Adobe InDesign CS3 User Manual
Page 404
INDESIGN CS3
User Guide
397
Soften
In addition to the Technique setting, blurs the effect to reduce unwanted artifacts and rough edges.
Direction
Choose Up or Down to make the effect appear pushed up or down.
Depth
Specifies the depth of the bevel or emboss effect.
The Shading settings determine how light interacts with the object:
Angle and Altitude
Sets the height of the light source. A setting of 0 is equivalent to ground level; 90 is directly above
the object.
Use Global Light
Applies the global light source as specified for all transparency effects. Choosing this option
overrides any Angle and Altitude settings.
Highlight and Shadow
Specifies the blending mode for the bevel or emboss highlight and shadow.
Satin
Use the Satin effect to give objects a smooth, satin-like finish. Choose the blending mode, opacity, angle, distance,
and size settings, as well as whether to invert colors and transparencies:
Invert
Select this option to reverse the colored and transparent areas of the object.
Basic Feather
The Feather effect softens (fades) the edges of an object over a distance that you specify:
Feather Width
Sets the distance over which the object fades from opaque to transparent.
Choke
Along with the Feather Width setting, determines how much of the softening glow is opaque and how much
is transparent; a large setting increases opacity and a small setting increases transparency.
Corners
Choose Sharp, Rounded, or Diffused:
•
Sharp
Follows the outer edge of the shape, including sharp corners. This option is appropriate for star-like objects
and a special effect on a rectangular shape.
•
Rounded
Rounds the corner by the feather radius; essentially, the shape is first inset, then outset, to form the two
contours. This option works well with rectangles.
•
Diffused
Uses the Adobe Illustrator method, which makes the edges of the object fade from opaque to trans-
parent.
For a video on feathering, see
Noise
Specifies the amount of random elements in the softening glow. Use this option to soften the glow.
Directional Feather
The Directional Feather effect softens the edges of an object by fading the edges to transparent from directions that
you specify. For example, you can apply feathering to the top and bottom of the object, not the left or right side.
Feather Widths
Set the distance over which the top, bottom, left side, and right side of the object fade to transparent.
Select the Lock option to fade each side of the object by the same distance.
Noise
Specifies the amount of random elements in the softening glow. Use this option to create a softer glow.
Choke
Along with the Width settings, determines how much of the glow is opaque and how much is transparent;
large settings increase opacity and small settings increase transparency.
Shape
Choose an option—First Edge Only, Leading Edges, or All Edges—to demarcate the object’s original shape.