There are 3 ways to create a “frame” around a layer: the ProShow Outline and Vignette features, and the user created outline. If a thinner or thicker outline is required than what is provided by the ProShow outline feature, there are two options: the Vignette feature or the user created option. These options are only available for Producer.
There are 3 ways to create a “frame” around a layer: the ProShow Outline and Vignette features, and the user created outline. If a thinner or thicker outline is required than what is provided by the ProShow outline feature, there are two options: the Vignette feature or the user created option. These options are only available for Producer.
Outline. ProShow’s outline feature has 1 width in Gold and 5 widths in Producer. These widths exist half on and half off of the layer. That is, the outline center rests on the layer’s outer edge.
Vignette. This creates the outline directly on top of the layer.
For thinner outlines, use a 0.80% solid color or gradient vignette.
For thicker outlines, use 2% or greater.
Three potential disadvantages of this approach are:
- The outlines are created on top of the layer itself. This might obscure parts of the image on the edges that you may not want obscured.
- The vignette edges are rounded, much more so than what the ProShow Outline feature provides. To fix this problem, select the option Fill Corners.
- The vignette fades from solid to transparent from the outside to the inner edge . To remove the fade, select the Solid Borders option.
Shape = Rounded Rectangle; Type = Solid Color; Set the checkbox for corners; Set the checkbox for Solid borders; Set Vignette size for the border width. Select the desired color.
An advantage of this method is that the border does not change the effective size of the image. Another advantage is that the approach is quick, easy, and effective.
User created outlines. This is actually a kind of trick in that what you are actually doing is adding a layer behind the layer to which you want to give an outline or frame. This layer is then resized to provide the outline/frame width desired. The advantage of this approach is that you can provide an outline as thin or thick as desired. The disadvantage is that to do it right, you will to do a little math to get the widths correct. Using multiple layers and various settings to those layers, complex/involved layer frames are possible. You are limited only by your imagination.
Assume the layer to which we are giving an outline (i.e., original layer) is sized to 60%. The layer is using a Fill Frame scale and has an aspect of 3:2. Such a layer means that the X-Axis is normalized to the screen. Our duplicate layer (which is placed behind the original layer) starts with a zoom of 60%. So, it should be easier to start our zoom change calculations using the x-axis.
- Therefore, change the duplicate layer’s Zoom-X to 60.5. Next, calculate the difference in zoom size. Do that by subtracting the starting zoom value from the new zoom size and then divide the result by the original zoom value. In this case that is (60.5 – 60)/60 = 0.00833.
- Now, multiply that value by the layer aspect get the appropriate change in the y-axis. In this case that is 0.00833(3/2) = 0.0125. Then, multiply that value with the original zoom value and then add the original zoom value. In this case that is 60(0.0125) + 60 = 60.75.
- So, if we increase the Zoom-X from 60 to 60.5, the appropriate Zoom-Y value changes from 60 to 60.75.
The math we do assures the creation of an outline/frame that has the same thickness on all sides. If the outline and the original layer’s are square (aspect is 1:1) a straight zoom change will work perfectly. However, in most cases, the layer’s width and height will have different sizes (that is, different aspects). ProShow works on the concept of percents. When the width has a different size than the height, a percent change in one results in a larger or smaller physical size change in the other axis. So, a proportional change is required, as given above.
If we start the calculation using the Y-Axis zoom value, the procedure is the same.
This method works for any layer: solid layers, gradient layers, video, image, or graphic.
Using an Image Layer as Outline. An image layer requires a slight adjustment before using it as an outline. An image / graphic is often composed of multiple colors or shades of gray. The first thing to do is to create a contrast between the outline and the image layer itself. Creating this contrast is done by adjusting the layer’s white point, the black point, or its contrast. Adjusting the layer’s:
- White point to -100 changes the image layer to black.
- Black point to 100 changes the image layer to white.
- Contrast to -100 allows the colorize feature to change the image layer’s color.
NOTE: To obtain the proper outline width around the image when using an image layer, use the information provided in “User Created Outlines” above.
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