Can we talk shadows just a minute?

momtutu

New member
I'm finding that I use the preset shadows in PSE7 all the time but I'm wondering how you all do it. I know some of you make your own shadows and I don't think I'm ready for that yet but here is my question...

Do you generally use the same presets for each element on a page? Like, all of your shadows have the same size, distance and opacity? I tend to make mine all the same but I do play around with size, distance and opacity - I just apply the same numbers to all of my paper layers and elements.
 
I have PSPXI, so I don't know much about Photoshop Elements, but I do a different shadow for every paper and element, depending on how far away from the base layer of the page it would be in real life. :) I also add a warp brush to some elements if they would be curling away from the page a little bit. Shadows are probably one of my very favourite parts of designing a page, so I love to play with them. I change opacity, distance, blur everything all the time. I don't know what an average setting would be for me... though I recently changed from having the shadows go to the bottom right to the bottom left in my LO's, I like the effect better. :)
 
I usually have my opacity set to 75%. But, I change the size and distance depending on what it is. If it's something bulky that should stick off the page some, I increase the size and distance. If it's something that should sit close to the page like another paper, button or something like that, then I set them very low - usually like a 5.
 
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