In addition to sharing fun crafty videos here on Crafty Hangouts, we like to share great tips for getting the most of the Google Hangout On Air Experience.
This morning I learned about the awesome new Custom Overlay feature in Google+. Seriously, this is so awesome! It is like the lower third feature we've seen in the past, but MUCH more customizeable, and the background is transparent, which makes it perfect for our videos where covering up part of the screen means less crafting space!
You can watch the video, which will take you through making the png and getting it uploaded, or you can follow the simple steps outlined below the video.
Creating a Custom Overlay
1) Using a program like Photoshop or Pixlr.com, create a transparent 640x360 PNG file that will overlay the entire Hangout window (PNG images are transparent where they are blank)
IMPORTANT: when naming the file, name it overlay.PNG. This is the way I got it to work.
2) Launch a Hangout and select the Hangout Toolbox icon on the left side of the window. If you haven't added the Hangout Toolbox app yet, add it now.
3) Select the left-most icon
on the Toolbox navigation bar on the right-hand portion of the screen.
4) Under the section that says Custom Overlay, upload your PNG image, then flip the switch from "off" to "on"
5) The image will look like a mirror image to you, but your audience will see it as normal.
Have fun with this new feature! There are so many fun things you can do with this!!
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