Effects versus Filters

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If you compare the Filters menu to the Effects panel menus, you will notice that mostoptions are available in both menus. The main difference is that, after you use the filters menu to apply a filter, it is permanent. If you use the Effects menu, it remains editable. Basically, the Filters menu is for bitmap images (pixel-based images) and the Effects menu is for vectors (mathematically rendered) images. But the Effects menu is really much more. Effects are actually Live Effects, which means that you can edit or remove the effect. You can even use most of the Live Effects on a bitmap image. But if you try to use the Filter menu on a vector object, it converts the vector to a bitmap and then applies the filter. Whenever possible, use the Effects menu, which gives you the choice of editing.

Cross-Reference 

You work with the Filters menu in Chapters 19 and 21.

Change an image's color using live effects

Using Effects to change colors sounds unusual, but it's quite powerful and offers a lot of flexibility. The logo for this sample is from www.graphic-design.com. If you have a logo like this on a Web site and decide to change the color of the ampersand or the text itself, it could be a huge pain to redo, especially if the logo were more ornate than this one. Another roadblock could be that you are doing a redesign, and you don't have access to the original file, and a custom font was used. With the following techniques, it doesn't matter. You'll be able to change the colors, quickly and easily:

1. Open  design.jpg from the chapter16_exercise folder on the CD-ROM.

2. Using the Pointer tool, select the bitmap, and click the plus sign in the Property inspector to open the Effects list.

3. Click Adjust Color ® Color Fill.

4. Click the Color box and choose a bright blue. In the same window, choose a Blending Mode of Hue. Notice how only the ampersand changes.

5. Click the Edit and Arrange Effect icon (little I with blue circle) to access the Color Fill options, and change the Blending mode to Screen to colorize with variations of the blue you choose.

Note 

All these colorizing samples can be seen in the Color section.

Many circumstances require that you use a grayscale image. You might be given a grayscale image, or you might need to convert a color image into grayscale.

Convert a color image to grayscale

It's pretty easy to convert a color image into grayscale; you just need to know were to find the function. To convert a color image into a grayscale one, follow these steps:

1. Open  coloredflowers.jpg from the chapter16_exercise folder (or any image you'd like).

2. Choose Commands ® Creative ® Convert to Grayscale.

   Note 

   Notice there is also a command to convert to a Sepia Tone image.

3. You can now export this image as a JPEG image. This image is ready to colorize in the following section.

   Cross-Reference 

   You learn all about exporting in Chapter 23.

Colorize a grayscale image using Live Effects

You now see how easy it is to obtain the extremely popular effect of one-color images. They are one color with many tones. To colorize an image in this fashion, follow these steps:

1. If you closed the grayscale flowers image, that's okay. You can open the  flowers.jpg image from the chapter16_exercise folder.

   Tip 

   When you applied the greyscale (or sepia) effect, Fireworks generated a Hue/Saturation Live Effect. If the file hasn't been closed, you can click on the Edit and Arrange Effects icon (the little I) and make changes also. Or add a second Hue/Saturation effect.

2. Select the image.

3. Click the plus sign in the Effects area of the Property inspector.

4. Click Adjust Color ® Hue and Saturation.

5. Move the sliders to get the color you want

6. Experiment with lowering the opacity.

7. Change the Blend Modes and see the interesting effects you can achieve.

   Tip 

   You can also use the Adjust Color ® Color Fill to select a specific color and then adjust the opacity to suit.

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