files.
• Properties Displays the gallery or library file properties, like file size, number of tab
groups, number of thumbnails, etc.
• Menu Layout Renames galleries or libraries, and adds/removes submenus and separators.
To package a gallery/library into a folder:
1 Right-click the desired gallery/library in
the EasyPalette's tree view, or click the
arrow on the Galleries/Object Libraries
icon and select Gallery Manager/Object
Library Manager on the menu.
2 Select Package. The Package Gallery/
Package Object Library dialog box
opens.
3 Specify the destination folder where
your packaged gallery/library files and
other external files will be saved.
4 Click Save.
Customizing the EasyPalette
There are numerous ways of modifying the EasyPalette to suit the way that you work. The View
menu commands include the following:
• EasyPalette options Include thumbnail display as well as category and object organization.
The General group lets you specify how you want the thumbnails to appear and if they
should display animated effects. With the Gallery group, you can have the EasyPalette
automatically open to display the related category of effects whenever you select a tool
from the Tool Panel.
• Resize commands Allow you to specify the display size of the EasyPalette.
Thumbnail menu commands contain a wide range of options to further specify what you want the
thumbnails to display. (See the following section.)
30 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Modifying and adding Gallery thumbnails
You might find it convenient to modify your collection of customized tools and special effects directly
on the EasyPalette. By clicking Thumbnail menu commands, you can choose to modify thumbnail
effects and add new effects, including Adobe Photoshop plug-in effects and image fills. You can also
add a variety of commands for image adjustment and conversion by selecting Add Command
Thumbnails.
To change and add a Gallery thumbnail
preset:
1 Click the Thumbnail menu commands
icon or right-click a thumbnail, then
select Modify Properties and Apply.
The dialog box for that effect appears.
2 Modify the settings and click Add to
store the modified thumbnail to the
EasyPalette for future use.
3 Click OK to apply the settings to the
active image.
Note:
To update a particular
thumbnail effect without adding a new
thumbnail to the EasyPalette, select
Properties from Thumbnail menu
commands. This only works for
special effect thumbnails.
Using your images as Gallery preview thumbnails
The Tr y button on the EasyPalette window (for Gallery only) lets you use the current image, selected
area or active object as a thumbnail representation. This way, you get an immediate preview of how
your image will look with different effects and filters. Select a gallery and click Tr y . For more options,
click the arrow next to Tr y and choose from the following options:
• Selected Thumbnails Changes the
currently selected thumbnail with the
active image.
• Visible Thumbnails Changes the
thumbnails that are visible in the
EasyPalette window with that of the
active image.
CHAPTER 2: THE PHOTOIMPACT WORKSPACE 31
• All Thumbnails Changes all the
thumbnails in the currently selected
gallery with that of the active image.
• Use Image as Thumbnails Uses a
specific area of the active image as a
thumbnail in the selected gallery.
• Reset All Thumbnails Brings the
thumbnails back to their original
preset.
EasyPalette Pop-up
The EasyPalette Pop-up provides you with an alternative location to access your preferred Galleries
and Libraries, and it is completely customizable. The EasyPalette Pop-up can be accessed by clicking
the EasyPalette Pop-up Box on the Status Bar or by pressing [Ctrl+F1]. Apply a preset from the
EasyPalette Pop-up by simply clicking a thumbnail.
To add a Gallery and/or Library to the
EasyPalette Pop-up:
1 Click Setup EasyPalette Pop-up on the
Status Bar or in the EasyPalette.
2 In the Setup EasyPalette Pop-up dialog
box, select the specific galleries and/or
libraries you want to add to the
EasyPalette Pop-up then click the
Right arrow.
Note:
To remove an item in the
EasyPalette Pop-up, select the item
then click Left. The Up and Down
arrows allow you to arrange the order
of hierarchy of the galleries and/or
libraries inside the EasyPalette Pop-
up.
3 Click OK.
Notes:
• If you have more the one item inside the EasyPalette Pop-up, click the arrow beside the
EasyPalette Pop-up Box then select the item to open it.
• In the EasyPalette Pop-up, resize the size of the thumbnails by clicking . The size of
the EasyPalette Pop-up can also be resized by dragging the lower right-hand corner.
Switch
between the
Gallery or
Library
32 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Using the Quick Command Panel
With the Quick Command Panel (QCP), PhotoImpact provides a fast way to access commonly used
commands, to retrace or redo steps you have done, as well as an easy way to record a series of steps
(known as macros) that you can apply to your image or file thus saving precious time for more
productive activities. In addition to customizing commands, you can also efficiently organize a series
of tasks to perform while working on your images.
To activate the Quick Command Panel:
• Select View: Toolbars & Panels - Quick Command Panel,
• Right-click any toolbar or panel title bar and select Quick Command Panel on the pop-up
menu,
• Click the Quick Command Panel icon in the Panel Manager, or
• Press [Ctrl+F2].
The Quick Command Panel contains three different tabs:
• History Displays a history list of
commands applied to the currently
selected document. Undo or redo
commands to any stage in the
document development by using the
slider or clicking a particular stage,
duplicate any stage, or purge the undo/
redo cache to liberate system resources.
• Task Displays a series of menu
commands that you have recorded.
You can apply these individually to the
current document, or you can apply an
entire sequence of actions to an image.
(For more details, see the following
procedure.)
• Cache Automatically records and
displays a list of recently used
commands (up to 32 distinct
commands), with the most recently
performed command shown at the
bottom of the list. Select the Lock Box
to keep a command permanently in the
cache list.
CHAPTER 2: THE PHOTOIMPACT WORKSPACE 33
To record a quick command:
1 In the Task Tab , click Task menu
commands and select New.
2 Enter a name for the sequence of
actions that you want to record, then
click Record.
3 Begin applying a series of menu
commands to your image. For instance,
you can first apply some effects from
the Effect menu, and then you can
retouch the image with the Format
menu commands. These will be
automatically recorded in the QCP.
4 After you have applied the desired
commands, click Stop in the Task Tab.
If you want to add to the list of tasks
for that set, click Record and continue
applying menu commands to the
image.
Note:
You can also rearrange the task
commands here by simply dragging a
task command to a different location
on the Task List. You can also right-
click the list to open a pop-up menu
where there are several options
available for you to be able to
customize the Task List.
After recording a series of actions, you can apply them all or just a select few to another image
document.
• To apply an entire series of actions to an image, simply click Play in the Task Tab. All
recorded actions will be applied.
• Click the Use preset properties icon to switch between applying the command with
predefined dialog box settings, and invoking the dialog box when the command is
applied. The icon with a slash means to use predefined settings.
• To apply a single command to an image, you can use either the Task or Cache Tab, and
simply click the desired command.
34 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Notes:
• Right-click a cached command in the Cache Tab and select Add to Task List on the
pop-up menu to add the command to the currently selected task.
Click Task menu commands and select Task Manager on the pop-up menu to
organize and edit tasks in a set.
Click Batch Task to apply a command to all image files in a selected folder.
• For more on using the Quick Command Panel and macros, check the Online Help.
Using the History Tab
The History Tab is a very useful tool when you often use the Undo/Redo commands. It is also
useful when you want to experiment with the same image while applying different effects or if
you want to limit the resources used by PhotoImpact.
Undo and Redo are very important tools when you want to test the effect of a function applied to
your image. After making a large number of changes to an image, the quickest way to return to a
previous state is to select it from the list in the History Tab.
To duplicate an earlier document state:
1 In the History Tab, drag the slider
or select the state in the History
List.
2 Click the Duplicate icon on the
toolbar.
3 Select the original document in the
workspace, then drag the slider or
select the last command in the
History List to reapply all
commands.
Notes:
Click Clear Undo/Redo to purge the History List for the selected document. This
can be beneficial for program performance as it frees up system resources. If you find
that your system’s performance is slow after applying a lot of effects, you can
decrease the number of Undo Levels to improve performance.
Click Change Undo Level to set the number of commands that are cached.
When the Enable/Disable Undo icon is depressed, Undo is enabled. If you are
running a low-memory system, you can disable Undo to improve overall performance.
CHAPTER 2: THE PHOTOIMPACT WORKSPACE 35
Personalizing the workspace
Before moving on, select File: Preferences or press [F6] to set various options specific to
PhotoImpact. This enables you to customize the way your program works and to move around
your workspace with ease. The Category section in the Preferences dialog box contains all the
different aspects that determine a program’s performance, displayed in a tree view style. Clicking a
category displays the options with their respective settings or attributes.
Customizing toolbars
PhotoImpact lets you set the workspace to fit the way you work best.
• Drag toolbars or panels away from
their original position to make them
“float” anywhere on the screen or to
dock them to another section of the
program window. You can also
resize most floating toolbars.
• For tools in the Tool Panel, some
have a submenu with further tools.
To access these tools, click the
triangle icon on the lower right of
the button. When the submenu
pops up, you can drag it away from
its original position to make it float
anywhere on the screen or dock it
to another part of the program
window.
• Add and remove buttons on the
Standard Toolbar, depending on
the ones that you need the most.
See the procedure below.
• Click Layout on the Standard
Toolbar, then select one of three
toolbar settings (Basic,
Intermediate, Advanced), or select
the desired toolbars from the list.
36 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
To customize the Standard Toolbar:
1 Select File: Preferences. On the
submenu, select Customize Standard
Toolbar.
2 In the dialog box that appears, the list
box on the left displays buttons that
you can add to the toolbar, and the list
box on the right displays the buttons
that currently exist on the toolbar.
To add a button, select the button on
the left, then select its position on the
right (note that the button will appear
above the item that you select on the
right). Click Add to insert the button.
To remove a button, simply select the
button on the right, then click Remove.
3 To access other selection buttons, click
More. In the dialog box that appears,
select the desired menu Category and
the Command. Click an icon on the
right that you want to appear on the
button, then click OK. In the
Customize Standard Toolbar dialog
box, the new button appears on the
right.
4 Click OK.
Note:
To return to the default
Standard Toolbar layout settings,
select View: Toolbars & Panels -
Reset to Default.
Color Management
Due to variations in monitor calibration, the color gamut of your device, and the type of paper you
are printing on, the color you see on your screen may not necessarily be the color you get on your final
printed copy. Therefore, you may need to use Color Management System (CMS) to match the colors
on your monitor with a printed version.
CHAPTER 2: THE PHOTOIMPACT WORKSPACE 37
A CMS has 3 key functions:
• Maps color gamuts between selected
devices.
• Matches colors in different color models
(for example, RGB to CMYK).
• Provides an accurate display of colors
on screen.
Note:
PhotoImpact includes
Microsoft’s “Image Color Matching”
2.0 (ICM 2.0), a color management
technology producing consistent color
results. ICM 2.0 is available if you
use Windows 98, Windows 2000, or
Windows XP.
To set up a Color Management Profile:
1 Select File: Preferences - Color
Management.
2 Select Enable Color Management and
select Basic if you want to match the
color displayed on your monitor with
that of the color gamut of a selected
device such as a printer; and select
Proofing if you want to emulate the
colors that make up your image to be
displayed on another device.
3 Select a Monitor and Printer profile
from their respective lists.
4 If you selected Proofing Color
Management in step 2, select a profile
for the device selected in step 3.
5 Click OK.
38 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
3
GETTING STARTED
Mastering PhotoImpact requires you to learn certain basic commands
and operations. The first part of this chapter provides instructions on
the fundamentals such as creating new images or opening existing ones.
It also teaches you the finer points of printing documents, whether
singularly or in multiple or poster mode. The latter half of this chapter
takes on advanced concepts like working with multiple files,
importing/exporting images, and working with and combining parts of
an image.
In Chapter 3 you will learn:
Basic concepts ............................................................................................................. 41
Creating new images ................................................................................................... 41
Opening image files...................................................................................................... 43
Opening CMYK files ...................................................................................................... 43
Using the Browse Manager to open files..................................................................... 44
Acquiring images from scanners and digital cameras ............................................... 44
Acquiring images from WIA devices ............................................................................. 46
Saving images............................................................................................................... 46
AutoSave ........................................................................................................................47
Printing images ............................................................................................................. 47
Using Print Preview ....................................................................................................... 48
More print functions ....................................................................................................... 49
Images and the Web ..................................................................................................... 51
Viewing images ............................................................................................................. 54
40 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Using the clipboard ....................................................................................................... 57
Recovering from mistakes ............................................................................................ 60
Cropping an image ....................................................................................................... 61
Perspective Crop ........................................................................................................... 62
Resizing an image ........................................................................................................ 63
Making a screen capture ............................................................................................... 65
Advanced concepts ..................................................................................................... 67
Applying commands to multiple files ........................................................................... 67
Import/Export .................................................................................................................. 69
Export to SVG ................................................................................................................. 69
Partially loading images ............................................................................................... 70
Stitching images together ............................................................................................. 71
CHAPTER 3: GETTING STARTED 41
Basic concepts
Familiarizing yourself with PhotoImpact’s basic procedures will help you learn more about the
program and how to maximize its capabilities. This section was written to help you master
fundamentals such as creating new images and opening existing ones. It also contains a brief
discussion on how to acquire images from other sources, such as the World Wide Web, or from WIA
and TWAIN peripherals such as digital cameras and scanners.
Creating new images
PhotoImpact gives you a wide range of options when creating a new image from scratch. These
options let you customize the appearance of your image, including background, and set it for either
Web use or normal image editing. For more information on how to create a new Web page, see page
263.
To create your own image from scratch:
1 Select File: New - New Image
[Ctrl+N].
2 Click the desired data type that defines
the image format to use for the new
image.
3 Select one of the Canvas options:
• White Sets the base image to plain
color white.
• Custom color Sets the base image to
be a solid color of your choice.
• Background color Sets the base
image using the assigned
background color in the Tool Panel.
By default, a document’s
background color is white.
• Transparent Hides the base image
and displays the default
background grid.
4 Set the image dimensions in the Image
size set of options.
• Standard Offers commonly used
on screen and paper sizes.
• Active image Opens a new image
with the same size as the currently
active image in the workspace.
42 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
• Same as image in clipboard Opens
a new image with the exact same
size as the image in the clipboard.
• User-defined Lets you customize
the size. Once you specify a size,
you can click Reverse to switch the
width and height, or click User-
defined to add the dimensions as a
preset for easy access. For lessons on
how to customize a new page’s
dimensions, please refer to the
procedure below.
5 Enter Resolution values to determine
the distance between the centers of the
pixel. Increasing the resolution reduces
the physical size of an image when
printed on paper.
6 Click OK.
Note:
Check the Preview window to
see how the new image looks so far.
Preview displays your image’s
different possible destinations so that
you can estimate if the current
settings are applicable. If the image
size is bigger than the printable area,
a message “Exceeds page size” will
appear.
To customize the dimensions of a new
image:
1 Click New Image. Under Image size,
select User-defined. Enter the
dimensions of the new page.
2 Click View Menu, select Add User-
defined Size.
3 In the following dialog box, type in a
name for your customized size. Then
click OK. The next time you click User-
defined, the new size created appears
on the menu.
Note:
You can also change the name
and size of customized dimensions
by selecting Edit User-defined
Sizes from the menu.
New image with Transparent Canvas
Preview window in New Image
CHAPTER 3: GETTING STARTED 43
Opening image files
There are several ways to open your image files:
• Click Open on the Standard Toolbar.
• Select File: Open [Ctrl+O].
• Double-click an associated image file name from Windows Explorer.
• Select File: Visual Open [Shift+O] to select files represented by thumbnail images. For
details on how to use Visual Open, please refer to the next section.
• Select File: Recent Files and choose a recently used file from the list.
Tips:
• You can specify the number of recently opened files to display in the Preferences dialog
box.
• PhotoImpact can detect whether or not an image file contains a digital watermark. If an
image file contains a commercial watermark (which embeds copyright and owner
information about the image), you can select Effect: Digimarc - Read Watermark to
view the embedded data. As for files with banknote watermarks, PhotoImpact prevents
you from opening, pasting and acquiring such files.
Opening CMYK files
With PhotoImpact, you can open a CMYK file in two ways: open the image as four separate
grayscale images, each representing a color channel (cyan, magenta, yellow, and black), or let
PhotoImpact automatically convert it to RGB 24-bit mode. You can edit the image and revert it to
CMYK before saving and closing.
Upon opening a CMYK file, PhotoImpact
will prompt you to choose the method your
image will be opened. If you decide to open
it by combining all color channels, you will
be asked to specify the separation profile and
the rendering intent method.
For a more convenient way of setting how to
open CMYK images, go to File: Preferences -
General. Under Open & Save, click CMYK
Settings and specify whether color channels
will be combined or separated. Select Ask
when opening if you want the dialog box to
appear every time.
.
44 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Using the Browse Manager to open files
Aside from Visual Open, the Browse Manager also allows you to identify and open image files more
easily since they are displayed as thumbnails.
To open files using the Browse Manager:
1 Make sure that the Browse Manager
icon is clicked on the AccessPanel
Toolbar.
2 Click Recent Files to view the image
files you have recently opened in the
workspace. The number of files
displayed can be set in the Preferences
dialog box [F6].
3 Browse for other image files on your
computer or local network by clicking
a folder on the AccessPanel’s Tree View.
4 Open image files by double-clicking a
thumbnail or dragging it to the
workspace.
Tip:
Resize the thumbnails by
clicking Thumbnail Size on the
AccessPanel Toolbar and selecting a
preset display size. You can also
click Sort to arrange thumbnails
alphabetically, or according to file
type, size, or by date.
Acquiring images from scanners and digital cameras
You can import images from any image input device that is either TWAIN or WIA compliant.
TWAIN is an industry standard for image input devices, drivers, and software applications allowing
any TWAIN-compatible software application to acquire image data from any TWAIN-compatible
device, while Windows Acquisition Image (WIA) devices are digital scanners and cameras that support
the plug-and-play technology found in newer versions of Windows operating systems. The acquired
data from these devices are then converted into images that you can modify using PhotoImpact’s
powerful editing and enhancement tools.
You can acquire images from your own photographs and pictures, or from magazines, sketchbooks,
the Internet, and other sources. The following section discusses the four most common sources:
scanners, digital cameras, photo CDs, and the Internet.
CHAPTER 3: GETTING STARTED 45
To select the default image source:
1 Select File: Scanner - Select Source or
File: Digital Camera - Select Source. A
list of TWAIN devices appears. Select a
device as the image data source.
Note:
If you only have one TWAIN
device connected, that device
automatically becomes the TWAIN
source.
2 Click Device Type to specify the type
of input device and then click OK.
3 In the Select Source dialog box, click
the appropriate driver and then click
Select. You are now ready to use your
input device by clicking the
corresponding button on the Standard
Toolbar.
To acquire an image from a scanner or
digital camera:
1 Click the arrow next to the Scanner or
Digital Camera icon on the Standard
Toolbar.
2 In the menu that appears, select
“Device Name” TWAIN (where
Device Name is the name of your
source device) either with or without
post-processing.
Note:
Post-processing offers
additional controls when acquiring an
image. These include slicing,
calibration, destination, and other
settings. For more details, please see
online Help.
3 If you select TWAIN without post-
processing, the TWAIN driver appears.
To acquire images, simply follow the
directions for that device.
46 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
If you select post-processing, then the
Acquire Image dialog box appears.
After making the desired settings, click
Acquire. The driver for that device
appears. Follow the directions for that
device.
Notes:
• Make sure your TWAIN device is properly installed in your computer before acquiring.
• For more information on specific imaging options, see the image device manufacturer’s
documentation.
Acquiring images from WIA devices
To acquire images from WIA devices, simply use either Open or Visual Open and select the drive that
corresponds to the scanner, camera, or any other imaging device that is plugged into your PC. You can
then select the file you want opened.
Note:
PhotoImpact supports Exif image data contained in most WIA-based images. For more
information on using and exporting Exif information, please refer to the PhotoImpact Album
Manual.
Saving images
Because PhotoImpact is an object-based editing program, any work involving objects can be saved in
a special Ulead File for Objects format (*.UFO). This file format, which is exclusive to PhotoImpact,
consists of the original base image and any additional objects created. For details on objects, see page
125. The next time you open this type of file, you can still edit the objects and the base image
independently from one another. When saving an image in other formats (for example, BMP or JPG),
all objects are merged onto the base image and cannot be edited the next time you open the file.
To save an image:
1 Select File: Save [Ctrl+S] or File: Save
As.
2 Select the folder where you want to
save the image in Save in and select a
file format from Save as type.
CHAPTER 3: GETTING STARTED 47
3 Enter the name for saving in File
name. A file extension is not
needed.
4 Click Save.
Note:
Select Effect: Digimarc - Embed Watermark to include a digital watermark into
your images before saving them. This allows you to imperceptibly embed data (such as
copyright and owner information) and protect your images from unauthorized use. Register
first and acquire a Digimarc ID before you try to embed digital watermarks into your
images. (Click Personalize in the Embed Watermark dialog box, then click Register
to apply for a Digimarc ID.)
AutoSave
When enabled, AutoSave automatically saves your unsaved documents in set intervals. AutoSave
will not overwrite your files but will track your changes in a temporary file until you actually save
your document by pressing [Ctrl + S] or by clicking Save. These temporary and record files will
be deleted as soon as you close PhotoImpact. Upon opening the program the next time,
PhotoImpact will check for any temporary files and if there are any, will open them as unsaved
original documents.
To enable AutoSave, click Preferences - Open & Save and set the interval between saves.
Printing images
PhotoImpact provides extensive options when printing images. To print an image, select File:
Print [Ctrl+P] to open the Print dialog box. With these basic printing options, you can select the
printer, paper size, number of copies to print, and where to place the image on the page.
Calibrating your printer
All printers print images differently. For example, some print shadowed areas too dark or
highlighted areas too light. You can compensate for this printing problem through calibration.
To calibrate your printer:
1 Select File: Print [Ctrl+P].
2 Click Options for more detailed
printer settings.
3 In the Calibration Tab:
• Clear Use printer’s default to
manually adjust the calibration
curve.
48 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Resizing an image by dragging
the corner handles
• Click Apply enhancement and
choose an enhancement command
to correct one or more of your
printer’s problems, or manually
adjust the calibration curve.
4 In the Halftone Ta b, clear Use printer’s
default to manually adjust the
frequency and angle that will determine
how your printer interprets each pixel
to print.
5 Click OK.
Using Print Preview
Every now and then, you would want to see
how your image looks like before actually
printing it. Simply use Print Preview to check
whether your image now suits your target
output.
To preview an image:
1 Select File: Print Preview.
2 Select a printer from Printer name.
Change printer settings by clicking
Printer Properties. You can also specify
color printer options by clicking Color
printer options at the bottom of the
panel.
3 Select Paper size and Layout. If you
want to adjust print margins, select File:
Page Setup.
4 Adjust the image’s location within the
print preview window by dragging it.
To resize the image while maintaining
aspect ratio, drag the handles at the
four corners of the image. To resize the
image without maintaining aspect ratio,
use the non-corner handles of the
image.
Specify Print settings by using the Print
Preview Options Panel at the left.
CHAPTER 3: GETTING STARTED 49
5 Under Layout, specify settings of the
image for printing. You can assign the
paper’s orientation, provide an image
title, automatically resize it to fit the
page, and center it horizontally and
vertically.
6 Specify number of copies to print in
Copies.
7 Click Print if you want to print, or
click Close to return to the normal
editing mode.
Notes:
• Select the appropriate alignment
settings in the Options Panel to
reposition the document.
• Click Modify Printable Area on
the Shortcut Bar to adjust the
printable area.
• Click Reset to undo any change
and return the image to its original
state.
More print functions
Let your creativity flow with PhotoImpact's unique capability to print labels, CDs, stickers, and even
posters.
Print Multiple
Print Multiple is a convenient way to print multiple images on a sheet of paper using standard
photo, card, tag, or CD label sizes, and provides you with preset layouts that make full use of paper
space. You can print the same image many times over or different images on a single page. Some
layouts are designed for use with special paper available from Avery or Kodak, which you can use by
selecting the corresponding product number. You can also use plain, non-branded paper by selecting
either Disk & CD Labels or Multiple Prints.
Adjust print position by using the Modify
Printable Area dialog box.
50 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
To print multiple images:
1 With an image open in the workspace,
select File: More Print Function - Print
Multiple.
2 Select a printer from Printer name.
Change printer settings by clicking
Printer Properties.
3 Click Paper layout to select a preset
layout from the list. Then select paper
orientation. Then, click Next.
4 Select whether to use the images found
in the workspace, or add more images
using a different source folder. Then,
click Next.
5 If you are printing a single image
multiple times, proceed to step 6
immediately. If you choose to print
different images, drag selected image(s)
from the thumbnail list to a placeholder
in the preview window.
6 Adjust an image’s location within the
print preview window by dragging it.
To resize the image while maintaining
aspect ratio, drag the handles at the
four corners of the image. To resize the
image without maintaining aspect ratio,
use the non-corner handles of the
image. Repeat steps 5 and 6 until all
images have been placed in the preview
window and resized. Then, click Next.
7 Specify number of copies to print in
Copies.
8 Click Print if you want to print, or click
Close to return to the workspace.
Note:
Click the Back Arrow button
in case you change your mind and
want to return to a previous panel.
Different images printed on a sheet using
Print Multiple
The same image printed multiple times
Sample paper layouts in Print Multiple
CHAPTER 3: GETTING STARTED 51
Print Poster
Printing large-scale copies of your PhotoImpact projects is now much easier to do using Print Poster.
This feature prints a large image or project onto multiple pieces of paper which can be joined together
to create a single poster.
To use Print Poster:
1 With an image in the workspace, select
File: More Print Functions - Print
Poster.
2 Select a printer from Printer name.
Change printer settings by clicking
Printer Properties.
3 Click Paper size to select the paper and
set the number of copies. You can also
select the paper orientation of your
choice.
4 Specify the height and width of your
poster. You can do so using percent,
inches, centimeters or pages as the unit
of measurement. To retain the image’s
ratio, select Keep aspect ratio. You can
keep track of your settings via the
preview window.
5 Click Print to print or Cancel to return
to the work area.
Images and the Web
With PhotoImpact, sending and acquiring images through the World Wide Web have never been
easier. You can acquire images from Web pages directly to PhotoImpact for editing, and export the
results as a Web page, a Web Album, a Web Slide Show, SVG or RAW images using a number of
methods as outlined in this section.
Note:
Internet access is required for sending and acquiring images over the World Wide
Web. You should at least maintain an Internet connection when sending to or retrieving
images from the Web.
52 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Sending images through the Internet
There are a number of ways to send images via the Internet or post them to a Web site, all of which are
located in File: Export.
• Post to Web If you have Microsoft’s Web Publishing Wizard installed. For details, see page
268.
• Post to iMira You can share photos with friends and family, make e-cards and much more
in Ulead’s photo-sharing Web site. If you have not yet set up an account, use this
command to run the Drop Spot and create an account, and configure your uploading
options. Once you have an account set up and configured in the Drop Spot, you can easily
upload files to your account simply by dragging image files from Windows Explorer to the
Drop Spot.
• Send a document by e-mail As a single image or as a Web page. Just select File: Export -
Send and choose one of the following options:
Web page Creates a compressed *.EXE file, including the HTML code as well as its
associated images. PhotoImpact then invokes your default e-mail program with the *.EXE
file as an attachment ready for sending. The recipient only has to run this EXE file in order
to view the Web page.
Image file Sends the document as a single image attachment through your default e-mail
program. Select Smart send to convert the image to a JPEG file first, making it a more
appropriate size for sending via e-mail.
Notes:
• If the active image is a 48-bit RGB
or 16-bit Grayscale and Smart
send is selected, PhotoImpact will
convert the source image to 24-bit
RGB or 8-bit Grayscale.
• To send multiple images through e-
mail, use File: Send in Ulead
PhotoImpact Album. For details,
see page 29 of the Ulead
PhotoImpact Album manual
(ALBUM-XL MANUAL.PDF).
CHAPTER 3: GETTING STARTED 53
Acquiring images from the Internet
Nowadays, working with images directly from the Internet is becoming increasingly important. For
Web designers and Webmasters, having direct access to images on a Web site makes it easier to modify
and update them. On a recreational level, many people download images from the Internet for
personal use. PhotoImpact offers you two ways to get images directly from the Internet:
First, you can use Select File: Open from Web - Image to open specific images from a Web page
located either in your computer or on the Internet. For details, refer to the procedure below.
The second method is to use Select File: Open from Web - Web Page as Image. This converts the
entire Web page into the workspace as an image with all elements merged. This is convenient if you
want to use an existing Web page as a template for others.
To open selected images from a Web page:
1 Select File: Open from Web - Image.
2 In the dialog box that appears, enter
the Address of the Web page. If you
want to grab a page from the Internet,
enter the URL of the Web site then
press [Enter]. Alternately, you can type
a file path on your local computer. The
Web page is displayed on the top half
of the dialog box.
3 Use the scroll bar until you reach the
desired image. When you move your
mouse over an image, it should be
highlighted with a black border.
4 Click to select a desired image, then
click Open.
Notes:
• Always check for possible
copyright infringement when getting
images from the Web. Ask the
owner’s permission whenever
acquiring copyrighted material.
• Files saved to GIF format are of
256-Color (or indexed color) data
type, while those saved as JPEG
files are True Color images.
54 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
5 Click to select a desired image, then
click Open.
Notes:
• If you selected an image from a
Web page in your local computer
and you want to find its original,
non-optimized file, click Locate to
automatically search the current
folder, or click Browse to search
the folder manually.
• Only image files can be opened by
this method.
Viewing images
When you open an image in PhotoImpact, the pixels of the image are “mapped” onto your screen
pixels. Controlling the mapping of these pixels determines the way you see the images. For example,
displaying an image in actual view (100%) maps one image pixel to one screen pixel. PhotoImpact
offers you several tools to let you view your image as needed.
Zooming on an image
When you edit an image, you may want to see part of it in greater detail or more of it at a smaller size.
You can do this in several ways:
• Select View: Zoom - Zoom In or Zoom Out.
• Select a Zoom ratio on the Standard Toolbar. You can also enter a specific zoom
ratio/value in the entry box.
• To zoom in on images, press [+]. To zoom out, press [–].
• Press [Z] and click to automatically zoom in on the image. To return to actual view, press
[Z] and right-click.
Use the Zoom Tool in the Tool Panel. To accurately zoom in or out on particular areas of
an image:
CHAPTER 3: GETTING STARTED 55
•
Click the area under your mouse pointer to zoom in.
• Right-click to zoom out. You can also press [Shift] and click.
• Drag along the area you want to zoom in. A marquee appears. Releasing the mouse button
zooms in that area defined by the marquee.
• Drag the Zoom ratio slider on the Attribute Toolbar.
Note:
Set the window to automatically fit the new zoom ratio by selecting Adjust window on
the Attribute Toolbar for the Zoom Tool. This becomes the default for any zoom action
performed when using any other tools.
Adding a view
After you have zoomed in on an image, it is easy to get lost in a sea of pixels. To help you keep the
“big picture” in mind, select View: Add a View [Ctrl+I]. This creates a new window which is a
dynamic “mirror” of the original. When you do any editing in either window, changes are reflected in
both.
An image at various zoom levels
56 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Using the Global Viewer
The Global Viewer lets you easily navigate around in an image after you've zoomed in on it.
To reposition the viewer:
1 Click the box that appears at the
intersection of the scroll bars in the
lower right corner of an image window.
This only appears when an image is
magnified to a size that is larger than its
window. Alternatively, press [G] on the
keyboard. A thumbnail of the entire
image appears.
2 While holding down the mouse
button, drag the frame to the area you
want to view. If you have used the
shortcut method, simply move the
mouse to the desired area.
3 Release the mouse button when you see
the desired view in the window. If you
used the shortcut, click once when you
have the desired area.
Viewing images in other modes
• Select View: Actual View to display the image at its actual view, with the window sized to
fit the image within the workspace.
• Select View: Maximize at Actual View to display your image in its actual view (1x) with
the window opened at its maximum level within the PhotoImpact workspace.
• Select View: Fit in Window to resize the current image to the largest magnification that
completely fits in a window.
• Select View: Full Screen [Ctrl+U] to display the image in full screen mode, hiding the
program window, as well as all docked toolbars. This lets you edit images without
distractions made by the program window. Use shortcut keys to access tools, and press
[Esc] to return to normal screen mode.
• Select View: Remove Menu Bar to hide the title and menu bars on the PhotoImpact
screen, leaving all other screen elements present. Use keyboard shortcut keys to access the
menu commands, and press [Esc] to return to normal screen mode.
Global Viewer
CHAPTER 3: GETTING STARTED 57
Using the clipboard
The clipboard acts as a temporary storage for different types of data, such as images, text, or sound.
However, it only holds data one at a time. Whenever new information is placed in the clipboard, the
previous data is automatically overwritten, regardless of where the new data came from.
Performing cut and copy operations
The most common methods for placing data onto the clipboard are by clicking Cut [Ctrl+X] and
Copy [Ctrl+C] on the Standard Toolbar, or by selecting their respective commands from the Edit
menu.
Cut Deletes the selected area or object and places it onto the clipboard. When you cut a
selected area, that area in the image is filled with the current background color.
Copy Places a duplicate of a selected area or object onto the clipboard.
Note:
When there is no selection area, both Cut and Copy apply to the entire image.
Performing a paste operation
To paste an image, click Paste [Ctrl+V] on the Standard Toolbar, or choose a command from the Edit:
Paste submenu after cutting or copying image data to the clipboard. Whenever you paste data into an
image, it becomes an object and floats above the base image and all other objects.
Notes:
• When pasting an object onto an image of a different data type, the pasted data is
automatically converted (for example, when pasting a True Color image into an Indexed
16-Color image). This may cause extreme change in color.
• When pasting an image, it is placed pixel-on-pixel. If your source and target images are at
different zoom levels, the clipboard image may appear to be enlarged or reduced after
pasting.
• All Paste commands are disabled if the clipboard is empty or its contents are not
supported in PhotoImpact.
Pasting images as objects
Select Paste: As Object [Ctrl+V] to paste an image as a separate object. The image is pasted at the top
left corner of the current view. For details on objects, please see page 125.
Pasting images into a selection area
After copying image data to the clipboard, you can now paste the contents to any selection area.
58 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
To paste image data into a selection area:
1 Select an area on the image where you
want to paste the clipboard image into.
2 Select Edit: Paste - Into Selection. The
clipboard image appears inside the
selection and remains attached to your
mouse.
Note:
Press [Esc] to undo (before
you have finished the pasting
operation). The contents in the
clipboard are not removed.
3 Move your mouse around to position
the clipboard image in the desired
selection area.
4 Click to anchor the clipboard image in
the selection area.
Pasting images to fit into a selection area
Select Paste: Fit into Selection when you want to paste the clipboard image inside a selection area so
that the entire image fills the selection. Try to make sure that the clipboard image and the selection
area are about the same size. If the sizes vary greatly, then the quality of the clipboard image is affected
by resampling (resizing) to fit the selection.
The original selection (left), the image to be pasted into the selection (middle), and the final result
CHAPTER 3: GETTING STARTED 59
Pasting images as new images
Select Paste: As New Image to paste a selection in its own image window. Alternatively, you can drag
an object from an existing image to the workspace. This is useful when you want to save an object or
selection area as its own image, or when you have copied an image from another program and want to
place it in its own window.
Pasting images beneath the mouse pointer
Select Paste: Under Pointer to place the clipboard image onto the base image wherever you click your
mouse. This is useful when you know where to exactly anchor the clipboard image.
The Clipboard submenu
The following clipboard commands are available under Edit: Clipboard.
• Load Brings an image file onto the clipboard.
• Save Stores clipboard image data to a file.
• Display Shows the current clipboard image in a Windows clipboard viewer. To close the
clipboard viewer, press any key or click your mouse.
Duplicating images
As you work with an image, you may find the need to make copies of it. This can be useful because
you can edit the copies without having to worry about causing any damage to the original image.
Whenever you duplicate an image, a copy of it opens in a new window. One method to do this is
using the Edit: Duplicate submenu. You can choose from duplicating any of the following:
• Base Image with Objects [Ctrl+D] Duplicates the entire image, including the base image
and all other objects.
• Base Image with Objects Merged Duplicates the image with all the objects merged onto
the base image.
• Base Image Only Duplicates the base image only.
To duplicate an image by using the mouse:
1 With the Standard Selection Tool
active, right-click an image and select
All from the resulting pop-up menu to
select the entire image. (Make sure you
have Selection: Preserve Base Image
[F5] selected.)
2 Click and drag the image onto an
empty space in the program window.
60 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
3 Right-click the image and select Merge
from the resulting pop-up menu.
Notes:
• If Preserve Base Image is cleared,
you can still duplicate an image by
pressing [Ctrl] as you drag the
selected image to an empty
workspace.
• To copy part of an image, use any
Selection tool to choose any part
you want to duplicate and drag it to
an empty workspace.
Recovering from mistakes
PhotoImpact keeps track of actions and commands used in editing images. A maximum of 200 levels
of Undo and Redo commands can be set in File: Preferences, to help you monitor all the changes
made since you last saved your document. There are four ways to recover from mistakes:
• To reverse the most recent action, click Undo [Ctrl + Z] or Redo [Ctrl + Y] on the
Standard Toolbar.
• To reverse a sequence of actions to a specific step, select either Edit: Undo Before or Edit:
Redo To. From the submenu, select the desired action. All actions prior to the action
selected will be undone/redone.
• To cancel all changes made to the image since it was last saved, select File: Restore. This
closes and reopens the file in its last saved state.
• To undo any changes made in the image, click the desired action in the History Tab in the
Quick Command Panel. To redo any changes, choose the desired action by moving the
slider down. All actions prior to the item selected will also be undone/redone. The number
of actions displayed in the History Tab is equal to the number of Undo and Redo levels
set in File: Preferences.
Notes:
• To remove all actions in the Undo
Before and Redo To submenus,
select Clear Undo/Redo History
from the Edit menu. This removes
all actions permanently.
• Restore cannot be undone, so it is
advisable to duplicate an image
before restoring it. For more on
duplicating images, see page 59.
Moving the slider in the History
Tab
CHAPTER 3: GETTING STARTED 61
Cropping an image
Cropping trims the edges of an image and removes unwanted areas. To crop an image, select the area
you wish to retain and select Edit: Crop [Ctrl+R]. Crop references crop dimensions, even if there are
multiple objects in a document, or if the crop area covers only part of a selection. To have better
control on the crop dimensions, use the Crop Tool in the Tool Panel instead. It provides you the
capability of defining crop dimensions based on a selected area together with other objects present in
the image. Another very important function it has is that it allows you to save the crop dimensions
information to the EasyPalette, so you can use the same exact settings for trimming other images in
the future.
Notes:
•
If you select a non-rectangular area, the image is cropped to the smallest rectangle that
can contain the selected area.
•
When cropping the base image, all objects are not merged.
•
Use either Auto-process Crop or Post-processing Wizard to quickly crop an image that
has extra space along its borders.
To use the Crop Tool:
1 Click Crop Tool in the Tool Panel.
2 Make a selection on your image. By
default, all areas to be cropped will be
covered by a semi-transparent shield.
