Skitch tip: How to add a spotlight effect to your screen capture

I couldn’t find a one-click method of spotlighting areas of interest on my Skitch screen captures, so I had to use a few of the tools found in Skitch to achieve the desired effect shown below.

How to create a spotlight effect in Skitch

Here’s how I did it.

Steps 1 and 2

With your screen capture already in Skitch, decide on the area, or areas you wish to spotlight.

The area outside of the spotlit sections will need to be darkened:

  • Click on the Translucent Gray color.
  • Click on the Circle (oval) tool.

How to create a spotlight effect in Skitch

Steps 3 and 4

  • Drag an oval shape around the area you wish to spotlight.
    Do the same for other areas if there are any.
  • Click on the Fill area tool to activate it.

How to create a spotlight effect in Skitch

Step 5

  • Click anywhere outside the oval(s).
  • The photo will darken because you’re in effect painting the image with a gray that’s semi-transparent.
  • If you wish to darken the photo further, just click as many times as necessary. Each click darkens the photo further.
  • The oval shape protects the internal area from being “painted” by the Fill area tool.

How to create a spotlight effect in Skitch

Here’s the final result, once again

How to create a spotlight effect in Skitch

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  1. [...] (The photo was shot with a Canon XSi / 450D at ISO 1600 and edited using Adobe Photoshop CS3 and spotlight effect with [...]

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