Inset Box Shadow v1.3 (Nov 3, 2018)

[toe_head2001]

Inset Box Shadow

Effects -> Render -> Inset Box Shadow

 

 

Before:

 

After(s):

. .

 

Change Log

v1.3 (Nov 3, 2018)

• Changed: Use the ColorWheel control with a built-in Alpha slider
• Changed: Move the plugin to be in the Render submenu

v1.2 (March 5, 2016)

• New: Added controls to adjust Offsets

v1.1 (Feb 9, 2016)

• New: Added a slider control to adjust Opacity
• Changed: The maximum value for Margin is now set dynamically based on canvas/selection size

v1.0 (Feb 8, 2016)

• Initial release

 

Download

 InsetBoxShadow.zip

 

Source Code

https://github.com/toehead2001/pdn-inset-box-shadow

 

Icon based on icon from Fugue Icons.

Edited November 3, 2018 by toe_head2001

[Djisves]

Thank you, toe head. This is a nice compliment to MadJik's Frames.

IMO, it fits better under Effects -> Render (like Madjik's).

Would you consider combining the two into one?

[Cc4FuzzyHuggles]

I have way too many plugins in my render category, so I think I like this for photos. lol.

 

Thanks for the easy plugin toe_head!
It complements the other shadow plugins, Drop Shadow and Inner Shadow.

 

Since I am used to the Drop Shadow plugin, by any chance could you add a transparency slider? http://forums.getpaint.net/index.php?/topic/8375-drop-shadow-and-other-effects-krisvdms-plugin-pack-updated-2010-10-26/

Edited February 9, 2016 by Cc4FuzzyHuggles

[Eli]

Thanks toe_head2001,

[Seerose]

 

* Photo self. 

 

Toe_head2001! Thanks so much for sharing. 

[nitenurse79]

Nice plugin.

[Eli]

I like that tunnel effect nitenurse79. I had to try it so here it is :

 

[toe_head2001]

Version 1.1 posted.

- Added a Opacity slider for @Cc4FuzzyHuggles.

- The maximum value Margin slider is no longer hard coded to 100. (100 was to high for small images, and too low for large images). It is now set dynamically based on canvas/selection size.

 

Thank you, toe head. This is a nice compliment to MadJik's Frames.

IMO, it fits better under Effects -> Render (like Madjik's).

Would you consider combining the two into one?

If Vignette can be in the Photos menu, why not this? That was my thinking anyways.

Technically speaking, this is not frame. It's literally an inset box shadow (as seen in CSS), with an optional margin.

I'm not interesting in combining the functionality of the two plugins. However, my source code is under a Free Software license, so anyone that wants to use it, has the freedom to do so.

[lynxster4]

Nice plugin, toehead_2001. This could produce some interesting effects.  

 

Great pictures everyone!   

[Cc4FuzzyHuggles]

Thank you so much for the update! This plugin seemed cool at first, but now I see it has even more potential than I originally expected.

 

An additional feature that would be cool...

Is it would be neat if the plugin had the ability to move or shift the shadow around, like what the "off set" controls do in the drop shadow plugin or like the pan controls in other plugins.

 

Here is a picture I did. I off-set/moved the shadows manually to make the patterns.

Edited February 10, 2016 by Cc4FuzzyHuggles

[toe_head2001]

Is it would be neat if the plugin had the ability to move or shift the shadow around, like what the "off set" controls do in the drop shadow plugin or like the pan controls in other plugins.

 

You can already do this by making a selection before running the plugin. I know it's not the same, but it should work none-the-less.

 

If you still think you need Offset controls, feel free to convince me.

[Cc4FuzzyHuggles]

I didn't know about the selections thing, you should mention that somewhere .
After testing out making shadows in selections, do you think there would be a way to where you could make shadows with non-square selections? Like what you did with your clamped plugin?
 
 
Now, about adding a move or pan feature, even with learning of the selections, I still like the idea of a move/pan feature. I can understand if you don't want to add the feature, as it would cause the UI to become larger and it would be more coding for you.

