Type Layer Tricks
When you are making GIFs for buttons or navigational items, sometimes you want a font that is a little bolder than any you have available, or you would like a drop shadow to make the type stand out against a mid-tone or busy background. This is easily achieved using layers of the same text and just shifting the topmost layer by one pixel or so.
This is the bold version my new MiniVista pixel font, but I would like it extra bold. If I make a duplicate layer and shift the upper one horizontally by selecting the layer and tapping the 'right' arrow on the keyboard, the whole layer moves one pixel and the font looks bolder. Tap the right arrow again and it gets bolder still.
For a drop shadow effect, move the backmost layer one pixel right and one down and change the text to black or a contrasting color.
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