Creating Flares

This tip describes how to create a Flare usually seen with special filters in photography. You can get the same kind of effect with KPT Vector Effects, but this Xtra doesn't work well with FreeHand™ 8 or 9 so here's how to do it sans the Xtra.

Version: 3 and above

Flares are a cool addition to any artwork you want to have the appearance of being shiny and it's a fairly easy thing to create. With some practice, you can do it in under 10 minutes depending on how complex the art is.

Below is an example of how to create a Flare over a simple background color.

1) In a new document, create a constrained square by holding the shift key as you draw. Then rotate it 45°.

2) Next turn on Snap to Point and Snap to Guides under the View menu. Drag one vertical and one horizontal guide to snap to the corner points of the square. While the square is still selected, ungroup it. This turns it into a path instead of an object.

3) Now Option (Alt)+Click+Drag on the top corner point. This should start to drag out a curve handle. If you end up making a clone of the path, turn off Option (Alt) -drag copies path in the preferences. Drag the curve handle to snap to the intersecting guides.	4) Repeat step 3 for the other three corner points. You should only drag one curve handle from each of the points. Your shape should now look like the above shape.

5) Next turn off your guides. While your object is still selected, open the Transform palette and activate the Scale option. Turn off the Uniform option and Enter 60% for x, and 100% for y.

6) Now clone the shape. With the Transform palette, turn on the Uniform option and enter 40%. Example zoomed in slightly.

7) Now select both objects and remove any lines. Fill the back shape with Black and the front shape with White.	8) Select the points shown above at left and Blend using about 25 steps. Use more steps for larger Flares.

9) Rotate the Flare 45° and place it over a black background.

10) To make a Flare over several colors, place the flare in the exact spot you want it. Then clone the flare.	11) Option + Click the outer most shape in the Top Flare to select the Black colored piece. Recolor this to match your second color. This will reblend the colors. Deselect this path.

12) Now select the new colored Flare and in the Edit menu select Cut. Then select the shape to add the flare to, and Choose Paste Inside in the Edit menu. You'll need to repeat steps 10-12 to add more colored flares if necessary.

Get creative. Here I used the Flare to enhance stars in outer space and a big Flare for a sun coming over the horizon of a planet. You can add other candy such as halos (here I used a similar effect from the Water Drip tip in order to turn a blend into a Transparent Lens Fill that overlays the Flares) and those Lens reflections often seen when looking at bright objects.