Plugin Request - Inner Drop Shadow

[Cc4FuzzyHuggles]

Hi.

I want to request an Inner Drop Shadow Plugin. I know it's pretty easy to make an inner drop shadow using several steps and the regular drop shadow plugin, but if making an inner shadow can be made even faster or more simple, or if the process to get an inner shadow can be done with just one plugin and less extra steps, that would be great.

Here are some inner drop shadow examples...

Something I made :


A picture from the internet :

 

[TechnoRobbo]

Your example looks a lot like the results from BoltBait's Bevel Selection available in his plugin pak

[Cc4FuzzyHuggles]

That might be true. But I would prefer to be able to make the shadow without the use of selections, like how the Drop Shadow plugin works.

Edited January 28, 2015 by Cc4FuzzyHuggles

[toe_head2001]

BoltBait's Bevel Selection also doesn't let you control the direction of the light.... other than its two of default & alternative.

[Cc4FuzzyHuggles]

Just tested the bevel selection plugin, I'm probably not doing it right, but I can't get it to make an "Inner shadow" kind of appearance, I can only get it to make a 3D beveled appearance. I also tested the plugin called Object Edge, since it doesn't use selections, but it also doesn't give the look that I am wanting (and it tends to change my object's color).

Inner shadows are great for making things look like they have depth, but it is the opposite kind of depth from a bevel, it is more of an engraved depth. Of course, there are other graphic effects that can be done using inner shadows too, making inner shadows fun to play around with.

Edited January 28, 2015 by Cc4FuzzyHuggles

[BoltBait]

Use Black as the first color and the text color as the second color.

 

Or, try the plugin posted in the next message down...

[BoltBait]

OK, try this plugin:

 

<early beta snipped>

Effects > Object > Inner Bevel

 

Remember, this works on "objects", so your text will need to be on a transparent layer with no active selection.

 

As this is a beta, keep to the center of the canvas.

 

Let me know how you like it and if you think it is worth polishing up for a real release.

[Eli]

Hello BoltBait, and Thanks. I like InnerBevel and being able to control direction and distance. The shadow impressions are a bit too sharp compared to Drop Shadow (but they can be difused with a little blur).

 

I also think that it would be a good idea to control light direction in the Bevel Selection plugin.

Edited January 28, 2015 by Eli

[Cc4FuzzyHuggles]

Very beautiful for a beta test plugin! Thank You. However, it does produce different results versus using the multi-step process with the drop shadow plugin. Which is expected since your inner bevel is a beta. But, I do like both results.

I think the different results might be because the drop shadow plugin has a “Blur Radius” option. So, could I test your plugin with a blurring option?

I see Eli has posted their sample image, but I'll add mine too.
I have pointed out some of the areas that have noticeable differences. Top Image is with Drop Shadow, Bottom image is Inner Bevel

Edited January 28, 2015 by Cc4FuzzyHuggles

[Cc4FuzzyHuggles]

Sorry for double posting, but on a slightly different topic, I did want to make a note about the name of your plugin. The name is fine and relevant, and you can name it whatever you want, but just in case you don't know, the official name for this effect in Photoshop and other professional image editing software is “Inner Shadow”. You can even do an internet search for “photoshop inner shadow” and get a good handful of tutorials and sample images of their inner shadow dialog box.

 

My point in mentioning this is, even though your name is nice, the official name might be more practical for people who try to search paint.net for an inner shadow tutorial or plugin. But then again I'm not sure if there are copyright laws. There are a lot of other software these days that use the “Inner Shadow” terminology, so I would think it's as free to use as the term Drop Shadow is.

[BoltBait]

I also think that it would be a good idea to control light direction in the Bevel Selection plugin.

Due to the complexity of that plugin, I seriously doubt that will ever happen.

I did want to make a note about the name of your plugin... the official name for this effect in Photoshop and other professional image editing software is “Inner Shadow”.

Please remember, this was just a very quick "proof of concept" that I wrote in about 10 minutes. Of course, I'll make the final one "Inner shadow". It needs quite a bit of polish before it would be ready for publishing.

[Cc4FuzzyHuggles]

Wow, you made the beta in about 10 mins? You really are amazing!
Thank you for your time and effort.

[Eli]

Due to the complexity of that plugin, I seriously doubt that will ever happen.

I can not imagine the complexity since I know no programming. But there is something nice in Bevel Selection that you could add to your new baby, Inner Shadow : Colors (I know that shadows are dark) could bring some "Inner Light" to the object. 

 

I also like the sharp shadows in Inner Bevel and I think that blur could be added as an option.

Edited January 28, 2015 by Eli

[Cc4FuzzyHuggles]

Can I make more suggestions?

Would it be possible to have an option to "Only Keep Shadow", similar to how the FurBlur plugin lets you only keep fur? This would let the effect have more transparency versatility.

[BoltBait]

Can I make more suggestions?

No.

But, you can try this version...

<Beta version snipped>

Still needs some polish, but much closer now.

[Eli]

Thanks, the inner shadows looks good to me and they are nicely softened with the blur option. Will colored shadows be possible?

Edited January 28, 2015 by Eli

[Red ochre]

http://i.imgur.com/0POzIXz.png

1. Grey text on new transparent layer.

2. Bevel Object on settings shown.

3. Overblur( Radius ~ 4, Overblur = 0, retain transparency = true). To soften the shadow edges.

Bevel Objects works in a very different way to Boltbait's Bevel selection and can be very slow on large objects because it is literally measuring across the object. I made it like that to allow a large range of angles which would be tricky to do by using the Gaussian blur.

[Cc4FuzzyHuggles]

@ Red Ochre
Cool, thank you very much for sharing Red Ochre. I forgot about that plugin, and I didn't know it could make such nice inner shadows. It is a powerful plugin. I will play around with that plugin too.

