Feathered Vector Mask

[sallybode]

I made a feathered vector mask that I think will be useful. The frame is not included in the download, nor is the picture. I saved it in Version 9.0 format so it should be available for most every CorelDRAW user, in 9.0 you can't save presets. You may wish to clip the mask inside a power clip if you want smooth exterior edges.

But if you want to make your own, for your photo, create an elipse or shape you wish the vignette to follow and the approximate outside (this should be oversized if you wish to power clip later). Combine these two shapes to leave a hole in the middle, you may either fill with white or other color, works best if the body of the mask matches the next step or it also works if the whole shape is transparent. If you are unfamiliar with using 100% transparent objects, then by all means, use white. Then depending upon your version of DRAW you can save the properities as a drop shadow preset from the download file of the drop shadow with the eyedropper tool, or use the following settings:

Shadow Properties:
Transparency: 100%
Feather: 13
Shadow Mode: Outside
Feather Properties: Squared
Blend Mode: Normal (X3 only)
X: 0.0
Y: 0.0
Perspective Type: Flat (9.0 only)

Inpiration from Sark who posted a macro called Gaussian Blur. Or you can use this macro and make your shadow white with Normal blend mode.

This has been tested in X3, 12.0 and 9.0 (In 12.0 and X3 you can save your presets, perhaps for 10.0 and 11.0 but I don't have those versions of DRAW).

The frame was made from a 50% gray 24 pt line, changed to an RGB Bitmap at 300 dpi, expand canvas both in the x and y by an inch. Create mask from object, use The Boss, followed by Plastic, then apply curves (make a big "M" usually), then either color with Tone Hue or with the new adjustment controls in X3. The inner matte is just a black line set fairly wide.

Once you figure out the preset, making gold in PhotoPaint is easy.

Enjoy.

[Sark]

Will take a look tonight Sally. You're really getting into using shadows in Draw now aren't you? The ability to control a bitmap with a path is very versitile. There are clearly a lot of possibilities. Maybe a macro could create the entire mask?

Sark

[sallybode]

Creating the mask is easy, just a rectangle and an oval then combine, I saved the settings to the shadow save settings button, so it is as convenient as a macro.

But then again the color of the shadow and feathering, etc. could all be in the macro, it could be the same as the gaussian blur, just applied to whatever mask is needed for the job.

So, how do your write a macro?

[Sark]

So, how do your "write" a macro?...I think you have to be some kind of alien species to be able to do this Sally.

I just "record" a macro and then remove unnecesary code to speed its performanance. The more code the longer it takes to apply.
Example: If you apply any effect, the default settings for each parameter are recorded before you apply your own settings. Deleting the line that represents the default settings helps reduce the size of the macro, making it faster and more reliable.
The Gaussian blur macro for example is a quarter the size of the recorded version .

Sark

[sallybode]

I changed your macro to do what I needed for making the vignetting I wanted to do quicker. But I have also found that it seems to change with operating system. At home, I use XP and at work, I have Windows 2000 NT, it is older and maybe not as compliant.

I may have to record the macro at work to use it there. There is no problem in X3 but I am the only user of it at work, X3 has plate rotation problems, in order to overcome that with our platemaker, I either have to make a .pdf out of it or rotate my file so that it prints correctly. Consequently, the script I write has to work for 12 on Win 2000 NT. And I don't have much time to play with the code at work.

But I am determined to learn, it is useful.