Using reflections on a bg with transparency

[AndyD]

Hi

I am having problems trying to produce an image with reflections. I have been doing it in the past with Xara4. My procedure is to take a number of images, create copies of them, flip them then add transparency once they are in place as refelctions. These are all placed onto a dark background; reflections are stretching beyond the background at this stage. And in the past if I select all, then Arrange>Combine Shapes>Intersect Shapes then I can have the whole image without the transparent regions of the reflections. My plan is to have the background transparent and save all as a png to preserve the transparency on web. But it doesn't seem to happen in my latest attempts. Instead at the Intersect Shapes stage I get a tiny part of the background as my final image.... I am confused, as you may be able to read, lol.
Anyone any ideas please...? Do I have to make a smaller image for the reflections rather than a copy/paste of the original images and converting to reflections by using the transparency tool?

I have set the background size to 960x235 but when saved and I check image size in the Open FIle window the image size is now 881x311....

[handrawn]

not sure I fully understand what you are saying, sorry

it might be you need to group the image+reflection, but I am unclear on the purpose of the intersect shapes operation

[Soquili]

Steve I believe that Andy is using Intersect Shapes rather than Clip View to prevent the reflection from extending beyond the background.

[handrawn]

Hi Bill

yes - I thought about clipview

- still a bit confused about the workflow though - 'dark background' and then 'transparent background' ..... maybe slow today

[AndyD]

Soquili hit the nail on the head. In my image the reflections extend beyond the frame of my final image. I don't thnk I used Clip View in v4... where can I do such an operation in the newer version P&GD? I'll then make the background transparent so the image can be put into a slideshow and allow the slideshow's own image to operate as the background. Or is there an alternative method...? I don't seem to get the full 960px I would like for the whole image once I have made the background transparent.... oh it's late here.....

[handrawn]

clipview should be on the arrange menu [shortcut - Q]

you need the object that does the clipping at the back [which it will be as it is a background I guess]

[AndyD]

Thanks Steve, I just used it.... but if I want to go back to the image and make changes, everything seems to be grouped.... should that be the case... ?

[Soquili]

Andy clipview does work similar to a group.

Maybe the attached images will help.

Clipview and Intersect Shapes are in the same menus in both Xtreme Pro 4 and Photo & Graphic Designer 6.

[handrawn]

Hi

you use control+leftclick to select and move objects that have been clipped in version 6

[still alt+q to remove clip]

[AndyD]

Many thanks for the info guys.... I don' remember usng Clip View in v4, but then again I may not have done exactly what I am trying to do at the moment... lol... I'm playing with it at the moment but think it is time for bed.... Thanks again