You can make adjustments to your crop
area by dragging the corners of the crop
bounding box.
3 Alternatively, you can use preset crop
shapes by clicking Shapes and making a
selection. This feature does not actually
give an exact-size crop, but provides a
specific ratio of the crop shape.
Note:
To retain crop proportions even
when adjusting, click Keep aspect
ratio on the Attribute Toolbar.
62 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
4 To determine where the crop will be
applied, click Options on the Attribute
Toolbar. You can choose between
cropping Selection & All Objects,
Active Selection/Object(s), or Entire
Image.
5 Click Crop or press [Enter].
Notes:
• To reset the crop bounding box or cancel the crop action, press [Esc].
•
To reposition the bounding box, move your mouse within the bounding box. When the
pointer changes to a 4-directional arrow, drag selection to the desired position.
•
Click Add to save the current settings to the EasyPalette. From the EasyPalette, double-
click or drag-and-drop to apply saved settings to an image(s).
Perspective Crop
Cropping an image doesn’t have to be limited to rectangles or squares. Use the Perspective Crop Tool
to diagonally stretch points of the traditional bounding box and create a shape that brings an illusion
of change in angular view or perspective. This is especially useful when straightening images that have
become distorted due to poor camera angle selection or cropping.
To use the Perspective Crop Tool:
1 Click the bottom arrow of the Crop
Tool in the Tool Panel. Select the
Perspective Crop Tool from the drop
down menu.
2 Make a selection on your image and
then click Perspective on the Attribute
Toolbar. Adjust the four points of the
crop bounding box independently by
dragging the handles along the corners
to create your desired crop shape.
3 To determine where the crop will be
applied, click Options on the Attribute
Toolbar. You can choose between
cropping Selection & All Objects,
Active Selection/Object(s), or Entire
Image.
4 Click Crop or press [Enter].
CHAPTER 3: GETTING STARTED 63
Resizing an image
You can resize an entire image in two ways. The method that you choose depends on the desired
quality and the target destination for the image.
Changing resolution
Resolution determines the physical size of an image by defining the size of its constituent pixels. This
method changes the number of pixels that appear per unit area. For example, increasing the
resolution places more pixels closer together, thereby reducing the size of the image, while decreasing
the resolution places pixels farther apart, thus making the image larger. In this way, you can resize an
image without actually changing the number of pixels the image contains. As such, you are able to
retain the original quality of the image. With no pixels being added or deducted, the image file size
remains unchanged.
Note:
Defining a new resolution does not change the appearance of the image on-screen.
Changes will only be apparent when you print the image or place it into another program that
reads the resolution.
To change an image’s resolution:
1 Select Format: Image Size.
2 Turn resampling off by clearing
Resample method. By doing this,
PhotoImpact will automatically adjust
image size according to the adjustments
you made in the resolution (next step).
3In Resolution, choose between Display
(on-screen presentation), Printer (print
the image on black and white), or
User-defined. Specify the value and
unit of measurement.
4 Click OK.
Note:
For units of measurement, the
only units available are pixel/inch
and pixel/cm.
64 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Changing dimensions by resampling
When you open images, their size on screen is determined by your screen resolution and the number
of pixels the images contain. Image Size allows you to adjust the number of pixels in an image. As
resampling changes the image’s number of pixels, the file size is modified correspondingly.
Use Resample when:
• Changing the size of an image as it is displayed on screen.
• Making the file size of an image smaller so that it takes less time to import it into another
application and print it from there.
• Resizing or distorting an image.
To resample an image:
1 Select Format: Image Size.
2In Apply to, select which objects are
being resampled. If the image contains
multiple objects, you can choose
whether to resample only selected
objects, or all objects including the base
image.
3 Specify the target dimensions for
resampling in New image. You can
choose between specifying Standard
image sizes or User-defined ones. Use
Preview to check the effect of the new
settings with reference to size and target
output.
4 Select Resample and method of
resampling.
5 Click OK.
Tip:
PhotoImpact uses a resample
method (interpolation algorithm) to
add new pixels based on the existing
pixels (color squares) in an image.
Bicubic produces a fine and softer
image using the smallest file size,
Bilinear produces a soft image while
Nearest Neighbor produces a sharp
image with the largest file size.
Bicubic
Nearest Neighbor
Bilinear
CHAPTER 3: GETTING STARTED 65
Making a screen capture
PhotoImpact Capture can take screen shots of any images on your screen, including the PhotoImpact
program window, just like a real world camera. You can specify capture options in order to save you
editing time.
To start capturing an image:
1 Select File: Capture - Setup.
2 Set the default options for capturing.
• Source Determines what and where
to take the screen shot in your
monitor screen.
• Destination Specifies where to send
the captured image(s).
• Activation Determines the control
you choose to start the capturing
process. You can also set the Delay
time between pressing the capture
Hotkey and when the actual
capturing begins. Select Auto scroll
for capturing the length of image,
text, and HTML documents
beyond what is shown in the
window.
• Pointer Allows you to include your
mouse pointer icon in the capture.
You can also set it to capture
application-specific and custom
pointer icons as well.
• Change Automatically changes the
original resolution and data type to
best suit your purpose when
capturing. (If you do not set one,
Capture uses the current display
settings.)
3 Click Capture Now. If you don’t want
to capture images yet, click OK instead.
Select File: Capture - Start when you’re
ready to capture.
4 Depending on your capture settings,
press the Hotkey specified in Activation
to start capturing images.
66 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Note:
If you chose to capture a Selected area, you will have to define an area by clicking the
mouse on the starting point of the selection and then drag it to enclose the area in a rectangle.
To capture a selected area:
1 Select File: Capture - Setup.
2 Under the Source options, choose
Selected area. You can also modify
other capture options, if necessary.
3 Click Capture Now to close the dialog
box.
4 Locate the area that you want to
capture. You can capture any area on
the screen, including the PhotoImpact
program window, other program
windows, overlapping windows, or the
entire Desktop.
5 Take the screen shot by pressing the
Hotkey specified in Activation. A small
viewer window appears. This window
offers controls on the top edge that
guide you when capturing. Among
other functions, this allows you to:
• Move the viewer window around
the four corners of the screen by
clicking any of the four buttons on
the upper left of the window.
• Disable the window but continue
to capture by clicking Close.
• Disable the window and exit the
screen capture function by clicking
Stop or pressing [Esc].
6 Click once to mark the starting point -
when you move the cursor, a rectangle
appears, letting you specify the area to
be captured. After marking the desired
area, click again to signify the end point
of the selection area.
Note:
If the small viewer window gets
in the way of what you want to capture,
you can either move it around the four
corners of your monitor screen or
close it.
CHAPTER 3: GETTING STARTED 67
To capture a selected object:
1 Select File: Capture - Setup.
2 Under the Source options, choose
Selected object.
3 Click Capture Now to close the dialog
box.
4 Take the screen shot by pressing the
Hotkey specified in Activation. The
program then “divides” the active
window into separate objects for each
button, menu, or workspace. The
mouse pointer changes from an arrow
icon into a circle with crosshairs inside
it.
5 Select the object you want to capture
by placing the cursor directly over the
object. You can tell if the object has
been selected by the presence of a black
border surrounding it.
6 Click once to capture.
Advanced concepts
Now that you’ve learned the basic PhotoImpact commands and operations in the previous section, get
ready to take on some advanced operations that make working with PhotoImpact a lot easier and less
complex. In this section, you will learn how to work with multiple files, import images from other
sources, export files into other formats, and work with parts of images and put or “stitch” them
together.
Applying commands to multiple files
When working with a large number of files, you will often want to edit, save, or perform the same
commands on some or all of them. To save time and effort, PhotoImpact provides you with a
number of options that help you perform the same commands across a number of files.
Batch Manager
Batch Manager displays file names and thumbnails of all images that are open in the workspace,
including all commands that can be applied.
Capture selected object with EasyPalette as
object (highlighted in black) and resulting
capture
68 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
To process images with Batch Manager:
1 From the AccessPanel, click Document
Manager. You’ll find all open
documents displayed as thumbnails.
2 From the list of open documents, select
the ones where you want the operation
applied. You can select multiple
documents by holding [Shift] while
clicking.
3 Click the arrow beside Batch Manager.
This displays the pull-down menu
listing all available commands.
4 Select the command you want to apply,
then click OK.
Notes:
• Clicking the Batch Manager icon instead of the arrow next to it performs the last specified
batch command. To find out what the last command is, place the mouse pointer over the
icon for a few seconds.
• Batch Manager can also be accessed by selecting Window: Batch Manager.
Batch Convert
Batch Convert offers a convenient way of converting image files (including an entire folder of image
files) without having to actually open them one-by-one in any image editing program.
To batch convert files:
1 Select File: Batch Convert.
2 Select the folder or files for conversion
in Source. Type determines what file
formats are included in the conversion
process.
3 Select where to send the converted files
by specifying options in Destination.
4 Select the file format or data type
conversion method.
5 Click OK.
Note:
You can do the same by using
the Browse Manager-AccessPanel.
Simply select the images for
processing and click Batch Convert,
then select the operation desired. It’s
easier and much more convenient.
CHAPTER 3: GETTING STARTED 69
Import/Export
RAW is a useful file format for transferring files between applications and computer platforms. It
supports CMYK, RGB, and Grayscale data types with alpha channels and multichannel, Lab,
indexed-color, and duotone files without alpha channel. It is designed to save image data in
undocumented formats like those created by scientific applications. You can import/export RAW data
into PhotoImpact and convert it into images that you can modify.
To import RAW data:
1 Select File: Import - RAW Import.
2 Locate the RAW file you want and click
Open. The Import RAW File dialog
box opens displaying file information
and opening options.
3 Click OK.
To export RAW data:
1 Select File: Export - RAW Export.
2 Enter a file name and click Save. The
Export RAW File dialog box opens.
3 Specify the Image type options for
saving.
4 Click OK.
Export to SVG
PhotoImpact takes digital imaging one step further into the future by letting you export your images
as Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG), the newest file format under development which is seen as the
next important standard in Internet graphics.
SVG saves an image’s information as lines and paths, instead of bits of information (bitmap), making
it look crisp and clear in any resolution. You can magnify SVG images without experiencing the
jagged lines characteristic of raster or bitmap graphics. In addition, SVG files take significantly less
disk space than its JPEG or GIF counterpart, and lessens download time.
Notes:
• Due to the present developmental limitations of SVG, some images may be too
complicated to export to SVG format. In these cases, PhotoImpact automatically saves
them as raster images if Ignore the objects exported as raster images is not selected.
• SVG files can only be viewed through Internet browsers with SVG-compatible plug-ins, so
make sure you have such a plug-in installed in your software. For details on your
browser’s SVG compatibility, please refer to your browser’s documentation.
70 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
An example of an SVG image as viewed through a Web browser. Like HTML text, SVG text can
also be highlighted and copied. At right, the same image magnified four times. There is no loss of
quality even when object is zoomed.
To export an image into SVG:
1 Select File: Export – SVG Export.
2 Select the folder where you want to
save the image in Save in. Enter the
name for saving in File name.
3 Click Options to specify the output
and compression settings for the image.
4 Click Save.
Partially loading images
Working with large images is sometimes frustrating while you wait for the screen to redraw every time
you create a selection, apply an effect, or use the Brush or Clone Tool. Partial load speeds up your
editing process by displaying only the area you want to modify.
Notes:
• Partial load can be applied to
almost all file formats readable by
PhotoImpact except *.UFO files or
files with a saved selection area.
• RGB 48-bit and Grayscale 16-bit
images do not support Partial
load.
CHAPTER 3: GETTING STARTED 71
To partially open a file:
1 Select File: Open [Ctrl+O]. Select
Partial load and then click the files
to open. (Select files with [Shift] to
select a range of files or [Ctrl] to
randomly select multiple files.)
2 Click Open. The image is divided
into grids. Selecting Grid divides
the image into equal parts. Enter
values for the number of grid
columns and rows.
Note:
To select a custom area to
load, clear Grid. Click the image
and drag the handles of the frame
to select an area of the image.
3 Click OK to close the Partial Load
dialog box. The selected area opens
in the workspace.
Now you can edit the loaded
selection area. Once you have
finished editing, save the image as
usual. If you change the data type
or dimensions of the partially
loaded area, you must save it as a
new image.
Stitching images together
There are a number of instances in which your image may not be in one piece. For instance, an
image might be too big for a scanner. Or maybe you want to create a panorama image from
separate photos. It’s also possible that you have made separate screen captures of an image whose
dimensions extend beyond that of the monitor. Whatever the case, Stitch lets you accurately and
efficiently reconstruct an image from multiple pieces.
The way in which you use Stitch to join image strips depends entirely on the condition of the
images you have. For this reason, Stitch provides multiple options and controls for both manual
and automatic stitching, giving you pixel-level control for seamless joining of images. You can:
• Set auto-stitching parameters to make automatic matches and align a floating image
over an active image.
• Drag a floating image until it matches up with an active image.
• Define the reference point in each image to align the two images.
72 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
• Select Auto fine-tune to help the images snap into the correct relative position when
manually stitching photos.
• Set the transparency of the floating image to aid manual stitching and to define how
images are combined in the overlap area.
Notes:
• You can only join images that share the same data type and are either Grayscale or True
Color.
• Stitch only works with base images; objects cannot be stitched. To stitch an object, it
must first be merged onto the base image
.
Automatic stitching
Use Auto-stitch to make a fast and easy way to stitch two images together. This option works for a
wide range of images and is useful for images that show a lot of detail and are fairly clear.
To stitch two images automatically:
1 Open the images you want to join
together in the workspace and make
one of them active.
2 Select Edit: Stitch.
3 Using Stitch with, select the image you
want to join to the active image. (If you
can’t see all the images to join in the
preview, use the zoom options below
the preview window.)
4 Use Switch direction to swap the
positions of the images.
5 Select Auto-stitch, and enter the values
in Overlap range (percentage of
overlap) and Vertical/Horizontal
tolerance (misalignment of two
images).
Note:
Overlap range or Vertical/
Horizontal tolerance values that
are off by more than 50% of the
image size prevent Auto-stitch from
properly joining image strips.
6 Click Test to preview the auto stitched
image.
7 Click OK.
CHAPTER 3: GETTING STARTED 73
Manual stitching
The manual stitching option joins images in unusual ways to create interesting special effects, such as
creating a mirrored effect by placing the same image against itself or a flipped version of itself.
To stitch two images manually:
1 Follow steps 1 through 4 of automatic
image stitching (see previous page).
2 Drag the floating image until you are
satisfied with its position.
3 Click OK.
74 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
4
IMAGE EDITING
Having learned the fundamental components and commands of
PhotoImpact in the previous chapter, get ready to learn advanced
techniques in editing images. Learn how to make quick fixes to digital
camera photos using the ExpressFix feature. Know more about the
various tools for color and lighting correction, including color cast
removal, the use of image brightness and contrast, hue and saturation
values, exposure levels, and noise and other image imperfections. This
chapter also shows you how to use the Color Panel, as well as the
different Paint, Fill, and Clone Tools.
In Chapter 4 you will learn:
Automatically enhancing an image .............................................................................. 76
Enhancing digital camera photos using ExpressFix................................................... 77
Understanding color correction .................................................................................... 79
High Dynamic Range .................................................................................................... 86
Using the Retouch Tools .............................................................................................. 90
Using the Painting Tools............................................................................................... 92
Using the Color Panel................................................................................................... 97
Using the Fill Tools ..................................................................................................... 102
Using the Tool Panel color tools ................................................................................ 107
Cloning parts of an image ........................................................................................... 110
Saving a tool’s attributes to My Gallery ........................................................................ 111
76 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Automatically enhancing an image
The Auto-process commands are used for automatic and intelligent control over image appearance. It
automates the format process and lets PhotoImpact estimate and apply changes needed to enhance
images accordingly.
The commands under Auto-process include the following:
• Level Adjusts the image’s tone map to meet the full tonal spectrum.
• Contrast Adjusts the Brightness of the image, and retains the original Hue and Saturation
setting.
• Adjust Adjusts Brightness and Saturation by stretching the colors to fit the available
gamut. Hue settings remain unchanged.
• Color Adjusts Hue, Saturation and Brightness settings.
• Focus Adjusts the image by softening sharp edges and enhances dull areas. Works well
with both sharp and blurred images.
• Straighten Automatically rotates the image and straightens it to an absolute horizontal or
vertical position.
• Crop Removes white space from the edges of the image.
• Enhance Automatically adjusts and smoothens tone to improve overall image quality.
To apply an Auto-process command (other than Batch) to your image, simply select an item under
the Auto-process submenu.
Auto-process - Batch
Auto-process - Batch is a convenient way to
apply multiple enhancements to your image at
the same time. By selecting Auto-process-
Batch, PhotoImpact will apply the commands
in the specified order.
For a detailed description of each command,
refer to the dialog box definition that is
displayed when you select a particular process.
CHAPTER 4: IMAGE EDITING 77
To use Auto-process - Batch:
1 Select Format: Auto-process - Batch
[Ctrl+F9].
2 Click the Auto-process option(s) you
want to apply.
3 To remove an option, click its button
again or drag it off the queue at the
bottom of the dialog box.
4 Click OK to apply the Auto-process
option(s) to the image.
Note:
Most of the options in the Auto-process dialog box can be accessed independently by
selecting their respective commands on the Format: Auto-process submenu.
Enhancing digital camera photos using ExpressFix
ExpressFix is a timesaving tool that provides quick fixes to common digital photo problems such as
improper color, unbalanced exposure, and out of focus conditions. Through a step-by-step interface,
ExpressFix analyzes photos and presents various options to fix them. It also features Beautify Skin,
which allows you to smoothen skin tones of portrait photos.
To use ExpressFix:
1 Select Effect: Photographic –
ExpressFix.
2 Photo enhancement options are
presented as steps. Under Steps, you
can apply these enhancements to your
image:
• Overall Exposure Adjusts
brightness and contrast of the
whole image.
• Subject Exposure Adjusts the
brightness of subject or background
separately.
• Color Cast Adjusts the color
temperature, making it cooler or
warmer.
• Color Saturation Adjusts color
hues.
• Focus Adjusts from soft to sharp
focus.
ExpressFix dialog box - Presets
78 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
• Beautify Skin Retouches skin areas
by removing blemishes, softening
its tone, and changing its color.
Click to select a step and make
adjustments. While in a particular step,
click Do not apply if no enhancement
is needed.
3 Under Presets, click a thumbnail to
apply a quick fix.
4 For finer adjustments, click Custom.
Under Custom adjustment, the center
thumbnail shows the current state of
your photo and the surrounding
thumbnails represent different changes
that can be applied. Click the
thumbnails to apply changes.
Note:
Thumbnail variation
determines the incremental changes
for the thumbnails. Drag the slider up
or down to have a lesser or greater
application of changes.
If results are not satisfactory and you
want to remove the custom
adjustments in a step, click Reset.
If you go back to the Presets section, a
Custom thumbnail is added.
5 When you have applied changes in a
step, a check mark will be displayed in
that step. Click Next, or to skip steps,
just click a desired step.
6 To go back to previous steps, click Back
or “jump” to a specific step. Since
ExpressFix applies enhancements in the
order specified under Steps,
enhancements after the current step
will be removed from the image when
you go back to previous steps. Before
you exit the dialog box, remember to
click on the remaining steps to reapply
them.
7 The last step is Beautify Skin. If you
have a portrait photo that needs skin
retouching, you can make the following
adjustments:
Before enhancing with ExpressFix
ExpressFix dialog box - Custom adjustment
After enhancing with ExpressFix
CHAPTER 4: IMAGE EDITING 79
• Skin tone
Click in the Before view to select a
skin tone. Then under Skin
softening settings, adjust skin tone
to the desired Level.
• Complexion
Under Style, select a type of
complexion and adjust the Level of
application.
8 When you are satisfied with all the
enhancements, click OK.
Note:
Click Reset All to restore all
options to their default values.
Understanding color correction
There are some things to take into consideration when dealing with digital pictures and scanned
images. Factors like overexposure, underexposure, poor lighting, or incorrect tint may cause these
images to appear differently from the original source. By using the color correction tools in
PhotoImpact, you can remove most of the problems associated with color and lighting to produce
stunning images that are sometimes better-looking than the original.
Using the color correction commands
PhotoImpact provides several color correction commands in the Format menu that can be applied to
selected areas, objects or entire images. However, some of the commands are not applicable to certain
data types or they cannot be applied to selected areas in certain data types.
• Style Allows you to select a custom mood for your image by adding a tint or replacing a
selected color's tint.
• Level Adjusts the tonal range of an image by adjusting the intensity levels of the image’s
shadows, midtones and highlights. The histogram serves as a visual guide for adjusting the
image’s Black, Gray and White tones.
• Brightness & Contrast Allows you to fine-tune the luminance of an image by brightening
or darkening each pixel in the image.
• Color Balance Takes all the colors in an image and adjusts them based on two colors
specified by the user to make them appear more balanced. The Color Balance dialog box
has two tabs for correcting the color balance:
Smart Allows you to choose a color in an image and to shift it to the desired
color. All the colors in the image will be shifted based on these two colors.
Preset Allows you to shift the colors according to thumbnail images.
Before applying
Beautify Skin
After applying
Beautify Skin
80 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
• Color Adjustment Fine-tunes your image's colors by adjusting levels between Cyan,
Magenta, and Yellow and Red, Green, and Blue color properties.
• Color Cast Corrects the unwanted color cast that different lighting conditions could give
your pictures.
• Hue & Saturation Allows you to adjust the hue and saturation properties of an image.
Adjusting the hue affects color. Adjusting the saturation either intensifies or washes out
colors. Adjusting Lightness affects the brightness of the image.
• Focus Adjusts the image’s overall convergence to sharpen or blur it.
• Tone Map Adjusts the overall tone or brightness channel of the image.
• Highlight Midtone Shadow Redistributes the tone adjustment in an image to take
advantage of the full tonal range. This is used to add, emphasize, or remove shadows;
improve contrast; and enrich highlights.
• Invert Changes each pixel color to its complimentary color. This is similar to creating a
photograph negative, only without the orange mask present in film.
• Posterize Adjusts images by reducing the number of tones into a specific number, with
each pixel remapped to the nearest specified level, producing a dynamic, posterlike effect.
• Color Replacement Allows you to replace selected colors (and similar variants) With
another color of your choice.
• Histogram Displays the tone distribution of either the entire image or just the selected area
of your image.
• Threshold Separates the image pixels into black or white extreme values.
• Equalize Automatically adjusts your images that are too dark.
• Calculation Merges specified color channels of an image file or files to produce a new
image that shows remarkable depth. When using different images, both images must have
the same pixel dimensions.
When you choose a color correction command, a dialog box opens displaying sample thumbnails of
the currently active image, object or selection area. Some commands display nine thumbnails and
allow you to move through all possible settings by clicking each thumbnail accordingly. Other
functions have the Dual View Tab that allows you to view the original image side by side against the
image with the enhancements applied.
Notes:
• Applying color correction to a selection area converts it into an object.
• To jump directly to the Options dialog box, select Don’t show these quick samples next
time. To set quick samples view as default again, select “Display quick samples” in File:
Preferences - General - PhotoImpact category.
• You can also apply color correction by selecting presets in EasyPalette’s Effect Gallery.
• In a color correction dialog box, you can use a specific area of an image as a guide when
adjusting. Click Thumbnail to change the selected portion of concentration. Remember
that any modification will be applied to the entire image, selection, or object, regardless of
the area represented by the thumbnail.
CHAPTER 4: IMAGE EDITING 81
To adjust an image using Level:
1 Select Format: Level.
2 Adjust entire color distribution through
Input Level. The left anchor controls
the distribution of black, the right
controls white, while the middle adjusts
the gamma.
3 Use Output levels to adjust the color
range.
4 Click Stretch to locate the black and
white points in the luminosity
distribution by clipping the range. Use
the histogram data to further adjust the
image. You can change the clipping
range by clicking Options.
5 You can also use Equalize to
redistribute the brightness values of the
image. This command automatically
adjusts images that are too dark.
6 Click OK to apply the changes or Reset
to go back to the image's original
settings.
To adjust an image using Tone Map:
1 Select Format: Tone Map.
2 Choose a color channel and select an
Enhancement method to work on.
3 In the mapping window, drag the line
to remap the color distribution
according to your needs. The gray
graph shows the current distribution of
colors in the image. The line shows how
colors will be mapped to the image after
clicking OK. The horizontal axis
represents the current image color
values and the vertical axis represents
the final ones.
4 Click OK to apply changes or Reset to
reverse all previous actions and restore
the image in its original state.
Using Level, the image at the right
shows improved depth
Applying Tone Map using Highlight
Enhancement
82 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
To adjust the brightness and contrast in an
image:
1 Select Format: Brightness & Contrast
[Ctrl+B].
2 Click a thumbnail. The center
thumbnail is replaced accordingly. Use
the sliders for finer control of the
adjustments.
Note:
Clear Real-time preview to
improve the speed in which the
thumbnails are redrawn after each
selection.
3 Click Add to place the adjustments in
the EasyPalette for later use.
4 Click OK to apply the adjustments to
your image.
To adjust the color balance of an image:
1 Select Format: Color Balance [Ctrl+L].
2 Click the Smart Tab. This allows you to
define a specific color to change in
order to improve image appearance. To
adjust all the colors in the image in
proportion, use the Preset Tab.
3 Click the Desired color square to open
the Ulead Color Picker dialog box for
specifying the replacement color (right-
clicking opens the Color Picker pop-up
menu.)
Note:
To simultaneously apply the
new settings to the image in the
workspace, select Real-time
preview. If, however, the image is
extremely large, this will slow down
performance because of the
resampling process.
4 Click the spot on the image that
represents the color to change (the
Pointer changes into the Eyedropper
Tool when you move your mouse over
the image).
5 Click OK.
Color Balance dialog box with Smart &
Preset Tabs
CHAPTER 4: IMAGE EDITING 83
To remove color cast:
1 Select Format: Color Cast.
2 Make sure Color Picker under the
preview window is pressed.
3 Pick a color on the source image that
should be the neutral tone (an area that
should be pure white, gray or black but
is not, because of the color cast). The
cursor changes to a color picker shape
when it moves over the source image.
4 After selecting a color, a control point
appears on the color wheel. The color
wheel has a maximum of 50%
saturation for each color at the edge of
the circle, with neutral gray at the
center (where red, green, and blue
values are equal).
Note:
If the selected color is outside
the saturation range, click inside the
color wheel and adjust by dragging
the control point.
5 To correct the color cast, drag the
control point to the center of the color
wheel or lower the saturation settings.
The easiest way is to click the center of
the color wheel, especially if no neutral
tone is found. To refine corrections,
adjust the Hue and Saturation settings.
6 When you are satisfied with the results,
click OK.
Selecting a neutral tone
Color cast removed
84 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
To adjust hue and saturation in an image:
1 Select Format: Hue & Saturation
[Ctrl+E].
2 Select the Dual View Tab to be able to
view the before and after image when
you adjust the settings.
3 In the Method option, select the
reference for adjusting the image colors.
Master adjusts all the colors in the
image based on those contained in the
image. Range blocks only the sections
of the color bar where editing is
applied. Colorize makes the image
appear in different tones of a single
color, making it appear like a
monochrome image.
4 Drag the sliders and watch the preview
window to see how the new settings are
affecting the image so far.
5 Click Add if you want to save
adjustments to the EasyPalette for
future use.
6 Click OK.
Range
Master
Colorize
CHAPTER 4: IMAGE EDITING 85
To adjust Highlight, Midtone, and Shadow
in an image:
1 Select Format: Highlight Midtone
Shadow [Ctrl+Shift+H].
2 Select the Dual View Tab to be able to
view the before and after image when
you adjust the settings.
Note:
To simultaneously apply the
new settings to the image in the
workspace, select Preview. If,
however, the image is extremely
large, this will slow down performance
because of the resampling process.
3 Select which color channel you want to
adjust. Selecting Master affects all color
channels.
4 Select which colors in the image to
adjust. Highlight remaps the colors
starting with the light colors. Midtone
remaps the colors concentrating with
the “in-between” colors. Shadow
remaps the colors starting with the dark
colors.
5 Drag the sliders and watch the preview
window to see how the new settings are
affecting the image.
Tip:
Click Auto to let PhotoImpact
automatically adjust the image for
you.
6 Click Add if you want to save
adjustments to the EasyPalette for
future use.
7 Click OK.
Highlight
Midtone
Shadow
86 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
High Dynamic Range
Dynamic range is the range of light that can be captured in an image, from the darkest shadows to the
brightest highlight. Digital camera sensors (or film in traditional cameras), unlike the human eye, can
only capture a limited dynamic range when photographing in extreme light conditions or dark
environments. For instance, a landscape will have a vast dynamic range of light that cameras are not
able to completely capture, and photos either have enough exposure of shaded areas (like the
mountain) but with blown highlights in the sky, or have clear blue sky but with dark shades. A
bright outdoor or dark indoor scene most often also have exposure problems, resulting in darkly lit
subjects or washed out highlights.
PhotoImpact's High Dynamic Range compensates for a digital camera’s limitations, and tries to resolve
exposure problems that photographers frequently encounter when shooting landscapes or still scenes
that contain dramatic differences between light and shades. It produces an optimized image by
combining different copies of the same scene and uses different exposure levels to extend its
perceivable tonal range. To produce such an image, multiple shots with different exposures are first
combined into a High Dynamic Range (HDR) image which will record the complete tonal
information combined from all the shots. This information is then used to produce a final optimized
image.
Photo shots taken with different exposures
Shots with varying exposures
combined into a single image
with greater tonal depth
Creating and saving a camera curve profile
When using High Dynamic Range to optimize images from a certain camera, you first need to
generate a camera response curve for your camera. (A camera response curve indicates how the
camera's light sensor responds to different light intensity levels.) A camera response curve must be
saved as a camera curve profile, if you want to optimize a single-shot image or an image of a subject
photographed in motion.
To be able to create an accurate camera curve profile, the image shots that are used as basis to create
the camera curve must show all the highlights, details, and shadows of the photographed scene. Here
are some guidelines on how to set your digital camera when photographing the image shots:
CHAPTER 4: IMAGE EDITING 87
• Mount your camera on a tripod and set your camera to aperture priority to shoot photos at
a fixed aperture with varying shutter speeds.
• Take at least three shots (five shots or more is recommended) of the same scene with
different exposures.
• To capture large exposure differences when taking fewer shots (such as three to five shots),
set the exposure in increments of at least +/- 1.0 Exposure Value. Whereas if you are
taking a greater number of shots, you can set the exposure at lower increments but make
sure that the number of shots are enough to cover a wide range of exposure levels.
To create and save a camera curve profile:
1 Open the images that were taken using
various exposure levels.
2 Select Format: High Dynamic Range.
3 In the HDR Composition tab, select
Auto generate from the Camera curve
profile drop-down list.
4 If your images retained the EXIF data
recorded by the digital camera, the F-
stop interval can automatically be
determined based on the exposure time
stored in the data. Whereas if your
images are non-EXIF images, you need
to manually specify the F-stop interval
between your images.
5 Click the Compose button to create the
camera curve profile.
If you used your camera's Automatic
Exposure Bracketing feature and took
two (or more) sets of shots, some images
will have the same shutter speed and
exposure time settings. A message
appears when images have identical
settings. In the Image List Panel, click
the – button to remove these images.
Note:
To check the settings, select
the image then select View: Photo
Properties.
6 The program automatically brings you
to the Optimization tab. Go back to
the HDR Composition tab.
7 Save the camera curve profile. Click
Save.
Creating a camera curve profile
Saving the camera curve profile
88 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Note:
PhotoImpact includes preset camera curve profiles for some digital camera models. If
there is a camera curve profile available for your camera, you can directly use it for your
images.
Optimizing images
Once you have saved a camera curve profile for your camera, you can always use it to optimize single
shots taken with the same camera to create greater tonal depth.
If you are capable of taking multiple shots with your camera, it is recommended that you take three
bracketed shots (using Automatic Exposure Bracketing mode) at varying exposures then always
choose to generate a camera response curve based on the shots to produce a highly optimized image.
When shooting, set your camera to a fixed aperture setting, and choose an exposure interval that will
capture large exposure differences to ensure that the image shots will show all the highlights, details,
and shadows.
To create an optimized image:
1 Open the images that were taken using
various exposure levels. Or, if you only
have a single image, open the image file.
2 Select Format: High Dynamic Range.
3 If your images are handheld shots,
select Registration, and then Auto crop
after registration to merge them and
remove excess white space from the
superimposed image. Click Preview to
see the resulting image.
4 If your images are multiple shots with
varying exposures, select Auto generate
from the Camera curve profile drop-
down list to create an accurate camera
response curve based on these images.
Whereas if you have a single image
only, select the Camera curve profile
(.CCF) that you previously saved for
your camera.
5 If your images retained the EXIF data
recorded by the digital camera, the F-
stop interval can automatically be
determined based on the exposure time
stored in the EXIF data. Whereas if
your images are non-EXIF images, you
need to manually specify the F-stop
interval between your images.
High Dynamic Range dialog box -
HDR Composition tab
CHAPTER 4: IMAGE EDITING 89
High Dynamic Range dialog box -
Post-processing tab
6 Click the Compose button to create the
camera response curve and then the
HDR image.
The program then automatically brings
you to the Optimization tab.
7 The Optimization tab displays an
optimized image based on the HDR
composition. Adjust Coarse contrast to
enhance the overall contrast of the
image, or for finer tuning of details,
individually adjust Highlight,
Midtone, and Shadow.
Note:
Click View HDR Image to view
the HDR composition. Because of a
monitor’s display limitations, you can
only view a specific dynamic range at
a time. Move the slider to preview
selected highlight, midtone, and
shadow ranges.
8 Click Save HDR Image to save the
HDR composition. This allows you to
reload it next time (click Open HDR
Image) and bypass image registration
and HDR composition processes when
you need to optimize again the same
image.
9 To make further adjustments to the
image's individual tonal channel, click
the Post-processing tab and adjust
Highlight, Midtone, and Shadow.
10 Click OK. Select File: Save As to save
the final image.
Viewing the HDR image
High Dynamic Range dialog box -
Optimization tab
90 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Using the Retouch Tools
The Retouch Tools are not strictly painting tools in the sense that they do not
“paint” over an image with a selected color. Instead, they are used to enhance areas
of an image by adjusting existing color pixels. To select a tool, click the lower right
corner of the Retouch Tool in the Tool Panel; a drawer of retouching tools opens
and you can select the type of tool you want to use.
When you apply a Retouch Tool on an area, the tool uses the shape and size of the
current brush each time you click the mouse. To perform the effect over a larger
area, drag the mouse or increase the size of your brush. To reapply and increase the
effect on a specific area, click repeatedly.
To apply a Retouch Tool to an area:
1 Open the image to edit.
2 Select a Retouch Tool to use, in this case
use the Remove Scratch Retouch Tool.
3 Click Panel on the Attribute Toolbar to
open the Brush Panel. In the Shape
Tab, define your brush attributes. You
can also specify the strength of the
effect for each brush stroke in the
Options Tab.
Note:
The available options on the
Attribute Toolbar and/or in the Brush
Panel are different for each of the
Retouch Tools.
4 Paint over the area to fix. PhotoImpact
regenerates pixels to cover the damaged
area based on neighboring pixels.
Some effects are subtle and you may
have to work with the brush to get the
desired results.
Note:
The Retouch Tools can only be
applied to Grayscale and True Color
images.
Tip:
You can apply a number of
Retouch Tools to an image, burn for
tan effect, dodge for light effect, blur
to smoothen rough skin texture, and
many others.
Brush Panel - Shape tab dialog box
Fixing image using Remove Scratch Tool
CHAPTER 4: IMAGE EDITING 91
Blur
Dodge
Burn
Bristle Smear
Sharpen
Color Transform
Colorize Pen
Smudge
Saturation
The Color Retouch Tools
There are two very useful Retouch Tools for colorizing images, these are:
• Color Transform Pen Alters the appearance of an image by changing the original color to
another color. You can adjust the Hue and Saturation values but the luminance (lightness
of a color) is retained. The result is vivid and more realistic than the Color Replacement
Pen.
• Colorize Pen Applies a tint or shade to an image of uniform hue. To create a single color
effect, apply Monochrome effect or use a Grayscale image (convert to RGB) then use the
Colorize Pen to enhance. Or, you can access the Hue & Saturation dialog box and select
Colorize.
92 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
To specify the attributes of a Retouch Tool, open the Brush Panel. The attributes for each Retouch
Tool are displayed in three tabs: Shape, Options (settings available vary according to the type of
Retouch Tool), and Advanced. The attributes for these tabs are identical to those for Paint Tools.
The Burn and Dodge Tools
The Burn and Dodge Retouch Tools let you darken or lighten areas of an image with careful
precision. On the Attribute Toolbar or in the Options Tab in the Brush Panel, select to modify only
the Shadows, Midtones or Highlights when using the Retouch Tools.
Using the Painting Tools
PhotoImpact comes equipped with an extensive assortment of painting tools that
allows you to paint, draw on an image, or create your own image. To select a tool,
click the lower right corner of the Paint Tool in the Tool Panel; a drawer of painting
tools opens and then you can select the Paint Tool you want to use.
Note:
Color Replacement Pen Tool replaces selected colors with another.
You can adjust the RGB values before painting a single or multiple colors on
an image. The result is not as refined as the Color Transform Pen because
the luminance is affected.
To paint your own image:
1 Open a new canvas.
2 Click the Paint Tool in the Tool Panel
and select Bristle.
3 On the Attribute Toolbar, select the
Grass preset. Click the color square and
select green. Start painting the grass at
the bottom part of the canvas.
Tip:
When you modify any attributes
of a preset, the Preset options
automatically switches back to None.
4 Switch to the Pencil Tool and select the
2B pencil preset to draw a cloud on the
sky and branches to act as a fence. Use
this tool also to draw a ‘rock path.’
5 Using the Drop Water Tool with the
Solution preset, you can blot the drawn
clouds on the sky.
CHAPTER 4: IMAGE EDITING 93
6 To add soil below the fence, select
Oil Paint then select the Light
Stroke preset. Click the color square
and select light brown. Start
painting below the fence.
7 To draw the bark of the tree, use
the Chalk Tool and select the Gritty
chalk preset. Change the Color to
dark brown then set the Brush
head and Transparency to define
the size of the brush and how
strong the paint is applied at each
stroke.
8 Add leaves to your tree by utilizing
the Particle Tool and selecting the
Leaf preset. Adjust the necessary
attributes until you get the desired
result.
Tip:
You can add a lot more to
your picture like mountains on the
backdrop or a blazing sun. Be
creative and look for the preset
you want to use, tweak the
attributes until you are satisfied
with the result.
Working with Paint Tool attributes
PhotoImpact gives you an amazing level of control over painting tools, right down to the
coarseness of the bristles. Define the attributes directly on the Attribute Toolbar or Brush Panel
after selecting a certain Paint Tool. To hide or display the Brush Panel, click Panel on the
Attribute Toolbar or double-click the Paint Tools on the Tool Panel.
