Tutorial 17: Using Visual Image

Transcription

1 Tutorial 17: Using Visual Image What follows is a brief introduction to Visual Image. This tutorial does not attempt to touch on all of the capabilities of the software. Instead, it steps through a simple example to familiarize you with the general layout and use of the software. Once you understand the basic premises of Visual Image (described in the Functional Overview below), the best way to master the software is to use it. If you stumble on a command that you can't dope out, refer to the Command Reference section of this manual. Launch the Software Launch Visual Image from inside Windows. Double-click on the Visual Image icon to launch the program. Interface Layout The Visual Image interface is displayed on the screen. Figure 106. The Visual Image Interface (the Recolor button is selected) Tutorial 17: Using Visual Image 187

2 The line of icons running across the top of the Visual Image window is called the Command Bar. To execute any action in the software, select the desired button on the Command Bar. Sometimes when you select a button on the Command Bar, a series of subcommands appear to the left of the viewport. For example, when you select the Recolor button, a series of recoloring commands is displayed in the area to the left of the viewport. The scrollable list on the far left side of the Visual Image Window is the Resource List. Whenever you create a new image, object or background, it is displayed in this list. Whenever you point to an image on this list the corresponding element in the viewport is outlined with a rectangle. Choose the object or image that you wish to work with by selecting it from this list. Above the Resource List is the Active Resource Well. This well displays the object or image resource that has been selected: the resource that appears here is the resource that is being edited when you execute commands. Functional Overview The most important thing to remember is that there are two separate "modes" in Visual Image: the Image Mode, in which a single image is being displayed and manipulated in the viewport, and the Object Mode, in which you are overlaying one or more objects over a background to create a project. The Mode button on the far left side of the Command Bar is used to toggle between the Image and Object modes. Each of these modes has its own set of commands, displayed on the Command Bar. Visual Image displays the commands of the Image Mode by default. Loading, Modifying and Saving Images We'll begin our project by loading an image to use as a background. We'll edit this image, then we'll change to the Object Mode to composite additional images on top to create a project. Select the button on the Command Bar to load an image. A Windows File Browser appears. Notice that you can load TGA, BMP, TIF, GIF, PCX and JPEG image files, as well as files with a PRJ filename extension. A PRJ file is a Visual Image project file, in which all image and object resources that make up the project are stored separately so that you can save and reload your work sessions. Load the file REDSKY.BMP. Notice that this image is loaded directly into the viewport. Also notice that it appears in the Resource List, and also in the Current Resource Well above the Resource List. 188 Tutorial 17: UsingVisual Image

3 We will use this image as a background in the creation of a project. However, before we do so, let's make some changes to the image. Working in the Image Mode We'll begin by modifying the current image in the viewport, and we'll do so using the commands in the Image Mode. When you work in the Image Mode, all modifications are executed on the image itself. This differs from the Object Mode, where are operations are performed on independent layers above the background image, such that the background image itself remains unchanged. All operations are executed by selecting a button from the Command Bar. If you don't understand the icon that appears on a particular icon, point to that button and a description will appear in the Visual Image Title Bar. Resize the Image First we'll resize the image. Select the button on the Command Bar to display a list of image processing options. Select the button to resize the image. A window appears on which you can define the new size for the image. Figure 107. The Resize window This window displays the current size of the image in pixels. We can resize the image by entering new values here, or we can simply resize the image to fit the current viewport. Set the Width to 640 and the Height to 480. Press Apply to execute the command. The image is resized to fill the viewport. Paint on the Image Now we will paint a circle on the image, to give it a more well-defined "sun".. Select the options. button on the Command Bar to display a list of image painting Tutorial 17: Using Visual Image 189