However, if you would be interested, here are some thoughts on why it would be nice to have:
-- We could make and tweak selections as best we can before running the plugin, but, then using selections would mean more manual play, which is fine, it just depends how much manual you want to automate and not automate.
Making a selection beforehand and moving/adjusting it and then running the plugin, or running the plugin to make the shadow and then afterwards manually moving the shadow, either way, there are some extra steps, instead of just running the plugin and seeing what you want exactly how you want it.
 
-- People like me might not know if the location of a selection is going to have the shadow be where we really want it, as we may change our minds about the shadow's position once we start adjusting the settings (radius of the blur, etc).
You could say, a pan feature would go along with the idea of "What You See Is what You Get", instead of selection guess-work.

-- When I was setting the margin setting of this plugin, I found myself wanting to move/pan the shadow, and then I had one of those "Oh yea, doesn't have that ability" moments.

-- A pan/move feature I would hope would work both with and without selections, which means we could position a shadow without having to make a selection before-hand, and we could make some off-set shadows in selections too.

-- A pan/move feature would be good for abstract pictures, further versatility, and unique results.
 
-- If you don't mind me relating this plugin to other plugins again, then a move/pan feature is a feature that I use often in other plugins, and so, I would see myself using it often for this plugin too.
 
 
There are pros and cons to the idea, as I'll say it again, I can understand if you don't want to add the feature, since it would cause the UI to become larger and it would be more coding for you. It would be more of an extra feature, not a necessary one, but it might be a handy feature.
 
 
---------------------------------------------
This is a fun plugin. I thank you for sharing it. Here's another picture I made.

[toe_head2001]

Non-rectangular selections would require a rewrite of the plugin. That's not a big deal though; this plugin (or rather the actual algorithm of the plugin) is just a few lines of code. When I figure out a good way of doing non-rectangular selections, I'll release a version 2.0.

 

 

As for the Offset, your bullet points do have merit.

However it makes more sense, to me at least, to allow for each of the four margins to be set independently. (plus the code is already written in a way in which this can be done)  Otherwise the whole concept of the Margin breaks down.

For example, the Margin is set to 10px, but it's offset by 30px.... so that margin is 40px and that other one is....????

 

Would that work for you? Independent sliders of each margin?

It could also have a checkbox that allows all four to be linked, like it is now.

[Cc4FuzzyHuggles]

That might work. I'm not really sure, I don't think I've played with a plugin with that concept before.

 

Just to give you an idea of where I am coming from, my thoughts were sort of along the lines of combining or automating this process:

 

1. Make a shadow using the plugin.

2. Use Layers > Rotate/Zoom to pan the shadow around, in a floating object type-of way.

 

Your idea would mean there wouldn't be any cut-off edges as the box wouldn't be able to go off of the canvas. For the most part, that actually sounds like a good idea, but then again, there are times where I would want some sides of the box to be purposely cut-off. Perhaps the margins can have the ability to go off of the canvas? (sorry, I don't know what's possible in coding).

 

Also, what would give a smaller UI, panning controls, or four margin controls, or would UI size be the same either way? Maybe UI size doesn't matter too much? (I personally am fine with UIs that get a bit long, such as the curly lines UI.)

Edited February 10, 2016 by Cc4FuzzyHuggles

[MJW]

I can offer a suggestion on how to do non-rectangular selections, though it would make the plugin considerably more complex. You could use the distance-transform idea, very similar to the way the Edge Expander works when restricted to the selection. The amount of color would depend on the distance to the edge of the selection, with values less than some distance being uncolored, then a jump to fully colored, which would then fade away. I think panning could be accomplished by adding a distance offset which depends on the XY position. One possible difficulty might be aliasing problems making boundary formed by the transition from uncolored to fully colored look ugly. Perhaps that could be reduced by adding a small transition region, so the coloring would increase rapidly but not instantly.

