You may have heard by now that LXI 26 is new from the ground up. It’s built on an all-new GUI and includes cool new vector design tools. Lots of cool old vector design tools are included, but they may look a little different. So we’re here to introduce you to how to use some of LXI 26’s standard sign design tools. Today’s topic is Drop Shadows. Shadow effects like Drop shadows and block shadows are a staple of professional sign design. They’re great for designing logos and defining title or masthead elements in posters and signage. Let’s look at how shadow effects are managed in LXI 26
Overview: Different Kinds of Shadow Effects and When to Use Them
Generally speaking, when we talk about shadow effects in vector graphics, we use the catchall term ‘drop shadow’. But there are actually several different types of shadow effects supported in LXI. LXI 26 has five effects in the Shadows toolbar, including Drop, Block, Relief, Perspective, and Cast shadows. Well, four and a half, actually. More on that later. Most of this article will talk about how to use them, but we should also take a moment to talk about why and when.
Effects like drop shadows and outlines have fallen out of favor in the graphic design world over the last ten years or so. The current trend is toward much simpler fonts with minimal ornamentation. The Macy’s logo is a good example. Part of this push toward simplicity was a backlash against designers diving into the toolboxes as Illustrator, Photoshop, CorelDRAW, LXI, and other graphic design apps became more widely available. People new to digital design slapped outlines, strokes, and shadows on just about everything. Not that we ever, ever made such mistakes here. No siree.
Even in today’s ‘less is more’ paradigm, there are still good use cases for shadow effects. Contrast is one of the main tenets of good design, and one of the effects of adding a shadow to a text element is creating contrast with the rest of the layout. Shadows tell viewers where to look first and what’s important. They’re great for logos, mastheads, and titles. Enough about design philosophy, let’s get to the nuts and bolts and find out how to use shadow effects in LXI 26.
Shadow Effect Smart Bar Options
Before we get into the details about what distinguishes the different kinds of shadow effects in LXI 26, it’s a good idea to get familiar with the Smart Bar widgets. The LXI 26 Smart bar works much like Design Central in older versions. It’s an interactive toolbox that presents specific functions based on your selected object or operation. When you open the Transform Menu and select an effect, the Smart Bar loads the widgets and settings that support that effect. The Shadow Smart bar offers the following widgets.
Shadow Type: There are four icons at the left of the Smart Bar that show four kinds of Shadows. These are Block, Perspective, Drop, and Cast. But what about Relief Shadows? Relief is actually a widget activated in the Block Shadows toolbar. So there are four or five, depending on how you count them (FIG 1).
Color Layer: Next to the Shadows menu, there is a button with a fill. This is the Color Layer picker that allows you to determine the color of the shadow effect. Click here to see your chosen color palette, pick a hue, and update the preview.
X, Y Coordinates: Like most of the effects in the Transform menu, there are two ways to manage shadow effects in LXI 26. You can use the nodes and frames that appear on screen, and click and drag to change the angle, depth, thickness, and position of the shadow. Or you can just update the X value to move it left or right relative to the text, and use the Y value to raise or lower it.
Outline: Check or uncheck this box to add an outline to the applied shadow. Adding outlines to shadows is an example of the decorative excess that has fallen out of favor, so you might want to use this one sparingly. On the other hand, there are still products on grocery store shelves with outlines in shadows, so never say never.
Corners: There is also a corners menu that allows you to choose how the shadow effect’s corners are articulated. The default is a sharp corner. The Miter setting rounds these off to give a softer effect to the shadow element. Round takes it a step further and completely eliminates the shadow’s corners for a softer, friendlier look. The fourth option is Relief Shadow, which triggers Shadow Effect Number four-and-a-half (when applied to a Block shadow).
Thickness: This is another way to quickly manage the size of the shadow effect. This is the precise alternative to clicking and dragging the square node on the preview frame. If you want a quarter-inch shadow on your text, type it in here.
Soft, Opacity, and Blur: These three options are not relevant to all types of shadows, but they can make a big difference in how strong the shadow appears relative to its donor characters. Clearly, changing the opacity setting makes the shadow more or less opaque. See what I did there? Changing the blur setting softens the edges of the applied shadow to more closely mimic the shadows we see daily in three-dimensional space. Opacity and Blur can be applied independently.
