Selective feathering

[inabottle]

Is there something I can do within Xara, to selective feather, so It only feathers between two points and not an entire shape, so I can have a solid side to a shape, but have the other side fade into a feather? Is this possible? I used clipview for my example, but is there a less tedious way to acheive this in xara?

[jamesmc]

You can break a points after it is convert to a shape.

Make layers, give the illusion of one shape.

Make a shape, clone it, use transparent fill or transparency to get rid of the part you don't want seen.

I guess the question is what is the final goal you are trying to achieve.

In my experience with all graphic programs, including 3D, if you don't take advantage of layers, name your components and use fills/shading/transparencies to create effects, you have a long hard road ahead of designing stuff.

[inabottle]

yah, i was just looking for maybe a paved road...! lol

[AndFarr]

Well yes, but it is really an illusion.
-Create your shape
- Color it to your liking.
-Duplicate the shape
- Feather the duplicated shape
- Place the feathered shape over the un-feathered shape and position so the edge you want to have the feathered look is hanging slightly over the lower shape.
- Send the feathered shape to the back.
Now for the tricky ( and useful ) part: With the feathered shape selected, convert it to an editable shape. Then using the shape editor tool, select two point on either side of the desired feathered edge ( using the shift key), Then while still holding the shift key down, tap the arrow keys in the direction you want, and the shape will deform around the selected points! You can thereby effectly hide all but the desired edge of the feathered shape.
Since the shapes are the same color they will visually blend together.
You will probably have to adjust the top un-feathered shape as well.
Once an acceptable look is achieved , Group the shapes, and continue on as need be.
-Andrew

[molucca]

A transparent method. I broke the path and made a brush to apply to the path. I painted the edge using the brush over a black object. The object was over a white background. I made a bitmap copy of the mask drawing. The object was selected, and the mask selected in the bitmap gallery. Transparent was selected to soften the edge using the mask. This is non destructive, but will appear to erase the pixels.

Rich

[Grafixman]

Illustrator have masking layers. Perhaps future Xara versions would have them, too. I know it might make vector purists wince, but all these fancy effects are going to be converted to bitmaps later if you want to keep them intact, anyway....
My suggestion would be to do all you can with vectors in Xara, then touch up the parts later in a bitmap editor. A pass with the blur or smudge tool isn't that hard...
(ducks and runs away....)

[molucca]

This does give an indirect way of erasing in Xara. Or, hide pixels to be more exact. You can edit the mask drawing, and make a new bitmap copy. Then reapply the new mask. I was surprised this works with objects. Rich

[AndFarr]

Good point Grafixman, you're right. Probably a better end result as well. - AF

[jclements]

Here are some other techniques for what I call edge enhancements.

If you download the .xar file (Xtreme format), then play around with replacing red with white (or a color equal to the background color).

John