When you select a Paint Tool, its various attributes appear along the Attribute Toolbar. Many of
these attributes are shared and work for all of the available Paint Tools. Listed below are some
common attributes:
• Shape Allows you to choose a brush shape. You can specify the size of the brush head
by entering a value between 1 and 500.
• Color Allows you to change the color that you will apply to an image. You can also set
the color in the Color Panel.
• Transparency Defines the degree of transparency of the paint to be applied to your
image. Values range from 0 to 99%.
94 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
• Soft edge Determines how much the color blends along the edges of an image. Values
range from 0% (no blending) to 100% (completely softens the edge and blends with
the underlying image).
• Texture Allows you to set a painting texture for the selected Paint Tool (except Drop
Water, Particle, and Color Replacement Pen).
Specifying the painting mode
As you paint, click Lines on the Attribute Toolbar to switch between three different painting
modes:
• Freehand Allows you to paint freely on the canvas.
• Straight Lines Lets you paint in straight lines. Click the point where you want the line
to start, then move to the point where you want it to end and click again. Pressing
[Shift] during this process constrains the lines drawn to certain angles only.
• Connected Lines Functions much like the Straight Line mode except that after a line is
painted, you can create a new line segment and continue painting to form a series of
connected lines. Double-click to automatically paint a straight line connecting the end
point to the starting point.
Erasing colors in PhotoImpact
PhotoImpact provides you with a variety of tools to remove colors from your document.
To erase paint applied using one of the Paint, Clone or Retouch Tools, click Eraser Mode on the
Attribute Toolbar or Brush Panel while using one of the Paint Tools. The Paint Tool then becomes
an eraser and you can proceed to remove the colors, retouches or cloned images previously applied.
To erase a selected color, use the Magic Wand Selection Tool to select the particular color of the
image you want deleted. To learn how to use this tool, see page 117 (and page 124 for information
on adding and subtracting from selection areas.)
For image objects, you can use the Object Eraser Tools to delete certain portions of the image
object. To learn how these tools work see page 143.
Original image
Image after area was erased using
Clone Tool
CHAPTER 4: IMAGE EDITING 95
Painting Texture menu
The Painting Texture menu gives you an option to use surface patterns when using either the Paint or
Clone Tools. When using the Paint Tools, the stroke produced will have the pattern of the selected
texture. When using the Clone Tools, the cloned image’s surface will have a pattern identical to the
selected texture.
To use the Painting Texture menu:
1 Select a Paint or Clone Tool in the Tool
Panel.
Note:
The Painting Texture menu is
only available for some Paint Tools.
2 Click the Painting Texture menu icon
on the Attribute Toolbar.
3 On the Painting Texture menu pop-up
menu, choose Select Texture then select
a texture pattern you want to use.
Note
: Use the Add Texture and
Delete Texture commands to either
add or erase custom texture files.
Using the Paint as Object mode
PhotoImpact provides two modes when using the Paint, Clone, and Retouch Tools (with the
exception of the Color Replacement Pen.) These are:
• Normal Mode Allows you to paint directly onto the base image.
• Paint as Object Mode Allows you to paint, clone or retouch the base image and create an
object with a transparent layer atop the active image. Click Paint as Object Mode on the
Attribute Toolbar to activate this mode and click again after painting, cloning or
retouching to change the painted, cloned or retouched area into an object.
Texture pattern
Using Paint Tools
Using Clone Tools
Normal Mode
No new object is created.
Paint as Object Mode
A new object is created
out of the cloned image.
96 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Using the Edit Active Objects Only mode
Edit Active Objects Only mode allows you to edit an object(s) that is overlapped by other objects
without the need to reposition them.
To use the Edit Active Objects Only mode:
1 Select the object(s) to edit from the
stack.
Note:
If the object(s) is not an image
object, convert it first to an image
object through Object: Convert
Object Type.
2 Select Edit: Edit Active Objects Only.
Note:
After selecting this command
the other objects will become
transparent. This is only a temporary
state, the object(s) will return to their
previous state after leaving the Edit
Active Objects Only mode.
3 Edit the selected object(s) using one of
the editing tools.
Note:
You can use the various editing
tools available (Paint, Retouch,
Clone, and Object Eraser Tools) while
in the Edit Active Objects Only
mode, however, you cannot create new
objects (e.g. creating a text object) or
change the object layer in this mode.
You will have to leave the Edit Active
Objects Only mode to accomplish
these tasks.
4 After you finish editing the object(s),
clear Edit Active Objects Only in the
Edit menu to leave the Edit Active
Objects Only mode.
Note:
When you are using the Paint,
Clone or Retouch Tools, you can
access and leave the Edit Active
Objects Only mode by clicking Edit
Active Objects Only on the Attribute
Toolbar.
Object selected (moon)
Object selected in Edit Active Objects
Only (other objects are temporarily made
transparent)
Transforming and repositioning the object
while in Edit Active Objects Only mode
State of objects after leaving the Edit
Active Objects Only mode
CHAPTER 4: IMAGE EDITING 97
Using the Color Panel
The Color Panel is a centralized color manager that sets and organizes colors for the various tools used
throughout PhotoImpact, including Paint, Fill, Text and Path Tools. It lets you apply predefined
colors for your project easily. You can access the Color Panel by selecting View: Toolbars & Panels -
Color Panel or click Color Panel in the Panel Manager.
The Color Tab
The Color Tab in the Color Panel gives you
an alternate location besides the Attribute
Toolbar and Tool Panel where you can set solid
or gradient colors for the various PhotoImpact
tools you work with. The colors specified here
will become the default colors whenever you
use a tool. Click the arrow under Mode to
choose between using a solid color (Single
Color) or a gradient color (Two Colors or
Multiple Colors).
Notes:
• Right-click the Hex Box to open a pop-up menu where you can quickly copy the color’s hex
value or the color’s HTML equivalent code to the clipboard to use in other programs.
• Click the arrow button to open a pop-up menu where there are options for you to set what
colors to use in the Color Tab.
Single Color
The Single Color mode allows you to use a solid color for the various tools you work with. There are
several ways to set the color when in Single Color mode:
• Ulead Color Picker Click the color
square to open the Ulead Color Picker
dialog box and select a color.
• Color Picker pop-up menu Right-click
the color square to open a pop-up menu
where there are several methods
available for choosing a color.
• RGB/HSB Enter the RGB and HSB
values in their respective boxes.
Color Tab - Painting Tool
98 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
• Hexadecimal value Enter the color’s
hexadecimal value in the Hex Box.
Right-click this field to open the Copy
for Web menu.
• Spectrum Bar Left-click to select the
the foreground color, and right-click to
select the background.
Click the + sign beside the color box to add
the selected color to the Swatch Palette in the
Swatches Tab.
Note:
When in Web Color mode, if the color selected is not a Web-safe color, the warning
mark and the closest Web-safe color that matches the selected color will be shown. Click the
Web safe color square to use that color.
Setting a Gradient color
To set gradient colors, click the arrow button
below the mode and select either Two Colors
or Multiple Colors from the pop-up menu.
• Two Colors Click Use the two color
squares to select the colors you want to
use. Click or right-click the color square
to select a color or use the RGB Boxes
to determine the colors. The Color
ramp determines how the colors will
change in a gradient fill. Click [+]
beside the color box to add the defined
gradient color to the Gradients tab.
• Multiple Colors To add a color, click
the Spectrum Bar and select a color
from the Ulead Color Picker dialog
box. Set hue values of your gradient by
adjusting Hue Shift and use Ring to
rotate the color spectrum. To remove or
edit an existing color on the
Color Tab - FIll Tool
Web safe color square
Two Colors
Multiple Colors
The control points indicate the location and
color of a gradient
CHAPTER 4: IMAGE EDITING 99
spectrum, right-click the control point
of the color for editing/removal. You
can also delete a color by dragging its
control point off the tab. Click [+]
beside the color box to add the defined
gradient color to the Gradients tab.
Swatches Tab
The Swatches Tab displays a color palette
where you can select colors for your tools.
Select a color by simply clicking a color in the
Swatch Palette and selecting whether to use it
as foreground or background color for your
current tool.
In the Swatches Tab, the color row below the
Swatch Palette represents the favorite colors
that you set for quick selection. Set the colors
by either clicking or right-clicking a color
square. You can also set the color by clicking on
the swatch while a favorite color square is
selected.
Click the arrow button to open a pop-up
menu where there are several commands that
allow you to add, save, change the view or
append swatches among others. Saving the
current Swatch Palette, as a Ulead Swatch
Library file (USL), allows you to use the same
Swatch Palette for future projects or even share
the palette to others.
Note:
You can select multiple
swatches by pressing [Ctrl] while
clicking the swatches you want
selected. You can also press [Shift]
to select several adjacent swatches.
When multiple swatches are selected,
Edit is disabled. To deselect the
swatch, press [Ctrl] and click the
swatch again.
100 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
To add a color to the Swatch Palette:
1 Select Add New Swatch in the pop-up
menu or click Add Swatch.
2 In the Add New Swatch dialog box,
click the color box to open the Ulead
Color Picker dialog box and select the
color that you want to add. Alternatively,
you can also enter the color’s RGB and
HSB in the respective boxes.
3 Type in a name in the Name Box for the
new swatch color then click OK.
Note:
You can also add a new swatch
from the Color Tab. For details, see
page 98.
Gradients Tab
The Gradients Tab appears in the Color Panel
except when working in indexed 256-color
mode. Click a gradient square to select it.
The Gradients Tab displays a palette of your
gradient fills that you can use in the current
project. It consists of two gradient palettes, one
for Two Colors gradients and another for
Multiple Colors gradients.
Click the arrow button to open a pop-up menu
where there are several commands that allow
you to add, save, change the view or append
gradients among others.
In this tab, you can also create custom gradient
fills then save them as a Ulead Gradient Library
file (UGL) which you can use for future
projects.
Note:
You can select multiple gradients by pressing [Ctrl] while clicking on the gradients that
you want selected. You can also press [Shift] to select several adjacent swatches. When
multiple swatches are selected, Edit is disabled. To deselect the gradient, press [Ctrl] and
click the gradient again.
CHAPTER 4: IMAGE EDITING 101
To add a gradient to the Gradient Palette:
1 Select Add New Gradient on the
pop-up menu then select the type of
gradient you want to add (either Tw o
Colors or Multiple Colors).
Alternatively, you can click Add
Gradient.
2 In the resulting dialog box, set up the
colors you want for your gradient
color.
3 Type in a name in the Name Box for
the new gradient color.
Color Table Tab
The Color Table Tab only appears in the
Color Panel when you are working in
Indexed-color mode (maximum 256 colors.)
The Color Table Tab allows you to instantly
set a tool color (similar to the Swatch Palette)
by simply clicking a color.
Click the arrow to access the pop-up menu
where you can open the Color Table (same
as selecting Format: Color Table) or sort the
Index-color Palette by different criteria. (For
more information on the Color Table, see
page 109.)
To edit the Color Table:
1 Select Color Table on the pop-up
menu.
Note:
You can also access the
Color Table through Format:
Color Table.
2 The Color Table dialog box appears.
Edit the Color Table by using the
different functions available.
• Compact Removes all unused and
duplicated entries on the table.
• Expand Adds cells at the end of
the table to represent unused
entries.
102 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
The maximum number of cells
available depends on the data type
of your image.
Note:
Access the Online help to learn
the function of the other buttons.
3 Click OK.
Using the Fill Tools
The Fill Tools in the Tool Panel provide access to the Bucket, Linear Gradient, Rectangular Gradient,
Elliptical Gradient, and Texture Fill Tools. The Bucket Fill Tool is useful for quickly replacing solid
color, such as white to black. The three Gradient Fill Tools fill an area, using two or more colors, with a
smooth color transition from one color to another. The Texture Fill Tool fills the selected image or
object with a texture pattern. These tools are great for creating backgrounds for your projects.
Notes:
•
The Bucket Fill Tool works with all data types while the Gradient Fill Tools only work
with Grayscale and True Color images.
•
If you don’t select an object or make a selection area, the fill is applied to the base image.
To fill an image:
1 Click the Bucket Fill Tool.
2 Change the Fill Color on the Attribute
Toolbar to the color you want (right-
click and choose a color selection
method, see page 108).
Note:
You can also set the fill color in
the Color Tab in the Color Panel.
3 Adjust the value in the Similarity Box
to change the range of colors affected
by the fill. Higher values mean that
more of the image will be filled.
4 Enter a value in the Transparency Box
to specify the degree of transparency
when applying a fill color (from 0 to
99%).
5 Select from among the Merge options.
(For more information on Merge
options, click Help.)
6 Click to apply the fill to the image.
CHAPTER 4: IMAGE EDITING 103
Choosing a fill method
In PhotoImpact, when applying a Gradient Fill on your image you can choose between two methods:
Two Color or Multiple Color. All three Gradient Fill Tools (Linear, Rectangular and Elliptical) share
the same attributes on the Attribute Toolbar.
• The Two Color method applies a Gradient Fill to an image based on any two colors
specified in the Fill colors color squares. To change the color, either click the color square
for the Ulead Color Picker dialog box, or right-click to display the Color Picker pop-up
menu. The gradient applied will be a smooth transition from the first (start) to the second
(end) color.
• The Multiple Color method uses a palette ramp to apply a Gradient Fill to an image in
multiple colors displayed in the Fill colors square. Click the color square to access the
Palette Ramp Editor dialog box. This opens a palette library with a wide array of
predefined color rings that you can apply to an image. The Palette Ramp Editor allows
you to create your own color combination.
Note:
You can also use the Color Panel to set your Two Color or Multiple Color gradient
colors. Click the arrow below Mode in the Color Tab to switch between Two Colors and
Multiple Colors.
To make a Two Color gradient fill:
1 Click Fill in the Tool Panel and select
any of the gradient fill tools (except
Texture Fill).
2 On the Attribute Toolbar, click Fill
method and select Two Color.
3 Select the start and end fill colors in the
Fill colors color squares.
4 Click the point where you want the fill
to start, and drag the mouse to the
point where you want it to end, then
release.
Note:
If you are using the Linear Gradient Fill Tool, press [Shift] while dragging to
constrain the fill to a certain angle. If you are using the Rectangular and Elliptical
Gradient Fill Tools, press [Shift] to create a square and circular fill respectively.
104 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
To apply a Multiple Color gradient fill on
an image:
1 Click Fill in the Tool Panel and select
any of the three gradient fill tools.
Change the Fill method to Multiple-
Color gradient fill.
2 Click the Fill colors color square. The
Palette Ramp Editor dialog box opens
with the palette library displaying
thumbnails of color rings.
3 Select a color ring on the thumbnail
displayed. Right-click a specific control
point to adjust the color of the ring and
select Change Color. Click OK.
4 Enter a value from 0 to 359 in the Hue
shift Box to adjust the hue settings.
5 Enter a value from 0 to 359 in the
Ring Box to adjust the rotation of the
color ring. Click OK.
6 Click the point where you want the fill
to start, and drag the mouse to the
point where you want it to end, then
release.
Note:
Click Add to save your
customized palette ramp as a
thumbnail in the Palette Ramp
Editor dialog box.
Filling an area with a texture
The Texture Tab in the Fill dialog box contains Magic Texture fills (computer generated) and
Natural Texture fills (real-world textures such as wood grain, stone, and fabric). You can select either
type from the Tab group List.
CHAPTER 4: IMAGE EDITING 105
To use the Texture Fill Tool:
1 Select an object or make a selection
area where you will apply the texture
fill.
2 Apply Texture Fill by either choosing
Texture Fill Tool in the Tool Panel or
by pressing [Ctrl] + [F].
3 Choose a Texture Fill pattern from
the available presets: Photo, Natural
and Magic. You can also select a
texture from the resulting drop-down
menu of the preset group you have
chosen.
Notes:
•
Alternatively, you can press [Ctrl]
+ [F] and click the Texture Tab to
make a texture fill.
•
To use an existing image file as
texture, click More and select
any JPEG or BMP files stored in
your computer.
4 Using the Texture Fill cursor, draw a
box to establish the pattern size. You
can move the box later to shift pattern
position.
Note:
To retain the texture’s original
size, select Don’t resize texture.
Choose Resize Freely to resize the
pattern to fit your box size, while
selecting Keep aspect ratio
resizes the pattern but retains the
original proportion.
5 Adjust Hue and Transparency
settings by entering values in their
respective boxes.
Open dialog box for choosing your own
Fill - Magic Texture dialog box
106 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Using Delete and drag-and-drop to fill
• Fill an image or selection area with your default background color without having to
open the Fill dialog box. Simply choose the background color as your fill color, and
then press [Delete]. Set your Background color through the Background color square
in the Tool Panel or in the Color Panel. Click or right-click the color square to select
your background color.
• Fill an image, object or selection area with tiled copies of another image that is
currently open. To do this, drag one image to another image with the "L" key held
down.
Performing drag-and-drop texture fills
PhotoImpact makes it easy to apply a full range of predefined textures and color gradients to any
image, object, or selection area through the Fill Gallery in the EasyPalette.
When you open the Fill Gallery, you can view thumbnails of various textures. To apply a Texture
or Gradient Fill, drag its thumbnail onto an image, object or selection area.
Notes:
•
To adjust a preset, right-click a thumbnail and select Modify Properties and Apply.
•
When a Texture Fill is applied to a selection area, the base image within the selection
area is filled with the texture.
Filling a selection area
CHAPTER 4: IMAGE EDITING 107
To use the three buttons below the
Foreground and Background colors:
• Click to reset the Background color to white.
• Click to reset the Foreground color to black.
• Click to reset the Foreground and
Background colors back to their default settings.
(black for Foreground color and white for Background color).
Click to switch the
Foreground and
Background colors
Foreground
color
Background color
Using the Tool Panel color tools
The Foreground and Background color squares have been integrated into the Tool Panel. The
Foreground color is used when you are painting, using the Bucket Fill Tool, and using the Paint on
Edges function. The Background color is used to replace a cut portion of an image.
Changing the Tool color
There are two ways to change the colors in the Tool Panel:
• Click the color square to open the
Ulead Color Picker dialog box (Choose
Color From Palette dialog box when
working in Indexed-color mode) then
select the desired color.
• Right-click the color square to open the
Color Picker pop-up menu where it
gives you several options on how you
can select a color.
Examples of Magic and Natural Textures available in PhotoImpact
108 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Hue Tab
Selecting colors from the Color Picker pop-up menu
The Color Picker pop-up menu, displayed when you right-click a color square to
select your color, allows you to choose and replace colors from a range of methods
applicable to different situations.
Using the Ulead Color Picker
The Ulead Color Picker command opens a dialog box showing a continuous color spectrum. The
color spectrum displays hue or color and luminance or the amount of brightness. When you move
your mouse over the colors, their RGB and HSB values are displayed below the color spectrum.
Brightness Tab
For a more precise color selection, click one of the colored tabs above the color spectrum. For
Grayscale images, the Ulead Color Picker changes to show just Grayscale values.
Web browsers display a common 216 colors while graphics use 256 colors. With Web Safe Color
Palette, you can safely create or design graphics using 8-bit, 256 colors, or 24-bit millions of colors
for display on the Web, monitors or videos. This prevents color inconsistencies and dithering
(color shift).
Grayscale Ulead Color Picker
CHAPTER 4: IMAGE EDITING 109
Web
Safe
option
Hue Tab (with Web
Safe mode selected)
Brightness Tab (with
Web Safe mode
selected)
Web Palette Tab
The Ulead Color Picker gives you a few convenient ways to work with Web Safe colors:
• Select the Web Safe option at the bottom right of the dialog box while viewing colors in
any tab.
• Click the Web Palette Tab (third from the left) to display the 216-color Web Safe Palette.
• Enter a six-digit Hex value (combination of 00, 33, 66, 99, CC, and FF) directly in the
Hex Box while viewing colors in any tab.
Picking colors from an image or entire screen
The Eyedropper Tool (from the Tool Panel) and the Eyedropper command (from the Color Picker
pop-up menu) allow you to select a color directly from an active image. By zooming in on an image,
you can precisely select the desired color by simply clicking on it. However, color choices are limited to
what the image contains. In instances where the color you want to use is visible within the monitor
screen, use the Color on Screen command (from the Color Picker pop-up menu). Once activated, the
pointer changes to an eyedropper cursor, and you can then click on the spot where you see the desired
color from within the screen.
Editing the color table for an Indexed color image
Indexed-color images are unique in that they are small in file size (compared to True Color images), yet
offer a wide range of colors which can be arranged to make it appear as if they contain more. This is
done through the use of a color table which allocates a single color in either 16 or 256 discrete cells
(depending on the data type you are currently working in). To view a color table, select Format: Color
Table. You can also access the Color Table in the Color Table Tab pop-up menu in the Color Panel.
(This command is disabled when the active image is not Indexed-color.)
110 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
As each color is in its own cell, you can change it to affect the color composition of an image. For
example, you can change all occurrences of white by simply changing the white color cell. To change a
color, double-click the cell to open the Ulead Color Picker dialog box and choose a new color.
Clicking OK replaces the old color with the new one and returns you to the Color Table dialog box.
Loading and saving color tables
In PhotoImpact, you can save color tables and then load them into another compatible Indexed-color
image. This ensures that two or more images share the same composition, which is particularly
important if you are preparing images to be displayed in a 256-color display mode, such as CD titles
or for the Web. You can also load in color tables to colorize an image.
Note:
Color tables containing 16 colors can only be loaded into Indexed 16-Color images.
Likewise, color tables containing 256 colors can only be loaded into Indexed 256-Color
images.
Cloning parts of an image
In PhotoImpact, cloning is the process of duplicating an object or parts of an image
and “painting” it over another part of an image. For instance, you can remove an
unseemly area by cloning over it parts of the background like stars in the sky. To
select a tool, click the lower right corner of the Clone Tool button in the Tool Panel; a
drawer of cloning tools opens and you can select the Clone Tool you want to use.
The Clone Tool incorporates a set of cloning tools with different brush types. They
copy part of an image to another area in the same image or to another image of the
same data type, allowing you to paint one person’s head onto another person’s body,
for example. (You can only clone on Grayscale and True Color images.)
16-color Indexed palette
256-color Indexed palette
CHAPTER 4: IMAGE EDITING 111
To use the Clone Tool:
1 Click a Clone Tool in the Tool Panel
and adjust the attributes for that tool.
2 Press [Shift] and click your mouse once
over the area you want to clone (a cross-
hair mark appears).
3 Drag your mouse over the area where
you want the clone area to appear. The
size and shape of the area painted are
determined by the current tool’s size
and shape settings.
Note:
Use the Brush Panel to adjust Clone Tool brush attributes.
Saving a tool’s attributes to My Gallery
PhotoImpact provides a way for you to set up your own gallery of specially configured tools –
whether Paint, Retouch, Clone, or Stamp Tools. After having modified the attributes of any specific
tool, you can save them for future use.
To save a tool’s attributes:
1 Click Add on the Attribute Toolbar.
2 Type a name for the tool in the Sample
name Box.
3 Select My Gallery - Custom Group 1
in which to store the thumbnail, then
choose a Tab group to which the tool
belongs. The Recently-used List
displays the gallery and the tab groups
into which you saved your last
configured tool.
4 Click OK and the tool attributes are
then saved in My Gallery of the
EasyPalette.
Tip:
To use the tool later, drag the
thumbnail of the tool from the
EasyPalette onto the image you want
to use it for. The Attribute Toolbar
changes to reflect the new tool and its
attributes.
112 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
5
SELECTIONS & OBJECTS
This chapter deals with the methods of working with selections and
objects. It introduces the basic concepts of creating selections from
images and applying attribute changes without affecting areas outside
the selection. Get to know more about the different kinds of selection
tools, such as the Lasso Tool and the Magic Wand Tool. You’ll also
learn about independent floating graphics called objects, as well as how
to create and edit them. At the end of the chapter, you’ll discover
advanced techniques such as managing object layers, adding shadows,
grouping and ungrouping objects, and more.
In Chapter 5 you will learn:
Working with selections .............................................................................................115
Pick Tool .......................................................................................................................115
Standard Selection Tool – selecting regularly shaped areas .................................... 115
Lasso Tool – selecting irregularly shaped areas .......................................................116
Magic Wand – selecting an area containing similar colors ....................................... 117
Mask Mode.................................................................................................................... 119
Moving a selection area marquee .............................................................................. 121
Preserving the base image ........................................................................................ 121
Creating smooth-edged selection areas ................................................................... 122
Softening a selection edge ......................................................................................... 122
114 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Creating a border around a selection ........................................................................ 122
Using Color Range ..................................................................................................... 123
Adding to or subtracting from a selection .................................................................. 124
Expanding a selection area ........................................................................................ 124
Using the Selection Manager ..................................................................................... 125
Working with objects ................................................................................................. 125
Managing object layers ............................................................................................... 125
Setting an object’s properties..................................................................................... 128
Editing objects ............................................................................................................. 128
Making a selection area on an object or multiple objects ......................................... 129
Using Defringe ............................................................................................................ 130
Match Background Color ............................................................................................. 130
Adding a shadow to an object .................................................................................... 131
Copying and moving an object between images ...................................................... 132
Duplicating an object .................................................................................................. 132
Deleting an object ....................................................................................................... 132
Spacing and aligning objects ..................................................................................... 132
Using object libraries ................................................................................................. 133
Saving selections to the object libraries .................................................................... 133
Retrieving an image or selection ............................................................................... 136
Using the Measure Tool ............................................................................................. 137
Using the Transform Tool ........................................................................................... 138
Rotating images .......................................................................................................... 140
Working with Object Eraser Tools ............................................................................ 143
Using the Stamp Tool ................................................................................................. 144
CHAPTER 5: SELECTIONS & OBJECTS 115
Working with selections
When no area has been selected in an image, any command that you apply affects the entire image. To
restrict the command to a certain area of an image, you need to create a selection area. Click the
Selection Tool in the Tool Panel to choose various selection tools. These tools will be discussed in the
following section.
Notes:
• Selection Tools support outside document operation, which means that you can drag and
release your tool cursor anywhere an open window. And, the start and end point of your
selection doesn’t necessarily have to fall within the image boundary.
• Press the spacebar to toggle between showing and hiding a selection.
Pick Tool
The Pick Tool is used mainly to select objects, static selections, and base images. It also moves and
copies objects. With this tool you can perform the following functions:
• Click an object or static selection to make it active.
• Select multiple objects by dragging the Pick Tool from an empty area across the edges of a
group of objects (or encase them within the Pick Tool’s selection area).
• Select a set of objects by pressing [Ctrl] or [Shift] as you click them.
• Merge all the objects together as a single object: first select all the objects, and then select
Object: Merge as Single Object, or right-click any object or group of objects.
With the Pick Tool, you can change the layers of objects by using the four order arrow buttons on the
Attribute Toolbar, as well as change the alignment using the buttons in Align (or by selecting Object:
Align).
Standard Selection Tool – selecting regularly shaped areas
The Standard Selection Tool lets you select areas of an image based on a preset size and/or shape, such
as a rectangle or circle. You can also use this to convert selection areas into objects by dragging on the
selection.
To create a standard selection:
1 Click the Standard Selection Tool and
select the desired shape in Shape.
2 Drag your mouse over the image. Once
the dotted line area covers the area you
want to select, release the mouse
button.
Dragging the mouse in making a selection
116 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Note:
If you want to create a selection area based on precise dimensions, select Fixed size
and then enter the desired width and height.
Lasso Tool – selecting irregularly shaped areas
The Lasso Tool lets you select an area of any shape. It is especially useful for selecting irregularly
shaped areas, such as a person’s head, and other objects. Once finished, your selection becomes an
active path that you can edit point by point. This gives you precise control over your selection’s
borders.
To use the Lasso Tool:
1 Click the Lasso Tool in the Tool Panel.
2 Select Snap to edges and a wavy line
selects adjacent pixels with similar color.
Clear Snap to edges and a straight line
selects whatever you click.
Tips:
•
Enter a value (up to 10) in
Sensitivity. If you find the selection
“drags” to include unwanted areas,
then clear Snap to edges or
decrease the sensitivity.
•
If you make a mistake while
creating the selection area or want
to start again, press [Esc].
The original image and that image with a selection area
CHAPTER 5: SELECTIONS & OBJECTS 117
3 Click to mark the starting point and
double-click to end the selection line or
area. The selection line, instead of the
usual dotted line, becomes a line path
with a number of control points.
4 You can edit your selection by dragging
the control points to a new location.
You can also add new control points by
clicking anywhere within the line
paths.
5 When done, double-click the selection
area or click Finish at the Attribute
Toolbar to change the editable path
into a selection. You can click Cancel to
abort the operation.
Magic Wand – selecting an area containing similar colors
The Magic Wand Tool creates a selection area by selecting specific colors. This is particularly useful if
either the subject of the image or the background is a distinct color.
To make a selection:
1 Click the Magic Wand Tool in the Tool
Panel.
2 Enter a value in Similarity. Any color
that falls within the values specified in
Similarity are included in the selection
area.
3 Choose an option for Select by.
• To create a selection around straight
edges, such as borders or frames,
select Line.
• To create a selection around
irregular areas of similar color, select
Area.
118 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
4 Select Search connected pixels to find
connected or unconnected pixels with
similar colors. Leaving it cleared will
automatically select similar pixels within
the entire image.
5 Click your image to select the reference
color to create a selection area.
Notes:
•
If there are any objects or selection
areas made by other Selection
Tools, the Magic Wand will include
parts of the objects or selection
areas that are similar as well.
•
When using the Magic Wand, and
an object or selection is active, the
selection will include similar colors
in the base image as well.
Determining color similarity
To use Similarity, enter a value that you feel most closely reflects the range of colors you want to select.
To help determine the color similarity range, consider the following:
• As you move the Magic Wand over the target pixels in the image the RGB, Hex. and
HSB color values are displayed accordingly on the Status Bar.
• On the Attribute Toolbar, click Options and choose Compare by RGB or Compare by
HSB color values to convert the similarity value. In the RGB model, Similarity ranges
from 0 to 255. In the HSB model, Similarity ranges from 0 to 100.
Below is a guideline on what to expect when choosing particular color ranges:
• A value of 0 selects neighboring pixels with exactly the same color value.
• A value of 255 selects pixels of all colors – thereby selecting the entire image.
• A value of 50 selects neighboring pixels that have values which differ from the pixel you
click by 50. For example, if you click a pixel with values R25, G60, B190, neighboring
pixels with values between R0, G10, B140, and R75, G110, B240 will be selected.
CHAPTER 5: SELECTIONS & OBJECTS 119
Mask Mode
Masking is a process where changes are applied to a selected area of an image, while the rest of the
image is “masked” or protected from those changes. Masking an image provides a flexible, more
creative way of making selections, where you can apply any combination of Text, Path, Paint, and Fill
Tools, as well as various degrees of transparency to unmasked selections to transform them into
complex selections.
Masking is particularly useful for selecting portions of the image that are not distinguishable from the
background. A typical use for the Mask Mode is to select portions of images that you cut out and
paste into another image to create a collage. Because Mask Mode has transparency options, it lets you
blend more effectively one image object with another.
Note:
Mask Mode can only be used with RGB and 8-bit Grayscale images.
Mask Mode basically operates on a Grayscale buffer, which means that you make selections based on
tonal values of the Grayscale. When in Mask Mode, you will only be able to access Grayscale values in
the color palette. Each tonal value in the grayscale buffer represents a combination of two things:
degree of transparency and selection area status. Selecting white results in 0% selection transparency,
while black results in 100% transparency (meaning that there’s no selection). A gray value represents
partial selection, or a selection with partial transparency. Keep in mind that when you paint on the
mask itself, areas that you paint with black will become the default white mask, while areas that you
paint on with white will completely penetrate the mask to reveal the image beneath.
From left to right: using Mask Mode to create a selection, the resulting selection, the selection as an
object, the object merged with another image.
120 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
To use Mask Mode:
1 Open an image in the workspace.
2 Select Edit: Mask Mode [Ctrl+K] or
click Mask Mode in the Tool Panel. By
default, a semitransparent white layer
appears, covering the entire image. This
means that you are now working in a
Grayscale mask mode.
Note:
You can always make a
selection area first, then click Mask
Mode. This is useful if the image is
large and you only want to mask a
small portion of it.
3 Choose a Selection, Paint, or Fill Tool
to modify the mask. Let's say you click
the Paint Tool and select Paintbrush.
Adjust the attributes of the brush in
the Brush Panel.
4 On the Attribute Toolbar, pick a color
for the brush. Notice that only
Grayscale values are available. Selecting
black means that you will add to the
mask, thus covering the image with the
default mask color, while white
subtracts from the mask so that the
image appears clearly through the mask
layer.
5 Paint on the image until you have the
area you want. After you're done, exit
Mask Mode by pressing [Ctrl+K] or
Mask Mode on the Tool Panel.
A selection marquee appears where you
have painted on the mask. All areas that
you painted using White and Grayscale
values fall within the selection areas.
Grayscale areas will be semitransparent,
depending on the value of gray.
CHAPTER 5: SELECTIONS & OBJECTS 121
6 You can either convert the selection to
an object and paste it into another
image, or you can edit the marquee
further by returning to Mask Mode or
using a Selection Tool.
Note:
After you have created a
selection using Mask Mode, you can
save the selection as mask and use it
later as a mask for other images. See
page 26.
Moving a selection area marquee
After you have created a selection area with any of the Selection Tools, you might find that the
selection area is not positioned exactly where you want it. For example, the selection might include
part of the image that you don’t want. There are two ways to move the selection so that only the
selection marquee moves.
• On the Attribute Toolbar for a Selection Tool, click Options and choose Move Selection
Marquee, then drag the selection to another position.
• Click Pick Tool in the Tool Panel, then drag the selection to another position.
Preserving the base image
Whenever a selection area becomes an object, the original image (or the base image) can be affected in
different ways. On the Attribute Toolbar for all Selection Tools, Preserve Base Image [F5] on the
Options menu lets you determine this in one of two ways:
• Select this option when you want to duplicate parts of an image or leave it unaffected by
any actions you may perform on it.
• Deselect this option to create a cutout of the selection and fill it with the current
background color when you move the selection.
Note:
Press [Ctrl] as you move a selection to preserve the base image, irrespective of its
current status.
From left to right: the original image, Preserve base image on, Preserve base image off
122 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Creating smooth-edged selection areas
Choose Anti-aliasing from the Options menu to smooth out selection area edges. It is especially
helpful in keeping curved selections smooth. However, since Anti-aliasing modifies the edges of
selection areas, the extent of the selection area may change.
Softening a selection edge
Click Selection: Soften (or right-click and select Soften) to make the edge of a selection area appear
diffused, creating a “halo-like” effect. Higher values increase the diffusion of the edges. This effect will
be apparent when you convert the selection to an object and move it to a different background.
Note:
If you do not have Preserve Base Image [F5] selected and you move the selection, you
will notice that the base image shows a corresponding diffuse-edged hole filled in with the
background color where the selection area was before.
Creating a border around a selection
There are various instances when you might want to create a border around a selection area. By
applying a fill to this area, you can easily create a frame around the main subject of an image (for
rectangular and oval selections). If you have an irregular selection, you can create a custom outline
shape, or simply emphasize the subject of an image by outlining it. After creating a selection, click
Selection: Border (or right-click and select Border). You can specify the width of the border and add
a soft edge if desired. After the border selection has been created, fill it with a selected color or pattern.
From left to right: the original selection, the softened selection, and the selection converted to an
object against a dark background
CHAPTER 5: SELECTIONS & OBJECTS 123
Using Color Range
Color Range is a useful method of selecting areas with similar color properties. While the Magic wand
selects all pixels that fall within the specified color range, Color Range creates a gradient selection
mask based on a pixel’s color similarity to the specified colors.
In making a selection, Color Range uses two sampling methods. The first, Sampled Colors, uses an
eyedropper tool to make color selections from an image. Similarity determines the colors that will be
incorporated into the selection, so that the higher the similarity, the more colors are included. The
second method, Standard, uses the image’s highlight, midtone, and shadow to determine the color
range automatically.
To make a selection using Color Range:
1 With an image open, click Selection:
Color Range.
2 Select the method of selecting the color
range that you want to use.
3 If you choose Standard, simply select
Highlight, Midtone, or Shadow from
the drop-down menu and specify the
Similarity range. Color Range will
automatically select the pixels that fit
the specified tonal range.
4 If you chose Sampled Colors, use the
color sample picker, choose a color from
the image that you want selected. Drag
the Similarity slider to adjust the level
of related colors that will be selected
From left to right: the original selection, the selection with a border, and the border with a fill color
124 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
along with the chosen color. A higher
value means a higher threshold, thus
more colors are selected.
5 To select additional colors, click the
Add color sample. Conversely, click
Remove color sample to take away any
excess colors from the color range.
The After View shows the image with
all selected colors highlighted.
6 Click OK. The color/s you selected
should now be surrounded by a
selection border.
Adding to or subtracting from a selection
You can select multiple parts of an image at one time. In the same way, you can also exclude portions
of existing selection areas. Follow these procedures:
• To add an area, select from the Mode options on the Attribute Toolbar and choose [+], or
press [A] while selecting more of the image (the pointer changes to display a plus sign).
• To exclude an area choose [–], or press [S] while selecting the unwanted area (the pointer
changes to display a minus sign).
The original selection area (left), and subtracting from the selection area (right)
Expanding a selection area
If your initial selection is not big enough to include all parts of the image that you want, you have a
few different ways of enlarging it:
• Click Selection: Similar (or right-click and select Similar). Based on the existing selection
area, it expands the selection to include similar pixels from the entire image or from
neighboring areas.
CHAPTER 5: SELECTIONS & OBJECTS 125
• Click Selection: Expand/Shrink (or right-click and select Expand/Shrink). All sides are
expanded by equal values.
• Click the Transform Tool in the Tool Panel to reshape and resize the selection area by
dragging on the control handles.
Using the Selection Manager
The Selection Manager is a useful tool for saving your frequently-used selections in the AccessPanel
for repeated use. For more on the Selection Manager, please see page 26.
Working with objects
Objects float above the base image in independent layers, allowing you to move and manipulate them
without affecting other objects or the base image.
There are several ways to create objects from selections:
• Drag a selection anywhere within the current document or directly into another open
document in PhotoImpact.
• Drag a selection outside of the current document to create a new document containing
only that object. This is useful if you want to edit this particular object independently
from the rest of the original image. When you have finished working on it, you can then
merge it back into the base image by dragging it as an object.
• Perform a transformation on a selection, using the Transform Tool. For details, see page
138.
• Select Selection: Convert to Object.
• Select Object: Insert Image Object - Via Cut or Via Copy.
Managing object layers
The Layer Manager helps you keep track of objects within an image. Select View: Toolbars & Panels -
AccessPanel, or press [F10]. Click Layer Manager to view objects in their individual layers. The
following describes some its features and functions:
• Click an object in the Layer Manager to select that object in the workspace. This is
particularly useful if the object is small, overlapped or hidden behind other objects.
• Click Show/Hide List View to toggle between a list of object names and a thumbnail view
of objects.
126 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
• Each object thumbnail has the following icons:
Eye Shows or hides an object (you can also open the Object Properties dialog box and
select or clear Show).
