Lin Evans Posted May 11, 2011 Report Share Posted May 11, 2011 When one chooses "Rasterize Text to PNG" there is a message which states that it is no longer necessary to do so, and for "most" purposes that is true, however, there are times when doing so can be useful I think.For example - If I wanted broad text with images inside the text itself. Of course this would be easy enough to do with Photoshop or other software, but how nice to be able to do the whole process in PTE (and easier, I might add). O.K., this is not a "sterling example," but you can get the idea. I created text using PTE and it was very easy to see the text and pick just the perfect one for the example because I simply scrolled through and observed the text on the screen. Next I wrote the text (using the default "white color") I wanted to use then saved it as a PNG using the "Rasterize to PNG" feature of pte. Ignoring the message, I went ahead and gave the file a useful name and saved it. Next I created a mask using the white text as the mask and simply ran an image with aspen leaves inside the mask with a little animation. Very easy to do and "could" have useful implications for some titles, etc., I think. Here's a quick and dirty sample:http://www.learntoma...pentextdemo.zip (less than 1 megabyte)NOTE: modified by using video behind text - 4.7 meg download nowBest regards,Lin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Yachtsman1 Posted May 11, 2011 Report Share Posted May 11, 2011 Hi LinLike the concept, but can't see any detail in the text on my 19inch monitor.Regards EricYachtsman1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lin Evans Posted May 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2011 Hi Eric,There really isn't much detail because the leaves on the Aspen trees were too thick and too large to fit into the letters correctly - really a "quick and dirty" example to just give the impression of movement in the letters.The "ideal" way to do this particular effect would be to have a short video of the Aspen leaves "shimmering" as blown by the wind. They call them "Quaking Aspens" here in Colorado. The video would simply take the place of the still image and there would be no need to "animate" it because it would already have all the motion necessary. Actually, the effect works equally well without motion with certain types of backgrounds and the more "blocky" the text, the better it works. I didn't take too much time with this one, just wanted to present the "concept" so Igor could see one reason why we might want to keep this feature.....Best regards,Lin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SheilaG Posted May 11, 2011 Report Share Posted May 11, 2011 Hi Lin,I'm a great believer in the power of a good title, especially for our still images when we've 'played' with them in some way, which I usually have. I'm becoming increasingly aware that this can be very important with our AVs if we want to catch and hold the viewer's attention. I can see, and I like, the movement you've created in this demo. It would capture the mood of a subsequent AV beautifully. I always try to bring a little 'extra' to my own title pages but this is someething I haven't tried, but definitely will. Thanks, yet again!Regards,Sheila G Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stonemason Posted May 11, 2011 Report Share Posted May 11, 2011 Hi LinAs always a very useful technique, and so much easier than the clipping layer and multiple images, that I use in photoshop, plus the bonus of movement. Many thanks for sharing this.Geoff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Porter Posted May 11, 2011 Report Share Posted May 11, 2011 Hi lin,Your posts and tutorials remind me of the adage "every day I get better and better". Thanks for teaching me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davegee Posted May 11, 2011 Report Share Posted May 11, 2011 Lin,I can understand how using PTE is useful for making the mask "in-house" but the more traditional method of using Photoshop to make the PNG allows for "stroking" the text to provide seperation between the "moving" text and the background slide.I'm not sure if the "in-house" method will do this?Also the possibility of using video in place of an image with PZR is intriguing but will add a whole lot of "bulk" to the file size. Nice idea though!DG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lin Evans Posted May 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2011 Hi Dave,I'm not quite clear on what you do to the text in Photoshop to get "separation" between moving text and background slide? If you could clarify this, I might be able to comment better on the possibilities within PTE.As for video, it doesn't have to add a great deal of bulk for this type application. In my last real slideshow, (Almost Lover) the video for effect was a Flash FLV file of only 3.1 megabytes. When used for effects such as this, the file can be greatly compressed and have no real disadvantage. Since the video would be running within the narrow confines of text borders, it could be even smaller and would generally add no more "bulk" than a small mp3 audio file.I just modified the demo (same link) with a video behind text - now less than 5 megabyte download.....Best regards,LinLin,I can understand how using PTE is useful for making the mask "in-house" but the more traditional method of using Photoshop to make the PNG allows for "stroking" the text to provide seperation between the "moving" text and the background slide.I'm not sure if the "in-house" method will do this?Also the possibility of using video in place of an image with PZR is intriguing but will add a whole lot of "bulk" to the file size. Nice idea though!DG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lin Evans Posted May 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2011 Sheila, Geoff, Mick,Thanks! - there are a number of possibilities and I think someone with a more artistic and creative mind than mine might expand on the idea and create a really interesting opening title example.Best regards,Lin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davegee Posted May 11, 2011 Report Share Posted May 11, 2011 STROKING = Photoshop for a thin (or thick) line around the text providing seperation between the moving element inside the text and the background.I used it 3-4 years ago on my Westonbirt show - I don't know if it is still around.DG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lin Evans Posted May 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2011 Hi Dave,I wasn't familiar with the term. I don't think there is any way to accomplish this in PTE unless one wanted to experiment with shadows which "could" serve a similar purpose; perhaps not an identical effect. By the way, I modified the demo using a video rather than the animated still and posted it on the same link. It only added about 4 meg including the sound in the video which I didn't strip out...Best regards,LinSTROKING = Photoshop for a thin (or thick) line around the text providing seperation between the moving element inside the text and the background.I used it 3-4 years ago on my Westonbirt show - I don't know if it is still around.DG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davegee Posted May 11, 2011 Report Share Posted May 11, 2011 Well, the reason I mentioned it was because I was in the middle of a project and hadn't done the title.Your post spurred me into using that technique again.I couldn't see a way of getting the stroke line when doing it completely in PTE so I reverted back to CS4.DG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lin Evans Posted May 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2011 Hi Dave,There "may" be a way to do this with PTE, but it's not straight-forward. If you create your text in both white "and" black the overlay the two making the black slightly larger and on the bottom layer, and using the "shift" key to distort the black as needed, you can outline the white text with black. I'm not sure, without seeing your results if it would be roughly equivalent or not, but it might be useful. Unfortunately, it's not possible to make text a child of text so it would require duplication of keyframes to facilitate motion, etc.Best regards,LinWell, the reason I mentioned it was because I was in the middle of a project and hadn't done the title.You post spurred me into using that technique again.I couldn't see a way of getting the stroke line when doing it completely in PTE so I reverted back to CS4.DG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davegee Posted May 11, 2011 Report Share Posted May 11, 2011 I think that for what I want the Photoshop route is going to be quicker and easier.DG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lin Evans Posted May 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2011 Hi Dave,Could be, but is this what you want? This is a complete outline done via "Drop Shadow" by manipulating "spread" .. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davegee Posted May 11, 2011 Report Share Posted May 11, 2011 hi linmy requirement would be text with moving image as per yours with text stroked by WHITE line. i don't think black would work.dg (from Kindle) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lin Evans Posted May 11, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2011 Hi Dave,You can make the "stroke" any color with the color picker for drop shadows. I just used black because the default text color is white.Best regards,Lin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davegee Posted May 12, 2011 Report Share Posted May 12, 2011 Hi Lin,Sorry I couldn't reply properly last evening.I agree the shadow can be made any colour.Here's the one I did yesterday using photoshop.DG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lin Evans Posted May 12, 2011 Author Report Share Posted May 12, 2011 Hi Dave,Looks good! For those who don't have or understand Photoshop, they can do it fairly well with the drop shadow so several ways to "skin the cat" - LOL.Best regards,Lin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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