4 Select the button to paint a circle. A window appears on which we can determine what colors to paint. Figure 108. This window appears whenever you are painting a shape. We'll paint a circle onto our image using a color gradient. Select the button on the left side of the Paint Circle window. Select the button on the Paint Circle window to select a top-to-bottom gradient. Now that we've selected our gradient type, let's choose the two colors to use. We'll put a white color in the top Color Box, and a yellow color in the bottom Color Box. To display a Color Palette, we select on the Color Box. Point to the top Color Box and select. Now the Color Palette is displayed. This same palette appears whenever you need to select a color. Figure 109. The Color Palette. There are two ways to choose a color. You can select on one of the colors in the Basic Colors or Custom Colors area of the Color Palette. Or, you can define your own color using the palette on the right side of the Color Palette window. This time we'll pick colors from the Basic Colors area. 190 Tutorial 17: UsingVisual Image

5 Select the white color from the lower-right corner of the Basic Colors area. The selected color is displayed in the Color/Solid box. Select OK on the Color Palette to complete the color selection process. The Color Palette closes and the top box on the Paint Circle window displays the white color that we selected. Now we'll select the yellow color for the bottom half of the gradient. Point to the bottom Color Box on the Paint Circle window and select to display the Color Palette. Select the yellow color from the second row, second column of the Basic Colors area of the Color Palette (color values are 255, 255, 128). Select OK to close the Color Palette window. The yellow color we selected should be displayed in the bottom Color Box on the Paint Circle window. We can paint an outline circle or a filled circle: we wish to paint a filled circle. Press the button on the Paint Circle window to select a filled circle. Now we're ready to draw our circle. Move the pointer into the main viewport, and position it at the center of the "sun" on the image, then hold down the left mouse button and drag the pointer away from the center to define a circle. As you drag the pointer a circle is displayed. When the circle encompasses the entire "sun" in the image, release the mouse button. A filled circle is drawn with a top-to-bottom color gradient using the colors we selected. Change the Hue of the Image Next, we'll change the color of the image as a whole. Select the button on the Command Bar to display a list of image coloring commands. Let's change the hue of the image. Select the displayed. button to modify the image's hue. A Modify Hue window is Figure 110. The Modify Hue Window The Color Hue (degrees) value indicates how far around the color wheel to alter the hue. Set a Color Hue value of about 13. We can select a brush size and alter the hue of specific parts of the image, or we can select OK to modify the image as a whole. Tutorial 17: Using Visual Image 191

6 Select Apply to modify the image as a whole. After a few moments the image is re-displayed with the modified hue value. Select Close to complete the command and close the window. Sharpen the Image Next we'll sharpen the appearance of this image. Select the button on the Command Bar to display image processing commands. Select the button to sharpen the image. The image is sharpened. Mirror the Image Finally, we'll mirror the image. Select the button to mirror the image. The image is flipped around its vertical axis in the viewport. Working In the Object Mode Now we're ready to begin creating a project scene. As explained previously a project is comprised of a background image and one or more objects overlaid on top of that image. An object can be an image or a text string. Change Between the Image and Object Modes Before we begin creating a project we need to change to the Object Mode. Select the Mode button on the far left side of the Command Bar. Because no project exists yet, you are asked if you wish to use the current image in the viewport as the background image in the project. Figure 111 When you select the Mode button to change to the Object Mode, this message appears if no project currently exists. 192 Tutorial 17: UsingVisual Image

7 Select "Yes" to accept the current image as the background image. We are now in the Object Mode, meaning we can load or create bitmaps and text strings and overlay them as independent "objects" on top of the background image. All of the commands in the object mode affect only the "active" object. This is the object that appears in the Active Object Well above the Resource List on the left side of the Visual Image interface. To make an object the active one, simply point to it in the viewport and select. Or point to it in the Resource List and select. Define an Area on the Screen as a New Object We'll begin by drawing a shape over the background image. This shape will define a new object, which we can then manipulate independent of the background image. Select the button on the Command Bar to define a new object. Select the object creation button to draw using a freehand lasso. Beginning at the left edge of the viewport, about 1/3 of the way up from the bottom of the image, hold down the left mouse button and draw a shape to occupy the lower-left portion of the image. The illustration below indicates the approximate shape that we suggest you create. The dark area at the lower-right of the illustration indicates the shape that you are creating with the lasso (the area is darkened for illustration purposes only: it will not appear darkened on your screen). Figure 112. Draw a shape similar to the darkened area above. As you draw the shape along the bottom and side of the viewport, note that you do not need to draw precisely along the border: you can drag the pointer outside of the viewport as you trace around the lower-left corner. Draw around the shape until you return to the starting point, then release the mouse button to complete the command. A new object has now been cut out from the background image. It doesn't look any different, but you'll notice a bounding box appears around the object when you move the pointer over it, indicating that there is an object in this space. Tutorial 17: Using Visual Image 193

