Creating with Photo Editor
When you add an object to the work area, it will appear to be on top of any other photos or objects in the work area. It is very easy to move objects and photos above or below each other. It is also very easy to change the opacity of objects so you can see through them to the objects or photos below.
You can arrange objects and change object opacity, and more, using the Object Palette.
To Display the Object Palette:
Do one of the following:
ClickView|Object Palette.
ClickWindow|Palettes|Object Palette.
Arranging Objects
In the Object Palette, you will see all of the objects and photos that you have added to the work area. The order of the objects in the Object Palette is important. The object or photo at the top of the Object Palette is the object or photo that was most recently added to the work area.
You can move objects and photos above or below each other in the work area by clicking and dragging them up and down the Object Palette. Below is an example of how the position of objects and photos is controlled in the Object Palette.
Hiding, Showing, and Locking Objects and Photos
By default, all objects and photos in the work area are visible. However, you can hide and show objects or photos by clicking theeye iconnext to the object or photo in the Object Palette.
If you want to prevent any accidental changes to an object or photo while you are working on your project, click thelock iconnext to the eye icon in the Object Palette. This lock icon displays as locked to indicate that you cannot change that object or photo. To unlock an object or photo, simply click thelock iconand it will unlock.
At the very bottom of the Object Palette is theOpacitybox. By default, all objects and photos are 100 per cent opaque, which means that you cannot see through them. As you reduce the opacity, the object or photo becomes more and more transparent. An object or photo with an opacity of zero is completely transparent. You must select an object in the Object Palette in order to alter its opacity. Next to the Opacity box is theModedrop-down. The options in this drop-down control how a transparent object or photo blends into other objects and photos. There are 9 blending options available from the Mode drop-down:
Normal SelectNormalto display the transparent object over the underlying object or photo without blending the colors together.
Multiply SelectMultiplyto multiply the colors in the transparent object with the colors in the underlying object or photo. The blend area is usually darker than the original object or photo.
Screen SelectScreento multiply the inverse or opposite of the colors in the transparent object and the underlying object or photo. The blend area is usually lighter than the original object or photo. When the transparent object is over a black area the colors in the object remain unchanged. When the transparent object is over a white area, the colors in the object become white as well.
Overlay SelectOverlayto mix the colors in the transparent object with the colors in the underlying object or photo. The blended area maintains the brightness of the underlying object or photo, and as a result you can see shadows and highlights in the blended area.
Soft Light TheSoft Lightblend option will darken or burn the colors in the underlying object or photo if the transparent object above is darker than 50% gray. It will lighten or dodge the colors in the underlying object or photo if the transparent object above it is lighter than 50% gray.
Hard Light TheHard Lightblend option will darken or multiply the colors in the underlying object or photo if the transparent object above is darker than 50% gray. It will lighten or screen the colors in the underlying object or photo if the transparent object above it is lighter than 50% gray.
Darken TheDarkenblend option identifies the darkest color in the blend area and leaves the darker colors unchanged, but replaces the colors that are lighter.
Lighten TheLightenblend option identifies the lightest color in the blend area and replaces the colors that are darker, leaving the lighter colors unchanged.
Difference TheDifferenceblend option identifies the lightest color in the blend area. If the color in the transparent object is lighter, that color is subtracted from the color of the underlying object or photo. If the color in the underlying object or photo is lighter, that color is subtracted from the color of the transparent object. When the transparent object is over a black area, the colors in the object remain unchanged. When the transparent object is over a white area, the colors in the object are inverted.
Burn TheBurnblend option combines the object color with the original pixels in the photo below to produce a darker color.
Dodge TheDodgeblend option combines the object color with the original pixels in the photo below to produce a lighter color.