JUST ANOTHER GLASS BUTTON!
Time: Approx. 15-20 minutes.
One not so intuitive interactive tool in DRAW is the Transparency Tool. You can make some transparent objects already, I think, but this tool is capable of so much more than just plain transparency, let's test one of the more advanced features of this tool today. And by following these simple steps you will also learn how to use the Blend Tool and the Shaping docker. In older versions of DRAW (5-8) they are called "Drop Down Menus". But I can't remember if the Transparency is available before version 9.
So, before we start, make sure you know where to find the Transparency and Blend tools. See Fig. 1.
There are not that many steps involved in this exercise, and don't get confused, I will do my very best to guide you clearly from the beginning to the finished product.
Time: Approx. 15-20 minutes.
One not so intuitive interactive tool in DRAW is the Transparency Tool. You can make some transparent objects already, I think, but this tool is capable of so much more than just plain transparency, let's test one of the more advanced features of this tool today. And by following these simple steps you will also learn how to use the Blend Tool and the Shaping docker. In older versions of DRAW (5-8) they are called "Drop Down Menus". But I can't remember if the Transparency is available before version 9.
So, before we start, make sure you know where to find the Transparency and Blend tools. See Fig. 1.
There are not that many steps involved in this exercise, and don't get confused, I will do my very best to guide you clearly from the beginning to the finished product.
Fig. 2.
Start by selecting the Ellipse Tool (F7) in the toolbox to the left at your workspace, and draw a perfect circle (Fig. 2.) by holdig down the Ctrl key when drawing, make it about 50 millimeters or two inches (the size is not so important), now make a number of copys, (you will need about six circles). (Fig. 3.)
Fig. 3. All six circles needed.
Start by selecting the Ellipse Tool (F7) in the toolbox to the left at your workspace, and draw a perfect circle (Fig. 2.) by holdig down the Ctrl key when drawing, make it about 50 millimeters or two inches (the size is not so important), now make a number of copys, (you will need about six circles). (Fig. 3.)
Fig. 3. All six circles needed.
Fig. 1. Blend and Transparency tools.
Fig. 4. Fountain Fill Dialog
Now we need to give the three circles to the left some fill, the outer circle will be fill with some shades of gray fountain fill, something like in Fig. 4.
Fig. 5. The filled objects.
The inner circle will be white and the one in the middle get some 50 to 70% of black, depending on the final color of your button.
Convert the small white circle to curves Ctrl+Q, then use the Shape Tool (F10) to flatten it at the top.
Fig. 5. The filled objects.
The inner circle will be white and the one in the middle get some 50 to 70% of black, depending on the final color of your button.
Convert the small white circle to curves Ctrl+Q, then use the Shape Tool (F10) to flatten it at the top.
Now blend the white and gray circles with the Blend Tool (See Fig. 1.)
Fig. 6. Blended.
Now move one empty circle half way over the button so you can see what happens, go to the Fill Color Dialog, select the HSB Color Model, set H to 40 S to 100 and finaly B to 100 (You will find all colors used at the end of this Tutorial). You are free to use any color of your liking, but you knew that, didn't you.
Fig. 6. Blended.
Now move one empty circle half way over the button so you can see what happens, go to the Fill Color Dialog, select the HSB Color Model, set H to 40 S to 100 and finaly B to 100 (You will find all colors used at the end of this Tutorial). You are free to use any color of your liking, but you knew that, didn't you.
Fig. 7. Transparency settings
Fig. 8. Transparency applyed
Select the orange circle with the Transparecy Tool, go to the Property Bar and set Transparency to Uniform/Multiply and a value of 0 on the slider.
The next step will be to add some "Glare" to the button.
Take the two circles to create a semilunar shape, decrease the size of the first one to about 95%, the next circle will be your "Trimmer", increase the size to about 125%, place it ower the first circle like in Fig. 9. and trim it.
Then fill that trimmed circle with white and add some interactive transparency like in Fig. 10.
If you have never used Interactive Transparency before, it can be a little tricky or confusing, here is how it works in this case, select the semilunar white shape with the Pick Tool, change to Interactive Transparency Tool and click, drag and release from the top left to bottom right, after that you can move the start point (white square) and the end point (black square) and even the slider on the dotted line to achieve the transparency you want.
Fig. 10. The last two steps of this button.
Fig. 9. Trim the "Glare" to a semilunar shape.
If you prefer a more "cartoonish" style button, draw a white circle for your "glare", then use the Eraser Tool (X) to make a cross in your circle, like if the light is comming through a window, touch it up with the Interactive Transparency Tool, and then give the outher fountain filled circle a broader outline.
Fig. 11. With Blend Tool selected, you can type in the number of steps you want in your blend on the Property bar.
In closing!
I am pleased if you have read the tutorial this far, and if you learned something new, it will make me smile for at least a week. If however you do not understand anything at all, and send me an angry E-mail to tell me that I write lousy tutorials. Please tell me what is wrong, and what can be done about it, Then I promise that I will be happy for a whole month.
So, drop Me an E-mail to let me know.
Thanks, Finn
Here is the values in the HSB Color Model:
Yellow: 60 100 100
Green: 120 52 82
Blue: 206 82 85
Reed: 360 100 100