8 Also, notice that this new object is now displayed as a resource in the Resource List. This object's icon in the list is surrounded with a yellow rectangle, indicating that it is the current object: another indication that this is the current object is the fact that it is displayed in the Current Resource Well above the Resource List. Visual Image only allows you to manipulate one object at a time, and that is the current object. Now that we've created an object we're going to perform several processing commands to alter its appearance. When we're done this object will appear similar to a sandy island. Map a Texture onto an Object We'll begin by texture-mapping the object. Visual Image allows you to map bitmap textures over objects while controlling skew, scale and vanishing point to create a pseudo-3d effect. Select the button on the Command Bar to display a list of object editing commands. Select the button to perform a texture mapping operation on the current object. The Texture Object Window is displayed. Figure 113. Select the button to texture map an object. Using this window, we'll select a bitmap image to map as a texture onto the current object. We'll also determine the direction and scale at which the texture is mapped. Notice that a bounding box now appears around the object. We'll use this bounding box to visualize our mapping settings as we define them. First we'll select an image to map onto the current object. We can select an image from the Resource List, and it will appear in the Image Box on the Texture Object window. Or we can load an image from disk. Move the pointer into the File Box at the lower-right of the Texture Object window and select. A File Browser is displayed. Load the image TREZ.BMP. Now that we have an image to map, let's define the mapping type. The X, Y and Z orientation buttons modify the "plane" on which the 194 Tutorial 17: UsingVisual Image

9 texture will be mapped. We want the texture to appear to "go back into the distance", so it should become smaller as it maps toward the top of the object. Thus, we need to modify the X Axis value. In the X Axis type-in, enter a value of 75. Notice that the rectangle around the current object is now "tilted back": we rotated it back along its horizontal (X) axis by 75 degrees. Because of this, the bounding box no longer surrounds the entire area of our object. The object will only be mapped within the area surrounded by the bounding box: therefore, we need to increase the size of the bounding box to insure that it surrounds the object as a whole. To do this we'll use the Height and Width settings. Set the Width value to about 2.5; set the Height value to about 5. The Lens value determines how quickly the texture scale is reduced as it is mapped: The higher the value you enter here, the more the scale is reduced as the texture is mapped, creating the effect of going farther back in space. This feature is extremely important when mapping regular patterns such as brick or tile. The Scale value determines the beginning scale of the texture map. Any Scale value less than 1 means that the texture will be repeated as it is mapped onto the object. Because the pattern we are working with is not a regular repeating pattern, we don't need to worry about the Lens and Scale values. Select the Apply button on the Texture Object window to execute the texture mapping command. This command may take some time to execute. When completed, the texture should be mapped over the entire area of the object that we cut out. Emboss an Object Now that we've mapped a texture onto the current object, let's emboss that object to modify the textured effect. Select the commands. button from the Command Bar to display a list of object coloring Select the button to emboss the current object. A window appears on which we can define an emboss function. Tutorial 17: Using Visual Image 195

