A Filter Forge Filter to Share

**angelize** · 25 July 2013, 08:43 AM

I created this filter originally intending to create a Chrome like metal surface filter that would work with Xara software and as things sometimes do it grew and blossomed into what I now call Selection Surface Works.

I thought I'd share it here for anyone who has Filter Forge. The filter is meant to be used when you use FF as a plugin and as well as gleaming metal, it can do brushed metal and glossy ceramic surfaces. Apply it to text, shapes, even complex groups and it also has a tint setting that allows you to set how much your original selection shows through.

http://www.filterforge.com/filters/11604.html This is the link to the filter in the filter forge filter library.

Here are some examples of what the filter can do

**wizard509** · 25 July 2013, 04:36 PM

Thanks Frances.

**richinri** · 25 July 2013, 10:27 PM

Does FF (least expensive version) work within the latest Xara?

**iamtheblues** · 27 July 2013, 06:01 PM

@ frances, thanks for posting this, it works really well.
Bob.

@richinri - yes, the 32 bit version, and if you lock the effects.

**iamtheblues** · 28 July 2013, 07:59 AM

Some fiddling with the FF settings produced this. Looks better if you embiggen it.
Bob.

**angelize** · 28 July 2013, 08:32 AM

Thanks Larry, Ricinri, and Bob. I'm glad to see that the filter is useful. And as Bob said currently the FF effects have to be locked. They do work in any Xara software that has plugins support.

I'm thinking about doing a few more Xara Friendly Filter Forge Filters. I've got a couple of ideas just need to find the time

**wizard509** · 28 July 2013, 06:19 PM

Nice, Bob!

**ber61** · 29 July 2013, 06:30 AM

Please explain for me, one of the slower in the class, what does it mean to lock the effects and how do I lock them?
Thanks in advance as always.

**angelize** · 29 July 2013, 06:53 AM

Hi Richard, Locking the effect stops the program from redrawing the effect. Xara's effects are called live effects because you can work your image or vector shape/group and resize squash skew etc and the program will redraw the effect at the set resolution. When you lock the effect the program creates a bitmap and this also allows you to share a .xar file that has an effect in it and if the file is opened by someone who doesn't have the effect installed they will still see the created bitmap.

To lock the effect simply click the little lock icon on the FX/live effects info bar.