Freebie card cutout Merry Christmas

[DGehman]

Inspired by a bit of letterpress work exhibited by a small press designer... reminiscent of those Christmas cards in the 40s and 50s where top layers would be die-cut.

This prints about 4" wide @ 300 DPI, 6" @ 200 DPI. Done in Real Draw Pro.

Typeface is Bremen Bold BT, designed by Richard Lipton while he was at Bitstream in the early 1990s and based on poster calligraphy from a German poster of the early 1920s (and so, Bauhaus-era, clearly looking ahead to Art Deco, back to Art Nouveau). The holly is from a photo taken in our front yard.

Right-click and choose "Save Target as..."

The whole image is a JPEG. I've also included a transparent PNG of the 'die-cut' top and the holly berries -- you supply the background you want. The 'die-cut' has 2 versions, with and without shadow.

Leave out the holly for that ultra-cool subtle effect -- it's so much a Christmas stereotype that the viewer will fill in the details.

[DGehman]

Real Draw owners, try this:
-- take the shadowless 'die-cut.'
-- Put it against a darkish green background (RGB 0, 100,0).
-- Apply Effects > Glow with
-- darkish red color (RGB 180,0,0)
-- fuzzy sphere slider to 30
-- ramp, 255 (full right)
-- arrow, 50
-- light angle, 166.
(Right-click sliders and the light icon to allow you to make numeric inputs).

[sacannon]

Thanks for the freebies and tip!

[Texaslady]

Question for Dgehman

Please tell me where in effects you find "glow" also where is the ramp and angle? I have RD Pro but don't see these..Please help am new to this..

TIA
Texaslady

[MommaBird]

Glow is included under effects (same place as drop shadow). Ramp and angle are features of glow, to customize to your liking.

[MaggieMae]

Thank you so much - this is truly beautiful! I printed out the RDPro directions, too! Love it!

[DGehman]

Please tell me where in effects you find "glow" also where is the ramp and angle?...

You can apply glow either (left, bottom in the horizontal attachment below) from the one-click styles area or (right center) from the Effects tab.

My terminology is not official - so the second, vertical screenshot shows where the 'fuzzy sphere,' 'ramp' and 'arrow' are. Officially they are "Effect Width," "Effect Intensity," and "Effect Offset."

If you right-click a given slider box, you can enter numerical values.

The light angle is controlled by the red sphere with the yellow highlight, just to the right of the color bar and just below my so-called 'arrow' control -- the color in this screenshot is dead wrong... nobody'd go for a black glow... Official name of this is "Direction," but for most effects, it's the light angle.

[Granny]

Dave, thank you for sharing this. I have yet to do a tutorial showing the different tabs in the Styles library. Great idea for a tutorial.

Ladies, I told you Dave is a terrific person!!!

[eye]

Excellent work .Thanks a heap.I was wondering where you disappeared to.

[DGehman]

Excellent work.... I was wondering where you disappeared to.

Thanks.

I disappeared into a heavy work load and simultaneously, my 30-day trial ran out. Somehow, bills have gotten in the way of just coughing up $40 ever since. Meanwhile, I've put out hints for Christmas.

Dave

[Smile]

Thanks these are great....xoxo