10 Figure 114. Select the button to emboss an object. The emboss command modifies an image by painting it in a single hue, while varying the color intensity to create a surface topography based on the colors of the underlying image. First we'll select the color that we want this object to be embossed to. Select on the Color Box, then from the color palette select an orange color from the color gradient on the right side of this window. Now choose the desired intensity for the color by selecting in the intensity gradient to the right of the color gradient and draggingthe pointer up. As you drag the intensity up, the color on the Color/Solid boz changes from black to a more orange color. We suggest an RGB color value of about 235, 180, 104. If you wish to use this color, you can type it into the RGB type-ins on the Color Palette window. After selecting the desired color, press OK on the Color Window to close the window. The selected color now appears in the Color Box on the Emboss Object window. Now we'll set the X and Y offset and the texture value. The X and Y offset values determine the horizontal and vertical offset when the image is embossed, and this effectively determines the direction from which light appears to be shining on this object. To best understand these values we recommend that you experiment with high positive and negative values and view the results. Set the X Offset value to 9. Set the Y Offset value to 9. The Texture value determines how intense the topography is: the higher the value, the more exaggerated the topography. Set the Texture value to 9. Select Apply to execute the command. Notice how the image has changed: it has taken on the color hue that we selected, but the object is not a solid color. Instead, differing intensity values in the image give it the appearance of a bumpy surface. Rotate an Object The object is beginning to look right. However, it still doesn't appear to have much "depth". Therefore, let's rotate the object back along its horizontal axis to improve the illusion of depth. Select the Select the displayed. button to display a list of object editing commands. command to rotate the current object. The Rotate Object is 196 Tutorial 17: UsingVisual Image

11 Figure 115. Select the button to rotate the object around it X, Y or Z axis. The options in this window allow you to "rotate" the object around one or more of its 3 axes. Obviously this is a 2D image, and therefore can't truly be rotated around horizontal or vertical axes. However the image is processed to create that effect. We'll rotate the object around its X axis. Set the X Axis value to 65. The Height and Width options allow you to scale the object as it is rotated. We'll leave these values unchanged. Select Apply to execute the command. The object is rotated back along a horizontal axis. Warping an Object Now let's skew the object from right to left to straighten the left edge of the object a little. Select the button from the Object Editing set of commands. A Warp Object window is displayed. In addition, a bounding box appears around the current object. This bounding box allows us to visualize our changes before executing the command. Figure 116. Select the button to warp or skew an object. Select the Skew left/right option. Move the pointer into the viewport and cover the upper-right corner of the bounding box, then hold down the left mouse button and drag the pointer toward the left. As you drag, the bounding box skews accordingly. Skew it to the left, but try to keep the top line at about the same vertical location as it was previously. When the bounding box is skewed a little to the left, release the left mouse button. Select Apply to execute the command. The object is skewed in the viewport. Select the Close button on the Warp Object window to close that window. Tutorial 17: Using Visual Image 197

12 Move an Object We've finally finished manipulating this object. All that's left to do is to reposition it into the corner of the background image. Moving an object is as simple as pointing to it and dragging. Move the pointer to cover the object (a bounding box will appear around the object when you are pointing to it), then hold down the left mouse button and drag. As you move the pointer the object moves accordingly. Move the object until it is placed in the corner of the background image. When you are finished, your project should look something like this: Figure 117. Your project should appear something like this. Obviously the above illustration doesn't convey all the work that went into creating the sandy beach texture. However, it does show approximate size and position of the object in the lower-left area of the background image. Load an Object From Disk Now that we've created a sandy beach, let's load a picture of a tree to plant onto the beach. Select the button from the Command Bar. Load the image PALM.BMP. This is an image of a palm tree, saved onto a solid black background. When it is loaded it is placed directly in the viewport as an object, and as you move the pointer, this object moves accordingly. The black background is "dropped out", or made transparent, by default. You can use the button on the Command Bar to change the dropout and transparency of objects. Position the palm tree on the sandy beach and select the left mouse button to place it at that location. Mirror an Object Now let's mirror the tree to make it fit better into our project. Select the button on the Command Bar (if it is not already selected) to display a list of object editing commands. 198 Tutorial 17: UsingVisual Image

