Cinecred

7.1. Layers

The coloring, background, underline, and other visual properties of text are controlled by a stack of layers.

Each layer defines a shape and a coloring to fill the shape with. Layers are drawn from bottom to top. Use the plus buttons to insert new layers. Drag the layers around to reorder them. Use the Delete buttons to remove layers.

We recommend to name each layer, so you can quickly find your way later on. It also helps that most layer settings are hidden behind the Advanced button.

Adding, changing, naming, moving, and deleting a layer

Inherit Layers From Style

If two letter styles should share the same visuals, do not just duplicate the layer stack, but instead use this setting in one of the styles to automatically take on the other style’s stack. This not only shelters you from manually having to keep two stacks in sync, but also causes neighboring segments of text to be considered as one piece:

@Head @Body @Tail
{{Style One}}Lorem{{Style Two}} ipsum {{Style One}}dolor

Setting demonstration

Coloring

This setting defines how to fill the layer’s shape. Both a solid color and a gradient are supported. A gradient has two extremal colors, an angle (“0°” is from top to bottom, “90°” is from left to right), a distance between the extremal colors, and a shift of the entire gradient along the gradient axis. Finally, the layer may also be turned invisible, which can be useful when composing shapes via cloning.

Setting demonstration

Shape: Text

When the Shape setting is set to “Text”, the layer’s shape comprises the text’s letters.

Setting demonstration

Shape: Stripe

When the Shape setting is set to “Stripe”, the layer’s shape comprises a stripe that runs along the entire length of the text. The stripe can be positioned and customized with the following settings.

Setting demonstration

Preset

This setting defines the thickness and position of the stripe. You can either enter custom values, create a background that covers the entire font height, or create an underline or strikethrough line as envisioned by the font designer.

Setting demonstration

Widening

This setting prolongs the stripe further to the left or right, beyond the border of the text. Backgrounds can additionally be extended to the top or bottom. Shortening is also possible.

Setting demonstration

Corners

This setting rounds or bevels the four corners of the stripe.

Setting demonstration

Dash Pattern

This setting enables horizontal dashing of the stripe. It defines a sequence of numbers, which when repeated gives a sequence of dash and gap lengths. For example:

Setting demonstration

Shape: Clone

When the Shape setting is set to “Clone”, the layer’s shape comprises the shapes of a selection of other layers. Together with the offset setting, such layers can be useful for creating drop shadows, among other things.

Setting demonstration

Dilation

This setting grows the layer’s shape on all sides. It can be useful for creating a glow, halo, or non-offset drop shadow behind the text, among other things.

Setting demonstration

Contour

This setting replaces the layer’s shape with its outline. The thickness and corner style can be customized.

Setting demonstration

Offset/Scaling/Shearing

These transformation settings move, scale, or shear the layer’s shape. They do not affect the text box. Movement can be specified in Cartesian (x/y) or polar (angle & distance) coordinates.

Setting demonstration

Scale/Shear Anchor

When scaling or shearing a shape, it’s ambiguous around which point the transformation should happen. This setting lets you choose that point:

Setting demonstration

For Clone layers with more than one cloned shape, a third option is available:

Setting demonstration

Clear Around Layers

This setting pokes holes into the layer’s shape by cutting out the shapes of other layers. Increasing the radius additionally cuts out a gap around the other layers. The corner style can be customized.

This setting could for example be used to clear an underline around letters like y that reach below the baseline.

Setting demonstration

Blur Radius

This setting blurs the entire layer using a Gaussian blur. Be aware that very high radii can hurt performance.

Setting demonstration