Bursting Primrose Frame and Background Tutorial

By ©LismibaebisCreations
28th April 2006

Skill Level Intermediate
Knowledge of using Filters necessary
(or learn how to get started on my website)

Please do not script my tutorials
This tutorial is my own creation; any resemblance to another tutorial is purely coincidental

Needed

Paint Shop Pro 9 (Tutorial should also work with other PSP versions, some adjustments might be necessary)
Free 30-day PSP trial from Corel, available here
Letter Creator from Incredimail (optional), available here

Filters
dsb flux Filter, available here
I.C.NET Filters Unlimited, available here
(This is a pay for filter, you might choose to use one of the Texture Effects in PSP instead)

Graphic
Graphic of choice

Pattern
Gold pattern "Arguld10", available here
(or Gold pattern of your choice)

Performance Notes
The settings for Magic Wand Tool and Flood Fill Tool remain the same throughout the tutorial

Do NOT promote the Background

If your graphic is on a Raster Layer at the beginning of the Tutorial:
Layers > Merge > Merge All (Flatten)

Don't forget to save your work often

Frame

1) File > Open
Open graphic of choice

2) Window > Duplicate (Shift + D)

3) Close original

4) Image > Resize
Settings:
Resolution = 72.000
Resample using = Bicubic
Lock aspect ratio = Checked
Resize all layers = Checked
Width not greater than 430 pixels
Height not greater than 370 pixels

5) Window > Duplicate (Shift + D)
(We now have 2 resized graphics. The second copy is in case the graphic is no longer on the clipboard later on)

6) Minimize one of the graphics

7) Materials Palette
Click on Background Color, click Pattern Tab and find the Gold Pattern
Settings:
Angle = 0, Scale = 100
Texture = NOT checked

8) Dropper Tool (E)
Choose a medium Foreground Color
(I chose #95b176)

9) Edit > Copy

10) Selections > Select All

11) Effects > 3D Effects > Cutout
Settings:
Horizontal & Vertical = 0
Opacity = 100, Blur = 12.00
Shadow Color = Black
Fill interior with color = Not checked

12) Selections > Select None

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

14) Image > Add Borders
Settings:
3 pixels
Color = Any color not in graphic

15) Magic Wand Tool
Settings:
Mode = Replace
Match mode = RGB Value
Tolerance = 0
Sample merged = Checked
Contiguous = Checked
Feather = 0
Anti-alias = Checked
Outside

16) Select new border

17) Flood Fill Tool (F)
Settings:
Match mode = None
Sample merged = Checked
Blend mode = Normal
Opacity = 100

18) Flood fill Selection with Gold Pattern

19) Effects > 3D Effects > Inner Bevel
Settings: Bursting Primrose 1
Bevel #1, Width = 3
Smoothness = 0, Depth = 4
Ambience = 0, Shininess = 0
Color = White, Angle = 315
Intensity = 50, Elevation = 30
(you might wish to save this setting as we will use it again later)

20) Image > Add Borders
Settings:
1 pixels
Color = Black

21) Image > Add Borders
Settings:
40 pixels
Color = Any color not in graphic

22) Magic Wand Tool
Select new border

23) Edit > Paste > Paste Into Selection

24) Layers > New Raster Layer

25) Flood Fill Tool
Flood fill new layer with Foreground color

26) Layers Palette
Lower the opacity of the new layer to 38
(or a setting of your choice)

27) Layers > Merge > Merge Visible

28) Adjust > Blur > Gaussian Blur
Settings:
Radius = 15.00

29) Effects > Plugins > dsb flux > Center Mirror
Settings:
Mirrors = 30
Rotation = 24

30) Effects > Edge Effects > Enhance More

31) Effects > 3D Effects > Inner Bevel
Settings: Bursting Primrose 2
Bevel #2, Width = 20
Smoothness = 10, Depth = 10
Ambience = 10, Shininess = 2
Color = White, Angle = 315
Intensity = 50, Elevation = 30

32) Selections > Invert

33) Selections > Modify > Select Selection Borders
Settings:
Outside
Border width = 2
Anti-alias = Checked

34) Flood Fill Tool
Flood fill with Foreground color

35) Image > Add Borders
Settings:
1 pixels
Color = Black

36) Image > Add Borders
Settings:
5 pixels
Color = Any color not in graphic

37) Magic Wand Tool
Select new border

38) Flood Fill Tool
Flood fill Selection with Gold Pattern

39) Effects > 3D Effects > Inner Bevel
Settings: Bursting Primrose 1

40) Image > Add Borders
Settings:
1 pixels
Color = Black

41) Selections > Select None

42) Layers > New Raster Layer

43) Add Watermark

44) File > Export > JPEG Optimizer
Settings:
Set Compression value to = 30
(Do not close image)

Sidebar and Background

45) On your Framed graphic
Layers > Merge > Merge Visible

46) Deduct 52 pixels from height of your image and write it down for the next step
(Mine is 357)

47) Selection Tool (S)
Choose Custom Selection

Settings:
Top = 52
Left = 0
Right = 52
Bottom = Your new height
Use current selection as default = NOT checked

48) Edit > Copy

49) Edit > Paste > Paste As New Image

50) Image > Canvas Size
Settings:
Width = 78
Height = Current height of your graphic
(mine is 305)
Lock aspect ratio = NOT checked
Left middle arrow

51) Layers > Duplicate

52) Move Tool (M)
On keyboard use right arrow key to move the top layer to the right until it touches the side

53) Layers > Merge > Merge Visible

54) Image > Canvas Size
Settings:
Width = 1280
Height = Current height of graphic
(mine is 305)
Lock aspect ratio = NOT checked
Left middle arrow

55) Effects > 3D Effects > Drop Shadow
Settings:
Vertical & Horizontal = 3
Opacity = 50, Blur = 7.00
Color= Black
Shadow on New Layer = NOT checked

56) Effects > Image Effects > Seamless Tiling
Settings:
Edge, Vertical
Width = 50 %, Transition = 50 %

57) Layers > New Raster Layer

58) Layers > Arrange > Move Down

59) Flood Fill Tool
Flood fill with Foreground color

60) Effects > Plugins > I.C.Net Filters Unlimited 2.0 > Paper Textures > Filter Paper
Settings:
Intensity = 74
Lightness = 74
(if you do not have this filter, you might want to do:
Effects > Texture Effects > Texture and choose a texture of your liking)

61) Effects > Image Effects > Seamless Tiling
Settings:
Default
(Click on the arrow at the top)

62) File > Export > JPEG Optimizer
Settings:
Set Compression value to = 30

You are done! Now you can assemble the stationery in LC or OE.
For LC: Set Left Text Margin to 85

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.

Approved by the HootyTutTestersGroup
Special thanks to all the testers that participated
They are: (in alphabetical order):
Cal, Gina, Hooty, Kat, KMRA, Maria Rosa, Meshi, Sherri, Steve and Wendy McPhee