Creating cut-out in frames

[traceyp]

Hi Everyone

Today I've been presented with a problem that I can't find an answer to. My partner and I look after a monthly publication for the off-road fraternity in the East of England. This is an A5 format Gazette containing all the entry forms for the various events for the coming two months.

The front cover is essentially the same every month except for the month and issue number; the frames on the front and rear are also a different colour each month. Up to now we've given the printers files which have resulted in the colour being overprinted with black. Although presentable, today our printer suggested using cut-out frames to print the front and rear covers thus avoiding overprinting the colour with black. I know this will give a much better result but I have a problem.

I am certain that this can all be done using XaraX - but how? I can get so far but not far enough. My stumbling block is really the bitmap which was imported as a .PNG. I just cannot work out the procedure to adopt. Can anyone give me some guidance please?

To assist, I have attached the header of the Gazette (in .xar format) to this message and I need to end up with cut-outs in the background frame where the header objects are. I should add that this includes a bitmap to the far left of the local area that we wish to retain on the front cover. Also, the remaining frames and graphics on the front and rear covers have similar objects on them - but just what do I do to achieve the desired effect.

Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks very much.

Tracey

[John Rayner]

Hi Tracey,

I am not sure if I understand your problem, but to me it appears to me you need a cutout for your bitmap/Map. so you can either doodle one yourself, or use the attached doodle if you are tracing impaired. http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

It is also a good idea, to convert your text to curves for us folks that do not have "Seabird HeavySF" or "Brushwood" installed on ou machines. (Kinda makes the text look AFU) http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

[RTK]

John,

I believe (if I understood the problem correctly) that Tracy (in essence) is asking how to have everything: text and map subtracted from the light purple background. And that includes the dropshadow, which might be tricky to make look AS GOOD the vector way (I can't! http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/frown.gif)... Tried faking it with cloned text and feathering - doesn't look nearly as good as the bitmap shadow.

I think the issue it that the printer is saying that it would look better if the text+dropshadow+map is NOT overprinted on another colour.

Then again, maybe I'm the one over-complicating things?!

P.S. Tracy, why not just re-tracy http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif (sorry, I had to write that http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif (I'll blame the painkillers... http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/frown.gif )) the map in to vector format?

[John Rayner]

hi Risto,

Ummm The pain killers really must've been setting in about this time... (the tracied map is what is in my .xar file) I didn't have traceyp fonts so they where subsituted on my machine (with something totally off the wall of course. One of these days, I know I will get wingdings substituted in http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif)

Gary did some realistic shadows in his one of his CMYK tuts. Don't ask me which one tho. http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/rolleyes.gif http://www.talkgraphics.com/images/smilies/biggrin.gif

[RTK]

*bump*

Anyone?

[John Rayner]

I think it was this one... workbook33

[RTK]

John, she doesn't have a problem with CMYK drop shadows.

[John Rayner]

If I am not mistakening... Gary used regular shapes to create the drop shadows and not the bitmap shadow tool. Which means, she can slice and dice them, to keep from overprinting.

[masque]

If I understand the problem then this might be what you are after.
Cut the shapes out of the background and then apply a .5pt outline to give a little overlap when the text and map is dropped into the correct position on the print. If you use a shadow with this method you will have to make it a hard edged one and cut the background to accomodate that as well. The map will need to be traced more accurately than I have.
Once the background has been printed the text, with or without shadow, along with the map and the black outline, can be printed into the holes.
Or have I misunderstood your problem all together?
derek

[wW]

I ended up with the same graphic as Masque. We must not understand. Do you want the drop shadow but have it not show up outsided the box? See ex-

When it comes to print & seperations in Xara, There quite a few factors to consider. We can go into them if needed but for now I'll post some images that show the effect "I think" your after. Window effects? Need feedback.