Alice's Garden Frame and BG Tutorial

By LismibaebisCreations
9 May 2010

Art for Tutorial image: © Burkhard Niebert
Used with Group Permission

This tutorial is dedicated to Alice Robinson (1921 - April 2010), much loved by all who knew her.

Skill Level: Advanced Beginner
Knowledge of using Filters necessary
(or learn how to get started with my ABC Tutorials)

This tutorial is my own creation, any resemblance to another tutorial is purely coincidental

Program shortcuts will be given in parentheses

Needed

Paint Shop Pro - I used X2
(Tutorial will work with other PSP versions, some adjustments might be necessary)
Free 30 day PSP trial from Corel, available here

Image
Graphic of choice

Filters
Xero (freeware filters Rel 5 - Oct 2009), available here

Texture
LB_texture34, available here
(or a Texture of your choice)

Performance Notes
This tutorial is in 3 parts:
- Preparation
- Frame
- Background

The settings for different Tools and Effects will stay the same throughout the tutorial, unless new setting instructions are given

Don't forget to save your work often

Interactive arrow-bookmark.
Click on the arrow and move it anywhere on this page to create a virtual bookmark. It will stay wherever you might put it until you close the browser(tab). Needs IE to work.

Preparation

1) Download and install filters if necessary
(If you install filters you need to restart PSP afterwards)

2) Download the Texture and save to your Texture Folder

3) File > Open
Open image of choice

4) Window > Duplicate (Shift + D)
Close original

5) Image > Resize
Settings:
Resample using = Bicubic
Lock aspect ratio = Checked
Resize all layers = Checked
Resolution = 72.000 Pixels / Inch
Width = No greater than 450 Pixels
Height = No greater than 350

6) Adjust > Sharpness > Unsharp Mask
Settings:
Radius = 1.00, Strength = 47
Clipping = 5
Luminance only = Checked
(or a setting of your liking)

7) Dropper Tool (E)
Left click to choose a light Foreground color
(I chose #fcfae5)
Right click to choose a dark Background color
(I chose #2f444f)

8) Layers > Merge > Merge All (Flatten)
(if necessary)

9) Window > Duplicate
Minimize

10) Edit > Copy

Frame

11) Selections > Select All

12) Effects > 3D Effects > Cutout
Settings:
Vertical & Horizontal = 0
Opacity = 75, Blur = 25.00
Color = Black
Fill interior with color = Not checked

13) Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Symmetric = Checked
Size in pixels = 1
Color = Black

14) Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Color = Foreground Color

15) Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Color = Background Color

16) Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Color = Foreground Color

17) Selections > Select All

18) Selections > Modify > Contract
Settings:
Number of pixels = 3

19) Selections > Invert

20) Effects > 3D Effects > Inner Bevel
Settings:
Bevel = #1, Width = 2
Smoothness = 0, Depth = 5
Ambience = 0, Shininess = 0
Color = White, Angle = 315
Intensity = 32, Elevation = 50

21) Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Color = Black

22) Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Size in pixels = 12
Color = Any color not in image

23) Magic Wand Tool
Settings:
Mode = Replace
Match mode = RGB Value
Tolerance = 0
Use all layers = Not checked
Contiguous = Checked
Feather = 0
Anti-alias = Checked Outside

24) Select new border

25) Edit > Paste Into Selection

26) Adjust > Blur > Gaussian Blur
Settings:
Radius = 27.00

27) Effects > Texture Effects > Texture
Settings:
Texture = LB_texture34
Size = 25%, Smoothness = 0
Depth = 3, Ambience = 0
Shininess = 0
Color = White
Angle = 315, Intensity = 50
Elevation = 30

28) Effects > 3D Effects > Cutout
Settings:
Opacity = 40

29) Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Size in pixels = 1
Color = Black

30) Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Color = Foreground Color

31) Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Color = Background Color

32) Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Color = Foreground Color

33) Selections > Select All

34) Selections > Modify > Contract

35) Selections > Invert

36) Effects > 3D Effects > Inner Bevel

37) Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Color = Black

38) Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Size in pixels = 45
Color = Any color not in image

39) Magic Wand Tool
Select new border

40) Edit > Paste Into Selection

41) Adjust > Blur > Gaussian Blur

42) Effects > Plugins > Xero > Fritillary
Settings:
Granularity = 4, Aggression = 81
Tesselation = 35, Variation = 32

