Masking with Text
Masking is basically seeing one object through another. Sort of like a window.
Effects can then be added to the mask or "window" which then change
how the underlying image appears. In this example we will create a text mask.
The window or mask will be string a of text that has been resized and then converted
to a path object. When the text is masked to the image we only see the image
through the text and outside of the text we just see the canvas where the image
used to be.
- Save the image below then open the image in Fireworks. Select the Text tool.
the text is going to be the window so use the properties bar to select a font
that is as big and wide as possible.
- After the text is typed you can edit it's properties by selecting it with
the text tool and the using the Properties bar. Get the text as large as possible
using the font controls.
- There is a limit to sizing using the text tools so use the Scale tool to
stretch the text box even more.
- The transform tool puts handle on the text box that can be stretched independently.
- With a little work you can get the text to fill a large portion of the image.
The more area the text covers the better the final effect will be. You may
want to crop your image.
- Text is a special type of vector object so before it can be used as a mask
it needs to be converted to a path object.
- Select Text >> Convert to Path. Now the two can be masked.
- Select both objects and the go to Modify >> Mask >> Group as
Mask.
- Preview in a browser by pressing F12 to see how it will actually appear.
- Other effects like a Inner Bevel an be added to the mask. Select just the
mask in the layer panel and the select the "plus" button in under
Effects in the properties bar.
- Once a effect has been added you can edit it by clicking on the corresponding
small blue circle in the Effects region of the Properties panel
- Preview it in a browser to check out the effect.
- Save and Export and the image is ready to be used on a page.
Here is my finished product:
