How to: Create an Embossed Visual Effect

The EmbossBitmapEffect can be used to create bump mapping of the visual object to give the impression of depth and texture from an artificial light source. Below are a series of examples that show the following:

  • How to use simple markup to apply the effect to an object

  • How to use a Style to apply the effect to one or more objects

  • How to use code to apply the effect to an object

  • How to use an animation to animate the properties of an effect applied to an object

Note: All of the examples below apply only a single effect to an object. To apply multiple effects, you can use BitmapEffectGroup. See How to: Create Multiple Visual Effects for examples.

Example

The following example shows how to use an EmbossBitmapEffect to create an embossed image.

<Page xmlns="https://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
  xmlns:x="https://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml">

    <StackPanel>

      <Image Width="360" Source="/images/WaterLilies.jpg" Margin="10" >
        <Image.BitmapEffect>

          <!-- <BitmapEffectGroup> would go here if you wanted to apply more 
             then one effect to the TextBox. However, in this example only  
             one effect is being applied so BitmapEffectGroup does not need  
             to be included. -->

          <!-- The Relief property determines the amount of relief of the emboss.
               The valid range of values is 0-1 with 0 having the least relief and
               1 having the most. The default value is 0.44. The LightAngle determines 
               from what direction the artificial light is cast upon the embossed 
               object which effects shadowing. The valid range is from 0-360 (degrees)
               with 0 specifying the right-hand side of the object and successive values  
               moving counter-clockwise around the object. -->
          <EmbossBitmapEffect Relief="0.8" LightAngle="320" />
        </Image.BitmapEffect>
      </Image>

    </StackPanel>

</Page>

The following example shows how to use a Style to apply an EmbossBitmapEffect to any Image on the page.

<Page xmlns="https://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
  xmlns:x="https://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml">

  <!-- Resources define Styles for the entire page. -->
  <Page.Resources>

    <!-- This style applies to any Image on the page. -->
    <Style TargetType="{x:Type Image}">
      <Setter Property="BitmapEffect" >
        <Setter.Value>
          <EmbossBitmapEffect Relief="0.8" />
        </Setter.Value>
      </Setter>
    </Style>

  </Page.Resources>

  <StackPanel>

    <!-- The Style defined above applies to this Image which applies
         the EmbossBitmapEffect. -->
    <Image Width="360" Source="/images/WaterLilies.jpg" Margin="10" />

  </StackPanel>

</Page>

The following example shows how to use code to apply an EmbossBitmapEffect to an Image when it loads.

The following is the Extensible Application Markup Language (XAML) for the example.

<Page xmlns="https://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
  xmlns:x="https://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
  x:Class="SDKSample.EmbossExample" >

  <StackPanel>

    <!-- When this image loads, an EmbossBitmapEffect is applied to it. -->
    <Image Width="360" Loaded="OnLoadEmbossImage" Source="/images/WaterLilies.jpg" />

  </StackPanel>

</Page>

The following is the code that handles the event for the markup.

using System;
using System.Windows;
using System.Windows.Controls;
using System.Windows.Media;
using System.Windows.Input;
using System.Windows.Media.Effects;

namespace SDKSample
{

    public partial class EmbossExample : Page
    {

        // Add Bevel effect.
        void OnLoadEmbossImage(object sender, RoutedEventArgs args)
        {
            // Get a reference to the Button.
            Image myImage = (Image)sender;

            // Initialize a new BevelBitmapEffect that will be applied
            // to the Button.
            EmbossBitmapEffect myEmbossEffect = new EmbossBitmapEffect();

            // The LightAngle determines from what direction the artificial 
            // light is cast upon the embossed object which effects shadowing.
            // The valid range is from 0-360 (degrees)with 0 specifying the 
            // right-hand side of the object and successive values moving
            // counter-clockwise around the object.
            // Set the LightAngle to 320 degrees (lower right side). 
            myEmbossEffect.LightAngle = 320;

            // The Relief property determines the amount of relief of the emboss.
            // The valid range of values is 0-1 with 0 having the least relief and
            // 1 having the most. The default value is 0.44.
            myEmbossEffect.Relief = 0.8;

            // Apply the bitmap effect to the Image.
            myImage.BitmapEffect = myEmbossEffect;
        }

    }
}

The following example shows how to animate the LightAngle property of the EmbossBitmapEffect so that the artificial light revolves around the embossed image which makes the shadows cast by the emboss shift accordingly.

<Page xmlns="https://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
  xmlns:x="https://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml" >

  <StackPanel>

    <Image Source="/images/WaterLilies.jpg" Width="600"  Margin="10" >
      <Image.BitmapEffect>
        <EmbossBitmapEffect x:Name="myEmbossBitmapEffect"  Relief="0.8" LightAngle="0" />
      </Image.BitmapEffect>
      <Image.Triggers>
        <EventTrigger RoutedEvent="Image.Loaded">
          <BeginStoryboard>
            <Storyboard>

              <!-- Animate the LightAngle so that the artificial light
                   orbits around the embossed image which makes the
                   shadows cast by the emboss shift accordingly. -->
              <DoubleAnimation
               Storyboard.TargetName="myEmbossBitmapEffect"
               Storyboard.TargetProperty="LightAngle"
               From="0" To="360" Duration="0:0:3" />

            </Storyboard>
          </BeginStoryboard>
        </EventTrigger>
      </Image.Triggers>
    </Image>

  </StackPanel>

</Page>

See Also

Tasks

How to: Create a Glow Effect on the Outer Edge of an Object

How to: Apply a Blur Effect to a Visual

How to: Create a Drop Shadow Visual Effect

How to: Create a Beveled Visual Effect

How to: Create Multiple Visual Effects

How to: Animate Multiple Visual Effects

Concepts

Bitmap Effects Overview