Photobie Lesson 2 – The Glowing Bulb

In this session, we will learn how to create the effect of a glowing bulb, as shown on the left. If you have missed Photobie Lesson 1 – Text Fly in Effect, do check it out first to get yourself accustomed to Photobie.

Ready?

Step 1: Find a Picture of a Bulb. To make the bulb glow, we first need to get the bulb. So, please get your bulb ready. If you cannot find one, use the one in Microsoft Powerpoint ClipArt. That picture will work fine.

Step 2: Set Up Photo Background. Activate Photobie. Go to “File”, “New”. Set any width and height you like. For the purpose of this illustration, I have used a 250 x 250 pixels picture. Also, click on “Primary Color” under “Background Color”. You should see a black background. We need a dark background to show the effect of a glowing bulb. Click on “OK”.

Step 3: Import and Resize The Bulb. Do you recall how to import a picture? Perhaps I will mention it one more time. In the menu, go to “Layer”, “Import Images as New Layers on Current Photo Panel”. Alternatively, you can press Ctrl + Shift + I. Once your picture is up, try resizing it. In the Layer Manager, click on the first button in the second row. You may now freely adjust your image. The screenshot shows what I have thus far. Always remember to save your work.

Step 4: Merge Layers and Clone. In the Layer Manager, check both boxes to the left of “0 Background” and “1 New Layer”. Click on the “Drop Down Arrow” of the second button in the first row of the Layer Manager, then select “Merge Remove”. You now have a single “0 Background”. To duplicate a copy of “0 Background” for modification purposes, click on “0 Background” in Layer Manager, then last button on the first row.

Step 5: Creating Glowing Effect. The moment of truth. “0 Background” is the default picture, so let’s leave it alone. Select “1 Background” in Layer Manager. In the menu bar, go to “Filter”, “L’amico.Perry” then “Luce” as shown in the screenshot below. You should get a pop up. Pay attention to what follows. For coordinate ‘X’, change “50” to “17”. For ‘Y’ coordinate, change “50” to “80”. Under “Light Intensity”, reduce from “100” to “25”. Save your work.

Step 6: Rinse and Repeat. Clone “0 Background” again, then apply the “Luce Filter” to the newly cloned “2 Background”. This time round, set the “Light Intensity to “50”. Remember to set the “X” and “Y” coordinates to “17” and “80” respectively. Click on “OK”. You should have 3 Backgrounds now. Let’s clone “1 Background” (the image with light intensity set at 25%) again to give a new “3 Background.

Step 7: Animation Time. You have 4 frames to animate. First, go to “GIF Animation”, “Animation Control Panel”. You will see a pop up similar to the one below. Click on “Frame 3”. Set the time delay to “500”. On the right side of “Animation Control Panel”, click on the second button in the column to preview your animation. Happy? Click on the fourth button in the same column to save your animated image.

Additional Tips: In this example, I have used a minimal of 4 frames (with light intensity set at 25% intervals). To get a “smoother” glowing bulb, you can add more frames (use the rinse and repeat step listed above) to set narrower light intensity gaps from frame to frame (for instance, set light intensity for first frame as 10%, second frame as 20% and so on up to your desired %). More frames will make the animation appear smoother.

Note: Please be informed that the instructions given in my Photobie lessons are based on Version 4.8 of Photobie. The concepts should apply to earlier or later versions, though the steps may differ slightly. Do contact me if you are facing problems, and we can try to sort things out together. I hope you are having fun with Photobie as much as I am writing these lessons!