13 Select the button to flip the current object. A Flip Object window appears. Figure 118. Select the button to flip an object on its vertical or horizontal axes. Select the Mirror button. The object is mirrored. Select the Cancel button on the Flip Object window to close that window. Copy an Object Next we'll make a copy of this object and position it so that two trees are planted on our beach. Select the button on the Command Bar to display a list of object creation commands. Select the button to copy the current object. The copy is placed in the viewport, and is repositioned as you move the pointer. Place this copy to the right of the original tree and select the left mouse button to place it there. Resize an Object First we'll resize the copy of the tree. Select the Select the displayed. button on the Command Bar. button to resize the current object. The Resize Object window is Figure 119. Select the button to resize objects. Unlike resizing in the Image Mode, resizing in the Object Mode can be done dynamically in the viewport, in addition to modifying Height and Width values. Move the pointer to one of the corners of the bounding box that surrounds the tree, and when a Windows resize arrow appears (an arrow pointing diagonally in both directions) press the left mouse button and drag toward the center of the tree image to reduce the scale of that image. As long as the left mouse button is depressed you can change the scale of the bounding Tutorial 17: Using Visual Image 199

14 box that surrounds the tree. Use this bounding box to visualize the degree to which you are resizing the object. Reduce the scale of the object by about one quarter or one third, then release the left mouse button. The object is resized accordingly. Press the Close button on the Size Obejct window to close that window. Layer Objects Let's position our copy in relation to the original tree. Drag on the copy of the tree to position it to the right of the original position it such that the branches of the trees overlap, and the base of the copied tree is a little higher than the base of the original tree. Now let's put the copy behind original. Move the pointer over the original tree in the viewport until the bounding box appears around that object, then select the left mouse button. This object now becomes the current object. In addition, it is pulled in front of all other objects in the project. Join Objects Finally, we'll join these two trees together into a single object, so that they can be manipulated in unison. Select the button on the Command Bar to display a list of object resource management commands. Select the button to join objects. The Join Object window appears. Figure 120. Select the command to join together independent objects. The Image Box on the right side of the Join Objects window displays the current object. The Image Box on the left side displays the object to join to the current object. This box is empty. From the Resource List to the left of the viewport, point to the icon that represents the copied palm tree. You can distinguish the icon representing the copied tree from the icon representing the original because the icon representing the original is bordered by a yellow rectangle. This yellow rectangle indicates the current object. In addition, as you point to icons in the Resource List, the corresponding object in the viewport is surrounded with a bounding box. 200 Tutorial 17: UsingVisual Image

15 When the pointer is positioned over the icon that represents our copied palm tree, select the left mouse button. The Join Objects window updates to display this icon in the Image Box. Select OK on the Join Objects window. The objects are joined and the Join Objects window closes. Now move this object to position it over to the left side of the image, so the left tree trunk is at the left edge of the viewport. Notice that you can position objects off the side of the viewport. Blend Object Edges The last thing we'll do to our trees is to blend the edges of them so that there isn't such a stark line between the edge of the object and the background image. Select the button on the Command Bar to edit object dropout options. The Object Options window is displayed. Figure 121. Select the button to modify an object's dropout characteristics. The object is currently set to Dropout Black. Note also that this is where you can set the Transparency of an object as a whole. A Transparency value of 100 is completely opaque. reduce the Transparency value to make an object more transparent. Select the Blend Edges option. When you select Blend Edges, the black dropout continues to be in effect. Notice that a Fade Distance type-in now appears. The higher the value we enter here, the more the edges of the object will become transparent so that they blend in with the background image. Enter a Fade distance value of 2 and press Enter on the keyboard. Look closely at the object and you'll see that the edges are less stark. Double-click on the Window Control Box at the upper-left of the Object Options window to close that window. When you are done your project should look something like the following illustration. Tutorial 17: Using Visual Image 201

16 Figure 122. A stand of palm trees has been placed on the sandy beach. Now we'll load another image from disk. Select the button on the Command Bar, and load the image FISH.BMP. An image of a fish is loaded into the viewport. Move the pointer to position the fish in the middle of the viewport and select the left mouse button to place it there. There are several things we need to do to this image to make it fit into our project. First we'll resize it. Select the button on the Command Bar, then select the button to resize the current object. Reduce the size of the image by about one-quarter or one-third. Remember, you can do this dynamically in the viewport by modifying the size of the bounding box that surrounds the object. Cut an Object The fish image appears in the viewport with the pure black values in the image dropped out. However, there are additional non-black areas that we wish to cut out of the image. Select the button to cut the current object. A Cut Window appears. Figure 123. Select the button to cut an object. Use this window to select the desired brush size and shape, and to select whether to cut or uncut the object. 202 Tutorial 17: UsingVisual Image

