Text on Buttons

[Anna]

Hi,

Sorry if this has been covered over and over.

I am trying to make buttons using Xara's Bevel Tool and button tool. I want the buttons and text to have the same curvature.

I have only seen buttons with text slapped on top of the bevel which affects the illusion. The text is flat, the button curved.

How is this done ..... to have the text conform to the concave or convex buttons.

Thanks for any help.

Anna B.
http://www.AngelChild.com/
http://falcon.unibase.com/

[This message was edited by Anna on August 06, 2002 at 08:39.]

[Anna]

Hi,

Sorry if this has been covered over and over.

I am trying to make buttons using Xara's Bevel Tool and button tool. I want the buttons and text to have the same curvature.

I have only seen buttons with text slapped on top of the bevel which affects the illusion. The text is flat, the button curved.

How is this done ..... to have the text conform to the concave or convex buttons.

Thanks for any help.

Anna B.
http://www.AngelChild.com/
http://falcon.unibase.com/

[This message was edited by Anna on August 06, 2002 at 08:39.]

[gwpriester]

Just select both objects at the same time, or independently, and apply a bevel.

If you reverse the light angle for the text, it will appear to be recessed out of the button.

Ah, but wait. I think I see what you are saying. If you create your buttons using the Button and Navbar Tool, right. Well try what I have shown in my image below. I think if you let Xara automatically create the buttons it should still work.

You might also want to look at the November 2001 Xara X Tutorial in which I cover this in considerable depth.

Gary

Gary Priester

Moderator Person

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XaraXone

[This message was edited by Gary W. Priester on August 06, 2002 at 15:58.]

[Anna]

Sorry, I guess I was unclear.

Like in this example. The button looks concave, the text looks flat.

Anna B.
http://www.AngelChild.com/

[Anna]

Or this one ......

Anna B.
http://www.AngelChild.com/

[gwpriester]

The black and white contour is a clone of the button shape. Converted to bitmap (Create Bitmap Copy) and placed over the button shape and the text and your choice of flat transparency applied.

Top to bottom Linear transparency is applied to the white highlight.

Gary

Gary Priester

Moderator Person

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XaraXone

[Anna]

Thanks for persisting, Gary.

Well, not quite yet. This looks more like a transparancy ... like the text is within the button.

I want it to lay on top of the button and wrap around the button with full prospective and all.

For example, when you go to the fair, you can get your name written on a grain of rice. It should look like it would if you could blow it up big enough to be a real button.

Darn, I wish you could see what is in my head.

Anna B.
http://www.AngelChild.com/

[dalel]

I know exactly what you are talking about.

You want the text to curve with the curvature of the button.

See my example.

Here's what I did:

1 - I created the button and created some text.

2 - I converted the text to editable shapes.

3 - Use the Mould Tool on the text. I put the mould on it that looks like the sides are convex, squeezed in. This effect is too extreme, so...

4 - After you apply the mould, switch to the Shape Editor tool and adjust the curved sides of the mould to make your text look a little curved, but not too much. Some moulds can be altered like any other shapes, but you cannot add points.

Hope this helps!

http://talkgraphics.infopop.net/1/Op...&ul=1101906325 [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img] Eye Site Web Design
Why, I’m afraid I can’t explain myself, sir, because I’m not myself, you know...
- Lewis Carroll

[This message was edited by Dale Landry on August 06, 2002 at 19:52.]

[This message was edited by Dale Landry on August 06, 2002 at 20:16.]

[dalel]

I converted the text to editable shapes. I applied an oval mould to the text, and adjusted the sides with the Shape Editor Tool.

This screen capture shows the mould. The left and right lines are curved slightly. I accentuated the curve on top and bottom for effect.

http://talkgraphics.infopop.net/1/Op...&ul=1101906325 [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img] Eye Site Web Design
Why, I’m afraid I can’t explain myself, sir, because I’m not myself, you know...
- Lewis Carroll

[Anna]

Thanks for responding, Dale.

I had played around with the mould tool. Here's one, however, not as nicely formed as yours ... but you get the idea.

However, when I went to make buttons with the button and nav bar, the text can't be changed so that everything remains consistant.

I want a hollowed out (convave), or rounded button (convex). The text should follow the shape of the button like it is attached to it, including shadows if the text is raised, or engraved into the button. When it wraps onto the edges, there should be shadows (darker areas). Perhaps, it isn't possible, or I still don't have my vision explained well enough yet.

Thanks for the attempts at trying to interpret my words anyway.

Anna B.
http://www.AngelChild.com/