Neon Sign



 

For this tutorial you will need:
ULead PhotoImpact - available for purchase here
The Pipeline font - download here
no additional filters are needed
I am assuming you know the basics of PhotoImpact and where the tools can be located.
 


Instructions

Screenshots

1. Either install the Pipeline font or open it by double clicking on it, and minimize, that window before you run PhotoImpact
2 Open canvas 700X100, color of your choice, black works well with this.
With font size set at 65 and bold, in soft color of your choice, type in some words (font can't be bright as the next layer will need a bright shade of the same color). You may have to play with canvas size and font size a bit, it all depends on how large you want the sign and what text you put on it. Keep selected.
 



 

 

2. Right click and duplicate this layer.
Click on eye in layer palette of the original text layer so the eye goes away.
With the duplicate text layer the active layer, go to blend mode at the top where it says always, change it to hard light. If the canvas is too large, with the text still active, go to Edit>Crop to crop right to the size of the text.

 


 

3. Now save one copy as a gif with the eye of the original text layer on and one with it off, name the darker one dark and the lighter one light, to keep it easy for you.

 
For dark gif


For light gif

4. Click on Switch in the upper right corner of PhotoImpact or close PI and open the Gif Animator manually. It will open with the Start Wizard window active. in this start wizard, click on open an existing file, browse to where you have saved both files, highlight the darker one, the one you saved with the one eye off.
 

5. Make sure you are in the edit tab. Now in gif animator, in the frame shown at the bottom of the window, right click on it and click on add frame.
 

6. Now go to top of program window and click on the add image icon. Browse to where you have the lighter image, and click on open. It will appear in the second frame you made at the bottom.
 
7. Highlight both frames at the bottom, right click and go to frame properties, make delay time about 40 seconds, removal method - smart, click ok;you will see the number at the bottom of each frame change to 0.4.

8. Go to the preview tab and see if you like how it looks. If you don't, highlight both frames again and play with the delay time till you like how it is flashing. When happy with it, go back to edit tab, go up to File>Optimization Wizard, and check the box "Optimize using a preset", choose Line art 128, in next window that comes up click on save as, make sure it saves as a gif and choose the location. Click on save, then ok to close the optimization wizard window.
 

You're done!   

If you have any questions or suggestions, click on the email button below to contact me. Have a wonderful day!

Alternatives
     

My Testers' Results
Members of my Filters n Frames tutorial group

 


These tutorials are all my own creations.
Any resemblance to any other tutorial is purely coincidental and unintentional.
Feel free to share any of my tutorials on this site by a link back to my site,
but do not copy and send the entire tutorial to anyone or any group.
©2004 Ellie's Treasures






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