17 Select a brush size in the Cut Object Window (we recommend a large round one) by pointing to the desired brush size and selecting the left mouse button. Notice that the selected brush size is displayed in the box on the left side of the Cut Object window. Move the pointer into the viewport and drag the mouse to begin cutting away the clutter above the fish, from the snout to the top of the tail fin. As we cut toward the edge of the fish, we may wish to cut with a higher degree of accuracy. Therefore, let's zoom in. Press the (Zoom +) button on the Command Bar to zoom the image in. Using the slider bars below and to the right of the viewport, scroll the view until the fish is visible. Continuing cutting away the clutter above the fish. Reduce the brush size to work in closer detail. If you unintentionally cut away part of the fish, select the Erase button on the Cut window, and drag the mouse to uncut parts of the image. When you are done cutting the object, press the (Zoom Reset) button to return to a normal display. Select Close on the Cut Window to close it. Now let's place the object at the lower-right corner of the project. Point to the fish in the viewport, and when a rectangular bounding box appears around it, select and drag to reposition the fish to the lower-right corner. Recolor an Object Finally, let's recolor the fish so that its palette better complements the rest of the project. Select the button on the Command Bar to display a list of object recoloring commands. Select the button to the left of the viewport to recolor the current object. A Recolor Object window appears. Figure 124. Select the button to recolor an object. Tutorial 17: Using Visual Image 203

18 This command allows you to choose a source color from the current object, then pick a target color. When the command is executed, the colors in the object that match the source color will be replaced by the target color. The delta value determines whether or not color values close to the source color are affected: the higher the delta, the more colors are affected. To choose our source and target colors, we can select on the Color Box and pick a color from the Color Palette. Or, we can select on the button to pick a color from the viewport. We'll use the latter method. Select on the button in the source color area of the Recolor Object window, then move the pointer into the viewport and select on the bright green color at the tip of the fish's nose. The color that we selected now appears in the Color Box on the source color area of the Recolor Object window. Now let's set the target color. Select on the button in the target color area, then move the pointer into the viewport and select on an orange color from the sky below the sun. Now let's execute the command. Select Apply to recolor the fish, replacing the green color with the orange color. The color of the fish updates accordingly. Now let's execute the command again to modify another color on the fish. Select on the button in the source color area of the Recolor Object window, then move the pointer into the viewport and select on the bright purple color in the fish's stripes. Select on the button in the target color area, then move the pointer into the viewport and select on a light green color from the colors around the sun. Select Apply to execute the command. Now we're done working on our fish. If you wish, you can select the button on the Command Bar and set a Blend Edge value for the fish, like we did for the palm trees earlier. The project should appear something like the following illustration. Figure 125. A fish has been added to our project. 204 Tutorial 17: UsingVisual Image

19 Create a Text String Visual Image can incorporate text strings using any Windows TrueType font. In this section we'll define a string of text and manipulate it in the viewport. Text strings are a special kind of object, and as such not all object manipulation commands are available when a text string is selected as the current object in the viewport. Select the commands. Select the displayed. button on the Command Bar to display a list of object creation button to define a string of text. A Create Text Object window is Figure 126. Select the button to create strings of text. First let's pick the font style to use. Select the Change Font button on the Create Text Object Window. From the Windows Font Browser that appears, choose a font style (we recommend the Lucida Calligraphy font) and press OK to close the Font Browser. Don't worry about the size of the text character, because we can edit this dynamically in the viewport with no loss of text quality. Next, let's select the display characteristics for this text string. We'll create a two-color gradient, define a drop shadow, and anti-alias the edges of the text. Select the button on the Create Text Object window to define a gradient text. Select the button to define a left-to-right gradient. Assign a white color to the left side gradient box, and assign a yellow color (we recommend RGB values 217, 255, 117) to the right side gradient box. Select the Anti-alias option to enable it. Anti-aliasing creates a smooth edge for the text, much in the same way as the Blend Edges option does for bitmap objects. Tutorial 17: Using Visual Image 205

