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Creating My Own Style
There are many more options with each 'Style' option. Explore them and learn
their capabilities. For example, the outline stroke for the text is in fact
a gradient that goes from black to red to black. You can use one of the existing
gradients available in the many .grd libraries. You can also create your
own. These gradients can also be saved for use in other projects and other
blending options, like my next project - X-Pidgeons, the exploits of a mutant
race of birds dedicated to bombing the cars of the criminal underworld.
Gradient editor for stroke
I make some more changes to my new style and click OK.
X-Dogs coming to a comic book store near you
Patterns
Another powerful way to apply 'Layer Styles' is by using 'Patterns.' Photoshop
6 comes with a number of patterns but you can add your own as well. A pattern
can be any image really. You can create your own by getting a texture, a
piece of clip art, or whatever then go - Edit - Define Pattern. You then
give your pattern a name and save it. The new pattern can then be used with
any 'Layer Style' you create.
I started a new document and added a layer. On this layer I
added a layer style I created from a marble image with a simple
chiseled bevel effect. I then created a sun burst shape on another
layer and filled it white.
I now applied the same marble layer style to the sun burst layer.
I edited this style making a few minor changes. I made the bevel
effect an inner chisel with a new contour element so it would
have an engraved appearance. You are not stuck using one of the
preset Photoshop contours. You can edit the shape or create your
own and save it.
The final change was to add an outer glow effect to the sun
burst. Again there a number of options for glows including adding
or creating color gradients.
Final Word
Layer Styles have reached full maturity in Photoshop 6. But to fully absorb
their power you should invest a few hours trying out the many options each
one offers and don't forget to save them. A week or a month from now you
might need that one style again. You won't want to try and remember a dozen
different settings when all you have to do is scroll down a list and click.
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