Expression Design Tutorials

Hot/Cold - Part1

In this tutorial you will explore techniques and methods to change text objects into more complex, and I hope pleasing, designs.

to this

And

to this

And introduce ways to create these:

Part 1 - Hot

Part 1 will explore how to turn text into something a bit richer.

0 - Open the associated .design file (Hot and Cold.design).

1 – Toggle visibility Off for the Cold Layer, On for the Hot Layer and expand the Hot Layer to show its contents.

2 – Select the Text object and add gradient fill:

Radial gradient Left colour stop: FFE319 Right colour stop: FF0C00 Adjust Fill opacity to 60% after making sure that Fill and Stroke opacities are unlinked.

3 – Apply Spiky Flames stroke (usually located in Graphics folder in the Stroke list) at size 36 pts, colour FF0000 and at 100% opacity.

4 – Apply Bevel live effect using the default Bevel settings:

Width: 2 Contrast: 0.3 Softness: 0.2 Profile: Linear Light Angle: 135

5 – Apply Drop Shadow live effect.

Softness: 1 Offset: 5 Opacity: 0.6 Shadow Colour: FF0022 Light Angle: 315 Noise: 0

6 – CTRL+C > CTRL+F to place a copy in front with pixel perfect positioning.

7 – On the pasted object:

Remove Fill Change to basic stroke at 1 pt, colour: FF0000 Change object blend mode from Normal to Multiply Remove Drop Shadow live effect

8 – Select Hot Background (a rectangle) object in the Layers panel and make the following changes:

No stroke Gradient fill      Radial      Left stop colour FFE319      Right stop colour FF0C00

9 – Numerically adjust the gradient fill. Click on the button as shown below:

Adjust Width and Height values to 150% then press return.

To obtain something like this:

Save the file using a different file name and prepare for Part 2 - Cold