However, I am still anticipating BoltBait's final release of his “Inner Shadow” plugin, as I think it might be a little more simple, and yet still make good looking, and hopefully quick, shadows in one step. The regular Drop Shadow plugin is my inspiration for asking for an inner shadow plugin, so I am hoping for a plugin that is as much like the Drop Shadow Plugin as possible, but is able to make inner shadows in one step with one plugin.

I'm sure I, and others, will enjoy both your plugin and BoltBaits though.

 

@ BoltBait
Thank you for letting me test your plugin with a blurring option. The plugin is looking nicer and I am having fun playing with it. The blur option has made a big difference.

Here is some feedback with an updated comparison picture.

Once again, I like both results. And there still is a clear difference between the two produced shadows.
While rendering the shadows, I mostly tried to use the long vertical part of the “h” to visually match the two different shadows as best as I could, as well as looked at other areas of the texts and shadows to try to get the shadows' angling to resemble each other. I then observed the two texts and their shadows.

What I noticed is the Inner Shadow Plugin tends to produce narrow shadows and possibly overall cleaner shadows, while the method which uses the drop shadow plugin produces broad shadows. The drop shadow plugin's shadow tends to mold it's self off of the object's shape, including rounded parts such as with the lower case A and D. I like how the Inner Shadow Plugin shadows do seem cleaner, but I do have to admit that I also like the broader shadows that fit around rounded areas.

 

Please keep in mind that these are simply things I have observed, and that I am only observing the trial beta plugin, so I understand that my feedback might be irrelevant for the final release.

Once again, thank you for your efforts!

Edited January 28, 2015 by Cc4FuzzyHuggles

[Red ochre]

I am always in favour of a large choice of plugins even with outwardly similar results. Choice is good!
I also regularly use Boltbait's plugins and look forward to the finished 'Inner shadow' plugin.

[BoltBait]

there still is a clear difference between the two produced shadows.

 

Please understand that the rendering from my plugin and whatever manual steps you are doing will never match exactly.  That's just the nature of simplifying manual steps to the point of being automated.

 

The question you have to ask yourself... "Is the plugin's output GOOD ENOUGH to use it instead of going through the manual steps?"

 

 

Will colored shadows be possible?

 

It would be possible. But, honestly, is there really any value to it?  It would make the UI much bigger and would anyone ever use it?

[Eli]

It would be possible. But, honestly, is there really any value to it?  It would make the UI much bigger and would anyone ever use it?

I needed an InnerShadow plugin in this image but it was not available yet. But I managed to make some water drops using the Drop Shadow plugin and I needed inner shadows (lights) in colors other than black. The Inner Shadow plugin with colors could be very handy in some situations.

I can not imagine the complexity of adding colors but I think that It could be a plus for the plugin just as Cc4FuzzyHuggles'  sugestion about the "keep shadow only" option. Adding the color option would probably double the size of the UI but it would a bit bigger than your Gradient plugin and much smaller than Shape3D. 

 

Just do as you think is best and do not overload yourself. I do enjoy and use your plugins.

 

 

Edited January 28, 2015 by Eli

[Cc4FuzzyHuggles]

@ Red, I agree.

@ BoltBait,
 

Please understand that the rendering from my plugin and whatever manual steps you are doing will never match exactly.  That's just the nature of simplifying manual steps to the point of being automated.
 
The question you have to ask yourself... "Is the plugin's output GOOD ENOUGH to use it instead of going through the manual steps?"

Yes, thank you for your response. I am aware it will never match perfectly to the shadows made by the Drop Shadow Plugin, I was just observing the differences. And although I don't expect anything more than what the plugin is already shaping up to be (which I'm very thankful for), it would still be pretty cool if your plugin could produce both results. But coming back to reality, I am looking forward to your final release. And yes, with the little polishing and improvements you are already doing, I think it will be good enough. Thanks.
 

 

Will colored shadows be possible?

It would be possible. But, honestly, is there really any value to it? It would make the UI much bigger and would anyone ever use it?

 

Thinking things over, I have to agree with Eli, a color option would be very handy, since I do actually use the color feature in the Drop Shadow plugin a fair amount. I don't always work on a white canvas, black shadows aren't always the best on a black canvas. And depending on the object and/or an object's color, sometimes a colored shadow can give better visuals. Also, I sometimes use the drop shadow plugin for effects that aren't drop shadows. Now although I am talking about how I use the drop shadow plugin for my examples, I would assume I might use the inner shadow plugin in similar ways.

I like how the plugin is now, but as I have mentioned, I would love for an inner shadow plugin that would be as close to the Drop Shadow plugin as possible. Since the drop shadow plugin has a color option and a keep shadow only option, those features would be nice. However, those would be bonus features, so they're nothing to kill yourself over. The effort you are already putting into this plugin is very nice of you, so if you can't do bonus stuff it's fine.

Edited January 28, 2015 by Cc4FuzzyHuggles

[BoltBait]

OK, fine. I'll put a colorwheel control in there and an option to keep only the shadow and see if I can finish it up tonight.

[BoltBait]

Just a quick question...

Should the blur level be settable? If so, what range sounds good?

I always set it to 1 or 2 no matter what size I'm making the shadow.

Can you guys please play with the blur slider and let me know if there is any value in keeping it or should I just hard code a value like 1 or 2?

I'm all for keeping plugins as simple as possible--that is, with the fewest controls that still allow you to get the job done. I definitely see value in the blur function. I'm just not sure if there is value in letting the user set it.

[Ego Eram Reputo]

Surely different sized images would require a different blur setting?  I'd like to suggest a blur slider with a range.  Perhaps 0 (no blur) through to a radius of 25? (I'm guessing - I haven't played with the prototype yet).