LumaPix :: FotoFusion
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When you select an image frame or text frame in FotoFusion, a set of handles appear inside and outside the frame.
When a frame is selected, you can mouse-down on any non-handled part of the frame, and drag the entire frame to any location on or outside the canvas area.
Mouse-down on the handles to interactively control various aspects of the frame:
| • | Blue exterior handles control the outer appearance of the frame. |
| • | Yellow interior handles control the image position and size within the frame. |
Grid lines will appear on your image when you select it and resize it. These non-adjustable lines divide your frame into thirds, to assist you with image placement within the frame. Click here to read why we've included this feature.
Resize Handles
Dragging a resize handle resizes the outside shape of the frame:
Identical images, resized
(Image by Kent Smith)
Important Notes:
| • | If you only see the side handles and not the corner resize handles, then the frame has been locked to a particular aspect ratio, meaning the width-to-length ratio cannot be changed. |
| • | You can turn this feature on and off by pressing the 'A' key on your keyboard, which will lock the aspect ratio of the frame, or by right-mouse-down on an item to select IMAGE FRAME or SCRAP ELEMENT FRAME. |
| • | Also note that certain types of embellishments (eg. png files with transparency) have their aspect ratio permanently locked, so the element cannot be cropped or stretched. |
4-handled frame, aspect ratio locked
Rotate Handle
Dragging the rotate handle rotates the entire frame:
Important Notes:
| • | Hold down the ALT key to snap rotation to increments of 45 degrees. |
| • | Hold down the CONTROL key to rotate the image within the frame itself. This will allow you to straighten a crooked image to an upright position. |
Crop Handles
Dragging the yellow crop handles (interior corners) determines which part of the image is visible within a frame:
Duplicate Images, first has been cropped
Important Notes:
| • | These handles do not appear in "element" type frames, meaning the element cannot be moved or resized in the frame. |
Pan
Dragging the pan handle moves the image within the frame:
Important Notes:
| • | If you do not see this handle on a frame it means that the frame is holding an element; elements cannot be panned. |
When you drop graphics onto your canvas, you may notice that some images appear with 8 handles, and other appear with 4 handles. An Element will appear as a 4 handled-frame, and is usually graphical object with transparency, saved as a png file type. An example would be an image of a rusty key or a clip art flower, which is meant to be arranged within a collage without being cropped. It can be resized but not stretched or widened. Another way of describing this is to say that their aspect ratio is locked.
Smart Frames, however, do not follow this rule. They can be dynamically resized.
An Image is usually a jpg, such as a photograph, or a background texture, which is meant to be cropped and tilted within a frame.
Frames are in one of these two modes at all times, and the mode determines which handles appear on the frame:
Element |
Image |
Resize |
Resize |
Rotate |
Rotate |
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Pan |
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Crop |
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Swap |
Any frame can be converted from one mode to the other.
Click on TOOLS on the menu bar and select Frame Type to switch from one type to the other.
Tapping the "A" key on your keyboard will produce a similar effect by locking the aspect ratio of all frames on the canvas. Alternatively, select an item and right-mouse-down on it; select either Image Frame or Scrap Element Frame from the list.