Lock Locks or unlocks the object to its position.
Object type Identifies whether it is an image, text, path, Web object, or a group of objects.
Z-merge Shows whether an object has undergone Z-merge or not.
Sorting objects
You can use Sort to arrange the objects’
thumbnails in the Layer Manager. To do this,
select Sort by Depth and Sort by Name in
Thumbnail menu commands or from the
resulting pop-up menu when you right-click
on a thumbnail. Sorting by Depth sorts the
objects based on their layer level in the
workspace, while sorting by Name is based on
the object’s name in the Layer Manager.
Grouping and ungrouping objects
While editing an image, it may be convenient
to group objects so that you can move them as
a unit or act on them collectively with a
specific tool or effect.
To group objects:
1 Press [Ctrl] as you click the thumbnails
of the objects you want to group in the
Layer Manager.
2 Select Group from Thumbnail menu
commands (or right-click a thumbnail)
to group the selected objects together.
The thumbnails on these objects are
marked as Group 1 with all the images
displayed in a single object.
CHAPTER 5: SELECTIONS & OBJECTS 127
Notes:
•
You can also regroup grouped
objects up to 16 times and
increase the group level each time
by 1.
• To ungroup objects, select
Ungroup from Thumbnail menu
commands (or right-click a
thumbnail).
• Ungrouping decreases the group
level by one.
• Click Show/Hide Group Member
to toggle between showing and
hiding grouped objects. If hidden,
the thumbnail of the grouped object
becomes one.
Changing an object’s layer in an image
When an object is created, it is automatically placed on the top layer of an image. Converting a
selection to an object places the object on the lowest layer. There are different ways to position several
objects on different layers:
• Select the Pick Tool. Then, use the four Arrange arrow buttons on the Attribute Toolbar.
These buttons move an object up one level, down one level, to the top level, and to the
bottom level.
• Select Object: Arrange (or right-click an object and select Arrange) and use one of the four
submenu commands.
• In the Layer Manager, drag a thumbnail to the desired layer in the image.
Changing the object layer
128 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Setting an object’s properties
Setting Object Properties lets you further
specify the attributes of image, text and path
objects as well as Web component objects.
Different options are available, depending on
what type of object it is. Among other things,
you can change an object’s name, size and
position, set its transparency and merge
attributes, precisely specify its position and
dimensions, and assign an image map (when
the selected item is a normal object) or a
hyperlink (when the selected item is a Web
object) to it.
You can change an object’s properties by using
any of the following methods:
• On the Layer Manager panel of the
AccessPanel, double-click on a property
item (size, position, and object name)
to change its value directly.
• Select Object: Properties.
• Right-click an object and select
Properties.
Editing objects
Objects can be edited on their individual
layers without affecting any of the other
objects or the base image. In addition to
editing them as you would any other selection
(see page 124), you can also remove parts of it
so that images and objects that lie beneath it
are visible, thus creating a transparent object
effect. You can do this with the Object Paint
Eraser and the Object Magic Eraser, both of
which are located in the Tool Panel.
CHAPTER 5: SELECTIONS & OBJECTS 129
To use the Object Paint Eraser, simply make adjustments to the brush on the Attribute Toolbar, then
begin painting on the area of the object that you want to remove. For more on adjusting brush
attributes, see page 143.
To use the Object Magic Eraser, set the Similarity of the colors that you want to select from the
object, then click the desired color in the object. The selected color will become transparent. Using the
Object Magic Eraser is similar to the Magic Wand Tool. For more information on how the Object
Magic Eraser works, see page 143.
Making a selection area on an object or multiple objects
PhotoImpact allows you to make a selection area covering multiple objects and/or parts of multiple
objects, to let you create complex selections without having to merge each object beforehand. This is
very useful in taking area- specific snapshots of animation frames, where objects have to remain
unmerged for the succeeding frames to be created.
To make a selection area from an object or
multiple objects:
1 Select the object or objects where you
will make a selection area. To select
multiple objects, press down [Shift] or
[Ctrl] while clicking on each object.
2 Click a Selection Tool, and make a
selection area in the regular manner,
except hold down [Alt]. If you chose to
use the Lasso Tool, you can edit your
selection area before clicking Finish.
3 A new selection appears, this time
composed of parts of the object or
objects you selected plus any
background covered by the selection. If
you used multiple objects, notice that
the selection made is composed of
merged parts of the different active
objects.
Note:
There are three ways to disable
the selection area. You can convert
the selection into a single object,
click Selection: None, or press the
Spacebar to toggle the selection
status. You can also press [Enter] to
deselect all objects.
130 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Using Defringe
Irregularly-selected objects may sometimes include some unwanted areas inadvertently selected along
with the object. This happens often, especially when using the Lasso tool. You can remove these
unwanted pixels by using Defringe. It removes edge pixels from selections and blends the remaining
edges with the background for a seamless merge effect.
To apply Defringe on an object:
1 With a document open and an object
active, click Object: Defringe.
2 In the Defringe dialog box, specify the
range of pixels for removal by entering
a value between 1 and 10 in Depth.
3 Set the tolerance level of the pixels to be
removed in Tolerance. This determines
the similarity of the color for removal
with any adjacent colors and removes
them as well.
4 Use the color sample picker to specify a
color that will be set as the Original
background color. This color will be
used to “wash” pixels affected by
Defringe and blend them with the
background.
5 Click OK.
Match Background Color
Match Background Color blends a selected
object or image with the base image by
softening the edges and matching its colors.
This is useful when compositing an image into
another and erasing any marks that would
make the transplant obvious. To use this
command, click on an object and select
Object: Match Background Color. The
adjustment will be made automatically.
Note:
This command works only for selections whose colors are similar with the base
image’s. If the similarity is too low, an error message will pop up informing you that the action
is not possible.
Image without Defringe
Image after applying Defringe
CHAPTER 5: SELECTIONS & OBJECTS 131
Adding a shadow to an object
You can introduce depth to an image by applying a shadow to an object or a group of objects. To add
a shadow, select Object: Shadow (or right-click an object and select Shadow). Here you can control
the direction, length, transparency, edge blending, and color of the shadow.
Adding shadow to an object
Separating a shadow from its object
Separating a shadow and making it as a separate object from its original image is easy. To do this, select
Object: Split Shadow or right-click an object and select Split Shadow. The split shadow now becomes
a new object whose attributes you can modify such as changing the color or applying a painting
texture.
Note:
Split Shadow is disabled when multiple objects are selected.
The original object with shadow (left), the same shadow split from the object with a texture fill
against a dark background (right).
132 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Copying and moving an object between images
You have the option of moving objects between images if you want. It is quite useful when you have
created an object in one image and want to use it in another image. To do this, drag the object from
the source image onto the destination image.
Duplicating an object
You can duplicate any object or group of objects that you have created. You have two options in
doing this:
• Select the object or group of objects and select Object: Duplicate (or right-click and select
Duplicate).
• Drag the object or group of objects while pressing [Ctrl].
Note:
You can set PhotoImpact so that objects are shifted when duplicated. Select File:
Preferences - General and select Shift objects after doing Duplicate command.
Deleting an object
To delete an object or group of objects, select it and then select Object: Delete (or right-click and
select Delete) or press [Delete].
Spacing and aligning objects
To space objects evenly or align them within the document, use Object: Align. For greater
convenience, you can also use the various buttons on the Attribute Toolbar for the Pick Tool. These
are especially useful when creating a navigational toolbar or image map for your Web page.
To align objects:
1 Click the Pick Tool in the Tool Panel.
2 Select the objects to align.
3 Select Object: Align and choose from
the submenu, or click the desired Align
icons on the Attribute Toolbar.
CHAPTER 5: SELECTIONS & OBJECTS 133
To space objects evenly:
1 Click the Pick Tool in the Tool Panel
and select the objects you want for
spacing.
2 Select Object: Align - Space Evenly.
3 Select the direction to space the objects
either Horizontally or Vertically.
4 Under Space, select Even or Fixed.
Enter a value in Pixels when selecting
fixed.
5 Click OK.
Using object libraries
You can store images and selections conveniently using Object Libraries. Click Object Libraries in the
EasyPalette. All available libraries are listed below in a tree view. Click each library to see the
thumbnails of any images, paths, and selections that are available.
Saving selections to the object libraries
When you save a selection or an object to any of the Object Libraries, it is represented by a thumbnail
in the library. Objects in an Object Library can be managed by right-clicking a thumbnail and
selecting a command from the pop-up menu. This makes it handy to quickly delete, copy, or cut an
object thumbnail to and from the library. Below are some additional commands that are also useful:
• Description Renames a thumbnail or appends descriptive information to it.
• Store Image Stores new objects as images with object attribute information.
• Store Selection Saves frequently used selections as Grayscale selection masks that you can
use to later make selections in other images. For more about Grayscale masks, see page 119.
134 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
To store an object:
1 Click Thumbnail menu commands (or
right-click a thumbnail) and select
Store Image.
2 Drag an object from an image to the
Object Library window of the
EasyPalette. Or select Object: Copy To
Object Library.
3 Enter a name for the object and click
OK.
To store a selection:
1 Click Thumbnail menu commands (or
right-click a thumbnail ) and select
Store Selection.
2 Drag a selection from an image to an
Object Library. A Grayscale mask
matching the size and shape of the
selection is displayed.
You can complete this by using either
of the following:
• Use Selection: Copy Selection to
Object Library as you create a
selection.
• Press [M] as you drag a selection to
the Object Library (regardless of
whether Store Selection is selected
or not).
3 Enter a name for the mask and click
OK.
Note:
To export a selection as a new
image in the workspace, or to save it
as a file in a specific file format,
choose Selection: Export
Selection. In both cases, the
selection becomes a Grayscale
image (Grayscale mask).
CHAPTER 5: SELECTIONS & OBJECTS 135
4 To use your mask, drag the saved mask
to the desired image. A selection
marquee appears.
5 Make any needed adjustment to the
selection using the Transform Tool.
Then, using the Selection Tool, drag
the selection area out of the image to
form a new image document in the
workspace.
To save the entire image to the Object
Library:
1 Select Selection: All (or right-click an
image and select All).
2 Drag it to the Object Library.
3 Enter a name for the whole image and
click OK.
136 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
To store an image as a selection and
apply its mask to another image:
1 Prepare a Grayscale image of the
image that you want to use as a
selection. If the original image is in
color, select Format: Data Type -
Grayscale (8-bit).
2 Open the Object Library in the
EasyPalette. Click Thumbnail
menu commands, and select Store
Image as Selection.
3 Select the entire image, or just a
portion of the image, to use as the
selection mask.
4 Drag the selection to the Object
Library and save it.
5 To use your mask, drag the saved
mask to the desired image. A
selection marquee appears.
6 Make any needed adjustments to
the selection using the Transform
Tool. Then, using the Selection
Tool, drag the selection area out of
the image to form a new image
document in the workspace.
Retrieving an image or selection
To retrieve an object or selection, drag them from the Object Library into an open document or
the workspace. Remember the following points when retrieving:
• When you drag an object to an open document, the object is placed when you release
the mouse.
• When you double-click a thumbnail in the Object Library, or when you click
Thumbnail menu commands and choose Copy Object to Image, the object appears at
the top-left of the image.
CHAPTER 5: SELECTIONS & OBJECTS 137
• When you drag an object back to its original image or another image of equal size, the
object is placed in its original position. Each image element is repositioned automatically.
This is especially helpful when you want to:
• Preserve the position of image elements in an image whose background needs to be
modified.
• Preserve the position of stationery objects across all sequences in image and animation
sequences.
• When the base image is active, you can select Fit Selection (or right-click a thumbnail, or
click Thumbnail menu commands in the EasyPalette). The mask object is centered and
scaled to fit the image. If Fit Selection is cleared, the mask object is placed at the mouse
point when you drag the previously saved mask object into a new image and release the
mouse.
Notes:
• When the destination image is of different size, the selection is placed wherever you
release the mouse.
• When placing a selection that has been created from a Grayscale image into an Indexed-
Color or Black & White image, the gray areas of the selection are converted to pure black
or white.
• To import a previously saved selection (or any Grayscale image) into the active image as
a selection area, click Selection: Import Selection.
Using the Measure Tool
The Measure Tool is composed of a Measure Handle and a Baseline, which are adjustable points and
lines used to take measurements of images, objects or selections. The Measure Handle is poled by a
square icon and a circular icon, each positioned by points X1, Y1 and X2, Y2, respectively. The
Baseline, on the other hand, is a reference line for the angle measurement you make with the Measure
Handle. By default, the baseline is set at 0 degrees, which is parallel to the image bottom. You can
hide or show the baseline by clicking the toggle button on the Attribute Toolbar.
The Measure Tool helps you gain accurate information over dimensions, distances, and angles of an
image, text or object component. It is best used when applying Rotation and Transform effects that
require precision placement, X and Y coordinate positioning in image mapping, and encoding exact
locations when designing web pages.
138 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
To use the Measure Tool:
1 In the Tool Panel, click the bottom
arrow of the Eyedropper and select the
Measure Tool.
2 Define the Measure Handle by clicking
a starting point anywhere in the image
then dragging the mouse to the ending
point of what you want to measure.
When the mouse button is released, the
Measure Handle will appear together
with the Baseline, which by default, is
shown. You can hide this by clicking
Baseline on the Attribute Toolbar.
3 You can now drag the poles to resize the
Measure Handle and the Baseline, or
drag the middle box to move them
around your image. All values, whether
distance, length, or angle, will be
displayed in the Attribute Tool Bar.
You can use these values to compute
differences when applying Transform,
Rotate, or any other effect.
Using the Transform Tool
The Transform Tool allows you to take an image, text or path object, or selection and manipulate it so
that it changes shape and even perspective.
To perform a transformation:
1 Select an object or selection area that
you want to transform.
2 Click Transform Tool in the Tool Panel.
3 Perform transformations using the
following options available on the
Attribute Toolbar:
• In Transform method, choose to
apply Resize, Slant, Distort or
Perspective.
Transform lets you create 3D objects using
simple 2D shapes
CHAPTER 5: SELECTIONS & OBJECTS 139
• Choose to rotate an object or
selection using right angles (90
left, 90 right, and 180) or flip it
horizontally or vertically.
• Click Rotate by degree to rotate
images using a specified angle
and direction (clockwise or
counterclockwise).
• Click Copy rotate to rotate an
image while leaving a copy of
the image in its previous
position.
• Click Selection to apply
Transform effects to a selection
area instead of the entire image
or object.
Notes:
• If you rotate or distort an entire
image by anything other than
90º, 180º or 270º, extra space
appears around the image,
filled with the background color
(Objects are not affected in this
way).
• If there is no selection or active
object, the transformation will
be applied to the base image.
• If your selection area is a circle
or an ellipse, a rectangular box
covering the area closest to
your selection will automatically
be displayed, allowing you to
easily transform your object
through the control points at
each of the four corners.
Slanting
Distorting
Resizing
Rotating horizontally
140 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Rotating images
With the available buttons on the Attribute Toolbar, you can rotate an image, text or path object by a
specified number of degrees or freely move the object around its center. You can also easily straighten
crooked images and even rotate them in 3D space.
To rotate an object freely:
1 Select Rotate Freely under Transform
on the Attribute Toolbar. Notice that
the object will have a rotation center in
the middle.
2 Drag the rotation center outside the
bounded area, if necessary.
3 Next, drag one of the corner handles
and release the mouse. You can also
click Rotate by degree to apply a more
precise angle of rotation.
Note:
Click Rotate center: Center
on the Attribute Toolbar if you had
moved the rotation center and want to
reset it back to its original position.
Rotating an object freely
3D Transformation
Rotating vertically
Changing Perspective
Rotating
CHAPTER 5: SELECTIONS & OBJECTS 141
Straightening images
Rotate Using a Horizontal line and Rotate Using a Vertical line are useful when you have an image
which is not quite straight. This is often the case with scanned images.
To horizontally straighten an image:
1 Select Rotate Using a Horizontal line
under Transform on the Attribute
Toolbar.
2 Drag a control point to one end of a
strong horizontal feature, such as the
edge of the image.
3 Drag the second control point to the
other end of the feature, carefully
aligning the control line along the
feature.
4 Double-click the image or any of the
control points to rotate.
Note:
You can also use Format:
Auto-process - Straighten to
quickly straighten an image. For more
information, see page 76.
3D transformation
PhotoImpact makes it easy to transform your images in three-dimensional space via Rotate in Virtual
3D. This tool will be most useful when you want your images to appear in a different plane or
perspective while at the same time retaining the proportions of the original image.
To perform a 3D transformation:
1 Select an image, 2D text or path object.
To rotate an image in 3D space, convert
it first into a path object. Select the base
image or create a selection area, then
select Object: Convert Object Type -
From Text/Image to Path, or right-click
the object and select Convert Object
Type - From Text/Image to Path.
2 Click the Transform Tool.
Rotating an image horizontally
142 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Projection CenterObject Center
3 Select Rotate in Virtual 3D under
Transform on the Attribute Toolbar.
The 3D Virtual Track Ball appears
with a focal point at its center called the
Object Center (also the Projection
Center).
4 Drag on the object to rotate it in 3D
space. Moving the Object Center
relocates its object handle, thus moving
the entire image but retaining the
Projection Center in its original
position.
5 Double-click anywhere inside the circle
to toggle between its two 3D modes
(Click the Online Help for more
information on the 3D Virtual
Trackball).
Notes:
• When you see a round path with a focal point at the center, that is the Object Center and
dragging anywhere within it transforms your object in a three-dimensional effect. When
you see two rectangular paths around your image with a focal point at the center, you are in
the Projection Center mode. Moving the handles lets you change your viewing angle of
the object.
• The viewing angle is limited to between 0º and 90º.
Rotating an image in 3D
space
CHAPTER 5: SELECTIONS & OBJECTS 143
Working with Object Eraser Tools
With Object Eraser Tools, PhotoImpact allows you to directly and easily erase parts of an object to
become transparent or semi-transparent, much as if you were to work in Mask Mode, but without the
additional steps. These tools let you create interesting layering effects (if your image in the document
contains several objects), or you can also use them to fine-tune objects that you’ve created with the
help of Mask Mode. You can use one of two tools:
• Object Paint Eraser Tool Is used just as you would use other Paint Tools, except that you
use this to “paint” transparent areas of an object. You can also specify its attributes in the
Brush Panel.
• Object Magic Eraser Tool Is similar to the Magic Wand Selection Tool, allowing you to
select pixels based on color similarity. Selected pixels become the transparent portions of
the object.
Notes:
• Object Eraser Tools can only be applied to active image objects or active object covered
by selection but cannot be used with path and text objects, base images, and selection
areas. Hence, conversion first to an image object type is necessary.
• 24-bit RGB, 8-bit Grayscale, Indexed color, and Black & White images can be edited with
the Object Eraser Tools.
To erase an object:
1 In the EasyPalette - Image Library,
select Rose 2 then double-click.
2 Click Object Eraser Tool in the Tool
Panel and select Object Paint Eraser.
3 On the Attribute Toolbar, set Brush
head to 10, Transparency to 10, Soft
edge to 10, and Zoom to 200. Start
painting off the leaves.
4 Click Tr i m to remove any space around
the object that is completely
transparent. The results of this will be
apparent when you view the
thumbnail in the Layer Manager.
Tip:
Recover only works if you have
already erased an area and have not
yet applied Trim. Otherwise, you will
have to use Undo on the Standard
Toolbar, which may result to going
back more steps than desired.
144 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Using the Stamp Tool
The Stamp Tool allows you to paint objects from an image file into an image as stamped objects, or as
a continuous stream of painted objects such as trees in a forest.
To use the Stamp Tool:
1 Click the Stamp Tool in the Tool Panel.
2 On the Attribute Toolbar, click the
Stamp thumbnail to display stamp
object choices, and click the desired
object.
3 Enter the Transparency value to
determine how translucent objects are
against the background. Enter the Scale
value to define the object size and
Spacing value to set the distance
between stamp objects.
4 Since each stamp object contains several
variations of its kind, which object type
is inserted as you stamp is defined by
the Order setting. For example, to use
the same object in a straight line, select
Angular. This means that the object
type will change only when you switch
direction as you drag the mouse.
5 Click Placement to define insertion
method for every mouse click.
6 In Object, click Separate objects to set
inserted objects to be independent of
each other when edited later.
7 Click within the document to start
inserting objects.
Notes:
• You can also use the Brush Panel to insert your own Stamp objects.
• PhotoImpact also supports PaintShop Pro *.TUB file format.
• Click View on the Attribute Toolbar to see variations of an active Stamp object.
6
WORKING WITH TEXT AND PATHS
With PhotoImpact, creating and editing text and path objects are
quick, easy, and effortless. This chapter covers the various methods of
working with vector-based objects such as adding text to images,
creating complex 2D and 3D shapes, using the Z-merge Tool to
combine 3D paths, and working with the Path Drawing Tool to create
custom shapes. This chapter finishes with a section on special effects
exclusive to path and text objects.
In Chapter 6 you will learn:
Adding text ................................................................................................................... 146
Text Panel .................................................................................................................... 147
Wrap effects ................................................................................................................. 153
Path Panel ................................................................................................................... 158
Adding 3D properties to text and path objects ........................................................... 178
Special effects for text and path objects ..................................................................... 187
146 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
To create text:
1 Click Text Tool in the Tool Panel. Click
a point on the image where you want
to place the text. A blinking cursor will
automatically appear where you can
enter your text.
2 Highlight a section or the entire text
then apply formatting options by
accessing the Text Panel. For more on
the Text Panel, see next section.
3 Click OK.
PhotoImpact makes it possible for you to convert image objects and selection area marquees into paths.
Paths are different from raster images, and are similar to vectors. A path is composed of lines, curves, or
a combination of both, which are connected to one another by control points (nodes). You can use
paths to draw shapes and create colorful 2D or 3D objects. An advantage of path-based graphics over
raster images is that they are not fixed in resolution and can be freely reshaped or transformed in any
way with no loss of quality.
Unleash the capabilities of path tools on text in your images, and open the way for unlimited
possibilities and effects.
Adding text
Adding text titles and captions to your images is a snap with PhotoImpact. It allows you to enter,
modify, and customize 2D or 3D text directly on the work area. You can add gradients, textures, and
fills as well as add shadows and dozens of other effects to your text. With the Text Tool, you can
create and modify dynamic and exciting text directly on a specific area in your workspace.
Object mode
Font size
Font color
Font face
Font style
Alignment
Add tool attributes
to EasyPalette
Material options
Show/hide
Text Panel
CHAPTER 6: WORKING WITH TEXT AND PATHS 147
With Kerning
Without Kerning
Text Panel
The Text Panel encompasses the comprehensive range of functions, properties and effects that can be
applied to your text objects. You can show and hide the Text Panel by clicking Panel on the
Attribute Toolbar.
Style
Style defines the font and character style for the text.
• Color, Font, Size These are standard
font options that can be applied to
individual letters, words or the
whole text block.
• Baseline shift This can be applied to
individual characters, words or the
entire text block, and determines
the amount of space between lines.
• Character spacing and Kerning
Determine the amount of space
between characters and words.
These can also be applied to
individual words and letters as well
as the whole text block.
• Rotate This can be applied to
individual characters, words or the
whole text block.
• Line spacing, Alignment, and
Vertical settings Apply to the entire
text block.
• Automatic line spacing Applies to
the entire text block. It calculates
the ideal spacing between lines
based on the largest character in
each line when Line spacing is set to
zero (default value).
148 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
When Automatic line spacing is selected,
Line spacing can take a negative value.
When it is negative, as the value approaches
the negative equivalent of the font size, the
lines will all merge to the same baseline.
Decreasing the value past this point will not
affect the text block further.
Note:
If you are using Windows 2000
and you have different languages
installed, you can type in text in a
selected language. Because of
limited language support in Windows
98, the languages supported in
PhotoImpact is also limited.
3D
3D Determines the appearance of depth,
and the extent of the border of a 3D text
object. Lighting effects can also be
determined (see page 181 for details),
Materials effects can be applied by clicking
More.
Split Text
Text objects can be split as characters, lines,
words, or styles. Even when text objects are
split, each segment retains its properties as a
text object. So, not only can you apply
different 3D effects, colors, sizes, and styles
to individual characters, you can split the
whole text block, removing the need to
create each character or segment as
individual text objects.
Different formatting within a text object
CHAPTER 6: WORKING WITH TEXT AND PATHS 149
Gallery
Gallery Access various galleries directly from
this panel, including the Shadow dialog
box.
Options
Options Features an option that allows you
to start typing a new text object over an
existing one while avoiding selecting the
existing one. This also controls the
smoothness of the characters.
Notes:
•
Select Keep original text to
preserve a copy of the original text
block.
•
Applying the 3D Pipe effect to a
multicolored text block will change
the color attributes of the whole
block.
A text block that has been split, reformatted
and rearranged
With Anti-aliasing
Without Anti-aliasing
150 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Saving text objects
Save text objects the same way as you would save image and path objects. There are two ways to save
text objects:
• Save to EasyPalette You can save each text object to My Library in the EasyPalette for
easier access. Simply drag your text object into the My Library folder and enter a name for
the object. (See page 27 for details).
• Save as a UFO file To retain each text object’s properties and be able to edit them, save
them in a special Ulead File For Objects (UFO) format. (See page 46 for details).
Creating text effects
Once you’ve added and positioned the text
on your image, the next step is to give it that
extra spark of life to make it really stand out.
Below is a list of effects which you can create
for your text, as well as samples. Presets and
other special effects are also available in the
EasyPalette which you can simply drag onto
the document and apply to your text.
• Create custom color, gradients or
texture fills, and give text a 3D look or
add shadows to it.
• Enter Horizontal or Vertical deform
mode to twist your text into any shape
you like.
• The Material dialog box, available to
both the Text and Path tools, can be
used to add unique effects to a text
object’s surface. (See page 179 for
details).
• Bend text objects or wrap your text
on any path shape. (See page 153
for details).
2D Text with Color
2D Text with Multiple-color Gradient Fill
2D Text with Natural Texture Fill
CHAPTER 6: WORKING WITH TEXT AND PATHS 151
3D Text with more advanced 3D properties
(with light and shading properties applied)
3D Text with Bevel
Text with Shadow
152 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Editing text as a path object
You can make extreme and slick changes to individual letters in PhotoImpact by converting your text
into a path object. Each letter in the text will be converted to a closed path, which you can easily
reshape using the Path Edit Tool. Take note, however, that paths cannot be converted back into text.
Text properties are lost and the text’s contents and settings can no longer be modified.
To edit text as a path object:
1 Click the Text Tool. Enter your text
and select options for formatting your
text.
2 Select Object: Convert Object Type -
From Text To Path. Notice that the text
attributes are grayed out in the
Attribute toolbar after your text has
been converted into a path object.
3 Click the Path Tool, then select the
Path Edit Tool.
4 Click Toggle to switch from path object
mode to path edit mode (or click the
path object).
5 Adjust the path nodes and segments in
each path the way you want it.
Horizontal Deform
Vertical Deform
Original text
Editing text as a path object
CHAPTER 6: WORKING WITH TEXT AND PATHS 153
6 Change to the Path Drawing Tool. In
Mode, select a 3D option to give the
path object a 3D look. Click Material
to apply more 3D effects to the path
object.
Note:
See pages 172 to 175 for more
information on editing path objects.
Wrap effects
Wrap effects bend objects in unique formations by aligning them to the path of a shape. Ready-to-use
wrap effects are provided in the EasyPalette which can be directly applied to text and path objects. In
addition to these presets, PhotoImpact allows you to create your own wrap effects.
Applying special effects to text
EasyPalette’s Type Gallery provides special text effects which are far more powerful than the Text and
Path tools. You can apply glass-like or metallic effects, as well as add snow, fire, holes, neon glows, and
more.
To apply a special effect to text:
1 Click the Text Tool on the Tool Panel.
Enter your text and click OK.
2 Adjust the Font, Size and Color of the
selected text on the Attribute Toolbar.
3 Click EasyPalette on the Standard
Toolbar to open the galleries and
libraries.
4 Select Type Gallery then choose an
effect thumbnail.
5 Drag or double-click to apply the effect
to the text.
Notes:
• The text becomes an image object
once a type effect has been
applied. You will not be able to
further edit the text attributes.
• You can also select Effect:
Creative - Type Effect to apply
type effects to text.
Original text
Fire
Chisel
Result
154 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Applying wrap effects from the EasyPalette
Just as in previous PhotoImpact versions, preset wrap effects are found in the Wrap Gallery of the
EasyPalette.
To apply a wrap effect from the
EasyPalette:
1 Create a text or path object.
2 Click Galleries in the EasyPalette, then
double-click Wrap Gallery.
The Wrap Gallery allows you to apply
Bend Text, Text Wrap, and Path Wrap
effects to both text and path objects.
3 Drag or double-click a thumbnail to
apply the effect.
Creating your own wrap effects
In the Object: Wrap submenu, there are two available commands which can be used to create wrap
effects:
• Add Text to Active Path Creates text on a path. Use any of the Path Tools to draw a path,
then click this command to enter text and place it on the path.
• Fit Together Wraps a text or path object over another path. Select the object and the path
on which to wrap, then click this command to combine them.
When you wrap a path object over another path, PhotoImpact automatically makes many
duplicates of the object and lines them up over the path.
Text Wrap
Path Wrap
CHAPTER 6: WORKING WITH TEXT AND PATHS 155
Notes:
•
Outline path objects as well as line and arrow path objects cannot be wrapped over a path.
•
Objects can wrap on any type of path object.
Modifying wrap effects
PhotoImpact allows you to change the way an object wraps. You can wrap a single object only, or
create many duplicates of it and wrap them on a path. You can also deform the objects and make
them smoothly follow the shape of their path.
Use the Wrap dialog box to change an object’s wrap properties. To access this dialog box, you can:
• Select the wrapped object, then select Object: Wrap - Properties;
• Right-click a wrapped object and select Wrap: Properties from the pop-up menu;
• Modify a wrap effect in the EasyPalette before applying it. Right-click a preset effect
thumbnail in the Wrap Gallery then select Modify Properties and Apply.
To change wrap properties:
1 Specify the number of times the object
will appear in Repeat.
• Automatic Determines the number
of repeats automatically.
• Count User-specified number.
• Spacing The distance between text
or duplicated objects.
• Stretch to fit Adjusts the spacing so
the line of the object(s) is the same
length as the path.
2 Set Start height larger than End height,
or vice versa, to give perspective to the
objects. Entering negative values for
both options will turn the objects
upside down. Enter “100” in both
fields to reset.
3 By default, the objects start to wrap at
the tip of a path. Enter a higher value
in the Start position entry box to shift
the objects along the path.
4 Baseline Only available for path objects,
this determines the side of a path that
objects wrap. For instance, you can set
the value to “0” to place the objects on
top of its path, or “100” to place them
below the path (or inside a path shape).
Different Start height and End height
Stretch to fit
Duplicating the wrapped object
156 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
5 Select Advanced style options to
further adjust the objects.
• Fit text position to path Places text
strings so that the base of each
character is parallel to the path.
• Distort text to fit path If Fit text
position to path is also selected, this
will deform each character to fit
into its allocated space evenly. If it is
not selected, the characters will be
displayed in perspective, and use
even-odd fill methods on
overlapping adjacent characters.
• Mitre joint Only available if the
above two options are selected. This
will cause greater variability in
character height and perspective, to
make characters fit legibly.
• Vertical Places the left side of text
string adjacent and perpendicular
to the path.
Notes:
•
When wrapping text objects, if
Automatic is selected, the last
string may be truncated. If this
happens, try to reduce the number
of duplicates.
•
Click Add in the Wrap dialog box
to save a wrap effect to My Gallery
in the EasyPalette.
Objects at different sides of the baseline
Vertical wrapping
Without fitting text
position to path
Fitting text position
to path
Distorting text
to fit path
Without distorting text
Without Mitre joint
With Mitre
joint
CHAPTER 6: WORKING WITH TEXT AND PATHS 157
Aside from modifying wrap properties, you can also adjust the path of a wrapped object. Use the Path
Edit Tool to reshape the path. Below is an example on how to edit the path of a wrapped object. (See
page 172 for details).
To edit the path on which objects wrap:
1 Select the wrapped text or path object.
2 Click the Path Edit Tool then click
Toggle to switch between Path mode
and Object mode, or click the path
object.
3 In Path mode, set the Edit mode to
Free edit or Non-free edit mode. Click
the nodes and drag the handles to
adjust the path shape.
4 Click Toggle again to return to path
object mode.
Notes:
•
If you want to copy the path of a
wrapped object and use it to wrap
other objects, select Object:
Wrap - Get Wrap Path to make a
duplicate of the path.
•
To remove wrap effects and change
an object back to its normal form,
select Object: Wrap - Remove
Wrap. The Reset thumbnail in the
Wrap Gallery also automatically
removes wrap effects from an
object.
Bending text objects
The Bend effect in the Object: Wrap submenu is a special form of wrap effect for text objects. It
curves your text into a semi-circular form or transforms the text into a full circular shape.
To apply the bend effect to a text object:
1 Create a text object with the Text Tool.
2 Select Object: Wrap - Bend.
3 Enter the number of duplicated text
objects you want in Count, then set the
Spacing between each duplicate.
Editing the path of a wrapped text object
Editing the path of a wrapped path object
158 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
4 Specify the extent of curvature in
Amount.
At 50% (default), text bends
downwards in a semicircle. 100%
bends the text in a full circle. To bend
text upwards, choose a negative setting.
5 Give the Start height a different value
from End height for a perspective
effect. Entering negative values for
both options will turn the text upside
down.
Type in 100 for both the start and end
heights to reset the text back to its
original orientation and size.
6 By default, text starts to wrap at the
left. Enter a higher Start position value
to shift the starting position along the
curve.
7 Select Advanced style options to
further adjust the text and make it
curve more smoothly. (See page 155 for
details.)
Note:
The bend effect simply deforms
the text object. It does not add a path.
Path Panel
Many Path Tool settings can be accessed from the Path Panel which can be toggled on and off by
clicking Panel on the Attribute Toolbar. The new panel not only makes it easier to create and edit
path tools, it also offers a wide range of options to give you unsurpassable accuracy and control over
your path objects.
• 3D Determines the depth of a 3D path
shape, and the extent of its border. The
border determines where the 3D effect
plateaus out towards the center of the
shape.
The Lighting effects (see page 181) and
Materials dialog boxes can be invoked
by clicking More.
Examples
CHAPTER 6: WORKING WITH TEXT AND PATHS 159
• Outline Only available for Outline and
Line and Arrow Path Tools.
Controls the width and style of the
outline, and the direction and type of
arrowhead, if applicable.
• Shape Provides options for rounded
rectangles; whether resizing is calculated
on the ratio of the radius to the
rectangle’s length, or a fixed radius.
Also provides Freehand drawing
options (see page 177 for more details).
• Gallery Access various galleries from
this panel, including the Shadow
dialog box.
• Options Controls whether shapes are
generated from the center or from the
corner, and whether shapes have equal
length sides or constant radius.
Select to start drawing a new path over
an existing one while avoiding selecting
the existing one.
Determines the behavior of path
objects that have intersecting lines or
curves.
Control here whether or not to generate
your path objects with anti-aliasing.
Tracing and converting images into paths
The Edit: Trace submenu contains commands that can convert any base image, selection area or
object into a path. You can use these commands to trace a portion of an existing image and turn it
into a path object. This saves you the time and the trouble of having to draw it from scratch. Later on,
you can make adjustments to the object and give it a 3D look using the Path Tool.
• Edit: Trace - Selection Marquee traces a shape according to the edges of the marquee. Use
any of the Selection Tools to mark the desired part of your image first, then apply this
command.
160 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
• Edit: Trace - Image traces a shape based upon the luminosity values of the pixels in the
image, retaining darker pixels and excluding lighter pixels. This command accurately
converts a portion of an image into a path object when that part has high contrasting
colors over the rest of the image. You can also use this command in cases where the area is
easily distinguished from the background image, such as with text on an image.
To convert a raster image into a path:
1 Select Edit: Trace - Selection Marquee
to trace a selected area. Or, select Edit:
Trace - Image to automatically trace
dark areas on the image.
2 In the right hand side of the Trace
dialog box, you will see a preview of the
traced path. Adjust the following
settings to get as close as possible to the
tracing that you want:
• Tolerance The accuracy of the
tracing. A lower value results in
greater accuracy.
• Jump point The smoothness of the
curves used for tracing. A lower
value creates smoother curves.
• Threshold The luminance value
determines which pixels to include
in the trace. All pixels whose
luminance value falls below this are
included.
3 Click OK.
4 The traced path appears on top of the
raster image, with deformation handles
visible. Drag the handles to change the
path shape.
Note:
For more precise editing of the
traced path, you can use the Path
Edit Tool. For more information on
the Path Edit Tool, see page 172.
Tracing a selected area
Tracing an image
CHAPTER 6: WORKING WITH TEXT AND PATHS 161
Creating paths
The Path Tool provides four tools for you to create path objects and edit their shapes. To draw closed
paths, use the Path Drawing Tool or Path Outline Drawing Tool. Use the Line and Arrow Tool to
draw open paths. When you select one of these tools, the Attribute Toolbar changes to give you the
drawing options for that tool. The fourth one, Path Edit Tool, lets you easily adjust the shape of a
path by giving you total control over the nodes, lines and curve segments that make up a path. (See
page 172 for details).
When creating path objects, start with a True Color image file to apply 3D properties and other
effects to your objects. If you open a new file with only 256 colors or less, you will be able to create
2D objects and selections only.
The Path Drawing Tool
The Path Drawing Tool lets you create solid-filled objects in various shapes. Use this tool to draw
fixed geometric shapes such as rectangles, circles and squares, and ready-made objects from the
EasyPalette Shape Library. You can also create curved and irregularly-shaped objects with this tool.
(See page 167 for details).
Examples of closed path and open path
Examples of path objects created using the Path Drawing Tool
162 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
To create a solid-filled path object:
1 Click the Path Tool then select the Path
Drawing Tool.
2 Select a Shape. The Custom Shape also
provides additional preset shapes to
choose from and even lets you import
an AI file.
Notes:
•
To import AI files, refer to
“Importing Adobe Illustrator files”,
on page 170.
•
To prevent having jagged curves or
edges in the path shape, click the
Options Tab in the Path Panel and
make sure Anti-aliasing is
selected.
3 To draw the shape, click at a starting
point and drag your mouse to form the
shape.
4 Click Mode. Select 2D Object or give
the object a 3D look by selecting a 3D
mode.
Note:
To view more 3D styles, click
Material and select the Bevel Tab.
Click a 3D Custom button and click
OK.
When drawing objects with the Path Drawing Tool, use the various options in the Attribute Toolbar
and the Path Panel (see page 158 for details) to select shapes, fill objects with color, and add lighting
and 3D effects.
Display Material
dialog box
Shape
Color
Object
mode
Show/hide Path Panel
Edit path
Add tool
attributes to
EasyPalette
Drawing a path shape
CHAPTER 6: WORKING WITH TEXT AND PATHS 163
5 To apply preset effects from the
EasyPalette, click Material then click
Gallery.