20 Select the Drop Shadow option to enable it. A set of text shadow options is now displayed. For the purposes of this tutorial, we will leave the shadow color black. However, we must define a shadow drop. Set the X Drop to 5, and the Y Drop to -2. This determines the direction in which the shadow will fall relative to the text string. X Drop determines the horizontal direction: a positive value instructs the shadow to fall to the right of the text string. Y Drop determines the vertical direction: a negative value instructs the shadow to fall below the text string. The higher the absolute value you enter (either positive or negative), the farther from the text string the shadow will fall. Now we're ready to enter our text string. Move the pointer into the viewport and select at the position where you wish to begin the text string. The location you choose is not important, because the string can be moved later; however, you should place it such that there is enough room in the viewport to type in the text string. Now type a string of text. We recommend entering the string "Visual Image". When you are finished typing, press OK on the Create Text Object window to complete the command and close the window. The text is now drawn in the viewport according to our settings. Edit a Text String Once the text string has been created, we can edit any of the settings. Select the button on the Command Bar. Notice that instead of displaying a list of editing commands for bitmap objects, an Edit Text Object window appears. If you wish to edit a text string using one of the regular object editing commands, you must first change the text string into a raster image using the Rasterize Text button. This button only appears when you select the button on the Command Bar when a text string is the current object. We'll just resize this string of text. Text strings are resized dynamically by dragging the bounding box, the same way that we resized the palm tree and the fish earlier. Position the pointer at a corner of the bounding box that surrounds the text string, and drag the mouse to reduce the size of the bounding box, then release the mouse button to redraw the text at its new size. Note that you can resize text indefinitely without affecting the quality of the text. This is because it is vector information, not raster. Note also that you can scale text independently in the horizontal and vertical directions. Reduce the size of the text string so that it can fit in the space between the right edge of the sun and the right border of the background image. 206 Tutorial 17: UsingVisual Image

21 As soon as the text appears at the desired size, press OK on the Edit Text Object window to complete the command and close the window. Reposition the text string so that your view appears similar to the following illustration. Figure 127. A text string has been added to the project. Define an Alpha Channel Matte for an Object The final element we add to our project will demonstrate the use of the alpha channel to dropout specific colors in an image. The alpha channel is very powerful because it allows us to define differing degrees of transparency for different areas of an image. First we'll load the image for which we wish to define an alpha channel matte. Select the button on the Command Bar, then load the image MOON.BMP. The moon appears as an object in the viewport. Place the moon object in the upper-right area of the project. Figure 128. The moon has been placed in the project.. This object is a simple sphere modeled in Visual Software's Visual Model application, and rendered with a bump map onto a black background using Renderize Live. The Dropout Black object option is enabled by default, so the black colors in the image are completely transparent. We want to modify this object such that additional colors are dropped out of the image. To do this we'll define an alpha channel matte. Tutorial 17: Using Visual Image 207

22 Select the button on the Command Bar to display a list of object editing commands. Select the button to define an alpha channel matte for the current object. The Edit Alpha Channel window is displayed. Figure 129. Select the button to define an alpha channel matte. The definition and use of alpha channel mattes is a very sophisticated and powerful tool which is explained in greater detail in the Object Mode Commands chapter of this manual. For the purposes of this tutorial, we will keep it simple. Notice that as soon as we selected the button, the display of the object in the viewport changed: the entire image is now visible, including both the moon and the black background on which it was rendered. Because we are editing an alpha channel, Visual Image automatically changes the dropout option for this object from Dropout Black to Dropout Alpha (these options are modified manually by selecting the button on the Command Bar). Look at the graph on the Edit Alpha Channel window. The horizontal axis represents all of the colors in the object; the vertical axis represents the degree of transparency, with colors becoming more transparent as you move down the axis. Note the horizontal line running across the top of the graph. This indicates that all colors are completely opaque. We'll edit this line to define an alpha dropout. First, however, let's indicate that we wish to dropout black in addition to dropping out an alpha matte. Select the Dropout Black option on the Edit Alpha Channel window. Now let's pick a "baseline" color from which to work. Move the pointer into the viewport and select on the brightest color in the moon object. The color you selected is now displayed in the Color Box on the Edit Alpha Channel window. This is the "baseline" color, or the color that is represented on 208 Tutorial 17: UsingVisual Image

