PhotoWorks decals

[CajunCAD]

I am looking for a good method to create text decals to apply in Photoworks. I recently started working with decals so I am open to all advice.

What I want to do is create decal of black text with a transparent background. The method I have used is to create my text in Powerpoint and save the slide to a JPG file. I select the JPG in PhotoWorks to create the decal. The problem I am encountering is that when I use the Selective Color Mask and exclude the white background it leaves some splotchy white areas around the text. I would guess that the JPG quality is not what it needs to be to start the process.

What is the best way to create a text decal with a transparent background?

 

[rockguy]

What your doing is fine. Your problem lies in the selective color mask. You need to create a mask (in a photo editor) and then use the option "select mask from file". This will minimize the the halo around the image but it may not totally take care of it. The decal halo is a bug in PhotoWorks. Has ben for some time.

 

[Theophilus]

Make your decal with very high resolution. If your decal is 2500 pixels wide and you're applying it to a surface of about 2" wide, you should have great results. Save the image with high JPEG quality as well (two different things--high quality and high resolution).

There will be a slight border around the text, but it will be minimized in comparison to the size. The better the resolution, the less this will be noticed.

Another way of accomplishing this is to match the background color to exactly the color of the part to which you're applying the decal. This doesn't work for special materials such as chrome, etc. but fine for solids like plastic.

Jeff Mowry
Industrial Designhaus, LLC

http://www.industrialdesignhaus.com