Page 6


	The TIP SHEET

	Creating a soft edge using SL-Blur. The image on the right is another of the images on the Xara replacement CD. You can download SL-Blur from the XaraXone Shareware Page. It's very easy to use. 1) Copy the image to the clipboard (Ctrl C) The image, wide-eyed-child.jpg, is in the download file Or Click Here to download the image from the web.



		2) Open SL-Blur and click the clipboard icon to Paste the image. Check the Add Border option, set the slider to 20 and press the drop icon to apply the blur. 3) Click the copy icon (the two pages) to copy the image to the clipboard.




		4) Reopen Xara and Paste (Shift Ctrl V) the image choosing the Paste as Bitmap option. 5) Center the non-blurred image on top of the blurred image and apply a Diamond Transparency adjusting the handles as shown. The center of the non-blurred image is 0% transparent while the outside is 100%. This creates a soft blend from sharp to soft.


	Reader TIP: Catharina Hogarth, AKA CAT, suggests an efficient method for auditioning type faces. Select the text and scroll through the font list until you find a font you like. Apply the font. Select the text and apply another font. Continue until you've worked your way through the font list. To review, click the Undo icon on the Infobar or press Ctrl Z. The changes will take place in reverse order.

	Closely Related Reader TIP: Paul Söderholm came up with this useful tip. To restore one of these 2-color photos to its original color state, select the image and click on the no fill and no outline hatched box to the left of the screen palette with the right and left mouse buttons.

		Correction TIP: John Clements writes: Holding the Ctrl key while nodes are selected and pressing the cusp icon in the info bar changes smooth nodes to cusps but maintains the current path. (Your editor gave you the wrong information. Ooops!)




		Related TIP: To create the multi- colored transparent text (MoterFEM D) also on the Xara replacement CD, make a duplicate photo, change the colors, like the two shown here. Select the photo and the text and from Arrange, select Combine Shapes > Intersect Shapes. The duplicate photo will go away leaving just the colored text that matches the image.

			Got TIPS? Click Here to send your editor your TIP(s) via e-mail. If I use your tip, I'll give you credit. Fair enough?