 

While I'm at it, I'll mention an idea I had, even though it may be a little far from the plugin's original concept. What would be useful is if the plugin could allow embossed shading, so the frame looked like it was lighted by an angled light.

 

EDIT: I realized after reading a comment by Eli in another thread, that my distance-transform idea won't work, since it will produce rounded corners. As far as I can determine, producing a scaled-down corner-preserving version of an arbitrary selection is actually pretty difficult.

 

EDIT 2: Maybe not. I'll need to experiment a little. I think it might work.

 

EDIT 3: It seems to work quite well, though it does round off inward-pointing corners. Significantly, it preserves corners for convex regions..

Edited February 10, 2016 by MJW

[toe_head2001]

Your idea would mean there wouldn't be any cut-off edges as the box wouldn't be able to go off of the canvas. For the most part, that actually sounds like a good idea, but then again, there are times where I would want some sides of the box to be purposely cut-off. Perhaps the margins can have the ability to go off of the canvas? (sorry, I don't know what's possible in coding).

Not necessarily. There's no reason why the Margin sliders couldn't have a negative value.

 

Also, what would give a smaller UI, panning controls, or four margin controls, or would UI size be the same either way? Maybe UI size doesn't matter too much? (I personally am fine with UIs that get a bit long, such as the curly lines UI.)

 

UI size doesn't matter too much, but I do like to keep them short if I can. I'm more concerned with making UI as intuitive as possible.

 

- To use a Offset/Pan control, it doesn't make sense to set a margin(s). It makes more sense to simply to set the Width and Height. It would automatically rendered to the exact center of the canvas/selection, and then you could move it around with the Offset/Pan control.  I imagine this is what most people would want.

 

- The other way is to set the four Margins individually to an exact amount. Personally, I like this method, because I'm a nerd that that.

 

 

I will most likely go with the Offset/Pan route, but I need to think about the ramifications of each a little more before I decide.

 

I can offer a suggestion on how to do non-rectangular selections, though it would make the plugin considerably more complex. You could use the distance-transform idea, very similar to the way the Edge Expander works when restricted to the selection. The amount of color would depend on the distance to the edge of the selection, with values less than some distance being uncolored, then a jump to fully colored, which would then fade away. I think panning could be accomplished by adding a distance offset which depends on the XY position. One possible difficulty might be aliasing problems making boundary formed by the transition from uncolored to fully colored look ugly. Perhaps that could be reduced by adding a small transition region, so the coloring would increase rapidly but not instantly.

 

Considering we are only with one color at a time here, I think there are easier & less complicated ways to do it.

 

While I'm at it, I'll mention an idea I had, even though it may be a little far from the plugin's original concept. What would be useful is if the plugin could allow embossed shading, so the frame looked like it was lighted by an angled light.

 

Can you post an image of what that might look like?

Edited February 11, 2016 by toe_head2001

[MJW]

Considering we are only with one color at a time here, I think there are easier & less complicated ways to do it.

 

Perhaps, but I'm not sure there's an easier way that will produce a margin that maintains sharp corners for arbitrary convex regions.

 

Here's a very rough approximation of the emboss effect I had in mind (the transition at the corners is especially crude):

 

[Seerose]

[Eli]

One more example using Inset Box Shadow + Rotate and Zoom :

 

[Ego Eram Reputo]

Wow. I like that. The center pulses when you scroll vertically! Cool

[toe_head2001]

Version 1.2 posted. You can now specify a X offset and a Y offset.

The range of the offsets is the based on the selection size.

[Cc4FuzzyHuggles]

Thank you for the update!

 

[ingwer]

Also a big thank you for this one, toe_head! It is so easy to use and a pleasure to work with.

 

German tutorial for Inset Box Shadow

[Seerose]

 @ingwer!

 

Thank you so much for your effort.   The video really helpful.  

 

 

*Photographed in the Prague.

Edited April 19, 2018 by Seerose

[toe_head2001]

Version 1.3 posted.

 

The plugin now uses the ColorWheel control with a built-in Alpha slider.

I've also move the plugin to the Render submenu.