Bevel and Light Elevation Tool ??

**wayupnorthstars** · 01 February 2006, 02:56 PM

Hello

I have drawn a picture of a penguin, bevelled it, rounded it, and put a light elevation on it.

The finished item looks perfect!

I want to now flip the penguin and print it backwards for an iron on. For some reason my printer does not have an iron on option which will do this for me.

When I flip the penguin, all the light elevations are backwards.

I've attached a sample below .. the lighting changes its direction (eyes for example have lighting first at the back and black lines and then switches to the front.)(Wings also do the same.)

Is there a way I can tell the program to keep the light elevation for flipping?

copyright M.A.S.

**Soquili** · 01 February 2006, 04:13 PM

Hi,

I've had that problem before. Xara works mostly with display images (web pages) and defaults to having the light for bevel remain constant even if the image is flipped.

Besides the Light Elevation, there is also the Light Angle setting for the Bevel Tool. When I need to flip something and have the light appear as if it is from the upper right instead of the default upper left, I change the light angle.

**GroWeb** · 01 February 2006, 05:07 PM

Try converting all to editable shapes before flipping. (You should first save the original to retain full editability of shadows and bevels).

Glen

**wayupnorthstars** · 01 February 2006, 07:13 PM

Thank you very much Glen. The idea of the converting to editable shapes worked perfectly.

I knew that I could take the bevel and change the light angle, but my penguins were drawn in pieces, and it would be time consuming for me, although it would work also.

If I may ask, what is it telling it when I use the convert to editable shapes. Just a bit confused of why it worked. Always thought this was just for reshaping the item.

Thanks again for all the help

**stlewis** · 01 February 2006, 09:56 PM

Just on 'Convert to Editable Shapes'...

It converts a *special* shape to an *ordinary* shape - whether it is a text character or a Quick Shape or a Blend or a Shadow or a Bevel.

**GroWeb** · 01 February 2006, 10:45 PM

Originally Posted by wayupnorthstars

If I may ask, what is it telling it when I use the convert to editable shapes. Just a bit confused of why it worked. Always thought this was just for reshaping the item.

I don't really know the technical answer to this; but I believe that it changes the identity and characteristics of the shadows and bevels from "shadows" and "bevels" to shapes fiiled with bitmap images of shadows and bevels. In the process, it also removes the shadows' or bevels' specialized dynamic association with the shadowed or bevelled objects. The cumulative result of all this is that the shadows and bevels flip right along with the other objects in the drawing, as you have discovered.

I hope this answers your question.

Glen