Shadow Effects in LXI 26
Now that we know how to use the Shadows Smart Bar settings, let’s walk through the menu and see how these smart widgets manage the different kinds of shadow effects.
Block Shadow: The first option in the Shadows toolbox is Block. Choosing this option creates an effect that visually turns your letters into three-dimensional blocks. The round node in the upper right corner projects a vanishing point that determines the depth of the block effect. The square node just below it determines the offset value, or width of the shadow. This is very similar to the Perspective Shadow, but here, the effect is framed by two vanishing points instead of one. Each adjustment updates the interactive preview. A mouse-click applies the settings, and creates the block shadow (FIG 2).
Perspective Shadow: As noted above, Block and Perspective are very similar. The Perspective Shadow effect presents the same two nodes as Block Shadow, but the effect is based on one-point perspective. This means that the lines extend backward from the center of the object, creating the illusion that you’re viewing the colossal three-dimensional character from the front. This effect reminds older folks of the traditional Superman masthead.
The effect is managed the same way, with the round node extending the effect ‘backward’ - away from the viewer - and the square node setting the thickness or offset of the shadow. To set these values numerically, change the values in the Cast and Thickness windows in the Smart Bar (FIG 3).
Drop Shadow: This is the most common shadow effect. So much so, that we often use the term ‘drop shadow’ as a catchall to refer to other kinds of shadow effects. A drop shadow is a simple copy of the font, offset to create the illusion of space between the text and background. Think of it as an outline you can drag around. This can be used with vector vinyl graphics or digital print applications.
The same two nodes are used here with the same effect seen with the Block shadow, but they control three variables. The round node in the upper right corner determines the angle of the shadow. Drag this to maneuver the shadow into the angle you want to offset it from the text. The square handle on the right side determines the size or offset of the shadow effect, and its distance from the font.
To adjust these numerically in the Smart Bar, change the values in the Angle, Distance, and Thickness windows (FIG 4).
Relief Shadow: As noted above, the Relief Shadow is actually a setting you can activate within the Block Shadow toolbox. Create a Block shadow. In the Smart Bar widgets, click Outline. Then click the arrow to activate the Relief Shadow effect. Adjusting the outline width determines how pronounced the relief is between the text and the block shadow (FIG 5). Changing the numerical value in the Thickness window next to the Relief Shadow arrow adjusts the width of the stroke between the object and its block shadow.
Cast Shadow: Think of a cast shadow as the opposite of a block shadow. The Cast Shadow effect creates the illusion of light coming from behind the text or object, casting a shadow into the foreground of your design. It’s an easy way to create the illusion of three-dimensional space and depth in your designs. Select your object, click Transform/Shadow, and click to select the fourth icon in the Style Menu. The object frame now has the same two nodes reversed. The round node that controls the angle is now at the lower right corner. Click and drag the round node to determine the angle and length of the cast shadow. As you drag the node, you may see the numerical values changing in the Smart bar’s X and Y coordinates and Angle and Depth windows. You can adjust these in the windows, and watch the preview move with the changes, but clicking and dragging is the more intuitive option.
The square node on the side adjusts the thickness, but only in one dimension. You can drag it away from the object to make the shadow larger than its anchor, but you can’t drag it within that frame to shrink it. These changes are also reflected in the Thickness window. Enlarging this may also create a faux relief effect because it disconnects the shadow from the object. (FIG 6). Finally, you can also adjust the opacity and sharpness of the cast shadow by using the sliders in the Smart bar’s Opacity and Blur widgets. Using these gives your cast shadow a more photorealistic effect. This is one of the many tools in LXI 26 that makes it a useful design application for digitally printed graphics (FIG 7).
Modern graphic design tends to be stark and spare, but there are still great uses for shadow effects in logos, signs, banners, posters, and other digital graphics applications. LXI26 makes using these tools easy with the Transform Menu and its embedded interactive smart bar. Get to know them and when to use them to add punch to your vinyl decals, or depth and space to your digital prints.
