Using the Dashboard

You can also change the color of your circle. The task is simple, thanks to the Dashboard. In your car, a dashboard is the easy-to-read instrument panel that is always in front of you so you can see it at a glance while continuing to drive. In Motion, the Dashboard is a small, interactive floating window that allows you to modify your objects while you continue to create your composite.

The Dashboard controls include check boxes, color wells, sliders, and knobs, depending on the parameter you want to modify.

There are three simple ways to activate the Dashboard window:

• Choose Window > Show Dashboard.

• Press F7.

• Press D (for Dashboard).

Let's use the Dashboard to add color to our circle.

1.	Press D to open the Dashboard window. A small floating window opens. The Dashboard window shows controls for whatever you currently have selectedin this case, the circle. You can move the Dashboard window by dragging its header bar.
2.	Click the Dashboard header bar and drag the window to move it to the left of your circle object. Now we'll use the Dashboard to change the circle's fill color. To change the fill color, you click the fill color well and select the color you want from the color wheel. By default, whenever you create a shape in Motion, the Fill box is checked and the fill color is white.
3.	On the Dashboard, click the Fill color well. A Colors window with a color wheel appears. NOTE If your Colors window does not show the color wheel, select the wheel at the top left of the Colors window. If you do not see a wheel, click the button at the upper right of the Colors window to expand the window and reveal the color selection choices.
4.	Drag the dot in the center of the color wheel to the upper right to turn your circle yellow. Notice that the Fill color well in the Dashboard changes along with the color of your circle on the Canvas.
5.	Click the Close button (X) at the upper left of the Colors window to close the window.

Adding a Drop Shadow from the Dashboard

Graphics, whether they are static or in motion, can be greatly enhanced by the addition of a simple drop shadow. If you look at your yellow circle on the light blue background, you'll notice that the image appears "flat"it looks like a light blue background with a yellow circle painted on it. The circle could be part of the background pattern, because there is nothing separating the two elements.

In the real world, if an object is in front of a flat wall, the object usually casts a shadow on the wall. The same principle works in graphics. If the yellow circle casts a shadow on the background, it gives the illusion of being in front ofand not part ofthe background.

If you add a drop shadow to an object, the shadow will appear on any object directly below it in the composite image.

Let's try it.

1.	Press D to open the Dashboard, if it is not already open.
2.	Near the middle of the Dashboard, select the Drop Shadow check box. A check appears in the check box, and a drop shadow appears below the yellow circle. Circle without a drop shadow Circle with a drop shadow You're now done with the Dashboard.
3.	Click the Close button (X) at the upper left of the Dashboard window, or press F7, to close the Dashboard.

NOTE

If you are using a laptop, you will need to hold down the Function (Fn) key located at the lower left of the keyboard when you press the F7 key.