Using Channels and the Tone Curve to Create Interesting Edge Effects : PhotoPaint 10

Create a new document : 600w x 500h, 72ppi, black.

Select the Text tool ('T') and change the settings of the property bar to the following :

1. BinnerD @ 150pts.
2. Character/Line Spacing = 50/70.
3. Align = Center; Enable 'Render Text to Mask'.

figure 2 :
Mask Align Dialog

Type in caps, "ALL THAT JAZZ", according to the original in figure 1 then select the Pick tool. Go to Mask | Align... to center the mask (figure 2).

We're going to save this mask to three channels. To Save each mask with a decent name from the start, go to Mask | Save | Save As Channel... and call this one, 'atj_orig'. Create another channel and call it 'atj_blurred'. Create one more called 'atj_curved'. Finally, remove the mask ('Ctrl Sh R') and key 'Alt 5' to select the channel 'atj_blurred'.

'Alt 5' is relative to the number of channels currently resident in the Channels Docker. Masks are temporary channels of non-color information. Therefore, if the mask had not been removed first, 'Alt 5' would have been the keyboard shortcut for selecting the 'atj_orig' instead of 'atj_blurred'...the one we want.

Create a Gaussian Blur @ 3.0 radius; when the channel has been blurred, switch to 'atj_curved' and 'Ctrl F' to repeat the blur. Here's where the fun stuff begins.

The Tone Curve allows us to take the range of color (or, in our case, non-color) information and manipulate it at will. There are different curve 'styles' when manipulating an image and we're going to use one of the optional styles. Here we go...

You should still have 'atj_curved' selected. Open the Tone Curve dialog box (figure 3; Image | Adjust | Tone Curve...). Select the second Curve Style from the left to begin; emulate the settings of figure 3.

Pretty wild, eh? I've already stated that adjusting the Tone Curve manipulates the range (color or grayscale) of values. In our image there is such a 'range' because we created one using the Gaussian Blur. Had we not, the channel information is relegated to black and/or white pixel values only (with perhaps a small amount of transition imposed by the anti-aliasing of the text's edge). Our "stock exchange-looking" curve in figure 3 is redefining this range with extreme prejudice. How? The median anchors that define the curve are determining what is a smooth transition versus what is a halted/stilted transition. If the line is rising nicely and has adequate width between anchors then the transition is smoother within that range of values; a dramatic drop at a short width then the transition is halted with its range.

Storing curve input is a Tone Curve feature. Click on the little floppy disk and save it as 'all_that_jazz_001.crv'. Now, any time you want to re-use this curve, simply open it and you're done!

At his point we could call it even, load the channel, and start using it by filling its targeted object with wonderful colors. But it would be a disservice to do so...yet. Let's add some more value to this channel by perfecting its edge; then we load it. Keep the 'atj_curved' channel selected and save your work.

If you're not used to working with channels, I hope the results above have piqued your interest in their potential; if so, what we're about to do will make them even more interesting (figure 4 is here to serve as impetus for continuing!).

Load the 'atj_blurred' channel from the Mask | Load options flyout (important!). We're going to modify it via 'Paint On Mask' then use it to fine-tune the edge of 'atj_curved'.

As you are aware, the 'atj_blurred' is our soft-edges version of the 'atj_orig' channel. Therefore, this mask will not do a very good job of sharpening the edge; but we can modify the mask using Paint On Mask ('Ctrl K') to acquire an edge that will match the shape of 'atj_curved' to serve to trim the bit of excess we are after. Here's how.

Press 'Ctrl K' on the keyboard to bring into play Paint On Mask (Mask | Paint On Mask). Looks just like the 'atj_blurred' channel, doesn't it? It should; that is the channel upon which this POM is based. We have temporarily switched the 'marching ants' approach to visualizing this mask to a grayscale mapping of its transparency; The benefit of doing this is the tools that are now available to us to modify the mask.

Lots of similar looking stuff going on right now, isn't there? If it is helpful, view the movement above from the eyes of the Channels Docker.

1. You had the 'atj_curved' channel selected; you then loaded the 'atj_blurred' channel from the Mask drop down menu (this was so 'atj_curved' would not be disturbed); therefore a 'Current Mask' selection appeared.
2. We want to modify an existing channel ('atj_curved') using a temporary mask based on another channel ('atj_blurred'; note the 'Current Mask' object in the Channels Docker...it is *not* selected).
3. But, before we modify the actual channel ('atj_curved'), we want to modify the 'Current Mask'; this temporary 'mask' will be modified by adjusting it via Paint On Mask ('Ctrl K'; now the 'Current Mask' object *is* selected).

figure 5 :
Contrast Enhancement for POM Object

Go to Image | Adjust | Contrast Enhancement.... Adjust the Input Value Clipping according to figure 5 (left @ 40; right @ 120).

As was the case with the Tone Curve, Contrast Enhancement evaluates the range of values (or, pixel information, if you will) to allow us to 'clip' this range in order to redistribute it; i.e. what we want to dispense with and, at what position of the histogram we want the information clipped.

Press 'Ctrl K' again to return to the 'marching ants' and press 'Alt 7' to select 'atj_curved'. Invert the mask ('Ctrl Sh I') and fill 'atj_curved' with black; remove the mask.

Let's add a very small touch to this channel by opening the Unsharp Mask dialog and committing the following settings to the channel : Percentage = 200; Radius = 1; Threshold = 0.

Save your work. Not a bad looking channel, eh? Hopefully figure 4 (above) tells you that it's going to get only better, so let's keep moving.

To finish what we started will take two fills, a drop shadow, and another POM trick.

Load the 'atj_curved' channel and add a new object; Ctrl H to hide the marching ants. Open the Fill dialog then the Fountain Fill Edit menu; emulate the settings of figure 6 (Color Blend : From = 40% black; To = 10% black). That will be the Chroma for our Hue. Open the Fill dialog again, choosing to edit a Uniform Fill this time. The fill is R0 G80 B255; when you're back at the Fill dialog box, choose 'Color Dodge' for the Paint Mode, then commit it.

Next, we'll find out that the Interactive Dropshadow tool makes a pretty good outline effect in addition to standard-issue shadows.

Remove the mask if you haven't already (careful, it may still be hidden). Press 'S' for the Interactive Dropshadow tool, then make the following changes to its property bar :

1. Shadow Preset = Small Glow
2. Shadow Feather = 8
3. Shadow Feather Direction = Outside
4. Shaodw Feather Edge = Squared
5. Shadow Color = Magenta

Press 'O' for the Pick tool and split the shadow from the text (right-click on the text label of the object in the Objects Docker [Drop Shadow | Split Shadow]).

Now let's tighten up the edge of this drop shadow object just as we did with the original text object (i.e. Contrast Enhancement). In the Objects Docker, select the drop shadow object, press 'Ctrl M' to create a mask.

Press 'Ctrl K' to switch to Paint On Mask then open the Contrast Enhancement dialog box. This go round, the Input Value Clipping will be 80 (left) and 160 (right); click OK.

Press 'Ctrl K' again, press 'Ctrl Sh I' to invert the mask, then press 'Sh Del' to acquire the sharpened edge for the drop shadow object.

Finally, select both objects and 'Ctrl Alt DnArr' to combine them as one. Save your work.

Figure 7 below is the final version of our work and marks the conclusion to this exercise. I added a 'Flat Bottom Right' dropshadow preset then split the shadow to add a 'Multiply' merge mode @ 80% Opacity to it.

I then filled the background object with a two-color Radial Fountain fill of Deep Yellow and Deep Violet (I was looking to complement - but not distract from - the existing colors), with a Center Offset of -20 horz. and 20 vert.