Impress Action

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Type of Action: Item Action (to use it, select an item and go to Item>Actions to choose the Action from the list).

What the Action can do: This Action lets you do the following:
  • It lets you apply a surface texture to an image imported into a graphic item by using a combination of embossing and blurring processes.
To apply the Action, select a graphic item containing an imported image, go to Item>Actions and choose Impress. With the item selected, see the options in the Actions palette:


  • Enabled: This option is checked by default. When checked you will see a live preview of the effects applied when options are used in the Actions palette. To see a "before and after" of the original image (with and without the Action applied), switch the Enabled option on and off. Remember to leave it checked when you have finished.
  • Grayscale: Check this option to remove all color from the image to change the image to a black and white image.
  • Blur diameter: This slider (and value field) lets you control the amount of blur effect is applied to the image.
  • Apply to Alpha Channel: The default is for this option to be switched off, which means that the blur effect when used on an imported graphic with an "alpha channel" (such as a PNG-24 cut-out image with a transparent background) will finish where the alpha channel begins. Check this option if you wish to use the blur effect beyond the edge of a cut-out image.
  • Diameter: The first of the options to control the embossing effect applied to the image. This controls the amount of embossing effect is used on the image.
  • Intensity: This slider (and value field) controls the amount of contrast used in the embossing effect.
  • Color Shift: This slider (and value field) controls the saturation of the color used in the embossing effect.
  • Lighting: This slider (and value field) controls the angle of lighting used to create shadows for the embossing effect.
  • Apply to Alpha Channel: The default is for this option to be switched off, which means that the embossing effect when used on an imported graphic with an "alpha channel" (such as a PNG-24 cut-out image with a transparent background) will finish where the alpha channel begins. Check this option if you wish to use the emboss effect beyond the edge of a cut-out image.

Examples

Below you can see examples of how the original image (shown first which the Action disabled) will look when the options displayed in the Actions palette alongside each sample has been set up.