Add drop shadow to object with clipping path?

[marlene]

How? I'm using Photoshop 7 (PC) but also have CS2.

I'm working with a Photodisc object photo (a flower than needs to be superimposed on a background, with a drop shadow).

Nothing I've tried has worked, but I know it's possible.

TIA,

mxh

[Andrew B.]

Photoshop has a built-in drop shadow feature. Your object has to be cut out. Masking might work too, but I've never tried that. Put your image on a layer above the background. Double click the layer to open the Layer Style menu.Turn on drop shadow. It will look awful when you first turn this on, but the controls are very powerful and can make it look good.

[marlene]

Okay, now I get it. I was trying to add the drop shadow around the clipping path. I had to copy the object only )without the white background) to a new layer to make it work. Thanks!

Now, I assume there's no way to save the new image -- with the clipping path -- with a transparent background, right? I have to either create a new clipping path that includes the drop shadow (probably easy, since I can just use the magic wand to select the plain background, invert the selection, and make a new clipping path; bring my background (a simple black and white checkerboard pattern) into Photoshop and plop the object onto it; or work in InDesign instead of Quark. <g>

And I'm not ready to do this project in InDesign -- I just got the files on Friday, and the job has to go to press NEXT Friday, so I need to work fast.

mxh

[Andrew B.]

If you are asking about simply saving the file, just save it. Photoshop supports transparency. But if you are asking about how to get it into Quark with transparency and a semi-opaque edge, that is over my head. I have never had to do anything close to that.

[marlene]

I just placed my object on its checkered background in Photoshop and imported that (a TIFF copy) into Quark, and it looks great.

InDesign lets you import PSD files with transparency, but Quark doesn't. Although I've heard there's a new filter or xtension for Quark that deals with it.

No time to find out now, though. <g>

mxh