Edith's Noisy Frame Tutorial

By ©LismibaebisCreations
29th January 2006

This tutorial is dedicated to my wonderful friend Edith R. (who is not noisy!).
Edith is an inspiration to all who know her.

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

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
Crescent Moon Plugin, available here
Xero Filters (you need Set 2), available here
(if you have an older Xero version - before May 2004 - you might want to download again and replace)

Graphic
Graphic of choice (width greater than height; ideally center focus. When choosing graphic keep in mind that the end result of the frame is quite dark)

Pattern
Gold pattern "Arguld4", 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 Layer until told to do so
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)
Close original

3) Image > Resize
Settings:
Resolution = 72.000
Resample using = Bicubic
Lock aspect ratio = Checked
Resize all layers = Checked
Width = Not greater than 400 pixels
Height = Will automatically adjust itself
Write down new width and height
(My example is 400 x 300 pixels)

4) Window > Duplicate (Shift + D)
(We now have 2 resized graphics, the second is in case the graphic is no longer on the clipboard later on in the tutorial)

5) Minimize one of the graphics

6) Materials Palette
Click on Foreground Color
Click Pattern Tab and find the Gold Pattern
Settings:
Angle = 0, Scale = 100
Texture = Unchecked

7) Edit > Copy

8) View > Rulers
(If not already set)

9) Determine the center of your graphic
(Mine is 200/150)
and deduct 40 pixels from bottom and right hand side
(Mine is 360/260)
Write your numbers down

10) Selection Tool
Settings:
Selection type = Ellipse
Mode = Replace
Feather = 0
Anti-alias = Checked

11) From middle of your graphic:

(Use the ruler as guideline and then look on the right at the bottom of your screen for the exact number)

Draw an ellipse to the points you wrote down in Step #9

Look at the bottom of your screen, it will display your position

12) Effects > 3D Effects > Cutout
Settings:
Vertical & Horizontal = 0
Opacity = 70, Blur = 7.00
Color = Black
Fill interior with color = Unchecked

13) Layers > Promote Background Layer

14) Selections > Invert

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

16) Flood fill Selection with Gold Pattern

17) Selections > Invert

18) Selections > Modify > Expand
Settings:
Number of pixels = 20

19)Selections > Invert

20) Edit > Clear
Or hit Delete on keyboard

21) Selections > Select None

22) Edit > Paste > Paste as New Layer
(If your graphic is not on the clipboard anymore, maximize the image we minimized before and Edit > Copy)

23) Adjust > Blur > Gaussian Blur
Settings:
Radius = 25.00

24) Layers > Duplicate

25) Effects > Plugins > Crescent Moon > FadeOut
Settings:
Red Amount = 128, Green Amount = 128
Blue Amount = 128, Transparency = 0

26) Layers Palette
Turn opacity of layer down to 50

27) Layers Palette
Turn off visibility of bottom layer

28) Layers Palette
Make sure that the top layer is selected

29) Layers > Merge > Merge Visible

30) Adjust > Add/Remove Noise > Add Noise
Settings:
Uniform 10 %
Monochrome = Checked

31) Layers Palette
Turn on visibility of bottom layer

32) Layers Palette
Select bottom layer

33) Layers > Arrange > Bring to Top

34) Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Symmetric = Checked
5 pixels
Color = Choose any color not in graphic

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

36) Select new border

37) Flood Fill Tool (F)

38) Flood fill new border with Gold Pattern
Keep selected

39) Effects > 3D Effects > Inner Bevel
Settings: Edith's Noisy Frame 1
Bevel #9, Width = 6
Smoothness = 0, Depth = 4
Ambience = 0, Shininess = 0
Color = White, Angle = 315
Intensity = 50, Elevation = 30
You might want to save this setting as we will use it again

40) Image > Add Borders
1 pixels
Color = Black

41) Image > Add Borders
30 pixels
Color = Choose any color not in graphic

42) Magic Wand Tool

43) Select new border

44) Edit > Paste > Paste Into Selection

45) Selections > Promote Selection to Layer

46 Adjust > Blur > Gaussian Blur

47) Effects > Plugins > Crescent Moon > FadeOut

48) Layers Palette
Turn opacity down to 80
Keep selected

49) Layers > Merge > Merge All (Flatten)

50) Effects > Plugins > Xero > Serious Fog
Settings:
Severity = 200, Whiteout = 50
Bias = Avoid Edges, Definition = 10
Strength = 131

51) Effects > 3D Effects > Inner Bevel
Settings: Edith's Noisy Frame 2
Bevel #2, Width = 17
Smoothness = 10, Depth = 15
Ambience = 15, Shininess = 10
Color = White, Angle = 315
Intensity = 50, Elevation = 20

52) Image > Add Borders
1 pixels
Color = Black

53) Image > Add Borders
6 pixels
Color = Choose any color not in graphic

54) Magic Wand Tool

55) Select new border

56) Flood Fill Tool (F)

57) Flood fill selected border with Gold Pattern

58) Effects > 3D Effects > Inner Bevel
Settings:
Edith's Noisy Frame 1

59) Selections > Select None

60) Image > Add Borders
1 pixels
Color = Black

61) Layers > New Raster Layer

62) Add watermark

63) File > Export > JPEG Optimizer
Settings:
Set Compression value to = 25

Background

64) Dropper Tool (E)
Pick a color from the section between the gold ellipse and the outer frame set

Option:
Pick a color from your graphic instead

65) File > New (Ctrl + N)
Settings:
Width = 200, Height = 200
Units = Pixels
Resolution = 72.000 Pixels/Inch
Raster Background = Checked
Color depth = 16 Million Colors (24 bit)
Color Transparent = Checked

66) Flood Fill Tool (F)

67) Flood fill image with your color

68) Adjust > Add/Remove Noise > Add Noise
Settings:
Uniform 10 %
Monochrome = Checked

69) File > Export > JPEG Optimizer
Settings:
Set Compression value to = 25

You are done!
Now you can assemble the stationery in LC or OE.

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, Ginavere, Heidi, Hooty, Jacqueline, Kat, KMRA, Linda D, Maria Rosa, Meshi, Pat, Robin, Roni, Sharon L, Sherri, Steve and Sue