6 If you have a 3D object, click Panel on
the Attribute Toolbar to display the
Path Panel. Set its 3D properties by
adjusting Border (bevel width), Depth
(bevel angle) and Light direction. To
apply more 3D effects, click More.
Note:
Click Add on the Attribute
Toolbar to save path tool attributes
to My Gallery in the EasyPalette for
future use. To save 3D properties,
click Add in the Material dialog
box. See page 178 for details.
With the Path Drawing Tool, you can draw multiple path shapes and make them be part of just one
single object. Click Mode on the Attribute Toolbar and select Continue Draw Mode to draw
multiple paths within an object. The figure below shows an illustration.
Note:
After drawing multiple paths in Continue Draw Mode, use the Path Edit Tool to
group and organize the paths. For more information, refer to “The Path Edit Tool” on page 172.
A marble object, drawn using 3D
Round mode with maximum border
and depth plus an added texture
Drawing the first path
1
Drawing the second path
2
164 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Drawing multiple paths in Continue Draw Mode
Final path object
4
Drawing the final path
3
The Outline Drawing Tool
The Outline Drawing Tool draws similar shapes as the Path Drawing Tool, except that it creates
hollowed objects. Use this tool to create a path object with a hole at the center, for instance, a
rectangular frame or a doughnut.
Sample outline path objects with 3D properties
CHAPTER 6: WORKING WITH TEXT AND PATHS 165
To create an outline path:
1 Click the Path Tool and select the
Outline Drawing Tool.
2 Click Shape, then select an outline
shape.
Alternatively, select Custom Shape to
select a preset shape from the Outline
Library. Then, click Custom Shape in
the Shape menu.
Note:
You can also import Adobe
Illustrator AI files. For more
information, refer to “Importing Adobe
Illustrator files”, on page 170.
3 Draw the selected shape. Click at a
starting point and drag your mouse to
form the outline shape.
4 Click Mode and select 2D Object or
any of the 3D object modes.
5 Click the Width and Style buttons on
in the Outline Tab on the Path Panel
to modify the thickness of the outline
and the type of line.
6 Click the Color box on the Attribute
Toolbar to modify the color, apply
Gradient or Texture fills, or add a
Fadeout effect.
The Attribute Toolbar options of the Outline Drawing Tool are the same as that of the Path Drawing
Tool, but the Outline Drawing Tool has additional settings for defining outline width and style in the
Path Panel.
Add tool attributes
to EasyPalette
Outline shape
Color
Object mode
Material options
Show/hide
Path Panel
Edit path
166 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
1
2
2
3
7 Select Anti-aliasing in the Options Tab
on the Path Panel to smooth edges or
curves. Select a gallery from the Gallery
Tab to apply preset 3D effects from the
EasyPalette’s Material Gallery.
8 If you have a 3D outline object, adjust
its Border (bevel width), Depth (bevel
angle) and Light direction in the 3D
Tab on the Path Panel. To make it
transparent and apply other 3D
properties, click More.
Notes:
•
Click Add on the Attribute
Toolbar to save path tool
attributes to My Gallery in the
EasyPalette for future use. To save
3D properties, click Add in the
Material dialog box.
•
For more information on adding 3D
properties, see page 178.
1
A jade bracelet, drawn using an elliptical outline
shape with added texture and light
The Line and Arrow Tool
The Line and Arrow Tool draws straight or curved lines and arrows, and renders them as a 2D or 3D
object depending on the selected Mode in the Attribute Toolbar. The Freehand Drawing Tool which
allows free-form drawing also belongs to this group of Path tools.
To create a line and arrow path:
1 Select the Line and Arrow Tool.
2 Click Shape. Select Line/Arrow to
draw a straight path. Select Bezier or
Spline to draw a curved or irregularly-
shaped path. Select Freehand Draw
Tool to draw without constraints.
The new Freehand Draw Tool
Show/hide
Path Panel
Outline
shape
Color
Object
mode
Edit path
Add tool
attributes to
EasyPalette
Show/hide
Material dialog
box
CHAPTER 6: WORKING WITH TEXT AND PATHS 167
3 Draw the path:
• Straight path Click at a starting
point and drag your mouse in the
intended direction of the path.
Click again to end the path.
• Curve or irregularly-shaped path
Click at several points to gradually
form the shape of the path.
Double-click to complete the path.
Note:
For more information on
drawing curves and irregularly-
shaped paths, see next section.
4 Set the line Width and Style in the
Outline Tab on the Attribute Panel.
Select an Arrow style for the start and
end points.
5 Select Anti-aliasing in the Options Tab
for smoother lines and curves. Add
Shadow.
6 Click Mode and make the path a 2D or
3D object. For further 3D properties,
click Material.
Drawing curves and irregularly-shaped paths
Select the Spline Tool or Bezier/Polygon Tool from the Shape menu on the Attribute Toolbar to
draw curves and irregularly-shaped path objects.
By default, the Spline Tool draws curves and the Bezier/Polygon Tool draws straight line segments,
however, either can be used to draw curved and linear paths. For smoother mouse control, it is
advisable to use the Spline tool when drawing paths with more curves than straight segments. It is
also easier to use the Bezier/Polygon tool for drawing paths that contain more line segments than
curves.
To draw a path using the Spline Tool:
1 Click the Path Tool and select a
drawing tool.
2 Click Shape on the Attribute Toolbar,
then click Spline in the shape menu.
3 Click in the document where you want
the path to begin. A start node appears.
Samples of Line and Arrow path objects
168 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
[Ctrl] + Click
at the start of
the line
segment
[Ctrl] + Click
at the end of
the line
segment
4 Position the cursor where you want the
first segment to end, then click.
5 Move the cursor around. Notice that
the segment smoothly bends into a
curve using the node as a reference
point.
6 Continue clicking and moving your
mouse until you have created the
desired shape. The path automatically
curves based on the position of the
nodes.
7 Double-click to complete the path.
Note:
Right-click at any time to abort
drawing.
1
3
2
Drawing a line segment with the Spline tool
Note:
To draw a straight line segment within a path, hold down [Ctrl] while you clicking the
start and end positions of the line segment.
To draw a path with the Bezier/Polygon
tool:
1 Click the Path Tool and select a
drawing tool.
2 Click Shape in the Attribute Toolbar,
then click Bezier/Polygon.
3 To draw a straight segment, click at the
position where to start a line segment. A
node appears. Move the cursor in the
direction where you want the line to be
drawn. Click again to complete the
segment.
Solid-filled Outline Line and Arrow
path path path
CHAPTER 6: WORKING WITH TEXT AND PATHS 169
Notes:
•
To limit the angle between segments in 45 degrees, hold down [Shift] as you draw.
•
Press [Backspace] to remove the previous curve or line segment drawn.
•
Use the same drawing procedures given in this section when drawing open-path lines and
curves with the Line and Arrow Tool.
Drag mouse
downwards
End
node
Drag mouse
downwards
1
3
2
Start
node
To draw a curve segment, click and
drag in one direction at the starting
position, then click and drag in the
opposite direction at the end position
of the segment. (See illustration).
To draw an “S” curve segment, click
and drag your mouse in the same
directions when starting and ending
the segment. (See illustration).
4 Continue clicking and moving the
cursor around until you have created
the desired shape.
5 Double-click to complete the path.
Note:
Right-click at any time to abort
drawing.
Result
1
2
3
Start
node
Drag mouse
downwards
End
node
Drag mouse
upwards
Result
1
3
2
Drawing a curve with the Bezier/Polygon tool
Drawing an “S” curve with the Bezier/Polygon tool
Solid-filled
path
Outline
path
Line and Arrow
path
170 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Importing Adobe Illustrator files
You can import vector graphics created in Adobe Illustrator into PhotoImpact. You can directly use
them as path objects or further edit them.
To import Adobe Illustrator files:
1 Click the Path Tool, then select the
Path Drawing Tool or Outline
Drawing Tool.
2 Select Custom Shape. The Custom
Shape dialog box opens, displaying
preset objects.
3 Click Import. The Input AI file dialog
box opens.
4 Select an AI file to import and click
Open. The selected AI file is added to
the selected gallery in the Custom
Shape dialog box.
5 Select the object and click OK.
6 Click and drag your mouse to draw the
object. The vector-based illustration
now appears, allowing you to easily
manipulate it using the Path Drawing
Tool, Outline Drawing Tool, Path Edit
Tool, or the Bezier Curve Tool. (The
functions of each are discussed on pages
161, 164, 172 and 175 respectively).
Note:
Only closed path shapes and
single-path outlines can be imported
from Adobe Illustrator.
Filling a path with the Even-Odd Fill option
Whenever you render a path object, the object is always filled with the color specified in the Color
square on the Attribute Toolbar. Even-Odd Fill in the Options Tab on the Path Panel allows you an
alternative way of filling it. Click Panel on the Attribute Toolbar to show the Attribute Panel.
CHAPTER 6: WORKING WITH TEXT AND PATHS 171
Inner path
shapes drawn
in the
opposite
direction as
the outer
shape
Inner path
shapes drawn
in the same
direction as
the outer
shape
• When Even-Odd Fill is selected,
the fill only occupies alternate areas
created by overlapping path(s).
This option is ideal when you have
an irregularly-shaped object which
folds over onto itself or a complex
object containing multiple shapes
inside, and you want to keep
overlapping areas free of paint. For
instance, you can easily create a
pattern with alternating fills. The
unfilled areas will show the base
image.
• This alternate filling effect can only
be applied to path objects drawn in
Continue Draw Mode using the
Path Drawing Tool. (See page 163
for details).
• If left cleared, the fill occupies the
entire interior of the object whether
paths overlap or not.
Note:
When Even-Odd Fill is not
selected, overlapping areas may still
be cleared, depending on how the
path was drawn. If the path’s inner
curve or line segments were drawn in
the opposite direction as the outer
segments, overlapping regions will
not be filled. See the sample figures
below.
Without Even-Odd fill
Result Result
Multiple paths drawn in Continue Draw Mode
With Even-Odd fill
172 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Editing paths
After drawing a path object, you might need to further modify its shape until it looks exactly the way
you want it. You can also enhance a path object by changing its properties and applying 3D effects.
(See page 178 for details).
Deforming the path shape
When any of the drawing tools (Path Drawing Tool, Outline Drawing Tool or Line and Arrow Tool)
is selected, you can easily distort the path horizontally or vertically. Change the Mode in the Attribute
Toolbar to Horizontal Deform or Vertical Deform. A bounding box with four nodes and four control
handles then appears. To adjust the path shape, reposition the nodes or drag the control handles.
After you have finished adjusting the shape, change back to the original Mode to render the path
object.
Horizontal Deform
Vertical Deform
The Path Edit Tool
The Path Edit Tool lets you reshape paths more precisely. Once you have created a path object using
any of the Trace commands or Path tools, you can start editing. Use the Attribute Toolbar to edit
paths, or for more convenient editing, right-click (a complete path or a segment) and select commands
from the pop-up menu.
CHAPTER 6: WORKING WITH TEXT AND PATHS 173
To edit a path object:
1 Click the Path Edit Tool. Then, click
Toggle on the Attribute Toolbar to
switch from path object mode to path
edit mode (or click the path object).
The object’s nodes and segments will
be displayed.
Notes:
To easily change between the Path Edit
Tool and the drawing tool which you
used to create the object:
•
Click Edit on the Attribute
Toolbar.
•
Right-click the object. From the
pop-up menu, select Edit Path to
switch to the Path Edit Tool or
select Edit Attributes to return to
the drawing tool.
2 Click and drag the nodes to reposition
them.
3 Reshape a curve segment by clicking
any of its two end nodes. At most, two
control handles will appear on the
selected node. Drag a handle to adjust
the shape of the curve.
Use the Edit mode buttons to change
the way control handles affect curve
segments.
Path object mode
Path edit mode
Pick point
Add point
Delete
point
Edit point buttons:
Convert to line
Toggle between object
and path edit modes
Duplicate, Delete, Align, and Group/Ungroup
paths (only used for editing multiple-path objects
that were drawn using Path Drawing Tool’s
Continue Draw Mode)
Switch to the
corresponding
drawing tool
Add tool attributes
to My Gallery in the
EasyPalette
Convert to curve
Non-free edit
Free edit
Convert line buttons:
Edit mode buttons:
Moving path nodes
Reshaping a curve segment
174 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Notes:
•
Two control handles appear on a
node when the segments at the left
and right side of the node are both
curves.
•
Curve segments have handles that
you can drag for editing. Line
segments do not.
• Free edit Moves one control handle
at a time and reshapes a curve
without affecting other path
segments.
• Non-free edit Moves both control
handles simultaneously and
reshapes the curves between a node
and its adjacent nodes.
4 To change a curve segment into a line
or vice versa, select the segment and use
a Convert line button to convert.
5 If you still cannot shape the path
perfectly with the existing nodes, add
more nodes and further adjust the
path. Alternatively, if the path does not
look smooth enough, delete some
nodes.
Use an Edit point button to select a
segment, then add or delete nodes.
Note:
Pick point lets you select a
path segment. While using this tool,
you can press [Shift] and click a
segment to add [+] node, or press
[Ctrl] and click a node to delete [-] it.
6 When you are satisfied with the result,
click Toggle or Edit (or, right-click and
select Toggle Mode) to render your
path object.
To select multiple paths while you are editing a path object, press [Ctrl] or [Shift] and click the paths
while in path edit mode. Right-click and apply the menu commands you want on the selected paths
or click the available buttons on the Attribute Toolbar.
• Duplicate Creates a path with the same attributes as the selected path.
• Delete Removes the selected path(s).
• Alignment Aligns and distributes the selected paths.
• Grouping Groups or ungroups selected paths.
Free edit
Non-free edit
Convert to curve
Final result
CHAPTER 6: WORKING WITH TEXT AND PATHS 175
Note:
These commands are applicable only for multiple paths created using the Path Drawing
Tool’s Continue Draw Mode. For more information, see page 163.
Grouping and ungrouping paths
If you created a complex path object containing multiple paths, it is advisable that you group them
into one or more groups of paths. Group related paths together when you want to fix their position
in place while you continue to edit other portions of your path object. This makes managing paths
easier and lets you move them simultaneously.
To group paths:
1 Click Path Tool and select the Path
Edit Tool, or while using any of the
three drawing tools, click Edit in the
Attribute Toolbar.
2 Click Toggle to switch from path object
mode to path edit mode.
3 Select the paths you want to group.
To select paths individually, hold down
[Shift] or [Ctrl] while clicking each
path. To cancel a path selection, press
[Ctrl] while clicking a selected path.
4 When all the paths are selected, right-
click and select Group Path.
To separate grouped paths, right-click
and select Ungroup Path.
Using the Bezier Curve Tool
Another alternative you can use to create complex paths or selections is the Bezier Curve Tool. This
tool works in two modes: Path and Selection modes. It allows you to draw and edit a closed path and
make it into a selection.
To draw and edit paths using the Bezier
Curve Tool:
1 Click the Selection Tool, then select the
Bezier Curve Tool.
2 Select a path shape in Shape then draw
the path. You can draw multiple paths.
Grouping paths
176 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Note:
Free Path is ideal for drawing
curves and irregularly-shaped paths.
It draws paths exactly the same way
as the Bezier/Polygon tool. Follow the
same procedure in “To draw a path
with the Bezier/Polygon tool” on page
168 to draw a free path.
3 To edit the path(s) you have just
drawn, select Edit existing path on the
Attribute Toolbar.
4 Click a path segment, then click the
Options menu and select Convert to
curve or Convert to line to change a
line segment into a curve or vice versa.
5 Click a node to show control handles
and adjust path segments. Use the Free
edit option to determine how to adjust
two connected path segments.
Notes:
•
The Free edit option works the
same way as the Edit mode
buttons of the Path Edit Tool. See
page 172 for information.
•
How color fills overlapping paths is
determined by the Even-Odd fill
option. See “Filling a path with the
Even-Odd Fill option” on page 170
for more details.
•
To delete a node, click Options
and select Delete Point.
6 Double-click to complete the path.
7 Finally, to convert the path(s) to a path
object, click the Path Tool and select
the Path Drawing Tool. Then click
Mode and render as a 2D or 3D object.
Note:
After the path has been
converted to a path object, nodes can
be added using the Path Edit Tool.
Draw a new path
Edit an existing path
With Even-Odd fill
Without Even-Odd fill
CHAPTER 6: WORKING WITH TEXT AND PATHS 177
To make the path into a selection:
• Click Toggle in the Bezier Curve Tool’s
Attribute toolbar. This button lets you
switch between path and selection
modes.
Note:
The Bezier Curve Tool can be
used to edit paths created with Path
tools. While a Path tool is selected,
set the path’s Mode to Selection.
Then, select the Bezier Curve Tool
and click Toggle to switch to path
edit mode and edit the path.
The Freehand Drawing Tool
The Freehand Drawing Tool is a versatile option for creating paths. Freehand Drawing Tool is
available to all Path tools (not Path Edit Tool). It lets you draw shapes without the constraints of the
geometrically derived Path Tools, allowing for a more organic, random feel in your paths. Simply draw
your shape by clicking and dragging your mouse in the document, then apply the multitudes of
effects and options available to Path objects.
To create a path using the Freehand
Drawing Tool:
1 Click the Path Tool then select the Path
Drawing Tool.
2 Select the Freehand Drawing Tool
from Shape on the Attribute Toolbar.
3 Click in your document where you
want to draw your shape, then drag the
mouse to form the shape. When the
mouse is released, the shape will close
itself.
Note:
When using the Freehand Drawing Tool, Close smoothly in the Shape Tab of the
Path Panel will be selected by default. This will give a smoother, curved effect between the
start and end points if the mouse is released far from the starting point. Deselecting this
option will close the shape with a straight line. This setting cannot be changed for a shape
after it has been created, and should be considered prior to drawing the shape.
Without Smooth closingSmooth closing
Making the path into a selection
Freehand Drawing Tool options
178 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Notes:
•
To make the shape approximate as
closely as possible to your original
tracing, maximize the Accuracy
setting in the Shape Tab of the
Path Panel. This setting can only
be adjusted for the most recently
created Freehand path object.
•
To abort while drawing, click the
right mouse button.
4 Change the color of your object by
clicking Color on the Attribute
Toolbar.
5 Click Mode. Select 2D Object or give
the object a 3-dimensional appearance
by selecting a 3D mode.
Note:
To view and adjust more 3D
options and effects, click Material
on the Attribute Toolbar or in the
Gallery Tab in the Path Panel (see
below for details).
6 As with all other Path Tools, the shape
can be modified. Click Path Tool then
select the Path Edit Tool, or click
Editing on the Attribute Toolbar to
tweak your shape as required.
Adding 3D properties to text and path objects
The Material dialog box is where you bring a text or path object to life. You can give it a 3D
look by adding shadows, reflections, and other 3D properties. Click Material on the Attribute
Toolbar, or More in the Gallery Tab of the Path Panel while using either the Text or Path tools, to
open the Materials dialog box.
Note:
If you create a text or path object on top of a base image, you can also change how the
object appears against its background image. Right-click the object and click Properties to
open the Object Properties dialog box. Different settings are available for resizing the
object, repositioning, merging with background color, and more. The Image Map Tab in the
dialog box even lets you add hyperlink properties to the object. For more information on Web
pages and creating hyperlinks with objects, see page 237.
Tweak the shape using the Path Edit Tool
Drag the mouse across the document
Modify 3D options and effects, add features
CHAPTER 6: WORKING WITH TEXT AND PATHS 179
The Material dialog box
This section briefly describes the different tabs in the Material dialog box. For information on the various
options in each tab, click Help.
A 3D path object created by using simple shapes and applying 3D properties
Rounded
rectangle
Final 3D path object
3D Round with
transparency
Final edited
shape
Ellipse 3D Pipe with
transparency
Duplicated
shapes
Rounded
rectangle
3D Round with
thin border
Final edited
shape
Rectangle Continue Draw Final shape
Circle 3D Chisel with
thin border
With bump map
Color/Texture Tab
Lets you customize the object’s appearance with either simple or gradient colors, or either a Natural or
Magic Texture fill. Texture fills are applied to the area within an object’s border whether the object is
3D or not. Click the Color and Texture Boxes to invoke their respective dialog boxes.
The figure below shows an example of a path object drawn using the Path Drawing Tool, then
further enhanced by applying 3D properties.
180 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Bevel Tab
Lets you define the 3D edge of an object with a variety of preset styles. The size of the bevel edge is
determined by the Border/Depth settings.
None (2D Object)
3D Round
3D Chisel
3D Trim 3D Pipe
3D Custom Modes
Border/Depth Tab
Allows you to define the relative ‘thickness’ of a 3D object, both in height (Depth) and beveled edge
(Border). It also provides an option for removing sharp edges caused by the bevel effect on irregularly-
shaped 3D objects and smoothen the object surface.
3D Chisel with
smaller border
3D Pipe with
maximum depth
3D Chisel with
maximum border
3D Pipe with
smaller depth
Bump Tab
Create grooves and extrusions on the surface of a 3D object based on contrasting dark and light areas.
CHAPTER 6: WORKING WITH TEXT AND PATHS 181
Reflection Tab
Projects an image reflection onto the object’s surface. This differs from the Color/Texture Tab which
simply fills an object with an image.
Transparency Tab
Lets you set whether or not you can see through the object, and if so, to what degree.
Shadow Tab
Adds a drop-shadow to your object. It also gives you the option of having PhotoImpact ‘render’ the
backside of a transparent 3D object.
Light Tab
Allows you to adjust the direction and number of lights shining on the object. This tab also provides
an option for moving light sources in the same relative position to the object if the object is rotated
(Rotate light when object rotates).
You can use up to four lights. To select a light
and make adjustments to it, open the
Materials dialog box then select the Light
Tab. Click and drag your mouse over the
object surface to adjust the position of each
light source.
Or, select individual lights in the 3D Tab on
the Path Panel, select which light source to
adjust, then click Adjust light and move the
mouse over the document to view the effect.
Click to lock down a light position. Press [Esc]
to abort. Click More to add more lights in the
Materials dialog box.
With reflection image (Reflection Tab) With texture image (Color/Texture Tab)
182 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Shading Tab
The Shading Tab allows you to define whether the material reflects light like metal or like plastic.
Plastic, or ‘Phong’, refers to a glossy shading scheme. While ‘Metallic’ refers to a diffused light.
Tip:
PhotoImpact provides several image files in the Material folder which you can add as
textures, reflections, and bump maps to your objects.
Making the surface of 3D objects smoother
If you created a complex or irregularly-shaped 3D text or 3D path object, bevel edges can sometimes
be obviously seen on the object surface. If you want to make the object surface look smoother, select
the Border/Depth Tab then select Smooth spine.
Note:
The Smooth Spine option can only be used with 3D Round, 3D Chisel and 3D Custom
objects, and when the Type of border is “In”.
Creating transparent objects
To create a transparent object, for example, a glass jar, draw a 3D object and simply make the
transparency setting higher. Follow the procedure below and see the example shown.
To create a transparent object:
1 Click the Path Drawing Tool, then
select a Shape and draw the path.
2 Click Editing on the Attribute Toolbar
to edit the path shape.
Click Editing again to return to the
Path Drawing Tool.
3 Change the Mode of the path object to
3D Round on the Attribute Toolbar.
4 Click Material, then click the Border/
Depth Tab. Lower the Border setting.
Smooth spine option
not selected
Smooth spine option
selected
CHAPTER 6: WORKING WITH TEXT AND PATHS 183
Example of creating a glass jar
5 Click the Transparency Tab. Select
Transparency then set it to at least 75%
to mimic the appearance of glass. Set
the minimum transparency to 35% for
the object’s edges.
6 Click the Shadow Tab and select the
Render backface option.
7 Click OK.
3D rounded rectangle with
transparency
Draw a Rounded rectangle, then edit
the shape to form a glass jar.
1
Set the Transparency (between 75% to
100%) and select Render backface in
the Shadow tab.
3
Set the object Mode to 3D Round.
2
This is the final object, with four
elliptical shapes added (using 3D
Pipe mode) on the jar’s opening.
4
Using bump maps
“Bump map” is a term describing an image file that, when applied to a text or path object, creates the
appearance of 3D grooves and extrusions on the surface. The darker a particular region is, the ‘deeper’
the groove, while the lighter a region is, the ‘higher’ the extrusion appears.
To add a bump map texture to an object:
1 Create a 3D path object or 3D text.
2 Click Material and select the Bump Tab .
184 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
3 Click Bump map, then locate the file
you want to use as a bump map and
click Open.
4 Enter the Density of the bump, where
100% is the maximum and 0% is the
minimum.
5 If the 3D path object has texture, select
Displacement mapping to give the
object a more realistic appearance.
Change the X and Y values to adjust
the texture’s displacement over the
bump map.
6 Clear the Use bump as reflection
option if the object has a ‘flat’ surface.
However, if your object has a round or
curved surface, select this option to
map the image across the entire surface.
7 Select Invert bump map to make the
image appear raised instead of carved
out of the surface of the object.
8 Click OK.
The Z-Merge Tool
One of the exciting features in PhotoImpact is the powerful Z-Merge tool. Z-Merge introduces the
third axis, enabling you to not only control the width and height of objects in your document, but
also the elevation, or depth. By doing this, Z-Merge enables complex interactions among Z-Merged
objects in slick new ways. Z-Merge can be applied to both 2D and 3D objects including text objects.
Notes:
• Z-Merge cannot be applied to Web objects.
• Z-Merge can be applied to objects in RGB (24-bit True Color) documents only.
Circle in 3D Chisel
mode with thin
border and maximum
depth
With bump
map applied
The Z-Merge Tool is located in the Tool Panel. The Attribute Toolbar of the Z-Merge Tool is only
activated when an object or group of objects that can be assigned Z-Merge values (z-values) is
selected.
By default, all Z-Merged objects have a z-value of zero. Assigning a z-value to an object will “lift“ it
out of the document towards you and “above” all non-Z-Merged objects, even if the z-value is
negative. The greater the z-value, the greater the distance of the object from the surface of the
document. Z-values can range from -1024 to 1024.
Z-Merge Toolbar
CHAPTER 6: WORKING WITH TEXT AND PATHS 185
Notes:
• When multiple Z-Merged objects are selected, the Z-Elevation slider box will display the
z-value of the object with the lowest z-value.
• If the value in the Z-Elevation slider box is changed, the new value will be applied to only
the lowest z-value object. All other selected objects will calculate their new value by
adding the difference between its original z-value and the lowest object’s original z-value,
to the new value entered in the box. (See illustration).
• To reset all objects to zero, click Reset.
To assign a z-value to an object:
1 Select an object or group of objects to
elevate.
2 Select the Z-Merge Tool in the Tool
Panel.
3 Select Z-Merge.
4 Assign a value to the elevation of the
object or objects using the Z-Elevation
slider.
Note:
Any object with a z-value will
appear to be positioned higher in the
stack than an object without a z-
value, even if the object without a z-
value is positioned higher in the Layer
Manager.
Now that objects have been assigned z-values, they can interact with each other instead of sliding
independently over and under one another.
Z-Merge can be applied to 2D and 3D
objects
Objects without Z-Merge applied
Objects with Z-Merge applied
Z-Merge elevation slider
186 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Figure B:
We now view the document from the side.
The pyramid has a z-value of -10 and the UFO has a
z-value of 10. The difference in z-values is therefore
20.
When both objects are selected, the Z-Merge
Elevation slider box will display -10 (the z-value of
the lowest z-value object).
Figure C:
If the value in the Z-Merge Z-Elevation
box is then changed to 10:
The lowest z-value object (the pyramid) will take 10
as its z-value.
The UFO will add the original difference between
itself and the pyramid (20) to the number in the box
(10) to calculate its new z-value (20 + 10 = 30). This
effectively maintains the relative elevation of all
objects.
Figure A:
This shows two objects in a document
viewed normally (from above).
Each has been assigned its own z-value.
Figure A: Normal view of a document
Figure B: Elevation before Z-Merge change
Figure C: Elevation after Z-Merge change
Without Z-merge With Z-merge
Finished image with Z-merge
CHAPTER 6: WORKING WITH TEXT AND PATHS 187
Special effects for text and path objects
In addition to the plethora of effects available in the Effect menu and EasyPalette, Text and path
objects’ appearance can be further modified in detail or enhanced using the Material dialog box.
Unlike simple selections and regular image objects, text and path objects have attribute settings that
can be independently adjusted and saved to the EasyPalette for future use. This way, you can save
time in having to recreate the same effect you commonly use on your text or path objects. (See page
178 for details).
To save Material dialog box settings to the
EasyPalette:
1 With a text or path object active in the
workspace, switch to the appropriate
tool in the Tool Panel, and click
Material on the Attribute Toolbar.
2 In the Material dialog box, click Add.
3 In the Material: Save Options dialog
box, select All to save everything or
Partial to choose the specific settings to
save.
4 Click OK to switch to the Add to
EasyPalette dialog box.
5 Specify the Sample name, Gallery, and
Tab group information for saving.
6 Click OK to add the settings to the
EasyPalette.
188 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
7
SPECIAL EFFECTS
Adding life to plain-looking images is made easy with the various
special effects, filters, animation, and plug-ins that PhotoImpact offers.
Bring depth to your images with texture effects, add movement to
stationary objects with animation effects, and create dreamy images
with particle effects. This version of PhotoImpact categorizes effects
into related groups, so you can easily locate and apply effects to your
work. Read more to learn about various filters and extensions that
adjust, enhance and add sparkle to your images.
In Chapter 7 you will learn:
Special effects and filters ............................................................................................ 190
Creating special effects .............................................................................................. 204
Adding special Type Effect .......................................................................................... 223
Applying a Light effect ................................................................................................. 224
Applying a Magic Gradient........................................................................................... 225
Creating a Turnpage effect ......................................................................................... 226
190 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Special effects and filters
PhotoImpact provides you with a wide range of effects and filters to apply to your images and/or
object layers. These filters are now grouped according to their functionality, so that each related special
effect and filter is conveniently placed with other filters with similar effects.
To apply effects and filters, you can:
• Drag and drop any preset thumbnail from the EasyPalette to an image, selection area or
object.
• Double-click an effect thumbnail in the EasyPalette gallery.
• Choose an effect from the Effect menu.
Notes:
•
Filters and effects can only be applied to True Color (24-bit) or Grayscale (8-bit) image
data types. Convert images of other data types to True Color or Grayscale using the
Format: Data Type - submenu, or by clicking Data Type located at the lower right hand
corner of the PhotoImpact program window status bar.
• Custom effects and filters can be stored in the EasyPalette for later use.
Choose from the following groups of special effects:
• Blur Obscures images by applying haze effects to produce a tranquil or soft effect.
• Sharpen Improves overall image by enhancing edges. This gives the image more depth.
• Noise Adds or removes very small patterns or random pixels that produce noise.
• Photographic Contains effects that enhance images photographically. This includes most
popular camera filters available.
• Distort Transforms images by stretching image areas to produce contortions.
• Illumination Enhances lighting by applying digital filters.
• Artistic Renders photographic images into versions made by different artist media, such as
oil paint, watercolor, etc.
• Video Enhances video capture images by correcting common capture problems.
• Creative Applies special effects, such as animation, gradient, moon, particle, and type for a
truly digital work of art.
• Material Effect Transforms the entire image’s composition by applying 3D effects that
give. the image motion or texture.
• Digimarc Embeds a digital watermark to your image for security.
CHAPTER 7: SPECIAL EFFECTS 191
Applying effects and filters to an image
The most convenient way to apply effects and filters is to drag and drop thumbnails from the
EasyPalette to an image, selection area or object.
To apply an effect or filter:
1 Select View: Toolbars & Panels -
EasyPalette.
2 In the EasyPalette, click Galleries then
select the desired Gallery from the tree
view.
3 Click and drag the thumbnail of the
effect or filter you want to apply to the
image, active selection, or object.
Notes:
• Dropping an effect or filter into a
selection area converts it into an
object.
• Right-click the new object then
select Merge to integrate it with
the base image.
Customizing effects and filters
You can gain access to most effects or filters in the EasyPalette and in the Effect menu. In some cases
where you want to apply an effect or filter in lesser detail, select an effect or filter command from the
Effect menu to open the Quick Samples dialog box. This dialog box displays thumbnails that show
varying results of an effect or filter when applied to your image, selection area or object. The center
thumbnail in the dialog box is a preview of current settings.
The surrounding thumbnails offer quick access for increasing or decreasing the intensity of how an
effect or filter is applied. Simply click the thumbnail of the desired result you want.
Dual view dialog box
Most of PhotoImpact’s special effects feature the Dual View dialog box that allows you greater control
when viewing previews of your effect.
The control dialog box is greatly advantageous as not only does it allow you to preview samples before
and after applying effects both side by side so you can see both at once, you can also switch the
Before and After tabs back and forth so that each image appears precisely overlapped over the other,
allowing you to discern changes more clearly.
192 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Zoom options available in the Thumbnail dialog box
Image after applying Watercolor effect
Image before applying effect
Show full image
Show static portion
Show scalable portion
Zoom Blur effect
The Zoom Blur effect focuses on a point in your image, then creates a surrounding blur or whirlpool
effect. This effect can be used on the whole image, a selection, or an image object.
To use the Zoom Blur Effect:
1 Select Effect: Blur – Zoom Blur.
2 Select a zoom type from the Type pull-
down menu.
3 Click and drag the red spot on the left
preview image to move the focus of the
effect.
Note:
Some effects automatically display the two-view control dialog box, while for other
effects, you will need to click Options in the initial Quick Samples dialog box to display it.
Dual View dialog boxes still allow you to view results at full size before applying them. They also give
you the option of adding effects to the EasyPalette, as well as invoking a zoom dialog box that zooms
in on a portion of the image, while applying the effect, giving you a close-up preview.
CHAPTER 7: SPECIAL EFFECTS 193
4 Select a radius setting in Unblurred
Area radius. There is a red dotted circle
shown around the focus in the Preview
- Before window. This circle delineates
the barrier between the surrounding
blur and the center blur.
5 Specify a value for Inward blur. This
also displays a scalable red circle on the
image, concentric within the first one.
The value specified here controls the
size of the area between the circles, and
the degree of blur in this area.
6 Enter a value for Surrounding blur.
This controls the amount of blur
outside the first circle.
7 For Clockwise and Counterclockwise
blur effects, you can specify a value for
Twist which will determine the extent
of the blur effect revolving around the
focus.
8 For Breeze, Halo in and Halo out blur
effects, specify the Direction (in
degrees) that determines the path or
course of the blur.
9 Click OK.
Notes:
• Zoom Blur can be applied to RGB
(24-bit True Color) documents only.
• Images longer or wider than 500
pixels will be temporarily
resampled in the Dual view dialog
box. During temporary resampling,
the image will be shown in
proportion with the longer side
shown as 500 pixels.
Motion Blur
Motion Blur adds life to your images by simulating movement. You can choose between applying
Camera Shake, which simulates the unintentional movement when the camera is jiggled during
shooting; Natural Motion, which copies the movement occurring when the photographers follows a
moving subject; Object, which imitates the movement of an object in one direction; or Vibration,
which mimics the back and forth movement of vibration.
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To apply Motion Blur:
1 Select Filter: Blur -Motion Blur.
2 Choose a motion type to apply.
3 Set the Moving Offset by entering a
value. The higher the value, the farther
the motion from the object.
4In Angle, set the motion angle, to give
the movement its direction.
Note:
When applying Motion Blur to
a selection area or object, selecting
Expand outside object enables
Motion Blur to extend beyond the
active selection.
5 Click OK.
Lens Distortion effect
In the Camera Lens range of effects, the Lens Distortion effect simulates the bending of an image
through different shaped lenses, distorting the image in various ways. The lenses can emulate
spherical and trapezoidal lenses as well as a combination of the two.
To use the Lens Distortion effect:
1 Select Effect: Photographic - Lens
Distortion.
2 Select Retain all image content if you
wish to keep the entire distorted image
within the bounds of the original
dimensions of the document. You may
also wish to select a background color
where the image edge becomes concave
and forms a gap between itself and the
document edge. Leaving this option
cleared will cause the document to
increase in size and proportions.
3 To turn the image around, set the
rotation angle to the desired degree.
You can set the direction as clockwise or
counterclockwise.
CHAPTER 7: SPECIAL EFFECTS 195
4 To adjust Spherical distortion, set the
distortion center by dragging the O
icon over the preview image. Use the
slider to set the vertical and horizontal
degree of distortion. Adjusting the
sliders left makes the image concave,
while going toward the right makes it
convex.
5 For Trapezoidal distortion, set the
center by dragging the X icon instead.
Again, you can use the sliders to set the
vertical and horizontal distortion. In
addition, you can select Add distortion
to provide extra deform effects.
Notes:
•
The left window of Dual View
displays a preview of the Spherical
effect on the original image with an
auxiliary mesh overlay, and the
right window will display a preview
of the effect upon the image in the
left window.
•
Positive values for the Y-axis
increase downward in compliance
with graphic imaging industry
standards, as for all documents in
PhotoImpact.
6 Click Add to save the effect in the
EasyPalette. Click Preview to view the
effect at actual size. Zoom in to a region
to see the effect at closer range.
7 Click OK.
Notes:
• Lens Distortion can be applied to RGB (24-bit True Color) documents only.
• Images longer or wider than 500 pixels will be temporarily resampled in the Dual View
dialog box. During temporary resampling, the image will be shown in proportion with the
longer side shown as 500 pixels.
Image before applying Lens Distortion effect
Image after applying Lens Distortion effect
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Beautify Skin effect
Beautify Skin is an effect which enhances the quality of skin in a photo. Elegantly simple to use, it
removes blemishes from skin, substituting healthy, clear skin in the place of discolorations and
unsightly spots. This effect can be applied to the whole image or to a selection.
To use the Beautify Skin effect:
1 Select Effect: Photographic - Beautify
Skin.
2 Use the eyedropper tool and click to
select a suitable skin tone from the
original image. The selected tone will be
shown in Skin tone.
3 In Level, determine the intensity of the
effect. The higher the setting, the
greater the enhancement.
4 Select a Complexion which controls the
overall appearance of the skin, and the
level of the effect. The higher the
setting, the greater the variation.
5 Click Add to save the effect in the
EasyPalette. Click Preview to view the
effect at actual size. Zoom in to a region
to see the effect at closer range.
6 Click OK.
Note:
Beautify Skin effect can only be applied to RGB (24-bit True Color) documents.
Star Filters
Star Filters simulate the effect of their
photographic filter namesake by creating
brilliant, star-like points in areas of an image
where light is noticeably bright. This effect
adds a dramatic and brilliant accent to
ordinary-looking images.
To create Star Filter effects:
1 With an image open, select Effect:
Photographic - Star Filters.
Dual View control box: Before and After
CHAPTER 7: SPECIAL EFFECTS 197
2 Specify the Filter Setting by entering
the number of Spikes, and values for
Variance. Determine the effect’s
generated density by setting the
Luminosity Threshold.
3 Choose between using a Standard
Filter or PL (polarized light) Filter. PL
filters simulate the use of two lenses
while Standard uses one. Specify a
value in Rotate (if you chose PL) to
simulate the rotation of the lenses
against each other.