43) Effects > 3D Effects > Inner Bevel
Settings:
Bevel = #2, Width = 23
Smoothness = 7, Depth = 15
Ambience = 7, Shininess = 12
Color = White, Angle = 315
Intensity = 32, Elevation = 50

44) Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Size in pixels = 1
Color = Black

45) Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Color = Foreground Color

46) Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Color = Background Color

47) Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Color = Foreground Color

48) Selections > Select All

49) Selections > Modify > Contract

50) Selections > Invert

51) Effects > 3D Effects > Inner Bevel
Settings:
Bevel = #1, Width = 2
Smoothness = 0, Depth = 5
Ambience = 0, Shininess = 0
Color = White, Angle = 315
Intensity = 32, Elevation = 50

52) Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Color = Black

53) Selections > Select None

54) Layers > New Raster Layer

55) Add Watermark(s)

56) File > Export > JPEG Optimizer
Settings:
Set compression value to = 20 - 30
Chroma subsampling = YCbCr 1x1 1x1 1x1 (None)
Save Exif data = Not checked

Do NOT Close Frame

Background

57) Layers Palette
Activate Background layer

58) Adjust > Sharpness > Sharpen

59) Selection Tool (S) > Custom selection

Settings:
Top = 200
Left = 8, Right = 45
Bottom = 237

60) Edit > Copy

61) Edit > Paste As New Image

62) Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Color = Black

63) Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Color = Foreground Color

64) Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Color = Background Color

65) Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Color = Foreground Color

66) Selections > Select All

67) Selections > Modify > Contract

68) Selections > Invert

69) Effects > 3D Effects > Inner Bevel

70) Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Color = Black

71) Selections > Select None

72) Layers > Promote Background Layer

73) Image > Canvas Size
Settings:
Lock aspect ratio = Not Checked
Width = 100 Pixels
Height = 100
Placement = Middle

74) Image > Free Rotate
Settings:
Left = Checked
Free = 45.00
All layers = Not checked
Rotate single layer around canvas center = Not checked

75) Effects > 3D Effects > Drop Shadow
Settings:
Vertical & Horizontal = 0
Opacity = 50, Blur = 15.00
Color = Black
Shadow on new layer = Not checked

76) Image > Canvas Size
Settings:
Width = 1700 Pixels****
Height = 100
Placement = Left Middle Arrow
*****or preferred width

77) Layers > New Raster Layer

78) Layers > Arrange > Send to Bottom

79) Materials Palette
Change Background to Gradient
Settings:
Foreground-background
Angle = 45, Repeats = 50
Invert = Not Checked
Style = Linear
Texture = Not checked

80) Flood Fill Tool (F)
Settings:
Match mode = None
Use all layers = Not checked
Blend mode = Normal
Opacity = 100

81) Right click to flood fill new layer with Gradient

82) Layers > Duplicate

83) Image > Mirror

84) Layers Palette
Reduce opacity of Layer to 50

85) Layers > Merge > Merge Down

86) Effects > Image Effects > Seamless Tiling
Settings:
Default

87) Adjust > Softness > Soft Focus
Settings: (Default)
Softness (%) = 50
Edge Importance (%) = 50
Include scattered light = Checked
Amount (%) = 50
Halo size (%) = 50
Halo visibility (%) = 50

88) Effects > Texture Effects > Texture

89) Effects > Plugins > Xero > Fritillary

90) Effects > Image Effects > Seamless Tiling
Settings:
Mirror = Checked
Vertical = Checked
Vertical offset (%) = 0
Width (%) = 50
Transition (%) = 50

91) Layers > New Raster Layer
Settings:
Blend mode = Soft Light
Opacity = 100
Link set = 0
Highlight in layers palette = Not checked
Layer is visible = Checked
Lock transparency = Not checked

92) Flood Fill Tool
Left click to flood fill new layer with Foreground color

93) Dropper Tool
Left click to choose a medium color from your image or frame
(I chose #dfcea0)

94) Layers > New Raster Layer
Settings:
Blend mode = Normal

95) Flood Fill Tool
Flood fill new layer with Foreground color OR Background color

96) Layers Palette
Reduce opacity of layer to 73
(or a setting of your liking),

97) File > Export > JPEG Optimizer

You are done!
Now you can assemble the stationery in LC or OE/Windows Mail.
Please link tutorial to this page

I hope that you enjoyed doing this tutorial. If you have any questions, please email me at Barbara @ Lismibaebi.com
I would love to see what you create with my tutorial

A special "Thank you" goes to the United Tut Testers who participated and who helped me make this tutorial as good as it is.

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