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Posted on 17/01/11 7:21:40 PM
wadley101
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Posts: 11

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Quick and Dirty Neon
First off love the book, and am now goin to buy the cheat book too.

Cant get this to work at all. I get the text loaded as a selection and apply the effects but the text stays white in the middle.

Would appreciate any help. Ready to look stupid as its probably something really simple.

wadley101

Posted on 18/01/11 12:36:52 PM
Jota120
Ingenious Inventor
Posts: 2615

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Re: Quick and Dirty Neon
Hi Wadley, and welcome to the Forum,

Yes a bit tricky this one. I am not sure I can explain this well, but here is an attempt. Get back to us when and if have problems

You need to select all the text (outline) from your text layers and then create a new layer from the combined selection. On that active layer, need to use Layer Styles. Turn on Stroke. The crux. I used 14 pix, but my new image. You need all the other option Steve suggests as well....

Maybe one thing you missed, and this probably is the cause, you need to select the colours in Layer Styles for each of the options. The default is black/white, or at least for me. One you get the colour(s) selected you can see a bit of a preview in the window bottom right.

Just to prove it works, albeit my faultering way, and not the completed work .. see below

Trevor/Jota120

PS Do get HCIPS book + included DVD. The latest CS5 version is great and covers in depth all previous PS versions as well. The DVD is great







Posted on 18/01/11 7:07:29 PM
wadley101
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Posts: 11

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Re: Quick and Dirty Neon
Thanks for the help, but still not happening. Im not sure but I think the problem may be the selection.
You say select all the text (outline) but Im selecting alll the text so I end up with the effects but white text in the middle.

Ive got round this by changing the original text to black. But im not sure this is the right way to do it.

Posted on 18/01/11 9:02:56 PM
Jota120
Ingenious Inventor
Posts: 2615

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Re: Quick and Dirty Neon
Ok:

I have two layers white text layers for the text over black background.

I enable just the first "lighting Up", turning off the second "Time" layer (no eyeball). With "lighting Up"one open and selected in layer pallet, go Select>Load Selection - new selection and chose the "Lighting Up" Transparency Channel. The outline of that text should then be selected, with marching ants. While they are still marching, Re-enable "Time" layer i.e. eyeball on and selected. Then go Select>Load Selection.. In the Load Selection window, turn on Radio Button Add to Selection and use "Time" Transparency Channel.

Now both texts should be selected with marching ants just around the white text.

Create a new layer. With this new layer open, don,t mess with selection, keep it active, ah ha, may be this the missing step, fill it with black (Bucket Tool)! The text will be black then in the new layer.... (I'm sure there is quicker ways, but this works for me this time)

Then on this new layer "just".. use Layer Styles -> Stroke etc to get the effect with appropriate colours and settings for bevel and emboss, Outer Glow and Inner Glow ..

Hope this works, we need a shared video channel open otherwise

Maybe your solution is just as good. I defer?

Trevor




Posted on 19/01/11 6:44:07 PM
wadley101
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Posts: 11

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Re: Quick and Dirty Neon
Once again thanks for your help and time, this works pretty much like I had done with turning the text black.
Although in both cases the emboss is affecting the black letters.( Maybe thats what should happen.)
Just a little irritated that the book isnt clear how this should work.

Thanks Again

Wadley101

Posted on 20/01/11 2:29:38 PM
Steve Caplin
Administrator
Posts: 6823

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Re: Quick and Dirty Neon
I'm not quite sure what the problem is here. In step 2 you load the text as a selection, make a new layer, and apply a stroke to the new layer. So the original text layer is not needed: it's the new layer that holds the stroke, and only the stroke.

You did make a new layer, right?

Posted on 20/01/11 6:39:45 PM
wadley101
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Posts: 11

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Re: Quick and Dirty Neon
hi
Yes I did make a new layer. Turned off the original layer.
Have the selection on the new layer, but adding styles has no effect.

Thanks for replying


Posted on 20/01/11 6:39:47 PM
wadley101
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Posts: 11

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Re: Quick and Dirty Neon
hi
Yes I did make a new layer. Turned off the original layer.
Have the selection on the new layer, but adding styles has no effect.

Thanks for replying


Posted on 20/01/11 8:02:20 PM
puffin31939
Montage Mariner
Posts: 383

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Re: Quick and Dirty Neon
I have just had a go at this although I am still on Chapter4 really. I could only stroke the selection using the Stroke option in the Edit menu. Apart from that the basic neon worked fine.

I had another problem with the inner neon. When I used Refine mask (I'm using CS5 but very new to it) I ended up with nothing in the layer but a white on black mask. I added the mask to the layer (I think) and it worked after that. Was that the righ tthing to do? And where did I go wrong?
Angela

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Man cannot change the direction of the wind but he can adjust the sails

Posted on 21/01/11 3:05:45 PM
wadley101
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Posts: 11

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Re: Quick and Dirty Neon
Done the stroke thro the edit menu and now it works fine.
Cheers Puffin and everyody else who offered help.

Posted on 21/01/11 3:56:39 PM
wadley101
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Posts: 11

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Re: Quick and Dirty Neon
Back again lol Have done the breaks but on stage 4 when I refine edges I find the image of the text previewed is of the stroke rather than the whole text.
So im only contracting the stroke.

And concerning the original problem, tried again and the stroke will only work thro the edit menu.

Posted on 31/08/11 7:03:50 PM
wadley101
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Posts: 11

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Re: Quick and Dirty Neon
Hi
Went away to go thro a photoshop book to teach me the basics. And am now trying to do this again.
Have manged to to get to step 4, although still have to add the stroke in stage 2 via the menu rather than layer styles.
Anyway at stage 4 When I open the refine edgedialog box I see no contract option.
Any help would be appreciated.


Posted on 31/08/11 7:20:23 PM
Steve Caplin
Administrator
Posts: 6823

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Re: Quick and Dirty Neon
In CS5, the Contract slider is called Shift Edge. Drag it to the left.

Posted on 01/09/11 6:13:55 PM
wadley101
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Posts: 11

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Re: Quick and Dirty Neon
Thanks

Posted on 01/09/11 6:31:41 PM
wadley101
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Posts: 11

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Re: Quick and Dirty Neon
Finally maged to finish it. I found that the shift edge didnt work, but found under the select menu , modify contract and that worked a treat.

Thanks again


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