Shadow Effects

Shadow effects add depth and visual hierarchy to your bitmap fonts, making them stand out. SnowB BMF offers powerful shadow controls to create everything from subtle drop shadows to dramatic visual effects, enhancing readability and aesthetic appeal.

Understanding Shadow Controls

Easily create the perfect shadow by adjusting a few key parameters.

Enable or Disable Shadows

You can toggle shadows on or off with a single switch in the Shadow panel. When disabled, your settings are preserved for later use.

Core Shadow Parameters

Fine-tune your shadow’s appearance with these settings:

Horizontal & Vertical Offset (Offset X & Offset Y)

• Description: Controls the shadow’s distance from the text. Offset X moves it horizontally, and Offset Y moves it vertically.
• Values: Use positive values to move the shadow right and down, and negative values to move it left and up.
• Default: 1px

Blur Radius

• Description: Softens the shadow’s edges. A higher value creates a more diffused, softer look, while a value of 0 results in a sharp, crisp shadow.
• Default: 1px

Shadow Color

• Description: Sets the shadow’s color. Use the color picker to select a color and adjust its opacity (alpha).
• Default: #000000 (black)
• Tip: While black is standard for drop shadows, experimenting with other colors can produce unique artistic effects.

Common Shadow Styles

Here are a few popular styles you can create:

Classic Drop Shadow

A standard effect perfect for improving readability.

• Offset X: 2px
• Offset Y: 2px
• Blur: 2px
• Color: Black (#000000)

Soft Glow

Creates a subtle, glowing aura around your text.

• Offset X: 0px
• Offset Y: 0px
• Blur: 4px to 8px
• Color: A bright color, often matching the text.

Long Shadow

A modern, dramatic effect with a sharp, cast shadow.

• Offset X: 8px
• Offset Y: 8px
• Blur: 0px
• Color: Black (#000000)

Best Practices & Tips

For Better Readability

• Use subtle shadows (1-3px offset and low blur) for body text.
• Ensure sufficient contrast between the shadow and the background.

Performance Considerations

• High blur values can increase the final texture atlas size. Keep blur moderate (0-10px) for optimal performance.
• Always test your exported font in its target application.

Design Consistency

• Maintain consistent shadow settings (like direction and color) across your project to align with your overall design’s lighting.

Important Export Notes

• Shadow effects are baked directly into the final bitmap font image.
• Plan your texture atlas size to ensure it’s large enough to accommodate the shadow dimensions.
• Only single-layer shadows are supported.