April 2013 Video Tutorial: Making a Diffuse Shadow

[Gare]

Because April's Big News—the release of Web Designer 9—is the top story at the Xara Xone, I've made a shorter video tutorial this month, covering a real simple but elegant thing: the creation of a diffuse shadow using Live Effects in Xara Designer.

Watch it here

The reason I wrote this is because I'm seeing a lot of soft shadows like those Photoshop used to produce with the Gaussian Blur filter, and very crisp shadows, but not ones whose edges are rough, suggesting overcast lighting and/or a rough surface.

Let's talk about it here, and by the way, I created a tutorial and a Giveaway this month of seamless textures for web pages as a complement to Gary P.'s piece on WD9.

My Best,

Gary

[angelize]

Combining the diffuse and Gaussian blur Live effects to create a more realistic shadow is a good tip. I've blurred shadows, feathered shadows, used the diffuse on shadows I don't know why it never occurred to me to combine the diffuse and blur.

I've had this idea for a drawing kicking around in my head for a few weeks now this little tutorial inspired me to let it out!

[stygg2003]

Nice effects Francis and the drawing. I've just made the shadows as in the tut. I want to have a go at recreating that shiny sphere, it's really neat.

Stygg

[wizard509]

Good job stygg, I'd like to try that one myself when I get home.

[stygg2003]

Cheers Larry, those shadow effects look good on all spheres

Stygg

[angelize]

Thanks Stygg I'm thinking I may also post that drawing in the Xara art gallery forum where I can get a bit of feedback on the drawing it's self and not just the shadows.

I think these shadows look better when the surface they are cast on has some sort of texture to it.