Macromedia Fireworks MX - Creating A Logo

Fireworks MX is a dynamic graphics software that allows the user to create bitmap and vector graphics. Although
Fireworks MX products maybe saved in many formats, these two are the defaults that appear in the workspace. To
introduce the tools and workspace in Fireworks, we will:
• create a logo using shapes and colors
• create effects for text in the logo
• use an existing photo as a mask inside of the logo.

Below is a picture of the finished logo that you will create in this lesson.

1. Open the 5083 website, Week Two, and click on the Dragon Lady Image. A picture of a a lady standing
next to a dragon will appear. Put your cursor over the image and right click. Choose Save Picture As or Save Image
As (depending upon which browser you are using) and then navigate to your working folder on the network and
click Save.

2. Open Fireworks, from the Menu bar, select File, New. A dialog box will appear that will allow you to create a
canvas for the graphic that you will create. You will create a canvas that is 500 X 500 pixels, 72 pixels/inch
resolution and White canvas color.
 3. When
you have clicked on OK, your new canvas will appear. Your next step will be to create the shapes that will be used to
create your logo. Below you will be able to see the toolbar. The toolbar allows the user to create shapes, lines, fills,
to crop and select objects.
4. Select the Shape Tool and click on the little upside down arrow on that button. From the drop down menu,
choose Rounded Rectangle.
5. You will select the color for the outline of the shape as well as the fill color for the shape. From the colors section,
make the outline red and the fill color white.
6. Place the crosshair that appears from selecting the rounded rectangle in the upper left hand corner, drag and
release. Look down at the bottom of your screen and make sure in the Properties Manager Tip Size = 8 and
Stroke Category is Dark Marker - which is under Felt Tip, then Select Dark Marker. See illustrations below.
(TIP - hold your cursor over different boxes on the Properties Manager and a tool tip will pop up with the name of
what that box controls.) Save your work fo the network working folder as practicelogo.png.

7. Now you will create a second rounded rectangle that is the same size by using copy and paste. Click on selection
tool (arrow) and then click on the rectangle you drew. Go to Edit, Copy and then Edit, Paste. You will only seem
to see one of the rectangles, drag the rectangle slightly to the lower right of the original. For the second rectangle,
the line color will remain red, tip size 8 and Dark Marker will be the stroke category. The fill color should be
royal blue. Save your work to the network working folder.
8. Change the Shape Tool to Ellipse tool by holding down the upside down arrow and the menu will pop up. The
line should be set to red, pencil, 1 pixel, hard. The fill should be set to white.

9. Beginning from the lower right of the blue rectangle, drag out to create your white ellipse with a red line outline.
If you should need to move the ellipse to center it, click on the black arrow tool in the tool bar, click on the ellipse
and drag to the desired location. Save your work.

10.Using the text tool, draw a text box just above the ellipse. In the Properties Manager, set the font to Red,
Comic Sans, size 15, Bold, and click on the Center button. Type University of Texas @ San Antonio in the text
box. Save your work.
11. To add a Drop Shadow effect to the text, click outside of the text box. To do this look at the Property
Manager at the bottom of the screen and on the right of the box you will see the word Effects and a + sign. Click
on the +, and from the pop-up menu, select Shadow and Glow, Drop Shadow - see below! Save your work.

12. To add the picture to the inside of the logo, you will create a special type of mask. This is a two step process.
From the Menu bar, choose File, Open. When the dialog box appears, navigate to your working folder on the
network and select TheDragonLady.jpg. Click on OPEN.
13. Select the upper body of the Dragon Lady in the picture with the Marquee Tool from the tool bar.
14.With the section still selected, from the Menu bar, select Edit, Cut. You will notice that the portion selected has
been removed from the picture.

13. Close the picture that is opened and do not save changes. Maximize the logo. Select the ellipse by using the
black arrow in the tool bar. From the Menu bar, select Edit, Paste Inside. Do not panic if you do not see your
picture! It is there.

14. You may need to move the picture to the center of the ellipse. To do this operation, click on the picture in the
layers pallete (to the right). A set of blue handles will appear around what seems to be a white box! Blue
diamonds will also appear in the center of the picture. The blue diamons in the middle of the "white" box will allow
you to move the photo within the logo frame. When you have the picture properly centered, click outside of the logo
to deselect it. Save your work.
15. Congratulations! You have completed your logo!

16. To view this on the web, you must now Export it!!!

17. Go to File, Export Prieview.

18. Set the following items: Format: GIF, Palette: WebSnap Adaptive, 128 colors.

19. Save this to your working folder on the network as practicelogo.gif.

20. Then click Export.

21. When you exit Fireworks, you will be asked if you want to save changes to your file. Answer YES. This
updates your PNG file, which if you ever need to edit it, you can open the png and edit it easily!