inset embossing

**alanstancliff** · 06 October 2006, 09:31 AM

I know I've seen this discussed, but I can't seem to find it. Using vector objects, how can one create an inset embossed look? The embossing tool in Xara is great, but it makes the embossed object look like it juts out of the surface, so to speak. I would like to make it look as if it were sunken into the surface.

Any hints gratefully accepted.

Regards,

Alan

**GerryI** · 06 October 2006, 09:39 AM

The bevel tool can be used to create an embossed look and simply changing the lighting direction will change the effect from looking pushed out to looking pushed in. The attached file shows some text with a standard bevel applied and the same thing with the light coming from the other direction.

Gerry

**Big Frank** · 06 October 2006, 11:31 AM

Hope this helps:

**-=Drifter=-** · 06 October 2006, 01:11 PM

What is it about our eyes that makes this happen? Only the direction of the light source changes, and we see totally different things. Is light from the upper left the norm or the one from the lower right. This is actually quite fascinating.

**MarkMyWords** · 06 October 2006, 01:14 PM

We expect light to be coming from above us, with a static image (where we can't get any other clues about its depth) we will assume it is lit from above.

You can with a little concentration, decide that it is lit from below and the depth will seem to flip, but that usually reverts very quickly to the default way we see things as lit from above.

**The Alien** · 06 October 2006, 01:37 PM

Originally Posted by -=Drifter=-

What is it about our eyes that makes this happen? Only the direction of the light source changes, and we see totally different things. Is light from the upper left the norm or the one from the lower right. This is actually quite fascinating.

Maybe it's because everything in windows (and other OS's?) is lit that way?

**Soquili** · 06 October 2006, 02:26 PM

It predates Windows and other OS's by thousands of years. Drawings have used techniques to indicate light coming from above because that is where the sun and the moon (original sources of light) produce the most visible view of things.

Tourches, candles, lanterns, electric lights have also been placed high so the lighting is similar to the sun and moon.

**alanstancliff** · 06 October 2006, 06:05 PM

Thanks to everyone for the wonderful and clear explanations.

Regards,

Alan

**pauland** · 09 October 2006, 08:26 AM

Originally Posted by Soquili

Tourches, candles, lanterns, electric lights have also been placed high so the lighting is similar to the sun and moon.

I think it's more to do with lighting working better from high up because of obstruction and shining directly into people eyes (and fire safety)!

Paul