Drop Shadows

This reader is unfamiliar with the "Drop Shadow" effect. Let's see...

A reader writes:
symptoms

Try to get the shawdowed back ground effect. As if the text is above the paper. "Left hand column" The Designer Warehouse. How the title is done... Since I don't know what to call it, I don't really know where to look for answers. Thanks for any help you may be able to provide.

(MK from Barrington NH, running Win 2000, with Photoshop 7.0

This is a drop shadow.

Open your Styles Palette and you'll see a "Drop Shadow" style.

Enter your text in the manner and font you like, then click the "Drop Shadow" style button.

Note that you can modify those styles for distance, opacity, and blur. Double-click the layer name in the layers palette to pull up the Styles Modification dialog window.

(There was no sample at the location you indicated.)

http://www.photoshop911.com/emergency.html

See past cases:
http://www.graphic-design.com/Photoshop/Tips/index.html

Comments

[usb]

Great tutorial thanks. Here is drop shadow generator: http://www.dropshadowz.net

[pixelbath]

If you want to use Layer Styles and have drop shadows in different directions, uncheck the 'Use Global Light' checkbox. You will have to do this for every drop shadow you explicitly apply, otherwise all your drop shadows will point in the same direction.

"Those layer styles have spoiled most folks into forgetting that behind each of those styles there are Photoshop steps to accomplish them."

Those spoiled folks also know the value of non-destructive editing. While you can remove a manual drop shadow, it's not quite as easy removing a gradient overlay or a stroke, unless you can simply turn it off in the Layer Style. You can also directly apply gradients and such more easily to vector layers.

But I will admit that performing the manual steps offers more control, especially in situations where you have overlapping drop shadows, or a drop shadow that needs to "terminate" halfway across the layer you're working on.

Jared, it doesn't matter what kind of object you're working on. All objects are equal in the eyes of PS transparency.
1. Ctrl+click the layer you would like to shadow.
2. Create a new layer.
2. Fill the new layer with black (the marquee should restrict it to the correct shape).
3. Follow PS911's steps regarding layer positioning and blur.
Alternatively:
1. Apply the Drop Shadow style.
2. Tweak to preference.

[Jared]

How about drop shadows going in different directions in the same PSD. I tried to create multiple layers, two of which is supposed to have shadows going in two directions from a light source near the center. No such luck. Is it one direction or the other, Period?

Jared

PS 911 replies:

No two drop shadows on the same layer style. You could generate another layer with the same type and put the 2nd drop shadow on that one and let them BOTH show.

Why not do the shadows manually?
* Duplicate the layer
* Fill the data with black
* Move it behind (below) the "subject" layer
* Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur
* Tap the arrow keys to move it into position
* Duplicate THAT layer (the one with the blur
* Tap the arrow keys to move it into position

Now you should have BOTH shadows you need. Now just merge the layers,
or Merge Down (in the Layers Palette pull-out Menu)

Did that accomplish what you're looking for?
(Those layer styles have spoiled most folks into forgetting that behind each of those styles there are Photoshop steps to accomplish them. If you know the steps, then you know how to work-around limitations of the layer styles.)

In june we have a full tutorial, complete with pictures on how the shadow layer style was done, and how easy it is to gain more control by doing it yourself.

:-) Good day.

[ingrid]

how do i do it w/ a picture or image? this only explains text. thanks so much!