Nettle Creek Color Systems

“Page Designer”

Page Designer Start Button - Click it to bring up the button set.

    Select the Image button to move an image once it has been dropped into a node.  Usage is the

same as in a standard layout, click and hold the mouse button and drag it to the desired crop.

    Select the Draw button to create new image nodes in a template.

    Select the T Draw button to create new text nodes in a template. 

Select the Save button after completing your node additions and modifications to retain the new template for

future use.  The dialog below will open, simply type a new name for the item and press Enter to save it.  You will

                       see the new template appear in the My Templates window.

Node Creation/Modification/Deletion

To create a node:

1) Click on the Draw button to start an image node, or Text Draw to start a text node.

2) Move your cursor into the template’s layout on the location the node should begin.

3) Click and drag the cursor towards the point you would like the node to end and you will see the node begin to draw.  You

can hold the mouse button down and adjust as long as needed to create the desired size.  Simply release the mouse button when

you are done to see the created node.

To modify a node:

To alter a node, click the Edit button and move your mouse over the nodes in the layout.  Once inside/on a node,

you will see the mouse cursor change to one of the following below, depending upon the cursor’s location:

Editing a node without changing the size: This can be done by either moving the node completely or by rotating it.

Moving a Node - If you hold your mouse in the center of a node, this cursor will appear to allow you to move the node.

    Click and drag to a new desired location on the layout.

Rotate a Node - If you hold your mouse just inside a node’s corner this cursor will appear to allow you to rotate it.

     Click and drag to a new desired location on the layout.

Editing a node’s size:  Resizing a node can be done from either the sides or the corners.

From the sides - If you hold your mouse over one of the node’s bounds lines (except a corner) this cursor will appear to

    allow you to alter the node’s height or width.  Click and drag the line in towards the center of the node to reduce the size

          or away from the center to increase it.

From the corners - If you hold your mouse over one of the node’s corners, this cursor will appear to allow you to alter

    the node’s height and width.  Click and drag the corner in towards the center of the node to reduce the size or away from

            the center to increase it. 

To remove a node, right-click on it and select Remove Node.

    Use of the Layer buttons allows you to put one newly created node over or behind another.

    The Grid button allows you to view and set spacing on a visible grid that can be used to arrange nodes against.

Additional Design Capabilities

The Page Designer offers the ability to add various design elements to the layouts and created nodes.  There are built in options for adding color options, shading and shadowing, and studio-supplied backgrounds and masks.  The lab may also provide additional options, such as background, border, and mask images as well as font type and image tone selections.

 The Stroke button allows you to add color strokes to selected nodes.  The screen below will to allow you to set the width, colors, and opacity settings.  TIP: Try to select fairly standard colors - some color ranges may not  transfer well through photographic printing, rendering the printed result slightly different from what was submitted.

The Fill button allows you to add colors backgrounds to the layouts.  The screen below will appear, allowing you to set the color and opacity settings.  TIP: Try to select fairly standard colors - some color ranges may not transfer well through photographic printing, rendering the printed result slightly different from what was submitted. 

The Text button allows you to set text colors on created text nodes.  The screen below will appear, allowing you to

set the width, colors, and opacity settings.  TIP: Try to select fairly standard colors - some color ranges may not transfer

well through photographic printing, rendering the printed result slightly different from what was submitted.

     The Opacity button allows you add an opaque mask to a node.  The below slider will appear to allow you to

     set the level of opacity on the current selected node.

    The Shadow button allows you to add a drop shadow to the current selected node.  The below screen will appear, offering sliders to set the Blur level, Opacity level, X location (right or left of the node) and Y location (above or below the node).

    The Background and Mask buttons allow you to add in your own image as a background for the

    layout or as a mask on a node.  Selecting either button will bring up a browse window of the local

                                                system to locate the desired image.

    The Template button allows you to select from various lab supplied options for the layout, such as borders or

    backgrounds.  A list such as the below will appear with selectable items.

    The Node button allows you to select from various lab supplied options to apply to individual nodes, such as font types

    or image tone selections.  A list such as the below will appear with selectable items.