The basis of this effect is extremely simple but it has some many possible
combinations and variation possibilities it is worth while describing here.
The effect is limited only by your imagination and your choice of image/text
combinations.
The tutorial has been written using Corel PhotoPaint 10 and thus can also
be done 'as is' in version 9 and above.
Version 8 has fewer lenses available but similar effects can be achieved
using merge mode if the required lens is unavailable.
The tutorial is divide in two parts.
The first part shows the steps to create the basic effect.
The second part shows just some of the numerous variations and modifications
you can use to create a large range of different visual effects.
Part
1 - The basic steps:
1. Basic image:
Choose an image you like to place the text effect on.
2.
Duplicate the image:
Use CTRL+D or in the Object Docker, drag the background image object onto
the New Object icon then release.
3. Create some
text:
The precise colour,font and size are entirely up to you.
However the effect works best with a thick heavy font, often using a contrasting
colour, 100% black or 100% white.
In the exemples I have used Futura Xblk BT font at 110 points.
4.
Add a drop shadow to the text:
Again, the actual parametres of the drop shadow will depend on your image,
the text and the effect you wish to create.
5. Clip
the child object to the parent object:
Using the Object Docker, drag the text object below the duplicated image.
Click in the column between the eye icon and the thumbnail of the duplicated
image object (now on top) to display the 'object clip' paperclip icon.
The upper image will now be clipped to the text object below it. |
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6. Adding a lens:
Using the object Docker, select the topmost object (the clipped image).
Create a Lens, either from the menu (Object/Create/New Lens) or by clicking
the icon at the bottom of the Object Docker.
The New Lens dialogue box appears.
Select Desaturate from the list and press OK.
All of the objects within the image construct are now affected by lens.
Clipped Objects occur in pairs and are described as Child and Parent
objects.
The object, with the paperclip on, is known as the Child Object, while the
object below it, which constrains the shape of the Child Object, is the
Parent Object.
7. Clip the lens:
Click the object clip column in the Object Docker for the Lens (a paperclip
icon will appear between the visibility 'eye' and the lens thumbnail, which
looks like a plain white box).
The effect of the Lens is now constrained (clipped) to affect only the Parent
Object below it. That object is in turn clipped to the text.
8.
Transportability:
One of the really great things about clipped objects and lenses is that
they can be moved/ repositioned against their backgrounds without changing
the effect.
Select the Object Picker tool, then select the Text object in the Object
Docker.
In the main editing window, click and drag the text in different positions,
fitting it exactly where you want it to be.
Notice how both the object clip and the lens clip follow each other and
affect only the area of the image bounded by the text object boundaries.
Magic!
9. Save:
Save the basic construct as lens.cpt (in Corel Photo Paint native format
to retain objects and masks).
note:All other formats retain only
the applied effect. |
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Part 2 - Variations on the original theme:
There are many ways you can change the original effect.
These include:
using different tipes of Lenses,
applying different Merge Modes to the clipped Parent or Child objects,
changing the text colour which affects the result when using different Merge
Modes,
changing the shadow and even using multiple shadows.
The effect will appear differently when applied to different images.
Sometimes a particular effect will work well with one image, but not with
another one.
Therefore you should experiment with different variations on a variety of
images to explore the possibilities of this effect more completely.
Notes:
Editing lenses:
if you wish to change or edit a lens after it has been created, right-click
on the text name of the lens in the Object Docker and choose Edit Lens.
Deleting/ Removing lenses:
choose the lens in the Object Docker then click the delete object icon (trash
can) in the Object Docker. |
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Blur/Sharpen
Background = blurred with Gaussian blur;
Lens over Child object = Sharpen |
Green
Text with an outside drop shadow;
Lens = Hue/Saturation/Lightness |
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Scatter Lens:
Lens only on the background = Scatter lens |
Invert:
Lens only on the background = Invert |
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Lens on the background = Scatter lens
Lens on child object = Sharpen and (on the top) Brightness/Contrast/Intensity |
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Posterization:
Duplicate the background;
create a New Lens: Posterize, level 5;
if necessary reposition the lens above the duplicated background and clip
it to it;
make the duplicated image the active object (select it in the object Docker
so the thumbnail has a red border);
select the Eraser Tool and change the property bar settings of this tool
to a wide brush nib with highly featured edges and a high transparency;
brush away sections of the duplicated object to reveal the original background
beneath it.
The erased sections are not affected by the posterize lens. (click
to enlarge the image)
Distortion using an object:
Select the Oval mask tool and ensure the mask mode is set to additive, create
a circular mask; change the mask mode to subtractive and create a hollow
band mask rather than the original mask;
continue creating bands of mask within the circle by switching between additive
and subtractive mask mode;
save the mask as a channel in case you need it later;
create a black new object and cut it with the mask: you can choose which
object will be removed (there are two possible objects); select the background
image and duplicate it. If necessary, reposition it above the black object;
clip the duplicated image to the black object; create a new lens, Scatter,
and reposition it immediatly above the background object; create a new lens,
Sharpen, and, if necessary, reposition it above the clipped Child object
and then clipped the lens to the Child object;
add a drop shadow to black object. |
 
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| click to enlarge the images |
| from a tutorial by David Mutch (http://www.visionary-voyager.com.au/corel/photopaint) |
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