4 Set the star points’ spikes by adjusting
the Spikes setting. Depending on your
filter setting, you can adjust the points’
Brightness, Length, Width, and
Spread Angle.
5 Click OK.
Shear effect
Shear adds the illusion of movement and
warping to your images. It enables users to
control the way images are distorted. Unlike
Edit: Distort where you can only move the
four corners of an image, Shear lets you adjust
the distortion of image at any given point, as
well as specify whether to apply it horizontally
or vertically. It also lets you fill undistorted or
undefined areas a number of ways.
To add a Shear effect to your image:
1 Select Effect: Distort - Shear.
2 In Direction, choose whether to apply a
Horizontal or Vertical method of
distortion.
3 Using the displacement map on the left
side of the panel, adjust the control
points that correspond to the image’s
area you want to distort. You can adjust
all control points in this manner.
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4 Since this effect will displace some areas
within the image, set the method by
which these undefined areas will be
treated. Choosing Wrap Around
enfolds the image by connecting one
end with the other. Repeat Edge Pixels
extends the colors of the pixels along
the image’s edge in the direction
specified. Set to Color fills the
undefined area with a color that you
specify,
5 Click OK.
Film Grain effect
While sometimes considered a photographic nuisance, Graining can also be used as an advantage to
create some very special effects. Grain, especially when used in monochrome images, is helpful in
giving pictures a weathered, antique look. PhotoImpact’s Film Grain simulates this photographic
effect by adding noise in an image that simulates film grains.
To apply Film Grain:
1 Select Effect: Photographic - Film
Grain.
2 Set the film grains’ various attributes.
Variance specifies the density and
appearance of the grains, while
Highlight sets the grains’ accent.
Brightness refers to the overall
luminosity of the grain.
3 Click OK.
Diffraction Filter
The Diffraction Filter creates rainbow-like reflections in highlights and point light sources. This effect
adds a colorful and dramatic accent to images.
To create Diffraction Filter effects:
1 To apply diffraction to a specific area on
the image, use the Selection Tool to
select an area.
Image after applying
shear effect
Original Image
Making a
selection
CHAPTER 7: SPECIAL EFFECTS 199
2 Select Effect: Photographic –
Diffraction Filter.
3 In the Dual View tab, the before and
after views show the applied effects in
real time. Use the zoom buttons to
adjust the viewing size of your image
and see the effects more clearly.
4 From the Filter type list, select the type
of formation for the diffraction effect. If
Starburst or Circular is the selected
filter type, specify the pairs of Streaks.
5 Luminosity threshold determines the
amount of highlights (or light areas) in
the image to which the effect will be
applied. Select a higher value to include
a lesser coverage of highlights detail
thus creating lesser diffractions.
Otherwise, select a lower value to
include more coverage of highlights
details and create more diffractions.
6 If there are too many diffractions
generated which do not look quite
realistic on your image, adjust
Convergence. Increasing the value
merges multiple clusters into one cluster
and recalculates the center of the new
cluster.
7 Under Streak settings, drag the red dot
on the Angle dial to change the angle of
the beams. Click + or – for more precise
settings. To change the color pattern of
the beams, adjust Hue Shift. You can
also set the diffraction beams' Length,
Width, Spacing, and Glow size.
8 If you made a selection on the base
image, select Expand outside selection
to make the diffraction go beyond the
selection.
9 Click OK.
Diffraction Filter dialog box -
Selecting a filter type
Diffraction Filter dialog box -
Expand after selection option
After applying Diffraction Filter
200 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Multivision Filter
Multivision Filter simulates the effect of a camera’s multi-image filter, which creates reproductions of a
subject.
To create Multivision Filter effects:
1 Select Effect: Photographic –
Multivision Filter.
2 In the Dual View tab, the before and
after views show the applied effects in
real time. Use the zoom buttons to
adjust the viewing size of your image
and see the effects more clearly.
3 You can either select a Preset
multivision filter or create a Custom
filter.
To create your own custom filter, select
a Filter type (which determines the
formation of reproductions) and specify
the number of Facets (i.e., the number
of reproductions). If the selected filter
type is Linear or Symmetrical, choose
whether to create Reflected or
Refracted images.
4 In the Before view, drag the red dot to
determine the location coordinates of
the center of the image to be
duplicated.
5 Under Filter settings, change the
Radius to adjust the subject’s area and
the distance between the center image
and its reproductions. Also adjust the
Transparency, Softness, and Rotation
of the reproductions.
6 When you achieve the effect you like,
click OK.
Multivision Filter dialog box
Before applying
Multivision Filter
After applying
Multivision Filter
CHAPTER 7: SPECIAL EFFECTS 201
Sunlight effect
Use the Sunlight effect to brighten up a neutral scene by simulating the effect of bright sunlight
on the image.
To apply Sunlight to an image:
1 Select Effect: Photographic –
Sunlight.
2 In the Dual View tab, if image
correction is needed, apply a
preprocessing filter before applying
the Sunlight effect to the image.
Enhancement filters include:
• Gradual luminance (ND)
Corrects the light distribution
of an image by adjusting the
highlights.
• Blue sky Adds a blue-white
gradient on the specified effect
area to enhance its appearance.
• Contrast Strengthens the color
space in individual RGB
channels.
• Combination of above
Combines the enhancements of
three filters: Blue sky, Gradient
luminance (ND), and Contrast.
• Red Adjusts the R channel of
an image. Apply this to enhance
the warm tones of architectural
photos or rock formations in
landscape photos.
• Green Adjusts the G channel of
an image. Apply this to enhance
the greens of nature objects in
landscapes and floral
photographs.
•Blue Adjusts the B channel of
an image. Apply this to enhance
the blues of pictures with skies
and water.
Sunlight dialog box
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Note:
With Gradual luminance,
Blue sky, and Combination of
above filters, adjust the transition
point and direction of application. A
red line appears on the source image,
identifying the transition point
between dark and light areas of the
image. Drag the dot on the red line to
the desired transition point on the
source image. To rotate the angle or
direction of application, adjust the
Directon dial.
3 Under Sunlight settings, determine the
Intensity of sunlight and increase
Saturation for brighter colors. You can
also adjust Contrast, and adjust the
Cool~Warm slider to create a warmer
appearance. Increase Soft focus for a
misty effect.
4 When you achieve the effect you like,
click OK.
Moon effect
With Moon effect, you can add a moon to an image and customize its phase, appearance and location.
To apply Moon effect to an image:
1 Select Effect: Creative – Moon.
2In Dual View, drag the red dot to the
location where you want the moon to
appear.
3 Under Phase, select the moon phase
that you want. Rotate the moon by
dragging the red dot in the Rotation
dial. Click + or – for more precise
adjustments.
4 Under Surface, add dark crater-like
areas on the moon by selecting Texture,
and rotate the texture by adjusting the
Angle dial to make the moon's
appearance more suited to the scene's
location. To choose a moon Color, select
Before applying Sunlight effect
After applying Sunlight effect
Moon dialog box
CHAPTER 7: SPECIAL EFFECTS 203
a preset color or select the desired
color in the Ulead Color Picker.
5 To increase moon size, increase the
Radius. To give the moon a
spherical shape and three-
dimensional look, lower the Flatness
value.
6 To specify the intensity of light
emanating from the moon, adjust
Brightness. To make the crater-like
areas more visible, lower the
Softness value. You can also specify
Halo.
7 To determine the overall brightness
of the environment, adjust the
Ambient light.
8 If you want a moon glow, select
Glow and specify Strength and
Range settings.
9 When you achieve the effect you
like, click OK.
Before applying Moon effect
After applying Moon effect
204 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Creating special effects
PhotoImpact lets you create special effects to exactly suit your imaging requirements. A variety of
effects ranging from two-dimensional effects and distortions, lighting effects and texturing effects, to
three-dimensional effects and custom filters make anything possible with PhotoImpact.
Warp with Grid
Warp with Grid is a method of bending or curving an image using a grid (or mesh) based pattern.
Unlike other 3D effects, you have the option of tweaking only specific areas of an image with the aid
of grid partition and control point handles.
To warp an image:
1 Select Effect: Distort - Warp with
Grid.
2 Select Fine as the Grid size to display
the maximum number of possible grid
partition.
Tips:
• Show control points Displays
handles for adjusting grid
intersection points. However, if
these points are distracting, clear
the check box.
• To protect or preserve specific
areas from warping, select Fine for
Grid size.
3 In the Sample image window, click and
drag the control points (or grid
intersections) on the area to warp.
4 Click Test to see a preview in the
Preview window at the bottom left of
the dialog box.
CHAPTER 7: SPECIAL EFFECTS 205
Tips:
• For a larger size view of the
warping effect, click Preview.
• To start over from scratch, click
Reset.
5 Click OK.
Note:
Warp effects can only be
applied to True Color and Grayscale
images.
Custom filter
Custom Filter command in the Effect menu allows you to create your own filters (specifically, it
regenerates a pixel value based on the original value and surrounding pixels) using a 5 x 5 pixel
matrix. Values that you specify in the different matrix cells are applied to an image, pixel by pixel, to
produce a variety of special effects.
Note:
You can only create custom filters for use with True Color and Grayscale
images.
To create your own filter:
1 Select Effect: Sharpen - Custom Filter.
2 Click Samples to select a predefined
enhancement.
3 Enter values in the matrix cells.
• The center cell in the center row
represents the pixel whose value is
regenerated when the matrix
calculates a new value.
• Divided by Controls the contrast of
the custom filter.
• Offset Controls the brightness.
• Invert Converts colors to their
complimentary colors.
Note:
To restore the original values
of the matrix, enter one (1) in the
center cell, and zero in all other cells,
or click Reset.
206 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
4 Click Test to see a preview. Click Add to
save to the EasyPalette, or Save to save
settings to a Custom Filter File (CFL)
for future use.
5 Click OK.
Custom effect
Custom Effect distorts the pixel positions in an image by changing their x and y coordinates. In this
effect, distortion of pixels applies to the entire image.
To create a custom effect:
1 Select Effect: Distort - Custom Effect.
The graph displayed in this dialog box
represents the physical placement of
pixels in an image. In general, a steeper
curve moves pixels in (pinching), while
a shallow curve moves pixels out
(punching).
2 Click Methods then select a predefined
mapping curve.
3 Click and drag the mapping curve to
change its shape. Check the preview on
the Preview Window above.
Tip:
Show control points creates
line segments for point-oriented curve
adjustments. Specify a value in the
points entry box to define the number
of control points to add.
4 Click Add this effect to the EasyPalette
or Save. Add saves the effect to the
EasyPalette, whereas Save exports the
effect to a *.CEF file (Custom Effect
Files).
5 Click OK.
CHAPTER 7: SPECIAL EFFECTS 207
Paint on Edges
The Paint on Edges command in the Effect menu allows you to easily, quickly, and accurately apply
paint along the edges of a selection area or an active object.
To paint on edges:
1 Create a selection area using one of the
Selection Tools or select an object or
objects. (To apply the effect on the
entire image, right-click the image and
select All).
2 Select the Paint Tool, and toggle the
Brush Panel on the Attribute Toolbar.
3 Define brush settings in the Shape and
Color Tabs in the Brush Panel. (See
page 92 for details).
4 Select Effect: Creative - Paint on Edges
or [Shift+P]. The edges of the selection
or object will be painted in the color
specified in the Brush Panel.
Edge Preserving Blur
Edge Preserving Blur applies blur effects to an image or selection but retains the sharpness of the
edges. This filter works similarly like Blur, except that neighboring pixels whose values are more than
the given threshold will not be blurred. Edge Preserving Blur is helpful in simplifying images with a
lot of noise.
To apply Edge Preserving Blur:
1 Select Effect: Blur - Edge Preserving
Blur.
2 Set the level of Edge preservation you
want to apply. A higher value means a
higher threshold, resulting in sharper
edges.
3 Specify the blur area by adjusting
Radius. Then, set the blur’s intensity by
adjusting Strength.
4 Click OK.
Image without edge painting
Image with painted edges
208 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
DeInterlace
A common problem among video captures is the inadvertent capture of two or more frames in one
image, resulting in the presence of ungainly lines throughout. DeInterlace solves this problem by
eliminating one overlying frame and smoothing out the remainder.
To adjust a captured image using
DeInterlace:
1 Select Effect: Video - DeInterlace.
2 Choose between retaining the Odd
field or the Even field.
3 Select the Fill using method.
Duplication copies the retained
field to the eliminated field while
Interpolation regenerates the
eliminated field.
4 Click OK.
Flatten Uneven Areas
When working with a picture that is stitched or composited from two or more images, the area
where the stitch or compositing occurred can sometimes look uneven. This results in stitch areas
that are glaringly noticeable. Flatten Uneven Areas helps smoothen overlapped images to create a
seamless stitch. Using selection tools, pick the areas where you want this command applied. You
can apply this command to multiple selections at the same time.
To smoothen uneven areas:
1 Select areas within the image where
you want the effect applied.
2 Select Effect: Blur - Flatten Uneven
Areas.
3 Set the blur intensity by adjusting
Lowpass. Conversely, set
sharpening intensity by adjusting
Highpass. Filter controls the
degree in which the image will be
made smooth.
4 Click OK.
CHAPTER 7: SPECIAL EFFECTS 209
Animation effects
Creating animations to place on your Web pages doesn't have to be difficult. Some of the more
popular effects in PhotoImpact have integrated animation dialog boxes to assist you in creating them.
There are two types of animation creation sections available in Effect dialog boxes. These are Frame-
based, including the Crystal and Glass, Animation Studio, Creative Lighting, Particle Effect, Texture
Effect and Type Effect dialog boxes; and Storyboard-based, including the Artist Texture, Creative
Warp, and Creative Transform dialog boxes.
Frame-based animations
Frame-based animations are a sequence of images (frames) with incremental changes from one to the
next, that create the illusion of movement when viewed in succession. Frames in the sequence that
mark important visual transitions are called key frames. Frames filling in the incremental positions of
the object or effect between key frames are calculated and inserted to create a smooth animation.
Frame-based dialog box
Preview window
Basic Parameters
Tab (Advanced Tab
will be displayed
behind this tab where
applicable.)
Key frame control panel
Effect gallery
The Key frame control panel in PhotoImpact makes it very simple to create GIF animations. The
selection or image to be animated appears above the panel to the left, where you can move the object
or the focus of effect from key frame to key frame. Above the panel are the parameters of the object or
effect’s behavior. Under the preview window is the effects gallery with presets to apply to your
animation.
Key frames in an animation
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By default, animations have 10 frames, of which the first and last frames are key frames. The number
of frames can be adjusted at any time using the Total frames slider bar. Use the navigation buttons
(previous frame, next frame, previous key frame and next key frame buttons) to navigate through the
frames. Alternatively, type the number of the frame you wish to edit in the Current frame box.
• Creating key frames: A frame can be assigned as a key frame in one of two ways. Either
navigate to a regular frame then click the (+) button, or change the parameters of a regular
frame. It will automatically become a key frame.
Note:
Parameters marked with an asterisk (*) apply only to that particular key frame.
Unmarked parameters apply to all frames.
• Moving key frames: Key frames can be clicked and dragged across the key frame marker
slider bar. The larger the space between key frames, the more regular frames there will be
between them, and the slower the animation will be in that segment of the animation.
• Removing key frames: To remove a key frame so that it becomes a regular frame, select its
marker on the slider bar then click the [-] button.
Playing a frame-based animation
Animations can be repeated continuously in two modes. Selecting Auto Reverse will play the
animation forward to the last frame, then backward to the first frame. Selecting Loop will
continuously repeat the animation from front to end.
After playing the animation, if you find the animation playback is not smooth enough, increase the
total number of frames.
Select previous frame
Select next frame
Select next key frame
Select previous key frame
Current frame
number
Total number of frames
Assign as key frame
Cancel as key frame
Stop animation
Auto Reverse
Play animation
Frame slide
controller
Key frame marker
Loop
Reverse key frame
CHAPTER 7: SPECIAL EFFECTS 211
To use frame-based animation dialog
boxes:
1 Select Effect: Creative then choose
from Animation Studio, Particle Effect,
or Type Effect. You can also choose
Effect: Illumination - Creative
Lighting, or Effect: Material Effect -
Crystal & Glass or Effect: Material
Effect - Texture Filter. Alternatively,
select an animation preset from the
Animation Gallery in the EasyPalette.
2 Specify the total number of frames in
your animation in the Key frame
control panel.
3 Select a specific frame position by
entering the frame number in the
Current frame entry box. Click the (+)
button to assign it as a key frame.
4 Adjust the parameters above the Key
frame control panel and in the preview
window to reflect how this stage of the
animation should appear. Repeat steps
4 and 5 to modify other key frame
parameters.
5 Click Play to view the animation.
6 Click OK then select Save Animation
File and Create New Object.
7 To view an animation effect, click
Preview in the Attribute Toolbar or
select File: Save for Web - As HTML
then view the file through a browser.
(See page 267 for details).
Further dialog box options:
• Save Creates an animation file as an
animated GIF. After saving, the
dialog box remains open so you can
continue to modify the animation.
• Add Saves a frame as an image or
the complete animation to the
EasyPalette.
• Preview Displays a preview of the
effect of the current animation
frame at full size.
Assign as key frame button
212 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
To use storyboard-based animation dialog
boxes:
1 Select Effect: Material Effect - Artist
Texture, or Effect: Artistic - Creative
Warp, or Effect: Distort - Creative
Transform.
2 Click Advanced to display the
Storyboard. (Not necessary for the
Transform dialog box).
3 Select a template effect to apply, then
click Insert to add it to the Storyboard.
Repeat this procedure to apply as many
effects as you like. You can insert up to
ten frames in the animation.
4 Modify a storyboard entry by clicking
the corresponding thumbnail image
and then selecting another template
effect. Click Delete to remove an entry
or Delete All to start over.
5 Click Save to create an animation file.
After saving, the Effect dialog box
remains open so you can continue
modifying the effects settings. (See
Saving Animations below for details).
Storyboard-based animations
The layout of Storyboard-based animation dialog boxes differs from effect to effect. However, they
each have two sections in common: an effect Template section and a Storyboard section.
The purpose of the Storyboard is to display a modifiable sequence of applied effects. Each template
effect is applied to the previous slide of the animation, which is viewable in the storyboard section. In
most cases, you can click Reset to start a new slide with a fresh copy of the original image instead of
continuing to apply effects to the previous slide.
Storyboard-based dialog box
Preview window
Storyboard section
Templates
CHAPTER 7: SPECIAL EFFECTS 213
6 Click OK to close the dialog box and
apply the current frame position's effect
settings to the image.
Note:
In most Transform effects, you
can move your mouse over the
preview window and paint over the
image to manually adjust the effect.
Saving animations
An animation or a sequence of transformations can be saved to a file format that best suits your final
target destination. In the Save As dialog box, you may save the animation's individual frames as
independent files by selecting Sequence BMP files from the Save as type drop-down list, or select
Animated GIF files to save the animation as a single GIF file. When saving to a Sequence BMP
format, each frame in the sequence is labeled name001.bmp where you can specify name in the Save
As dialog box.
Saving GIF animation options
• Colors The maximum number of
colors the color palette can contain to
display images. Higher values tend to
increase file size, but lower values may
degrade the quality.
• Infinite loop Creates a continuous
animation. Clear it and enter a number
in the adjacent box to define a limited
duration.
• Frame delay time How long a frame will be displayed, in hundredths of a second, before
switching to the next one.
• Transparent background Creates empty, transparent spaces between images when the
animation is played in a Web browser.
• Dither Allows GIF Animator to compensate for colors not found in the palette. It then
simulates missing colors by mixing combinations of existing colors in the area that the
original color occupied.
• Interlace Allows the image layer to open gradually as it downloads, simulating a 'fade-in'
effect. This however may increase file size a little.
• Open with Ulead GIF Animator Launches Ulead GIF Animator for viewing and further
editing your GIF animation files. (This option is available only if you have a version of
Ulead GIF Animator program installed on your computer.)
214 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Artist Texture
The Artist Texture effect allows you to create wild, psychedelic patterns and semi-random animations
using Palette ramps. It works in conjunction with GIF Animator when creating animations and lets
you generate single image layers that can be applied to both selection areas and objects.
To create an Artist Texture:
1 Select Effect: Material Effect - Artist
Texture.
2 Click Edit to customize the Palette
ramp or change to an entirely new one.
Select the Palette ramp you wish to use
or modify the existing one, then click
OK.
Alternatively, to edit the existing ramp
from within the Artist Texture dialog
box, adjust the Hue shift, Ring, and
Repeat options.
3 Select a style from the Pattern samples
or create a new set of 6 by selecting a
base image from the Pattern templates.
The Pattern templates define the basic
‘warp’ that is applied to the Palette
ramp.
4 Click OK.
To create an animation:
1 In the Artist Texture dialog box, click
Advanced to continue.
2 Drag a sample from the Pattern samples
box to the storyboard to add it to the
animation sequence. The entries in the
storyboard will morph from one into
the next.
3 Click Save to save as an animated GIF
file. After saving, the Effect dialog box
remains open so you can continue
modifying the effects settings. (See page
213 for details).
4 Click OK.
Artist Texture effect sample
Samples of animation sequence
CHAPTER 7: SPECIAL EFFECTS 215
Texture Filter
Artists express themselves using different types of drawing or painting media and surfaces.
PhotoImpact gives you these creative options with Texture Filter. There are several textures that you
can use depending on your desired image effect.
· Creased Paper Simulates the appearance of your image when printed on paper then
crumpled.
· Glass Converts your image’s surface into glass.
· Embossed Adds a relief of different particles such as water drops and bubbles. You can also
choose other coarse-surfaced materials such as snakeskin.
· Animal Hide Embosses your image on rough animal skin.
· Smooth Leather Impresses your image on treated animal hide.
· Metal Converts your image’s surface into metal.
· Plastic Converts your image’s surface into plastic.
· Stone Converts your image’s surface into stone.
· Contour-Lines Creates radial lines of different hues within your image.
Like other Creative Effects, Texture Filter can be saved as an image or an animation file.
To add Texture Filter:
1 Select Effect: Material Effect - Texture
Filter.
2 Choose a preset texture from the Effect
gallery.
3 Adjust the parameters to adjust texture
properties.
4 If you want to create an animation,
click Animate, specify play properties
using Key frame controls, and click
Save. Otherwise, Click OK.
216 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Creative Warp
Creative Warp lets you create a kaleidoscopic effect, but rather than having an output of just a single
frame, you can create an animation or an image sequence by using multiple kaleidoscopic effects
simultaneously.
To create a Creative Warp effect:
1 Select Effect: Artistic - Creative Warp.
2 Select a Pattern template.
3 Click Advanced to expand the dialog
box and display the storyboard at the
bottom. Drag the warped image from
the right-hand preview pane down to
the storyboard or click Insert to add it
to the sequence.
To remove an image from the sequence,
first click the icon in the Storyboard
then click Delete. To clear out the
storyboard, click Delete All.
4 Click Save to create an animation file
first. After saving, the dialog box
remains open so you can continue
modifying the effects settings. (See page
213 for details).
5 Click OK.
Creative warp sample effects
Crystal & Glass effect
Crystal & Glass effect places transparent, curved objects over your image, refracting light and
simulating distortions seen when viewing images through a crystal. This effect can be applied to the
whole image, a selection, or an object. The crystal’s shape, size, position and other properties can be
adjusted in the Crystal & Glass dialog box.
CHAPTER 7: SPECIAL EFFECTS 217
To use the Crystal & Glass effect:
1 Click Effect: Material Effect - Crystal
& Glass.
2 Select a Crystal template from the
Effect Panel.
Note:
By default, Keep aspect ratio
will be selected. This constrains the
crystal’s maximum size to the shorter
dimension of the image or selection.
3 Adjust the dimensions and proportions
of the crystal with the Width and
Height variables in the Model Tab.
Note:
Attributes vary from template to
template.
4 Adjust the position of the crystal in the
image by clicking and dragging it across
the preview window.
5 Adjust the lighting in the Lighting Tab.
6 Add (+) and remove (-) crystals to the
frame as required in Elements. More
than one type of crystal can be applied
to the image.
Reposition them in the stack using the
up and down arrows. Repositioning
overlapping crystals in the stack will
change the effect in overlapping areas.
7 Click Preview to view the effect at full
size.
8 Click Save to save the animation as a
GIF file. After saving, the dialog box
remains open so that you can continue
modifying settings.
9 Click OK then choose whether to apply
the current frame settings to the image
or save to an animation file before
creating a new object.
Note:
Crystal effect can only be
applied to RGB (24-bit True Color)
format documents.
218 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Lighting
Lighting effects allow you to simulate natural phenomena to produce fantastic animations for Web
pages. Each Lighting effect has its own attributes that can be customized individually. You can apply
this effect to an image, selection area or active object.
To apply a Lighting effect:
1 Select Effect: Illumination - Creative
Lighting.
2 Select a lighting preset from the Effect
gallery.
3 Select a frame in the animation in the
Key frame control panel. Click the
image in the preview window to adjust
the light source and direction for that
particular frame in the animation
sequence. This will automatically assign
this frame as a key frame.
4 Click the Basic or Advanced Tabs on
the right of the preview window to
define attributes such as color, size, and
angle (attributes vary depending on the
preset).
5 Move the slider (or enter a value) to
modify the overall brightness in
Ambient light. To change the image's
color tone, click the color box.
6 Add (+) or delete (-) lights in the
animation from Elements. Click up and
down arrows to rearrange the position
of the element in the stack. Rearranging
elements will change the effect at
intersecting areas.
Some lighting effects allow you to alter
the position of the light source on the
image. In the Preview window, move
your mouse over an effect item and
when the cursor changes to a cross-hair,
click and drag to desired position.
7 Click Play to preview the animation.
Meteor
Lightning
CHAPTER 7: SPECIAL EFFECTS 219
8 Click Save to create an animation file
first. After saving, the Effect dialog box
stays open so you can continue
modifying th effects settings.
9 Click OK then choose whether to apply
the current frame settings to the image
or save to an animation file before
creating a new object.
Enhance Lighting
Light and camera flash are two factors that affect image quality, as they control the amount of light in
a given photograph. However, many images are ruined due to improper use of these two settings.
Enhance Lighting effectively repairs pictures by correcting light and flash errors. It adjusts specified
pixels’ brightness and notes the play between highlights, midtones and shadows.
To enhance an image’s lighting:
1 Select Effect: Photographic – Enhance
Lighting.
2 Drag the Fill Flash slider or enter a
value to adjust the image brightness.
The higher the value, the brighter the
image becomes.
3 Adjust Enhance Shadows to intensify
the dark portions of the image. This
will amplify contrast, thus creating a
clearer picture.
4 Click OK.
Diffuse Glow
Diffuse Glow brightens the entire image by applying luminosity to the highlights of the image. Light
radiates from the center to its neighboring pixels. Aside from brightening the image, Diffuse Glow
adds noise to the entire image. The combination of adjusting brightness and adding noise creates an
illusion of a foggy layer on top of the image.
Light bulb
220 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
To apply Diffuse Glow Effect
1 Select Effect: Photographic - Diffuse
Glow.
2 Specify the area and extent of
brightness adjustment in Threshold
and Degree of glow parameters.
3 Set the noise level by adjusting
Graininess.
4 Click OK to apply the effect.
Painting
The Painting effect is extremely useful for creating special effects such as Impressionist style paint
strokes over an image, as well as, special canvas and paint texture effects. The Painting Gallery in the
EasyPalette offers predefined effects templates.
To apply special paint effect on an image:
1 Select Effect: Artistic - Painting.
2 Select a template from the Paint
templates gallery.
3 Customize the selected template in the
Fine control panel.
4 Apply a painting style in the Pattern
panel.
5 Click Apply to preview the effect.
6 Click Add to save to the EasyPalette.
7 Click Tr y to use the active image as the
thumbnail for the Pattern templates.
Note:
Default restores the original
images as the thumbnail templates.
8 Click OK.
CHAPTER 7: SPECIAL EFFECTS 221
Particle and Animated Particle
Particle effects add the realism of fire, smoke, snow, and other natural effects to your images. Each
effect has its own self-contained set of attributes which can be individually customized. The Particle
Gallery in the EasyPalette also provides preset particle effects that can be directly applied to images.
PhotoImpact now allows you to create animations based on Particle effects. This means you can
simulate falling rain, thunderstorms, cloud formations, brush fires and other special effects and save
your images as animated GIFs or sequenced BMPs. Choose the motion type for your particles:
Manual - where all particles are manually placed, Directional - where all particles follow one motion,
or Emitter - where the particles seem to emanate from one source then radiate away from the center.
Although your animation closely simulates the real behavior of these particles, you can control the
movement by adjusting the parameters available in the Particle dialog box.
To add a Particle effect:
1 Select Effect: Creative - Particle Effect.
2 Select a particle from the Effect gallery.
3 Define the number of particles by
specifying a value in the Density.
4 Using the Basic Tab, define the other
attributes of the elements in the
Particle parameters panel. The available
attributes vary depending on the effect.
5 Click OK.
Note:
Some elements can be
modified within the preview window.
You can also drag individual particles
to reposition them.
To create animation with Particle Effect:
1 Select Effect: Creative: Particle Effect.
2 Select a Particle effect from the Effect
gallery.
3 Define the number of elements by
specifying a value in Density.
4 Using the Advanced Tab, select the
motion type: Manual, Directional, or
Emitter.
Note:
For Rain and Snow, only the
Directional method is available.
222 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
5 Define other attributes in the Particle
parameters panel. The available
attributes vary depending on the effect.
6 Specify duration, sequence, and other
behavior using the Key frame controls.
7 To loop your animation, click Repeat.
This cycles your particle animation so
that it appears continuous.
8 Click OK and select Save Animation
File and Create New Object.
9 Save the file by assigning a name and
specifying a location.
Creative Transform
The Creative Transform effect turns your image into virtual clay, allowing you to push its pixels
around in order to transform the surface. It differs from the Transform Tool on the Tool Panel in that it
doesn’t allow you to manipulate the position of a selection or object, but rather manipulate its
‘consistency.’
To transform an image:
1 Select Effect: Distort - Creative
Transform.
2 Select a template from the
Transformation template gallery.
3 Adjust parameters in the
Transformation control panel. To apply
transformation effects to the image,
click Insert to save the image to the
Storyboard. Click Reset to restore image
to its original state between creating
storyboard thumbnails.
Note:
Once the image is inserted in
the Storyboard, you may use it as a
frame for animation. You can edit the
frame sequence by using the Frame
controls.
CHAPTER 7: SPECIAL EFFECTS 223
4 Click OK to apply transformation to
your image. Click Save to save the
transformation as an *.GIF animation
or an *.BMP image sequence file.
Tips:
• You can exclude areas in your
image from the transformation
effect. The Solid Colors panel
defines regions that would not be
included in transforming the
image.
• Change the position of
Storyboard thumbnails by
dragging them and dropping them
in front of, or after other
thumbnails.
Adding special Type Effect
The Type Effect allows you to modify text or objects in ways beyond the capabilities of the Text and
Path Tools. You can add fire, ice, neon glow and emboss effects among others to objects. Combined
with the functions of other tools, this effect can be powerful.
To add a special Type Effect:
1 Select Effect: Creative - Type Effect.
2 Select an Effect template from the
Effect gallery.
3 Modify the effect’s parameters in the
Parameters panel.
4 Click OK then choose whether to apply
the current frame settings to the image
or save to an animation file first then
create as a new linked object.
Note:
When you apply a Type Effect
to text objects, you will lose the text
attributes of that object. Thus, you
will not be able to use the Text Tool
anymore for further editing.
Samples of animation sequence
224 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Kaleidoscope effect
Kaleidoscope allows you to create fragmented, mirrored, refracted, and repeated patterns of a segment
of your image, creating an effect similar to a view of that segment through a kaleidoscope.
To apply a Kaleidoscope effect:
1 Select Effect: Artistic - Kaleidoscope. A
sample of the current image or selection
based on a preset is displayed.
2 Select a Kaleidoscope preset from the
gallery.
3 A rectangle with a triangle within will
be shown over the thumbnail window
in the left window of the dialog box.
The area in the triangle represents the
segment that will be mirrored and
repeated throughout.
Resize the segment by clicking and
dragging the control points at the
corner of the square.
Reshape and rotate the segment by
dragging the control points of the
triangle.
4 Click OK.
Applying a Light effect
The Light effect allows you to add a spotlight or soft ambient light to an image, selection area or
object. It uses a combination of Brightness and Contrast adjustments to create the light and shadows
effects.
To add a Light effect:
1 Select Effect: Illumination - Lights. In
the dialog box adjust these settings:
• Exposure The amount of light on
the image. Exposure settings range
from 0 and 200%. The higher the
value, the more light on the image.
CHAPTER 7: SPECIAL EFFECTS 225
• Ambience brightness The general
light over the whole image. Click or
right-click the color box to specify
its color.
• Light color and brightness The
color of the light focus can be
selected from the color box. Use the
sliders to set the intensity.
• Light angle Drag the light angle
nodes (or set the Skew, Spread,
Distance, and Elevation settings
manually).
2 Click OK.
Applying a Magic Gradient
Magic Gradient generates sophisticated gradient patterns that cannot be made with the Gradient
Tool or a Gradient fill. Magic Gradient can be applied to the whole image, a selection, or to an object.
To apply a Magic Gradient effect:
1 Create a selection area using a Selection
Tool, or make an object active in the
workspace.
2 Select Effect: Creative - Magic
Gradient.
3 Click Edit to select the desired Palette
ramp, then click OK to return to the
Magic Gradient dialog box.
Note:
To edit a ramp on the fly, enter
new values in the Hue shift or Ring
entry box or click Edit to invoke the
Palette Ramp Editor. The color
spectrum of the ramp will shift.
4 Select a gradient preset in the Mode
panel.
5 Click the thumbnail window, then
drag the preview to reposition the
center of the gradient effect.
226 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
6 Drag the little red square to adjust the
Slope dial (or click the + or –) which
will adjust the position of the gradient.
Note:
The available attributes below
the Mode list depend on the Mode
selected.
7 Click OK.
Creating a Turnpage effect
The Turnpage effect gives your image the appearance of curling up from the corner as if it were a
piece of paper or a page in a book. With this effect, you can ‘turn’ an image at any degree from any
corner.
To create a Turnpage effect:
1 Select Effect: Material Effect -
Turnpage. In the dialog box, adjust
these settings:
• Type Whether the curled up corner
is cylindrical or conical.
• Corner The corner of the image
where the curling action starts, and
the direction of the pointed end if
it is a cylindrical curl.
• Mode The reverse side of the image
which is visible during the curl.
Choose from Opaque (non-
transparent curled edge), Reverse
(reflection of the original image on
transparent film) or Transparent
(transparent film with no image).
• Angle The tightness of the curled
edge as it turns inward. The higher
the value, the tighter the curl.
• Color The color under the image
that is revealed as the page turns.
• Lighting direction The direction of
the light on the curl.
2 Click OK.
ALL FOR THE WEB
Not only is PhotoImpact the complete image-editing package, it is also
a dynamic and creative Web design tool embraced by both professional
and novice Web developers. This chapter explores the Web capabilities
of the program, covering everything from creating basic Web pages,
enhancing images, designing components, applying script effects, to
assembling the entire site from scratch. Other export options are also
discussed in this chapter, including creating Web Albums and managing
Web slide shows.
8
In Chapter 8 you will learn:
Images for the Web ..................................................................................................... 228
Objects for the Web ..................................................................................................... 245
Script effects ................................................................................................................ 253
Web pages .................................................................................................................. 261
Exporting a Web page ................................................................................................. 266
Tutorial: Putting a Web page together ........................................................................ 270
GIF Animator ................................................................................................................ 271
Image management with Album ................................................................................. 272
228 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
In this chapter we begin with exploring the basics of creating elements for your Web page: from
rollover buttons to banners, icons, background, and linked multimedia files. We then describe how
these separate elements are combined to create a complete Web page: optimizing and exporting your
images, putting text on your pages, saving your Web pages and outputting them as HTML, then
finally posting them to the World Wide Web.
Images for the Web
Images are a powerful means of communicating ideas and messages where words can only say so
much. They can convey moods, thoughts, events, experiences; they can capture a moment.
Photographs and graphics add flair, individuality and personality to Web pages. They can enhance
and strengthen corporate identities, drive home a message, and add the finishing touch to your
content.
To create an image for your Web page from scratch, see page 263.
Opening an image/UFO file from a Web page
You can open an image (or its original working UFO file) directly in PhotoImpact from a Web page
while browsing. This is particularly useful if you are the author of the HTML document, since
PhotoImpact helps you easily locate the original file of a selected image for modification.
To open the original file of a Web page:
1 Select File: Open from Web - Image.
2 Type the URL of the Web page (or the
file path on your local computer) in
Address, then press [Enter].
3 Select an image then select one of the
following options:
• To download the selected image
from the Web page and open it as a
new image in PhotoImpact, click
Open.
• To open the original working file of
the image (on your computer), click
Locate or Browse to search for the
file then click Open Original.
Note:
The original file can be image
files or UFO files.
Selected image in
the Update Image in Web Page dialog box
CHAPTER 8: ALL FOR THE WEB 229
4 After editing, select from the options
below:
• If the opened original file is an
image file, select File: Save for Web
- Update Image in Web Page.
• If the opened original file is a UFO
file, save the UFO file then select
File: Save for Web - As HTML
(Skip steps 5 and 6).
5 Select the image to replace in the
Preview window. Click Preview to see
how the revised image looks on the
Web page.
Note:
This updating feature works
only if the file to be replaced is on
your local computer.
6 Click Update.
Opening a Web page as a single image
In addition to opening an image directly from a Web page, you can open an existing Web page as an
image file. This image can be used as a template for designing a Web page. This template page can
come from the Internet or your local computer.
To open a Web page as a single image:
1 Select File: Open from Web - Web
Page as Image.
2 Type the URL of the Web page (or the
file path on your local computer) in the
Address box, then press [Enter].
3 Select Entire page to capture the whole
Web page, or clear it to capture only a
segment specified in the dimensions
fields below.
4 Click Open. The Web page opens into
the workspace as the base image.
Updated image in the Update Image in Web
Page dialog box
230 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Creating a Web background image
In addition to selecting a Web page background from the Web Properties dialog box, you can also
create your own backgrounds by designing and tiling an image. When creating a background image
for your Web page, keep in mind the word readability. No matter how cool your design is, if your text
isn’t legible because the background is distracting or too busy, then it is counterproductive.
Note:
In addition to Background Designer described below, you can simply create a new
image file in the workspace. Optimize and save it, then insert it as a Web background to your
Web page document.
Using Background Designer
Background Designer helps you create tileable backgrounds. The image that you want to tile can be
of any size, but the smaller it is, the faster it will download. Also, the smaller the image is, the more
frequently it will repeat itself in the background. A good rule is to make the size of the average
background tile about 80 x 80 pixels. This will make the file relatively small and fast to download,
allowing it to tile approximately 50 times in the background on a typical 800 x 600 display.
When creating a Web page background, there are two ways to open Background Designer:
• Select Web: Background Designer.
