Tayonna Thomas Portfolio
✦Layer Styles/transform✦
For this assignment we were asked to test out each of the transform tools in order to see what they would do. The Transform tools are used to alter the dimensions or perspective of an image. Skew, distort, perspective, and warp can help change the shape and perspective of an image by dragging corners and grids. They can come on handy when giving a page interface a creative look. I imagine the scale tool is probably one of the most often used since it is used to change the size of an image. All rotate options are pretty self-explanatory, they can rotate and image. The rotate 90 and 180 degrees are a nice touch because now you don't have to rotate it by hand and judge is the angle is exactly right. The flip options are also self-explanatory but are also handy to have around.
My favorite option is probably the warp tool, I find it's ability to alter images into unique shapes quite enjoyable. I'm curious to see how those shapes would look in a gallery or on a page.
Having used other graphic art programs and Photoshop before, these layers styles were not at all alien to me and are often used in images. At first I mistook layers styles for layer modes such as luminosity, multiply, screen, etc. Since I am use to using those on Paint Tool Sai.
Layer styles can be used to either make an image pop or blend in. Drop Shadow added a shadow behind the image giving the background behind it more depth and making the images pop out more. Inner shadow creates a shadow around the inner borders of the image giving it more depth. Outer glow creates a corona of light around the image. While inner glow is similar to inner shadow but uses light instead. Bevel and Emboss gives the image a more 3D look by placing a shadow on the lower right of the image and a highlight on the upper left. And finally, stroke adds a flat color border around the image.