Tip on creating emboss effect in PageMaker 5.0

Tip on creating emboss effect in PageMaker 5.0

JAKARTA (JP): Unlike PageMaker 4.0, PM 5.0 has a nudge tool
similar to the one we used in creating the emboss effect in
CorelDRAW!. In PM 5.0, we can use the arrow keys or the nudge
buttons found on its Control palette. Like in CorelDRAW!, we can
also specify how far the object should travel each time we hit
one of the arrow keys.

To specify how much a selected object moves each time we press
the arrow key or click on the nudge button, open the Preference
dialog box (click on File, Preference). Actually, the default
value (0.010 inch) is small enough for most purposes.

In creating the accompanying illustration, I started with the
background --a rectangle with solid fill -- and changed its color
to 50 percent gray. In case you don't have the right gray color
in your color palette yet (and chances are you don't), follow the
following steps: Click on Element, Define Color, New, Spot, CMYK,
and Grays. You'll be able to select from 100 different levels of
gray. I suggest that you add both the 15 percent and 50 percent
gray spots to the Color Palette. Press Ctrl-K to display this
palette.

Then I entered the text "Create Emboss in PageMaker 5.0". The
text was black, and I left it like that. I created two duplicate
text blocks by selecting this text, pressing Ctrl-Ins once and
Shift-Ins twice. Now the three text blocks were stacked on top of
each other. All I had to do was to select each of them and modify
it as necessary.

Before proceeding, remember that to select the next object in
a stack you have to select the Pointer tool, which is represented
as the arrow in the Toolbox, place it on top of the stack, and
hold down the Ctrl key when clicking the mouse's left button. If
you click one more time, you'll be selecting the next object
down. Keep on clicking, and the objects will be selected in
cycles and you'll be selecting the one on top. Remember, too,
that to change any formatting attribute of a string of text, like
its color, you'll have to select it with the Text tool (the
letter A in the Toolbox).

Going back to the steps I took in preparing the illustration,
here's what I did next: I highlighted the text that was on top of
the stack and changed its color to 15 percent gray. Then I
selected the other duplicate and placed it on top of the stack by
clicking on Element, Bring to front (or by pressing Ctrl-F). Only
when it is on top of the stack can we highlight all the
characters to change their color. This time I changed the color
of the text into 50 percent gray, which was the same as the
background rectangle.

Now that all the three text objects had their right colors,
i.e., 15 percent gray, 50 percent gray and black, all I had to do
was select each of them and bring it to the top of the stack in
the right order, i.e., the 50 percent gray on top and the 15
percent gray and black underneath -- it doesn't matter whether
the black is underneath the 15 percent gray or vice versa. Again,
Ctrl-F will do the job. Once again remember that you have to
press and hold down the Ctrl key before selecting the next object
down in the stack.

What remained to be done was to place the text objects in the
right X and Y coordinates. Here the Nudge Buttons, the small
arrow keys next to the X and Y labels in the Position windows of
the Control Panel, were used to move a selected object. Take a
look at the accompanying illustration, the cursor points to one
of the Nudge Buttons. All I did was click on any of them as many
times as necessary to position the text blocks correctly.

Or, if you prefer, you can position each of the text object
directly by entering the values for its X and Y coordinates. Just
for illustration; the coordinates of my 15 percent gray text
block are X=1.074 and Y=1.308, the 50 percent X=1.054 and
Y=1.288, and the black X=1.02 and Y=1.255, all in inches.

Presto! I have created the emboss effect entirely in PM 5.0.

--Zatni Arbi