Note:
If there is no document in the current workspace or Generate a new tile is selected,
Background Designer creates a single background tile only. This appears as a new image in
the workspace. Optimize and save it as an image file, then insert it as a Web background to
your Web page document by selecting Web: Web Properties.
• Select Web: Web Properties. On the Background Tab, select Background Designer
texture.
To create a tiled background:
1 Open Background Designer using one
of the options above.
2 Enter the dimensions of the
background tile in the cell size boxes
(80 x 80 pixels are recommended).
3 Select the style of wallpaper from
Schema to define the tile texture.
4 Select from Background type to modify
the texture pattern for a more random
and unique appearance.
CHAPTER 8: ALL FOR THE WEB 231
Note:
Click Edit to open the Palette
Ramp Editor. This modifies the
color gradient for the texture.
5 Adjust the Frequency, Density,
Amplitude, and Darken or Lighten to
customize the variable appearance of
the tile.
6 Click OK.
Note:
Press [Ctrl+F5] to hide the
base image and display the
background in the document as
needed, except when you are creating
a background as a new image file.
Shifting a Web background
Sometimes you might feel that an image is not laid out properly as the background, either sitting too
far to one side or appearing in such a way that it becomes a distraction to the viewer. You can shift the
image to tile more naturally.
To shift a Web background:
1 With the base image hidden, select
Web: Shift Image.
2 Click and drag your mouse over the
Preview window, and move it around
until you get the desired result. You can
also use the horizontal and vertical
offsets for precise positioning.
3 Click OK.
Notes:
•
If the base image is displayed, the
Shift command repositions the
base image instead.
•
The Shift image offset boxes (on
the Background Tab of the Web
Properties dialog box) also
provide the shifting option.
232 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Creating a seamlessly tiled background
When tiling an image selection as a Web page background, you can create a tile that is “seamless”, or
one that tiles in a way giving the appearance of a single texture. So, distinctions between tiles become
invisible. These tiles are not only eye-catching but less distracting when reading the Web contents.
To create a seamlessly tiled background:
1 Create a selection (not an object) in an
image.
2 Select Web: Create Seamless Tile.
3 Adjust the Merge size and Merge ratio
boxes to change how strongly the
image selection area overlaps upon itself
and how strongly it blends the overlap
with the native image pixels.
4 Click Preview to see how the image
selection area appears when tiled.
Clicking anywhere on the preview
image or pressing [Esc] returns you to
the previous dialog box.
Note:
A smaller image selection
provides more tiles. A very large
image selection may not tile.
PhotoImpact automatically detects
this situation when you click Preview.
5 Click OK. A new tile appears in the
workspace as a new image. Save it as an
image file for later use as a background.
Image selection in the original image
Settings for no seamless effect
Settings for a seamless effect
Background after shiftingBackground before shifting
CHAPTER 8: ALL FOR THE WEB 233
Button Designer
Most graphics-oriented Web sites contain graphic navigational interfaces, usually in the form of
buttons. These buttons are very useful for creating easy to understand and interesting navigational
aids. In addition to the button presets in Component Designer (see page 249 for details),
PhotoImpact provides Button Designer where a button can be created out of any shape object. The
easiest and most basic type are those that conform to simple geometric shapes.
To create a simple button:
1 Create a rectangular selection area or
object on an image. If not, the entire
base image (when it is not hidden) will
be used as the button.
2 Select Web: Button Designer –
Rectangular.
3 Select from Style, or find a preset
button on the thumbnail pane below
the Preview window.
4 Select a Direction:
• Inward Constrains the button size
to the dimensions of the current
selection or image.
• Outward Expands the dimensions
of the current selection, object, or
image.
5 Select a width setting under Options:
• The first option makes the value of
the left side equal to the top, and
the right side equal to the bottom.
• The second option makes values for
all sides equal.
Displayed preview window when no
seamless effect is applied
Displayed preview result when a seamless
effect is applied
234 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
• The third option allows a different
width value for each side.
6 Set transparency and colors for each
side of the button as needed (available
options depending on previous
settings).
7 Click OK.
To create an irregularly shaped button:
1 Create a selection or an object of an
irregular shape on an image. For
example, you can use the Path
Drawing Tool in the Tool panel, or the
Shape Library in the EasyPalette.
2 Select Web: Button Designer – Any
Shape.
3 Grab the box in the left-hand preview
window with your mouse cursor and
move it around if you need to adjust
the angle of the light reflecting off the
button. (Another way is to enter the
number of degrees of the angle in Light
angle in the Basic Tab).
4 Set other options as needed. Note that
the right-hand preview window always
gives you a real-time preview on how
the button looks whenever you change
settings.
5 Click OK.
Slice Tool
Slice Tool cuts your Web document into rectangular cells, allowing each cell to be loaded separately
into a Web page browser. You can insert images, HTML text, hyperlinks, Script Effects, and other
Web objects in each cell. They can be saved individually in different Web image formats, enabling the
entire image to be downloaded more efficiently.
For example, a cell that is predominantly a simple color can be saved as a GIF which provides better
compression for solid colors; whereas a cell with a more complex image can be saved as a JPEG.
Note:
By default, Web and linked multimedia objects are protected. The option can be
switched off by clearing Protect Web Objects on the Attribute Toolbar. It is strongly
recommended, however, that this option is kept selected.
CHAPTER 8: ALL FOR THE WEB 235
Objects in Web pages that have Slicing disabled will combine with the background, effectively
turning all elements into a single image file when displayed by a browser.
The Slice Tool can be accessed directly on the Tool Panel. When selected, it displays a selection of
tools on the Attribute Toolbar.
By default, selecting the Slice Tool will generate one cell that encompasses the entire image. Selecting
Auto Slice will automatically generate cells that snap around objects. Use this function to prepare
your groundwork of slices, then add, erase or tweak lines as required.
To manually slice an image:
1 Select Slice Tool in the Tool Panel.
Note:
On selecting the Slice Tool, by
default, Protect Web Objects will be
selected. This option will not work,
however, if Erase All or Slice Evenly
are used.
2 Click the arrow accompanying Method
on the Attribute Toolbar. Select a
horizontal, vertical or rectangular slice
tool.
Alternatively, right-click an object then
select Slice Around Object. This will
automatically snap a cell around the
object.
Automatically slices your document,
slicing around objects
Toggles the
Slice Tool
Panel on and
off
Selects a cell to customize its
properties. Also allows you to select,
move and combine slice lines
Removes slice
lines individually
Creates cells of
the same size
Removes all slice lines
Applies a Ulead Slice Table file
(USS file extension) to the
current image. It is especially
useful in applying exactly the
same slicing method to several
images
Adds Slice
settings to the
EasyPalette
Prevents Web
objects from being
sliced, with certain
exceptions
Calculates download
speed based on
specified bandwidth
Provides the options of
adding a horizontal or
vertical slice line, or to
drag out a rectangular cell
Method button submenu
236 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Note:
After selecting Slice Around
Object, slice lines will extend across
the page and may slice other objects.
In this case, apply this function to all
objects that require protecting.
3 Click the image to place the slice line,
drag the mouse in the intended
direction of the line or rectangle, then
release the mouse button. A line
separating cells will be displayed.
Note:
When creating horizontal and
vertical slice lines, press [Ctrl] to
toggle between the two options.
4 Repeat Step 3 to add more lines as
needed. Click Pick Mode then click
and drag a slice line to adjust its
position. Click Erase then click an
unwanted slice line to remove it.
Note:
To move a section of a slice
line, click Pick Mode then press
[Ctrl] while moving it. To delete a
section of a slice line, click Erase
then press [Ctrl] when selecting the
line to delete.
5 Click Pick Mode then select a cell to
assign a name and hyperlink
information to it in the Cell Properties
Tab of the Slice Panel.
6 In Pick Mode, select a cell then select
an image file format and optimization
method in the Optimizer Tab.
Notes:
• To save your image as a Web
page, select File: Save for Web -
As HTML. This will save your page
with all necessary image files.
• For further information on using
Script Effects see page 253.
Vertical Slice Tool being clicked and
dragged downward
Fully sliced image
Show/Hide Slice Line toggle button on the
Tool Panel
CHAPTER 8: ALL FOR THE WEB 237
Image Map Tool
An image map is an area on a Web page to which hyperlinks are assigned, or “mapped”. Clicking an
image map allows users to access linked targets, and can also launch Script Effects. (See page 253 for
details).
Two kinds of image maps can be created with PhotoImpact: object-based image maps and manually
created image maps. Object-based image maps can be split from the objects through which they are
created, and can then effectively be treated as manually created image maps.
Creating object-based image maps
All types of PhotoImpact objects can have image maps assigned to them. Assigning hyperlink
properties to an object creates an object-based image map. A semi-transparent shadow will be shown
over the area to indicate the image map.
To create an object-based image map:
1 Double-click an object, or right-click it
then select Properties.
2 Select the Image Map Tab. This tab
controls the following features:
• Shape By default, the rectangle will
be selected. Select the Shape button
that corresponds to the shape of the
object.
• URL The target object of the
hyperlink.
• Target The name of the frame
where the target page will be
opened.
• Alt text Alternative text to appear in
place of the hyperlinked image, to
describe the function of that image.
This function is for browsers that
do not display images, and for those
where image loading has been
switched off.
• Status bar The message to be
displayed in the status bar of the
browser on mouseover of the
hyperlink.
3 Click OK.
Note:
To save your image as a Web
page, select File: Save for Web - As
HTML. This will save your page with
all necessary image files.
Irregularly shaped object
The image appears with Alt text on mouseover,
and a message in the Status bar in the browser.
Show/Hide image maps toggle button
on the Tool Panel
238 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Creating manual image maps
The Image Map Tool [Shift + F8] offers a more versatile way of creating hyperlinks. It allows you to
demarcate complex areas on your image then assign hyperlink properties to these areas without the
need to first convert them to objects. These areas are image maps.
To create an image map manually:
1 Click the Image Map Tool [Shift + F8]
in the Tool Panel.
2 Select a Shape tool on the Attribute
Toolbar.
3 Click and drag a rectangle or circle to
mark out the area to be made clickable.
Double-click the polygon tool to
complete the shape. A semi-transparent
shadow will be shown over the area.
Note:
Image maps can be resized.
4 Enter hyperlink information for the
marked area in the Image Map Panel.
5 Select a series of image maps by pressing
[Ctrl], then use an Align button on the
Attribute Toolbar to reposition them
further if required.
Note:
Display or hide your image maps by toggling Show Image Maps on the Tool Panel.
After creating your image maps, right-click to display a pop-up menu with options to duplicate, or to
select other image maps. To reposition an image map in the stack, click it, then click an Arrange
button.
Note:
By default, more recently created image maps are stacked higher than older ones. If
image maps are overlapping, the hyperlink of the highest image map is active.
Object-based image maps (page 237) are displayed with a similar semi-transparent shadow to
manually created image maps. Object-based image maps can be peeled off their host objects by right-
clicking then selecting Split Object-based Image Map. The peeled image is now equivalent to a
manually created image map. It has retained all of its previous hyperlink properties, and these can now
be edited through the Image Map Panel.
Note:
Colors of the shadow for both manually created and object-based image maps can be
changed in File: Preferences - General. Select Web & Internet to adjust.
Image Map Attribute Toolbar
An image map has been placed over Africa
Shape tools on Attributes Toolbar
CHAPTER 8: ALL FOR THE WEB 239
Optimizing file sizes and quality for the Web
Once you’ve created the images for your Web page, whether they are backgrounds or navigational
elements, you can save them in a Web-optimized format such as the two most common Web formats:
GIF and JPEG, or a newer format named PNG.
PhotoImpact offers a user-friendly GIF, JPEG and PNG Image Optimizer to save your images with
the highest possible quality at the lowest possible file sizes. You can open Image Optimizer in a
number of ways:
• Select File: Save As and choose JPEG, GIF, or PNG from the Save as type list. Then click
Options. You can select from the Display save options list (in the Preferences: Open &
Save Tab), so every time you select Save/Save As, Image Optimizer opens first before the
saving process starts.
• Select File: Save for Web and its submenu.
• Right-click a selected object and select Image Optimizer.
• Click Export: To Image Optimizer in Component Designer.
• Click Image Optimizer (represented as an icon) in Slicer or Rollover.
• Select Web: Image Optimizer.
Note:
When opening Image Optimizer in various ways, the dialog box and available features
can be slightly different to meet appropriate situations.
Basic controls in Image Optimizer
Image Optimizer provides the following control buttons:
Zoom in Increases the image magnification in the preview windows.
Zoom out Decreases the image magnification in the preview windows.
Show actual size Displays images at 1:1 ratio in the preview windows.
Fit in window Displays images with the largest magnification to fit in the preview
windows.
Center in window Places images in the center of the preview windows.
Display the original and compressed images / Display the compressed image Toggles the
display between both the original and compressed images, or only the compressed image
in the preview windows.
Modem speed menu The modem speed to use as the basis for calculating Internet
download time.
Browser preview Shows how the optimized image looks in a browser.
Resample Resizes the image by resampling pixels. Be careful when using this feature as
resampling may deteriorate the image quality.
Crop Cuts away unwanted portions of the image.
Display with/without preview windows Shows or hides preview windows of both original
and compressed images.
240 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Whenever the optimization settings are changed, both the original file size as well as estimated
download time and the optimized ones are displayed above the preview windows. This gives you
quick reference to judge the desired file size and download time.
Note:
Use the Zoom in mode, and move the mouse over the images in the preview windows to
a specific location. This provides a closer look at the image quality.
Optimizing an image as a JPEG
JPEG Image Optimizer saves your images as JPEGs, which tend to be smaller than GIF files. The
JPEG format is a lossy format, meaning that the more it is compressed, the more image data is lost.
Yet, you can control precisely how much compression is applied to images in order to get exactly the
results you want. JPEGs support 24-bit colors, so they are especially suitable for photorealistic images.
To optimize an image as a JPEG:
1 Select Web: Image Optimizer. If
objects have been selected, decide how
to save these objects for optimization:
• Entire image Combines all objects
and the Web background (or the
base image, depending on which
one is displayed on screen).
• Selected objects Saves selected
objects as one whole image.
• Selected objects individually Saves
selected objects one by one. Image
Optimizer prompts a confirmation
message before displaying the next
object, once the saving process of
the current displayed object is
completed.
2 Select a type of JPEG file from the
Preset list or the Mode list on the
JPEG Options Tab :
• Progressive Creates an image that
gradually fades in as it downloads.
This creates a smaller file, but some
browsers may have difficulty
displaying it properly.
• Standard Creates an image
compatible with all browsers. But
the file is usually larger than one
using the Progressive method.
CHAPTER 8: ALL FOR THE WEB 241
• Standard Optimized Creates the
smallest possible file using a non-
progressive compression technique.
3 Drag the slider or enter a value in
Quality, or use Compress by Size to
compress the image to a specific file size
or ratio. Higher compression levels lead
to lower image quality.
4 Click Matte on the Mask Options Tab
to select a background color. The matte
color will also fill the transparent pixel
area if the image already has a mask, or
you select one from Mask.
5 Click Save As.
Notes:
•
Unlike GIF and PNG, the JPEG file format does not support transparent backgrounds. The
background remains white when selecting None or White as the matte.
•
To display a matte color directly, use non-rectangular objects for optimization. However,
you can still display a matte color in rectangular images by selecting Pick Color from the
Mask list. Next, click Add to Mask and then click an image area as a mask. Finally,
choose a matte from the Matte list.
Optimizing an image as a GIF
GIF Image Optimizer saves files as GIF images with the transparent option. You can also assign a
mask or matte to it. Because GIFs support maximum 256 (8-bit) colors, it is more suitable for line art
or text than for photorealistic images.
To optimize an image as a GIF:
1 Select Web: Image Optimizer. If
objects have been selected, decide how
to save these objects for optimization.
2 Click GIF Image Optimizer.
3 Select a color palette from Preset in the
GIF Options Ta b. Customize it further
with options such as number of colors
and a transparent background. The
transparent background displays an
object that merges with the Web
background smoothly on a Web page.
242 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
4 Click Matte (depicted as an arrow) in
the Mask Options Tab to select a
background color. The matte color will
also fill the transparent pixel area if the
image already has a mask, or you select
one from Mask.
Notes:
•
Although making a background
transparent means that it will not
show on a Web page, try to crop
the image (using Crop) as close as
possible to reduce the file size.
•
Using Compress by Size
compresses the image to a specific
file size or ratio.
5 Modify the current palette in the
Palette Tab as needed. For example:
• To modify a color, click a color cell,
then click Palette menu to select a
command.
• To ensure all colors can be seen in
browsers, select all cells (Click the
first cell, and then click the last one
while holding down [Shift]). Next,
click Web snap.
• If you already have a standard color
palette, click Load a palette to locate
the palette you need.
6 Click Save As.
Tips:
•
For transparent GIF images used for a Web page, be sure to select Indexed as the file
type and the Transparency option in the GIF Options Tab. Next, from the Matte list in
the Mask Options Tab, choose Document Web background (or another color or
image file used as a Web page background). This ensures the best image quality
displayed on a Web page, because transparent GIFs can blend smoothly with the Web
background.
•
Since an object with the anti-aliasing or the soft edge attribute comes with a mask,
carefully choose the matte. Usually, choosing Document Web background is the best
choice, or else you can choose White. Avoid choosing None, as the object size may be
reduced due to mask limitations.
CHAPTER 8: ALL FOR THE WEB 243
Optimizing an image as a PNG
PNG Image Optimizer saves image files in a PNG format. This file format offers 24-bit images and
supports gamma information and transparency. An advantage to PNG (over JPEG and a lesser extent
GIF) is that it uses a lossless compression method while supporting True Color images.
To optimize an image as a PNG:
1 Select Web: Image Optimizer. If
objects have been selected, select an
optimization method. (See page 239 for
details).
2 Click PNG Image Optimizer.
3 Select a color palette from Preset in the
PNG Options Tab. Customize it
further through options such as
number of colors and a transparent
background.
Notes:
•
A transparent background displays
an object merging with the Web
background smoothly on a Web
page.
•
Using Compress by Size (not
available for True Color images)
compresses the image to a specific
file size or ratio.
4 Click Matte in the Mask Options Tab
to select a background color. The matte
color will also fill the transparent pixel
area if the image already has a mask, or
you select one from Mask.
5 For an indexed PNG file (no more than
256 colors), further customize the
current palette in the Palette Ta b (For
details, see page 242).
6 Click Save As.
Tips:
•
For transparent True Color or Grayscale PNG images used for a Web page, there is no
need to choose a matte setting. This is because these types of PNGs inherently come with
a mask. Yet, the file size could be large and might not be displayed properly in some
browsers.
•
For transparent indexed PNG images used for a Web page, they share the same
characteristics as indexed transparent GIF images. See page 242
for details.
244 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Testing your files with different settings
The Batch dialog box in Image Optimizer allows you to try out different color and compression
settings on the JPEG, GIF, and PNG files before these files are actually saved. Here, you can quickly
experiment with the variables that affect these image file formats the most. The Batch dialog boxes for
both GIF and PNG test the number of colors, while the Batch dialog box for JPEG tests the extent of
compression.
To perform a batch test:
1 Click Batch in the Ulead Image
Optimizer dialog box.
2 For GIF and PNG, enter the lowest
number of colors to test in Fewest
colors. For JPEG, enter a percentage (0
to 100%) of compression in Lowest
quality.
3 Similarly, for GIF and PNG, enter the
highest number of colors to test in
Most colors. For JPEG, enter a
percentage of compression in Highest
quality.
4 Select either Number of tests to
perform a specific number of tests or
Increment to perform a single test for
every increment of 0-20 colors. If you
choose to have tests done by Increment,
entering a smaller number of
increments will result in more tests
being performed.
Note:
For PNG True Color images,
the Batch test is based on the Filter
options and is automatically
performed for six times.
5 Click OK. Once the tests have been
generated, you can view the results in
the Batch Results dialog box. Highlight
a test result and click Select to apply the
setting into Image Optimizer’s preview
window.
Batch dialog box
for JPEG Image Optimizer
Batch dialog box
for GIF and PNG Image Optimizer
An example of the Batch Result
CHAPTER 8: ALL FOR THE WEB 245
Linking multimedia objects
Multimedia objects that can be linked in Web pages created in PhotoImpact range from files stored
locally, objects on the Web, plug-ins, Java applets, Flash animations, to Shockwave interactive objects
and video files.
Note:
Linked Objects should not overlap other objects or the base image, in order to avoid
unexpected file size increases and file format and HTML attribute changes. The base image
should be hidden while the document is used for creating a Web page.
To link a multimedia object:
1 Select Web: Link Object - (select
multimedia category).
Note:
This step applies to all
multimedia types in the menu.
2 Select a multimedia file to insert. By
default, PhotoImpact will initially
display files with expected file
extensions.
Objects for the Web
In addition to the background, a Web page comprises objects such as images, hyperlinks, text and so
on. You can create these using PhotoImpact’s versatile Web tools and its WYSIWYG interface, where
all objects you see in a document remain in the same position when viewed on its exported Web page.
Objects on a Web page
All kinds of objects created in PhotoImpact can be placed on a Web page. You can create and
incorporate many Web objects - Component Objects, Rollover Objects and HTML Text Objects in
your Web page. Furthermore, PhotoImpact now allows you to link a wide range of multimedia files to
your Web page.
To be easily distinguishable from regular objects, Web objects can be displayed with a bounding box
in a different color (red is the default). To do so, select View: Show Box Around Objects.
Notes:
• Web objects can be inserted into an RGB (24-bit True Color) format document only.
• Image objects linked from a file or from the Web must be in one of the three Web formats:
JPEG, PNG, or GIF (incl. animation GIF).
• An image object inserted by selecting Object: Insert Image Object - From File is not a
linked object. Image objects inserted this way are not restricted to JPEG, PNG or GIF
format.
Insert Link Object menu
Java Applet object placeholder
246 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
3 A placeholder with the file type’s icon
will be displayed to represent the
multimedia file.
4 If the object is not a JPEG or GIF file,
you will need to resize it. By default,
the Transform Tool is auto-enabled,
allowing you to resize the object from
the Attribute Toolbar by entering in
the exact height and width of the
object.
Notes:
•
The object’s dimensions should be noted before linking it in PhotoImpact. The default
size of link objects on insertion is 32 x 32 pixels, except video files, which are 320 x 240.
•
A linked applet may be displayed incorrectly when previewed depending on the presence
of required related files.
•
When linking plug-in/video files, ensure first that plug-in software has been installed with
your browser (e.g. QuickTime player).
Editing Linked objects
Applications for editing linked image, audio and video files can be associated so that they can be
called up from within PhotoImpact and used to make changes to multimedia files. Links can then be
refreshed in PhotoImpact to reflect changes.
Note:
Linked JPEG and GIF objects will always be opened in PhotoImpact, while animated
GIF objects will be always be opened in Ulead Gif Animator 5 which is included with
PhotoImpact.
To associate applications with multimedia
files:
1 Select Web: Object Editor Manager
then click Add.
2 Browse for the executable file of the
application to associate with your
multimedia files.
3 Click OK.
Notes:
•
With the exception of files linked from the Web: if a document with linked multimedia
objects is closed while its linked objects are changed and saved, the linked objects will
be automatically refreshed when the document is re-opened. If the document is open while
its linked objects are being updated, they will need to be refreshed manually by selecting
Web: Web Attributes - Refresh Link.
•
Preferences can be set up to help keep links updated. Select File: Preferences -
General. Click PhotoImpact then Web Object. Select both options.
Resized Java Applet object placeholder.
After resizing, the applet will be seen at
actual size in the browser
CHAPTER 8: ALL FOR THE WEB 247
To edit and manually update a multimedia
object:
1 Right-click the object’s placeholder
then select Edit Linked (multimedia
type) Object. This opens the
multimedia file in the application with
which it is associated. Edit the file as
required.
2 To update the Web page, save the
source image. Select the linked object
then select Object: Web Object
Attributes - Refresh Link.
Notes:
•
At the time of printing, objects like Shockwave and Flash files that are exported in a
different format from their original project files cannot be updated in this way. However, this
limitation in the original application may be addressed by the vendors of the original
packages.
•
Select Web: Object Editor Manager to customize the associated program with a file
format.
HTML Text objects
PhotoImpact doesn’t just let you place images on a Web page, you can also insert HTML text. HTML
text differs from the text that you create with the Text Tool. HTML text appears on a Web page as
plain text, while text created with Text Tool appears as a bitmapped graphic. You can use both forms
to create text for a Web page. However, there are advantages and disadvantages to both:
• HTML text You can easily enter or modify text. Plain text speeds up downloading, and is
more useful for text-rich content such as itemized lists, articles and essays. However, fonts
and type effects are limited.
• Bitmapped graphics as text You can use any fonts installed on your system, and the same
editing capabilities used for image editing. This means that you can create interesting type
effects, such as 3D bevels, gradient and texture fills, distortions, and much more. Yet, this
does require a bit more time and effort. Bitmapped text is usually used for logos, banners,
button bars, and other graphically oriented objects on a Web page.
To insert an HTML Text Object:
1 Select Web: HTML Text Object.
2 Set Style, Font, and Size of the text.
Also, create itemized lists, specify the
alignment.
248 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
3 Select a background color for the pane
in which the text appears. Clearing the
Background option makes the
background transparent.
4 Select a Text color, then enter the text
in the text entry box. After the body of
text, add a blank row to ensure all
HTML text can be properly displayed
in browsers using different text size.
Note:
HTML text characters can now
have individual color and size
settings.
5 Highlight the word or section of text to
be a hyperlink. Click Hyperlink to
specify a URL. PhotoImpact now allows
you to specify the target window for the
hyperlink.
6 Click OK. The pane containing the text
appears in the current document. You
can now move it to another position, or
change the dimensions of the text
object using the Transform Tool.
Notes:
• To apply different effects to individual letters or words, highlight them then set their
attributes.
• When using the Transform Tool to change HTML text object dimensions, the text wraps
within the bounding box. By default, this box adopts the smallest possible dimensions
depending on the text object’s original size.
• To edit the HTML text object later, right-click it then select Edit HTML Text Object.
• It is advisable to avoid overlapping HTML text objects with other objects or the base
image in order to avoid unexpected file size increases, and/or file format and HTML
attribute changes.
Converting HTML Text objects to image objects
You have greater flexibility with HTML text objects as PhotoImpact now allows you to convert
HTML text objects to image objects. This removes the restraints placed on text by HTML, such as
text wrapping within its boundaries when it is resized, and allows you to manipulate these objects the
same way as any other image object.
Variations in style and size in a single
HTML text block
HTML text object displayed in a
PhotoImpact document
CHAPTER 8: ALL FOR THE WEB 249
To convert an HTML text object to an
image object:
1 Select the HTML text object to be
converted.
2 Select Web: Web Attributes - Convert
HTML Text to Image.
Component objects
Making buttons, banners, and other objects for your Web page is one of the fun parts of Web
creation. PhotoImpact offers you a vast range of possibilities for creating these fascinating objects
through Component Designer. It helps you quickly and easily create seven stunning high-quality
path- and text-based Web components, including banners, bullets, buttons, button bars, icons,
rollover buttons, and separators. Its intuitive user interface lets you make a Web component in just
three steps: select a component template, customize it, then export it. You can export the image to
PhotoImpact for further customization, or to Image Optimizer to minimize image file size and
download time. For button bars and rollover buttons, you can even export the HTML code directly
to a Web page.
After you have modified a component template, you can preview the changes in real-time, then
export it immediately.
Individual components (including all templates for that component) are made up of several layers of
text and paths, each with its own attributes. The layers may have different names, but share similar
attributes. This means that all components can be created using basically the same method. The
following sections show you an example of how to create components using a Component Designer
template.
Once a component is created, you can always edit it again in Component Designer. Just right-click
the object, then select Edit Component Designer Object.
Notes:
• In Component Designer, if you choose to export components as individual objects, they
are still editable in PhotoImpact. However, their Component attributes are lost, making
them uneditable in Component Designer.
• Component objects can be inserted into an RGB (24-bit True Color) format document only.
250 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
In Component Designer, components consist of a graphic, or a graphic with text. The following
procedure illustrates the steps for using the Component Designer to create any of the components
listed above.
To create a component object:
1 Select Web: Component Designer. The
Component Designer Wizard will
appear.
2 Click the plus (+) sign beside the
component object type you want to
create. This will expand its subfolder to
display a template type list.
3 Select a template type from the list. On
the right, templates will be displayed.
Click a template then click Next.
4 Click the root layer or sub layers to
modify their attributes in the tabs on
the lower right pane. Clicking tabs
switches to different sets of attributes.
Notes:
• Depending on the component
object, available layers and their
names vary.
• For the banner size, we
recommend the use of preset
default values, as they are already
optimized to fit in a Web page.
5 Specify a URL and other hyperlink
properties in the Hyperlink Tab.
6 Click Export to select where to save the
banner:
• To Image Optimizer Optimizes file
sizes for the Web and saves it in
GIF, JPEG or PNG format.
• As Individual Objects (in
PhotoImpact) Keeps objects
unmerged from the background.
However, it is not possible to
further edit attributes in
Component Designer, as this
format loses all Component
Designer attributes, allowing
editing as normal images only.
Submenu on the Export button
Sub
layers
Root layer
CHAPTER 8: ALL FOR THE WEB 251
Sub
layers
Root layer
• As Component Object (in
PhotoImpact) Keeps objects intact
for further editing in Component
Designer.
7 Click Back to create more Web
components, or click Close.
Rollover button
This is a special button whose appearance (such as color, graphic, or shape) changes, using up to three
separate images. The transition depends on the mouse action in three states: normal (no mouse
action), mouseover (cursor moving over the image), and mousedown (clicking the image). Mouseover
causes a previously invisible image to become visible, which is clickable to attract user’s attention.
Mousedown (activated after mouseover) opens an associated hyperlink.
A rollover button comprises JavaScript and associated images viewable in a browser. As a Web
component, a rollover button has size, color, text, shadow, and hyperlink attributes.
To create a rollover button with
Component Designer:
1 Select Web: Component Designer.
2 Click the plus (+) sign to expand the
Rollover Button folder for template
lists, then select one.
3 Click a rollover button then click Next,
or simply double-click it.
4 Set these two options in the Options
Tab :
• Same text for buttons Whether to
use the same text on all three
button states of a rollover button.
A rollover button template
Selected rollover button example
Rollover buttons
252 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
• Mouseover/Mousedown button
offset Adjusts the position of these
two states based on the X
(horizontal) and the Y (vertical)
axes.
5 Specify a URL and related options in
the Hyperlink Ta b. This accesses a Web
site after Mousedown takes effect.
6 Click other tabs and layers to modify
them as needed.
Notes:
• Depending on the selected rollover
button, available layers and their
names may vary.
• You can always view and test your
rollover button in the Preview Tab
by using the mouse throughout the
whole creation procedure.
7 Click Export to select where to send the
rollover button. To HTML saves it to a
Web page (HTM or HTML) with
JavaScript code and associated image
files.
Notes:
• Once the HTML is exported, open
its source code to view detailed
information on how to copy a
correct portion of HTML then apply
the rollover button to your own
HTML document.
• Do not overlap the rollover object
with other objects or the base
image, in order to avoid unexpected
file size increases, or file format
and HTML attribute changes. The
base image should be hidden while
creating a Web page.
• If you are new to HTML coding, we
strongly recommend that you apply
the rollover object directly to your
current PhotoImpact document. See
“Advanced rollover button” on page
259 for details.
CHAPTER 8: ALL FOR THE WEB 253
Script effects
Harness the power of JavaScript to create dynamic elements in your Web pages with PhotoImpact’s
Script Effects. With Image Map Script Effects, you can effortlessly create pop-up menus, status bar
messages and swap images, while Slice Tool Script Effects creates not just these, but also an impressive
range of text effects. PhotoImpact does all the hard work of creating the code.
Note:
Some browsers may not support all Script Effects.
Script Effects can be applied to your Web page after slicing your document and/or creating image
maps. (See pages 234 - 238 for details on Slice Tool and Image Map Tool). First follow these initial
steps to create your Script Effects.
Here is a list of Script Effects that you can create using PhotoImpact:
• Rollover Text Defines the
behavior of text during a mouse
event. You can change text color
and other text properties on
mouseover and mousedown.
This script effect is available in
HTML Text Cells only.
• Highlight Text Emphasizes each
character within one text by
glowing it one at a time.
Highlighting can be from left to
right or vice versa. This effect is
available in HTML Text Cells.
• Pop-up Menu Inserts a selection menu during a mouse event. You can assign each item in
the pop-up menu with a hyperlink. This option is available in image cells only.
• Rainbow Text Displays your HTML texts in a spectrum of rainbow colors or gradient fill
colors.
• Blink Text Flashes your text in different colors.
• Vertical Scroll Displays typed and exported text in directional mode. You can specify entry
and exit directions of your text.
• Status Bar Message Displays a message in the Status Bar of the Web browser while
accessing the page. You can specify different messages for each type of mouse event.
• Swap Image Replaces an image with another one during a specified mouse event.
• Slide Show Enables images to be displayed in a slide show presentation during a specified
mouse event.
254 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
To get started with Script Effects:
1 Select either Slice Tool or Image Map
Tool on the Tool Panel.
2 Select the Slice cell or image map which
will trigger the Script Effect.
3 Select the Script Effects Tab on the
Slice Panel or the Image Map Panel.
There are two options:
• Triggered by page This will start
the Script Effect when the page is
loaded in the browser window.
• Triggered by cell This will start the
Script Effect when cell-specific
events take place. For instance,
when the mouse is over the cell, the
script effect will begin.
4 Click Add Script Effect. A drop-down
list will display the available Script
Effects. For example, if the slice cell
does not contain HTML text, none of
the text options will be available.
The following procedures detail the steps each of the Script Effects. To update an existing Script
Effect, click Modify Script Effect. Click Delete Script Effect to remove it.
To create a pop-up menu Script Effect:
1 Select the cell or image map that will
trigger the Slice Effect, then open the
Pop-up menu dialog box.
2 Fill the following fields as required:
• Text The text string of the menu
item.
• Target The name of the frame
where the target object will be
opened.
•URL The target object of the
hyperlink.
• Alt text Alternative text to appear in
place of the hyperlinked image.
• Status bar The message in the
status bar of the browser window.
Add Script Effect
Delete Script Effect
Modify Script Effect
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3 Click Add. The entered information
will be displayed in the window below,
and will still be displayed in the fields.
4 Select font face, size and style.
5 Specify the coordinates within the slice
of the start position of the top left
corner of the pop-up menu. An
irregularly shaped image map will
calculate the start position from the top
left corner of a hypothetical bounding
rectangle around the image map.
6 To enter more menu items, click Add
again. To edit an existing menu item,
select it and then click Update.
Alternatively, repeat steps 2 to 4.
7 Select font and background color
settings.
8 Select items in the window then click
the up and down arrows to re-order
menu items in the stack if necessary.
9 Click OK.
The Script Effect will now be represented in the Script Effect dialog box window as a sub-menu of
the type of Script Effect.
Notes:
•
The window only displays Script Effects belonging to the currently selected cell/image
map.
•
A single Slice cell can have multiple Script Effects, but only one of each type.
Add item
Delete item
Update item details
Move item down
Move item up
256 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
To create a Status Bar Script Effect :
1 Select the cell or image map that will
trigger the Script Effect , then open the
Status Bar dialog box.
2 Select an event which will start the
Status Bar effect.
3 Select Display effect on event: (event
type) . It is possible to select more than
one event type that will start the effect.
Clicking the down-arrow beside Event
will display a check beside all events
that will start the effect.
4 Select an effect type:
•Normal The text string appears
character by character from the left
side where it is justified.
• Shrink scrolling The text string will
appear character by character,
sliding across from right to left.
• Marquee The entire text string will
scroll from the right to left.
5 Select whether to repeat the message.
6 Click OK.
To create a Swap Image effect:
1 Select the cell or image map that will
trigger the Script Effect, then open the
Swap Image dialog box.
Note:
Using an image map to trigger
the effect requires the image to be
sliced beforehand to ensure that
there is a destination cell for the
Swap Image effect.
2 Select an event which will start the
Swap Image effect from Event.
3 Select Display effect on event: (event
type). It is possible to select more than
one event type that will start the effect.
Event will display a check beside all
events that will start the effect.
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4 Select the cell where the effect will be
displayed in Cell to display swap effect.
5 Click Browse for file to select an image
to swap into the cell.
6 Click OK.
To create a Vertical Scroll Effect:
1 Select the cell that will trigger the Script
Effect, then open the Vertical Scroll
dialog box.
2 Select whether an image or HTML text
will be scrolling up through the cell.
3 For a text scroller, enter information in
Text and select a font face and size for
each text string. Alternatively, you can
also import a text file by clicking
Browse.
4 Set a hyperlink by specifying a URL or
browsing for a local file. Specify the
page where you want to display the
link in the Target box.
Set the scroll direction by clicking any
of the directional arrows. Specify speed,
delay settings and other animation
options.
5 Click Add. The entered information
will be displayed in the window below,
and will still be displayed in the fields.
Alternatively repeat steps 2 to 5.
6 To enter more sequences, click Add
again. To edit an existing sequence,
select it and then click Update.
7 Click OK.
258 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
To create HTML Text Script Effects:
1 Select a cell with HTML text that will
host the Script Effect, then select a Text
effect dialog box.
2 For Rollover Text effect:
• Select an event type that will trigger
the effect from Event.
• Select Display effect on (event type)
event. More than one event type
can be selected.
Event will display a check beside all
events that will start an effect.
Effects for each event can be
customized.
• Select a font face, style, size and
color for the effect, and a color for
the background, for each event.
• Select whether to restore the
original text on mouseoff.
For Highlight Text effect:
• Select font face, style, size, color and
background color for the effect.
• Select the direction of the effect,
and whether it should bounce.
• Specify the delay time between
repeats.
For Rainbow Text effect:
• Select Standard spectrum, Reverse
standard spectrum, or
• Two custom colors at each end of
the spectrum.
For Blink Text effect:
• Click the Color box to select a font
color that the text will change to.
Click Add. The font color will listed
with its hexadecimal code in the
window.
• Add more colors to add to the blink
effect. The effect will cycle through
the colors in the order they appear
on the list.
• Click Delete to remove colors from
the list, or Update to edit colors.
3 Click OK.
Add
Delete
Update
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Advanced rollover button
In addition to the rollover button presets in Component Designer, PhotoImpact maximizes your
creative potential with tools for developing unique rollover buttons (objects) from scratch. Once
created, the rollover object will be placed onto your current PhotoImpact document directly. To edit it
later, right-click the rollover then select Edit Rollover Object.
As with other Web objects, rollover buttons that overlap other objects should be in the highest layer
to prevent errors when generating the Web page. Care should also be taken to ensure that Web objects
are placed wholly within the document boundaries to avoid errors.
To create a rollover button:
1 Select two or three objects from your
True-Color PhotoImpact document.
2 Select Web: Rollover.
3 The object furthest to the left is used
when there is no mouse action on the
rollover. You can change the object
from the object list by clicking the
arrow below it.
4 Select the Mouseover and Mousedown
options to use different images for the
rollover.
5 Use the X, Y axis offset boxes, or click
one of the Align buttons (below the
offset boxes) to further adjust the
rollover appearance as needed.
6 Enter hyperlink information.
Note:
The Preview area in the upper
right pane displays the preview result.
Move your mouse over the preview
image to test the mouseover effect,
and click the object to test the
mousedown effect. You can also click
Preview in Browser below the
Preview area to test the rollover within
a browser.
7 Select a file format (JPG, GIF or PNG)
for object saving then click Image
Optimizer to optimize the image when
saving.
8 Click OK. The rollover button (object)
is now in the current document.
Selecting objects
Object list appears after clicking the
arrow
260 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Web Slide Show
Web slide shows are a popular way of presenting images. However, creating them usually requires
intensive coding and programming knowledge. With PhotoImpact, you can now incorporate slide
shows into your Web pages without worrying much about the tediousness task of coding.
A single web page can hold multiple slide shows. Like script effects, you can specify the event that
precedes each show. You can control mouse-click behavior and add descriptions to each slide, or set
the Play duration.
To create a Slide Show
1 Using the Slice Tool, slice a Web page
according to your preferences.
2 In the Slice Panel, select an image cell
where you will place the Web Slide
Show. Set its script effect as Triggered
by Cell.
3 In the Script Effect Tab, click Add
Script Effect and select Slide Show.
4 In the Images Tab, select image files
that you want to use as slides in your
slide show. Click Add for every image
you want included. Repeat this step
until you get all images you want. You
can also drag images in the Preview
window images to rearrange the order.
Note:
Set a hyperlink for each of your
images by specifying a remote or
local file in the URL. You can also add
some image information by typing a
short description in the Description
text box.
5 Click the Layout Tab and select a cell
where you will place slideshow controls.
6 Select the slideshow controls to add and
assign functions to each. Optionally,
you can add description regions in the
Image tab.
Note:
Each cell can be assigned one
slideshow control. Try to use smaller
cells for every control.
CHAPTER 8: ALL FOR THE WEB 261
7 In the Options Tab, set how long
each image will be displayed by
specifying the number of seconds
in Duration. You can also set other
general slideshow properties, add
mouse click behaviors, and set
thumbnail attributes in this tab.
8 Click OK.
Web pages
A Web page is a hypermedia document coded with Hypertext Markup Language (HTML).
HTML forms tag elements such as text and graphics so browsers like Internet Explorer and
Netscape Navigator can recognize and display a Web page properly on the World Wide Web.
Notes:
• To create a complete Web page, see Tutorial on page 270.
• PhotoImpact currently does not support the making of multi-frame Web pages.
However, you can make a Web page with frames and define linked Web pages in an
HTML editor first. Then create these pages in PhotoImpact.
Image
Banner
Button
HTML text
Sample Web page
Hyperlinked text
Sample partial HTML source code
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>Ulead Systems - Creative Intelligence</TITLE>
<META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; CHARSET=iso-8859-1">...
</HEAD>
<BODY BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" BACKGROUND="images/bg_all.gif" LEFTMARGIN="0" TOPMARGIN="0"...>
<TABLE WIDTH="100%" BORDER="0" CELLSPACING="0" CELLPADDING="0">
<TR>
<TD ROWSPAN="2" WIDTH="150" VALIGN="top">
<IMG SRC="images/UleadLogo.gif" WIDTH="150" HEIGHT="92" BORDER="0" USEMAP="#Map">...
</TD>
<TD WIDTH="600" VALIGN="top" BGCOLOR="#000066">
<IMG SRC="images/top2.gif" HEIGHT="43" WIDTH="600" USEMAP="#Top" BORDER="0"> ...
</TD>...
</TR>
</TABLE>...
</BODY></HTML>
262 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
All of the images you see in the browser (the background, buttons, banners, etc.) are simply
embedded in the HTML code as links to the original image files, so if the browser is going to display
the images properly, the linked images need to be there along with the HTML document itself. The
HTML code tells the browser to load the linked image files like this:
<IMG SRC="imagename.gif">
<IMG> tags are inserted between the <BODY></BODY> tags.
So when you are creating an entire Web page in PhotoImpact, it looks like you are simply working
with graphics as usual, but PhotoImpact is really simulating how the page would look like in a
browser, so that you can visually construct a Web page in PhotoImpact. Once it’s done, you can
export it as an HTML document and related images. Later, you can still edit the page itself as any of
the linked images in PhotoImpact if you saved them in the UFO file format. This allows you to retain
all components of the Web page as individual objects with their HTML attributes.
Note:
PhotoImpact outputs both the HTML document describing the basic layout of the page,
and the images linked to the document.
Structure of a Web page
Just what exactly is a Web page? Creating one is simple in PhotoImpact because you are spared the
pain of having to code everything manually. However, because HTML code is involved, creating Web
pages is not as straightforward as creating images. The following illustration will show you how a
browser interprets and analyzes a Web page. It looks like neatly organized graphics and text that you
could create in text and graphics editing programs.
In reality, though, the page itself is built with an HTML document (HTM or HTML) at its core,
which contains all the code and information in plain text. The code, in turn, tells the browser what it
should display and how. An HTML document looks like this:
The most fundamental outline of an HTML document follows this structure:
Defines the document
as HTML
Contains internal browser relevant
information, as well as JavaScript
Contains page content, such as text and
images
<html>
<head>
</head>
<body>
</body>
</html>
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Creating a new Web page
When creating a Web page, start out in one of two ways:
• Create a blank document already set up with basic Web properties.
• Create a blank document first, and then set up a more extensive range of its properties
before designing the layout of the page.
To create a basic Web page:
1 Select File: New - New Web Page.
• Title The title of the page which
will appear on the title bar of the
browser window.
• Encoding The character set to be
used by the browser window to
parse the page.
• Page size The dimensions of the
image. User-defined dimensions
can be added to the Standard list.
• Generate background Select a color
or image for the background, or
leave this clear to hide the
background.
2 Click Detail to invoke the Web
Properties dialog box to enter more
detail about the page’s properties.
3 Click OK.
Notes:
• To change the Web background
later or set other HTML attributes,
select Web: Web Properties (see
the following section).
• For more on creating a Web page,
see page 270.
Using the Web Properties dialog box
This feature sets detailed properties for your Web page at any time. Select Web: Web Properties or
start a new Web page then click Details to open this dialog box. The Web Properties dialog box
presents the following features:
264 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
General Tab
Title Text entered here will appear in the title
bar of the browser window.
Author, Keywords & Description Used for
search engines only. Information entered in
these fields will not affect the content of the
Web page.
Favorites icon Allows you to select an icon to
be displayed in the address bar of Internet
Explorer, and as an icon when the page is
added to Favorites. The page must first be
uploaded to a server then added to Favorites
before the icon will take effect.
Encoding Determines how a browser will
interpret the Web page source code. The
default encoding set is the same as the user’s
operating system. For example, the default
encoding is Western European for users with
English Windows.
Background Tab
Generate background Provides a series of
options for the background. Select a color, an
image file, a texture, or even an animated GIF.
You can also select an image with a transparent
background together with a color, which will
display through the background.
Using CSS Instructs browsers how to generate
the background image. The default setting is
repeat and scroll, whether or not Using CSS
has been selected.
Using a file as the background will make the
fadeout and offset options available. These
options can be adjusted for the background
image, but it will regenerate an image instead
of displaying the original.
Background Tab
General Tab
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Image File Tab
Optimizer setting Specifies default file formats
for images in your Web pages. Files will be
optimized then saved in the specified format.
File naming pattern Customizes the system for
assigning default names to image files. Also
provides the option of making file names
comply with Macintosh and Unix standards.
Put image files in ‘image’ subfolder, Copy
background image to ‘image’ subfolder, Copy
linked files to ‘image’ subfolder It is highly
advisable to keep these options selected to save
your files systematically and help keep your
images organized.
Image File Tab
Slice Tab
Enable slicing Selected by default, this
prevents from your entire document being
merged to a single image file in your Web page.
It is highly advisable to keep this option
selected.
Generate by table/CSS Either generate tables
in your HTML to position your slices, or
generate Cascading Style Sheets (CSS). Output
CSS by ID, by class, or inline.
ID Allocates a unique ID to styles and uses
these style IDs to determine the position of
slices.
Class Allocates a unique ID to classes, and uses
these class IDs to determine the position of
slices.
Inline Outputs a <DIV> tag in which style
elements are declared and determine the
position of slices.
Slice naming pattern Customize the system for
assigning default names of all slices.
Slice Tab
266 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Adding Web images and objects to your Web page
For more information on placing Web images and objects, and linking multimedia files on your Web
page, refer to page 245.
Exporting a Web page
How does the Web page look on the Net? How do people view my Web page? Who can help me fix
problems? These are often the questions in mind when creating a Web page. PhotoImpact provides
these solutions along with a diagnostic mechanism.
When you are trying to preview, save, or
export a Web page in PhotoImpact, this
automatic mechanism detects possible HTML
rendering problems. If found, a dialog box
appears with details of each error.
Note:
The dialog box will not appear
if the document is not in RGB format,
or if it in Mask Mode.
In the dialog box, click each error item; a
solution is displayed accordingly in the box
below the list.
Adjustments can be made without closing the
dialog box. Click Refresh to update error
messages.
HTML Tab
Formatting Determines the appearance of
HTML tags and attributes in the code.
Generate relative URL for reference Makes
the code in each page reference the location of
external files relative to its own position in the
site. This makes the whole site easily
transportable to a Web server. It is highly
advisable to keep this option selected.
Conform to XHTML specification Outputs
the code in XHTML (Extensible Hyper Text
Markup Language).
HTML Tab
An example of
the HTML Render Error dialog box
CHAPTER 8: ALL FOR THE WEB 267
Previewing in a browser
Whether the current Web page or image is completed or still in progress, you can always preview it as
an entire Web page in a browser of your choice.
In the File: Preview in Browser submenu, by default, Internet Explorer is already listed for quick
access. You can customize it with the following commands:
• Edit Browser List To add and remove browsers from the list as needed.
• As Tiled Background When using an image as a tiled background for a Web page, select
this command to preview the edited image as it would appear on that Web page.
Note:
For further editing at a later time, select File: Save to save the current edit window in
the UFO file format. This retains all Web attributes you previously set. All individual
components also remain independent objects. After editing a UFO file, you can always export
it as a Web page.
Saving for the Web
When you are done working with your images or Web pages, there are five ways to save them
specifically for the Web. These commands are located in the File: Save for Web submenu.
• As HTML Saves as an HTML
document (HTM or HTML) and its
associated images. By default, images
are saved to the “images” subfolder (in
the same folder as the HTML
document).
• Update Image in Web Page Replaces
an image in a Web page.
• Entire Image Optimizes and saves the
image, with all objects merged to form
a single image.
• As Single Object Optimizes, saves, and
merges the selected objects into a single
image.
• As Individual Objects Optimizes and
saves the selected objects in separate
image files with different file names.
Submenu under the Save for Web
command
268 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Posting to the Web
You can export a PhotoImpact current document to an HTML document or an image file through
the Internet. These commands are under the File: Export submenu.
• Post to Web Sends it to a remote Web
server. This requires Microsoft Web
Publishing Wizard to be installed on
your computer.
• Post to iMira Sends images to the iMira
free image-sharing Web site.
• Send Allows you to send it to
whomever on the Internet through e-
mail.
Notes:
• For RAW Export, see details on page 69.
• For Web Album and Web Slide Show, see Album-XL Manual.PDF on the accompanying
CD.
Post to Web (single or multiple document)
You can post your Web pages directly to your Web server through the Web Publishing Wizard in
PhotoImpact.
To post your document to the Web:
1 Select File: Export - Post to Web.
Note:
You may get an error message saying Web Publishing has not been installed. If this is
the case, go to the Control Panel and select Add/Remove Programs. Click the Windows
Setup Tab then select Internet Tools. Click Details. Select Web Publishing Wizard then
click OK. Click Apply then return to PhotoImpact and start from Step 1.
2 Select whether you wish to output an
HTML file or an image file, and the
compression method. Enter a name for
the output file.
3 The Web Publishing Wizard will start.
You will need to provide information
about the Web server where you wish
to post your Web page.
4 Click Finish at the end of the Wizard to
complete posting the page.
Submenu under the File: Export command
CHAPTER 8: ALL FOR THE WEB 269
Post to iMira using Drop Spot
Images can be posted directly to the iMira free Web site where you can share your images on the
Internet. You can post your data on the site, with the opportunity to collect points and increase the
amount of storage you can have. If you do not already have an account with iMira, you can sign up
while posting data for the first time.
To post an image to iMira:
1 Select File: Export - Post to iMira. The
first time you select this option, you
will be prompted to open Ulead Drop
Spot.
• If you do not already have an
account with iMira, click Yes then
select Create New Account on the
Web. iMira’s Web page will open in
a new browser window. Enter your
details then click I agree. Return to
PhotoImpact and proceed to Step
2.
• If you already have an iMira
account, click No. You will be then
prompted to select a compression
format and to enter a name for the
image.
2 After you have logged onto the iMira
site, you will need to specify the album
where you wish to post your image.
Click OK to automatically display your
iMira album.
Send using default e-mail program
PhotoImpact can be set up to open up your
default e-mail client to send images as image
files or as Web pages.
To send an image:
1 Select File: Export - Send.
2 The first time you use this function, a
dialog box will provide instructions for
you to check and adjust settings in your
default e-mail client. Thereafter it will
always skip to Step 3.
Instructions for checking your e-mail settings
270 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
3 A dialog box will prompt you to select
whether you wish to send the file as a
Web page or as an image file, and to
name the file. Click OK.
4 A new e-mail message will be displayed
with the image or Web page already
attached. After the e-mail is sent, you
will be returned to PhotoImpact.
Tutorial: Putting a Web page together
So the next thing you’ll want to know is, how do I put together all the things I want to form a Web
page? PhotoImpact gives you these options.
To create a complete Web page:
1 Select File: New - New Web Page.
Enter a title for the page and select a
background type. Click Detail to set
the attributes of a page in the Web
Properties dialog box (see page 263 for
details).
Note:
A fast way to create a Web
page is dragging a preset from the
Template Library in the EasyPalette to
the workspace. Next, customize each
object and then export it as a Web
page.
2 Place objects you want on the page.
These can be Web objects, linked
multimedia files or images.
Note:
Images can be objects created
from scratch, images used for
graphics/illustrations, or any Web
components created from the Web
menu.
3 Select File: Preview in Browser, then
select a browser to use for previewing
the page.
Document file of a Web page in PhotoImpact
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4 When you have the Web page the way
you want it, select File: Save to save it
in the UFO file format. This preserves
all objects as well as all HTML
attributes, so that you can edit it at a
later time.
5 Finally, select File: Save for Web - As
HTML. This outputs the Web page as
an HTML file (HTM or HTML) along
with its associated image files. By
default, the images are stored in a
subfolder labelled “images”, within the
folder where the HTML file is saved .
6 To view the Web page, double-click the
HTML file. The default browser will
open to display the page.
Notes:
•
Do not use the base image as the Web page background, because the base image is for
image editing rather than Web page creating. Thus, the base image should be hidden
while the document is used for creating a Web page.
• To edit a Web page created in PhotoImpact later, open its UFO file or use the Open
Original button in the Open Image from Web Page dialog box (see page 228 for
details).
GIF Animator
Ulead PhotoImpact includes the multiple award-winning, feature-packed GIF Animator, opening up
endless possibilities for your Web page.
Create everything from basic animations to the most complex multiple-object animations. Add
awesome text and transition effects, tweak transparency levels, animate buttons, banners, logos, and
more.
Discover the undisputed superiority of GIF Animator’s optimization and compression techniques,
and export your animations to a wide range of file formats, including Flash, AVI, MPEG and
Quicktime.
Fast and powerful, GIF Animator is all you need to create sophisticated animations with total
precision, speed and flexibility.
For a detailed user guide on GIF Animator, refer to GA-5 MANUAL.PDF on the included
PhotoImpact CD. For further information and tutorials, visit Ulead’s Web site at
http://www.ulead.com.
Previewing the Web page in a browser
272 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Image management with Album
PhotoImpact Album is the most convenient and efficient application for managing and viewing
media files on your system. Media files listed and organized through Album can be viewed as
thumbnails, categorized, cataloged, sorted, updated, and archived. Build a database of information for
your files, create HTML slide shows, create custom albums on CD, conduct complex Boolean
searches and view all the details of your files at a glance.
For a full and detailed user guide on Album, refer to ALBUM-XL MANUAL.PDF on the enclosed
PhotoImpact CD.
Comparison
FOR PREVIOUS PHOTOIMPACT USERS
If you have previous PhotoImpact versions, be sure to see the next
page. It provides a comparison table of major feature changes, helping
you migrate to PhotoImpact XL instantly.
274 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Comparison Table (major changes only)
Previous PhotoImpact versions PhotoImpact XL
1 The AccessPanel has 3 sub-
panels: Layer, Document and
Browse Managers.
3 The Lasso Tool cannot be
edited after setting points.
4 The crop area is statically
rectangular in shape.
5 Text must be entered and/or
edited in the Text Entry dialog
box.
6 When opening CMYK images,
PhotoImpact splits the image
into 4 separate ones representing
each channel: Cyan, Magenta,
Yellow, and Black.
1 AccessPanel now has 4 sub-
panels, including the Selection
Manager.
3 Editable Lasso Tool allows
point (node) adjustments so
the selection can be edited
before finalization.
4 The new Crop Tool features
let you adjust the crop area’s
perspective before
implementation.
5 Text is dynamically typed and
edited onscreen.
6 When opening CMYK images,
PhotoImpact prompts you if
you want your image opened as
a single combined file, or
separated into channels.
2 Previous Color Panel supported
image objects only. Paint and
Fill modes exist.
2 Improved Color Panel features
now allow Text or Path object
color fill.
FOR PREVIOUS PHOTOIMPACT USERS 275
7 Level allows you to change the
color divisions for each image.
8 The Album/Package function
packages the album file and it
reference files to the same folder
in your PC’s hard disk.
7 Level allows you to adjust the
image’s histogram, or
distribution of whites, grays,
and blacks.
8 You can now burn albums
directly to CD or DVD by
using Package to CD/DVD.
Previous PhotoImpact versions PhotoImpact XL
9 When selecting multiple objects,
you can only add whole objects
to your active selection.
9 When selecting multiple
objects, you can add objects or
parts of objects to your
selection.
10 Effects menu commands are not
grouped into related categories.
10 Effects menu is now categorized
into functions for easier
accessibilty.
11 Dynamic Range Extension
combines two identical images
taken with different exposure
settings to create greater tonal
depth.
11 High Dynamic Range allows for
hand held shots and combines
any number of images (supporting
the Automatic Exposure
Bracketing shot function of digital
cameras) to create exceptional
tonal depth, and even enhances the
tonal quality of a single image.
276 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Shortcuts
SHORTCUTS
While working in PhotoImpact, using shortcuts on your keyboard can
greatly increase your efficiency.
278 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
File Menu
Command Shortcuts
New Ctrl + N
New Web page Shift + A
Open Ctrl + O
Visual Open Shift + O
Close Ctrl + W
Save Ctrl + S
Save as Ctrl + Shift+ S
Save for Web - As HTML Ctrl + Alt + S
Preview in Browser Ctrl + Alt + ( 0-9)
(the order depends on the installed browser)
Scanner F7
Digital Camera F8
Capture - Setup Ctrl + Shift + E
Capture - Start Ctrl + Shift + C
Start capturing and Activation F11/F12/Ctrl + F11/Ctrl + F12
Print Preview Ctrl + Alt + P
Print Multiple Ctrl + Shift + P
Print Ctrl + P
Preferences F6
Exit Ctrl + Q
Edit Menu
Command Shortcuts
Undo Ctrl + Z
Redo Ctrl + Y
Repeats the last menu command Ctrl + T
Cut Ctrl + X
Copy Ctrl + C
Paste As Object Ctrl + V
Paste As New Image Ctrl + Shift + V
SHORTCUTS 279
Clear/Delete Del
Crop Ctrl + R
Duplicate - Base Image with Objects Ctrl + D
Fill Ctrl + F
Fadeout Ctrl + H
Edit Active Objects Only Shift + Z
Enables/Disables Mask Mode Ctrl + K
View Menu
Command Shortcuts
Add a View Ctrl + I
Actual View Ctrl + 0 (number)
Maximize at Actual View Ctrl + M
Zoom in +
Zoom out -
Fit in Window Ctrl + Shift+ 0
Full Screen Ctrl + U
Base Image Ctrl + F5
Show Marquee Ctrl + F8
Show Box Around Objects Ctrl + F7
Photo Properties Alt + Enter
View in different sizes Ctrl + (number)
Show/Hide Color Panel Shift + F3
Show/Hide EasyPalette F2
Show/Hide Quick Command Panel Ctrl + F2
Show/Hide AccessPanel F10
Ruler Shift + V
Slice Line Shift + F7
Image Map Shift + F8
Show/Hide Guidelines Ctrl + Shift+ G
Snaps to Guidelines Ctrl + Shift+ L
Show/Hide Grid Ctrl + Shift+ R
Snaps to Grid Ctrl + Shift+ N
280 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Format Menu
Command Shortcuts
Auto-process: Enhance Shift + C
Auto-process: Batch Ctrl + F9
Brightness & Contrast Ctrl + B
Color Balance Ctrl + L
Hue & Saturation Ctrl + E
Focus Ctrl + Shift+ F
Tone Map Ctrl + Shift+ T
Highlight Midtone Shadow Ctrl + Shift + H
Post-processing Wizard F9
Image Size Ctrl + G
Expand Canvas Shift + N
Frame & Shadow Shift + F
Selection Menu
Command Shortcuts
Toggle Selection Space
Select None Shift + G
Select All Ctrl + A
Convert to Object Ctrl + Shift+ O
Preserve Base Image F5
Copy Selection to Object Library Ctrl + Alt + E
Object Menu
Command Shortcuts
Duplicate Shift + D
Merge Shift + M
SHORTCUTS 281
Merge All Ctrl + Shift+ M
Delete Del
Selects All Objects Ctrl + Shift+ A
Deselect All Objects Enter
Edit Object
(Text/Path/HTML Text/Link/Component) Shift + E
Wrap: Properties Shift + W
Group Ctrl + Alt + G
Ungroup Ctrl + Alt + U
Arrange - Bring Forward Alt + Up
Arrange - Send Backward Alt + Down
Arrange - Bring to Front Ctrl + Alt + Up
Arrange - Send to Back Ctrl + Alt + Down
Shadow Shift + S
Properties Ctrl + Shift+ Enter
Effect Menu
Command Shortcuts
Paint on Edges Shift + P
Web Menu
Command Shortcuts
HTML Text Object Shift + T
Link Object - From File Shift + L
Rollover Shift + R
Component Designer F12
Background Designer Shift + B
Web Properties Shift + Enter
Trim Object Shift + Q
282 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Image Optimizer F4
Window Menu
Command Shortcuts
Arranges all open windows diagonally in the
workspace from left to right and top to bottom Shift + F5
Evenly distributes all open windows vertically
in the workspace Shift + F4
Batch Manager Shift + F6
Help Menu
Command Shortcuts
Starts the Ulead PhotoImpact Online help F1
Activates the Context Sensitive Help, and then
allows you to click an item in question Shift + F1
Miscellaneous
Command Shortcuts
Move selection marquee on/off Ctrl + Shift + K
Show Global Viewer (if available) G
Find next in EasyPalette Shift + F9
Find next in Layer Manager F3
Play Quick Command Panel Alt + P
Show/Hide Toolbars and Panels Tab
Show/Hide Panel in the Text/Path/
Brush/Slice/Image Map Tool Ctrl + F3
Show EasyPalette Pop-up Ctrl + F1
SHORTCUTS 283
Show the Material dialog box Shift + X
Scroll image vertically Page Up/Down
Scroll image horizontally Home/End
Deletes the selected thumbnail
from the EasyPalette Ctrl + Shift+ Del
Moves the object up/down one pixel to the
left/right. This works on all tools except for
Painting/Retouch/Clone/Fill tool Arrow keys
Move object layer up/down Alt + Up/Down
Visual Open
Command Shortcuts
Refresh F5
Select All Ctrl + A
Tool Panel
Command Shortcuts
Pick Tool K
Standard Selection Tool M
Z-Merge Tool B
Path Drawing Tool D
Text Tool T
Crop Tool R
Transform Tool Q
Retouch Tool H
Paint Tool P
Stamp Tool .
Clone Tool N
Object Paint Eraser Tool O
284 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Fill Tool F
Zoom Tool /
Eyedropper Tool / Measure Tool Y
Display quick Tool Panel ~
Slice Tool I
Image Map Tool U
Switch to the Eyedropper Tool C or Y
Switch to the Pick Tool W
Switch to the Zoom Tool Z or /
Display Tools submenu `
Toggles between Painting and Erase mode
when in the Painting Tool E
To tile fill an image with an object, hold down
[L] while dragging the object to the document L (+ drag the mouse)
Add selection in selection tool A
Subtract selection in selection tool S
Extract only the mask from an object M (+ drag the mouse to the workspace)
Toolbar
Command Shortcuts
To constrain dragging or drawing multiples
of 45 degrees Shift
INDEX
Index
286 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Symbols
2D object 162
3D
properties 178
smoother surface 182
3D object 162
3D transformation 141
A
Acquiring
digital camera 45
image sources 45
Internet 53
scanner 45
Adding
shadows to objects 131
views 55
Adobe Illustrator file import 170
Advanced concepts 67
Aligning 132
Ambient light 218
Animated particle 221
Directional 221
Emitter 221
Manual 221
Animation
frame-based 209
key frames 209
storyboard-based 212
Animation Studio 209
Anti-aliasing 122, 162
Any shape selections 116
Applying effects and filters 191
Artist Texture 214
Artistic 190
Artistic menu
Kaleidoscope 224
Auto Reverse 210
Auto-process 76
Batch 76, 77
Crop 76
Enhance 76
Focus 76
Straighten 76
AutoSave 47
B
Background color 107
Background Designer 230
Baseline 155
Basic Concepts 41
Batch Convert 68
Batch Manager 67
Batch test 244
Beautify Skin effect 196
Bevel
Material dialog box 180
Bezier Curve Tool 175
Bezier/Polygon Tool 167
Blink Text Script Effect 258
Blur 190
Border
creating a border around selection
areas 122
Border, Material dialog box 180
Brightness & Contrast 79
Browse Manager 26
using to open files 44
Bump map
as reflection 184
density 184
Burn Tool 92
Button Designer 233
C
Calculation 80
Calibrating
printers 47
Camera curve profile 86
Camera Lens menu
Beautify Skin 196
Lens Distortion 194
Camera response curve 86
Canvas 41
Capturing an image 65
Changing
dimensions 64
Clipboard 57, 59
Cloning 110, 111
INDEX 287
CMYK files 43
Color Adjustment 80
Color Balance 79
Preset 79
Smart 79
Color balance 82
Color Cast 80, 83
Color correction 79
Color Management 36
Color palettes
loading 110
saving 110
Color Panel 97
color tab 97
color table tab 101
gradients tab 100
swatch tab 99
Color picker 108
Color on Screen 109
Web safe 109
Color Range 123
Color Replacement 80
Color Replacement Pen 92
Color Tab 97
Color table 109
Color Table Tab 101
Color Tools 107
Color Transform Pen 91
Colorize Pen 91
Colors
background 107
foreground 107
Material dialog box 179
selecting similar 124
selecting with Ulead Color Picker 108
Component Designer 249, 250
Component Objects 249
Continue Draw Mode 163, 171
Contour Lines 215
Convert images to paths 159
Convert line 174
Copying
objects 57, 132
selection areas 57
Creased Paper 215
Creating
new image 41
outline path 165
special effects 204
text 146
Creative 190
Crystal effect 216
Lighting effect 218
Particle effect 221
Transform effect 222
Type Effect 153
Creative menu
Lighting 218
Magic Gradient 225
Painting 220
Type Effect 223
Crop 61, 76
Auto-process 61
Perspective Crop 62
Post-processing wizard 61
Crystal effect 216
Curves 167
Custom Effect 206
Custom Filter 205
Custom Shape 170
Customizing
effects and filters 191
PhotoImpact 35
Standard Toolbar 36
toolbars 35
Cutting
objects 57
selection areas 57
D
Data type 68, 136, 190
Deforming the path shape 172
Defringe 130
DeInterlace 208
Depth 180
Determining color similarity 118
Diffraction Filter 198
Diffuse Glow 219
Digimarc 43, 47, 190
288 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Digital camera 44
Distort 190
Distort text 156
Dither 213
Document Manager 25
Dodge Tool 92
Drop Spot 269
Duplicating
base image only 59
base image with objects merged 59
images 59
objects 132
E
EasyPalette 27
Crop 61
customizing 29
exporting galleries 29
importing galleries 29
object libraries 28
Edge Preserving Blur 207
Edit existing path 176
Edit Objects Mode 96
Edit point 174
Effects and Filters
applying 191
customizing 191
Embed Watermark 47
Emboss Texture 215
Enhance 76
Enhance Lighting 219
Enhancing
digital camera photos 77
images automatically 76
Equalize 80
Erasing
objects 143
Erasing colors 94
Even-Odd Fill 170
Expanding selection areas 124
Exporting
Component Object 250
galleries 29
Web page 266
Exporting images 51
RAW 51
SVG 51, 69
Web Album 51
Web Page 51
Web Slide Show 51
ExpressFix 77
Eyedropper Tool 109
F
Fill Gallery 106
magic 104
natural 104
Fill methods 103
Fill Tools
elliptical gradient fill 102
linear 102
rectangular 102
solid fill 102
texture fill 102
Filling
drag-and-drop 106
Film Grain effect 198
Filter, Custom 205
Flatten Uneven Areas 208
Focus 76, 80
Foreground color 107
Format
Brightness & Contrast 79
Calculation 80
Color Adjustment 80
Color Balance 79
Color Cast 80
Color Replacement 80
Equalize 80
Focus 80
Highlight Midtone Shadow 80
Histogram 80
Hue & Saturation 80
Invert 80
Level 79
Posterize 80
Style 79
Threshold 80
INDEX 289
Tone Map 80
Frame delay time 213
Free edit 174
Free Path 176
Freehand Drawing Tool 177
G
Galleries 191
Gallery
packaging into folder 29
GIF
batch test 244
GIF Image Optimizer 242
optimizing images 241
transparency 242
GIF animation
saving 213
Glass 215
Global Viewer 56
Gradients Tab 100
setting a gradient color 98
Grouping 126
Show/Hide group member 127
Grouping and ungrouping paths 175
H
Hide 215
High Dynamic Range 86
Highlight Midtone Shadow 80, 85
Highlight Text Script Effect 258
Histogram 80
History 60
Horizontal Deform 172
HTML document 262
HTML Text objects
convert to image object 248
inserting 247
Hue & Saturation 80
I
Illumination 190
Illumination menu
Lights 224
Image Map Tool 237
Image Map Panel 237
manual image maps 238
object-based image maps 237
Split object-based Image Map 238
Image Optimizer
batch testing 244
Image source selection 45
Images
creating new 41
cropping 61
duplicating 59
enhancing automatically 76
fitting to window 56
preserving base image 121
printing 47
resizing 63
retrieving 136
rotating 140
sending by e-mail 52
straighten 141
iMira 269
Import/Export 69
Importing
Adobe Illustrator files 170
galleries 29
Indexed Color 109
Infinite loop 213
Input devices
calibrating 47
Interlace 213
Internet 53
Invert 80
J
JavaScript 253
JPG (JPEG)
batch test 244
compression 241
optimizing images 240
Jump point 160
K
Kaleidoscope effect 224
290 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Key frames 209
L
Lasso Tool 116
adding 124
editing selections 116
subtracting 124
Layer Manager 24
changing layer order 127
Show/Hide listview 125
Lens Distortion effect 194
Level 79, 81
Library
packaging into folder 29
Light 181
Light effect 224
Lighting 218
Line and Arrow Tool 161, 166
Loading
color palettes 110
Loop 210
M
Magic Gradient effect 225
Magic Wand Tool
adding 124
subtracting 124
Mask Mode 119
Match Background Color 130
Material 190
Material dialog box
bevel 180
border 180
color 179
depth 180
EasyPalette 187
light 181
reflection 181
texture 179
Material Effect menu
Turnpage 226
Matte 241
Measure Tool 137
Metal Work 215
Metallic 182
Minimum transparency 183
Mitre joint 156
Modify and Apply 30
Moon effect 202
More print functions
Print Multiple 49
Print Poster 51
Motion Blur 193
Moving objects 132
Multimedia objects
editing 246
linking 245
Multiple objects selection
making a selection area 129
Multiple-Color method 103
Multivision Filter 200
N
New 41
Noise 190
Non-free edit 174
O
Object
convert object type 152
setting properties 128
Object Center 142
Object Eraser Tools 94
Object Magic Eraser Tool 143
Object Paint Eraser Tool 143
Object libraries 28
copy object to image 136
copy to object library 134
description 133
fit selection 137
saving 133
store image 133
store image as selection 133
store selection 133
Objects 125
adding shadows 131
aligning 132
INDEX 291
copying 57
cutting 57
deleting 132
duplicating 132
grouping & ungrouping 126
moving 132
properties 126
selecting multiple 115
sorting 126
spacing evenly 132
working with 144
Online Documentation
installing 19
Opaque 226
Open from Web
image 53
Web page as image 53
Outline Drawing Tool 161, 164
color 165
shape 165
style 165
width 165
Outline path 165
P
Package
galleries and libraries 29
Paint as Object Mode 95
Paint on Edges 207
Painting effect 220
Painting Gallery 220
Painting Texture 94, 95
Painting Tools 92
Palette ramp 225
Palettes 243
Partially loading images 70
Particle effects 221
creating animation with Particle Effect
221
Pasting
as a new image 59
as an object 57
by mouse position 59
into selection areas 57
to fit into selection areas 58
Path Edit Tool 172
edit mode 173, 176
edit points 174
Path objects
convert to selection 177
creating 161
deforming 172
editing 173
Freehand Drawing Tool 177
grouping and ungrouping 175
irregular shape 167
Path Drawing Tool 161
saving 150
smooth spine 182
Pattern templates 214
Perspective Crop 62
Phong 182
Photographic 190
PhotoImpact
installing PhotoImpact 11
preferences 35
Pick Tool 115
Plastic 215
PNG
batch test 244
optimizing images 243
Polygon Tool 168
Pop-up menu Script Effect 254
Post to iMira 52
Post to Web 52
Posterize 80
Preserve base image 121
Print
previewing 48
Print Multiple 49
Print Poster 51
Print Preview 48
Printers
calibrating 47
Printing
images 47
Program menus
removing 56
Projection Center 142
292 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
Q
Quick Command Panel 32
using the History Tab 34
Quick EasyPalette
adding galleries/libraries 31
R
Rainbow Text Script Effect 258
RAW data
Import/Export 69
Read Watermark 43
Real-time preview 82
Recover 60
Redo 60
Reinstalling programs 12
Resample an image 64
Resize
dimensions 63
resolution 63
Retrieving images 136
Rollover button 251
Rollover Text Script Effect 258
Rotate in Virtual 3D 141
Rotating images 140
S
Saving
color palettes 110
to object libraries 133
tool’s attributes 111
Web page 267
Saving images 46
Scanners 44
Screen Capture 65
Script Effects 253
blink text 253, 258
highlight text 253, 258
pop-up menu 253, 254
rainbow text 253, 258
rollover text 253, 258
status bar 256
status bar message 253
swap image 253, 256
text effects 258
using 254
vertical scroller 253, 257
Select similar 124
Selection areas
adding to 124
copying 57
creating a border 122
cutting 57
determining color similarity 118
expanding 124
moving 121
retrieving 136
saving to object libraries 133
smooth-edged 122
softening edges 122
subtracting from 124
Selection Manager 26
using 125
Selection Tools 115, 159
Selections
copy selection to object library 134
import selection 137
Send a document by e-mail 52
Sending images 52
Post to iMira 52
Post to Web 52
Send document by e-mail 52
Shadow 131
Shape 93
Shape Library 161
Sharpen 190
Shear effect 197
Slice Tool 234, 235, 265
cells 234
Protect Web Objects 235
Slice Around Object 235, 236
Slice Panel 236
Smooth Leather 215
Smooth spine 182
Soft edge 94
Solid-filled path object 162
Sorting
by depth 126
by name 126
INDEX 293
Sorting objects 126
Space Evenly 132
Special effects 190, 204
Artistic 190
Blur 190
Creative 190
Digimarc 190
Distort 190
Illumination 190
Material 190
Noise 190
Photographic 190
Sharpen 190
Video 190
Special Type Effect 223
Spline Tool 167
Stamp Tool 144
Star Filters 196
Status Bar Script Effect 255
Stitching images 71
automatic 72
manual 73
Stone 215
Straighten 76
Straightening images 141
Style 79
Sunlight effect 201
Swap Image Script Effect 256
Swatch Tab 99
T
Text Panel 147
3D 148
Gallery 149
Options 149
Split Text 148
Style 147
Text Tool
adding text 146
as a path object 152
effects 150
special effects 153
Texture 104, 179
Texture Filter
contour lines 215
creased paper 215
emboss texture 215
glass 215
hide 215
metal work 215
plastic 215
smooth leather 215
stone 215
using 215
Threshold 80, 160
Thumbnail menu commands 136
Tiled background 230, 232
Tolerance 160
Tone Map 80, 81
Tool Panel
Bezier Curve Tool 175
Pick Tool 115
Selection Tools
Lasso Tool 116
Standard Selection Tool 115
Tracing 159
Transform effect 222
Transform Tool 138
3D 141
Transformation template 222
Transparency 93, 226
Transparent background 213
Transparent object 182
Turnpage effect 226
TWAIN 44
Two-color gradient fill 103
Two-Color method 103
Type Effect 223
Type Gallery 153
294 PHOTOIMPACT USER GUIDE
U
Ulead Color Picker 108
Undo 60
Undo History 60
Ungrouping 126
Ungrouping paths 175
V
Vertical Deform 172
Vertical Scroll Script Effect 257
Video 190
Viewing
adding views 55
full screen 56
global viewer 56
Virtual 3D button 142
W
Warped image 216
Warping 204
Watermark 43, 47
Web objects 245
HTML text 247
Web page
Button Designer 233
Component Objects 249
EasyPalette Template Library 270
encoding 264
HTML document 262
HTML tab 266
HTML Text Objects 247
new 263
optimizing images 265
posting your page 268
previewing 267
properties 263
Rollover button 251
structure 262
Web Publishing Wizard 268
Web page background
Background Designer 230
image 230
properties 264
shift 231
tile 230, 232
Web Properties 263
Web Slide Show 260
WIA
acquiring images from WIA devices
46
Workspace 22
Wrap
Bend 157
Wrap effects
creating your own 154
modifying 155
Z
Z-merge Tool 184
Zoom Blur effect 192
Zoom Tool 54
… 5 …


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