23 the horizontal axis of the graph in the Edit Alpha Channel window. The far left point on the horizontal axis represents the baseline color that we picked. Points farther to the right on the horizontal axis represent colors that are increasingly different from the baseline color. Before we start editing our alpha channel, let's reduce the number of control points in the graph. This will give us less exact control, but will better illustrate the use of the alpha channel. In the Number of Control Points type-in, enter the number 10 and press Enter on your keyboard. You must press Enter to execute the change. Now the line in the graph has fewer control points, with a greater distance between each point. Let's make our baseline color completely transparent. Move the pointer into the graph on the Edit Alpha Channel window and select on the line at the upper-left corner of the graph, then drag the pointer down to move the control point on the line to the bottom the graph. The graph should appear something like this: Figure 130. The Edit Alpha Channel graph should appear something like this. By pulling the control point down, we are telling the software to make the color represented by this control point more transparent. The control point we modified, at the left side of the graph, represents the baseline color itself. Press the Apply button on the Edit Alpha Channel window to calculate an alpha channel matte. Look at the moon in the viewport now. The black has been dropped out, thanks to enabling the Dropout Black option. In addition, the baseline color that we picked is also transparent, and some of the color values similar to this baseline color are partially transparent. Let's continue to edit the alpha channel to make more of the moon transparent. Tutorial 17: Using Visual Image 209

24 Position the pointer at the second control point from the left, and drag it all the way to the bottom of the graph. Edit the third control point also moving it partway down the graph. Your graph should now appear similar to the following illustration. Figure 131. Your graph should appear like this. Now let's see the effect this gives us. Press the Apply button on the Edit Alpha Channel window. More of the moon is now transparent. Figure 132. The moon is now partially transparent. Continue experimenting with the alpha channel matte if you wish, as this is the best way to understand its functionality. When your done experimenting with the alpha channel matte, press Close to close the Edit Alpha Channel window. Save an Object Let's save the moon back down to disk such that the alpha channel we defined is retained as part of the image file. Press the button on the Command Bar. The Windows File Browser appears. The file extension that you type in indicates the file type to save to. 210 Tutorial 17: UsingVisual Image

25 Type in the name MOON.TGA and press OK on the File Browser. A dialog box now appears, prompting you to select a color depth and compression. To save an alpha channel with an image, you must save the image to a 32-bit file. Select 32-bit, compressed, and press OK to complete the command. The moon object is now saved as a 32-bit image file. Save a Project Now we'll save our work as a project file, in which the independent nature of all of the objects is retained. Select the button on the Command Bar. The Windows File Browser appears. The file extension that you type in indicates the file type to save to. Type in the name TUTOR.PRJ and press OK on the File Browser. The project file is now saved. A PRJ file, the Visual Image project file format, retains all of the sepaarate elements that make up the project, and saves them into a single file. Note that you can only load or save a project from the Object Mode. Save a Project as an Image Now let's save our work as a normal "flat" image file. Summary Select the button to display a list of commands to modify the background. Select the button to save the project in the viewport as an image file. The Windows File Browser is displayed. Assign the name TUTOR.BMP and press OK on the File Browser. A dialog box now appears, prompting you to select a color depth and compression. Select 8-bit, compressed, and press OK to complete the command. Our project has now been saved as an image file. The strength of Visual Image is its ability to allow you to work in "layers". Each element remains independent from the background image unless you specify otherwise, so it is very easy to experiment with effects without committing yourself to them. This tutorial has introduced you to the layout of the software and some of the effects that can be created. For a more complete understanding of the software, experiment with it. As questions arise, refer to the relevant reference sections of this manual for complete explanations to specific commands. Tutorial 17: Using Visual Image 211

26 Notes 212 Tutorial 17: UsingVisual Image