Embossed Sponge SB

By ©LismibaebisCreations
31 August 2006

I have used a photograph by seanEboy for this tutorial and am grateful for the kind permission

Skill Level Advanced Beginner to 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
Fantastic Machines Paint Engine, available here***
FM Tile Tools Blend Emboss, available here

Graphic
Graphic of choice

Mask
Mask of choice, (I used Mask 039, available here)

Performance Notes
The settings for the different Tools will stay the same throughout the tutorial, unless new Settings instructions are given

Don't forget to save your work often

***We are using the "Pastel Sponge" Preset for this tutorial. The tutorial lists the exact Settings.
You can get many PaintEngine Presets here. Simply unzip the file and place into C:\WINDOWS.
Attention: If you already have a file called "fmachine.ini" in C:\WINDOWS, you will lose those presets. You might wish to follow the instructions below:

1) Open both fmachine.ini files in Notepad
Compare them and delete duplicates in one of the files

2) Copy > Paste the contents of both files to a new Notepad file, which will now contain all the presets

3) File > Save As > fmachine.ini (the new file)

4) Place new fmachine.ini file into C:\WINDOWS.

Let's Start

1) Open graphic of choice

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

3) Dropper Tool (E)
Choose a light color as Foreground Color
(I choose #dfdbde)

4) Image > Resize
Settings:
Lock aspect ratio = Checked
Resolution = 72.000
Width no greater than 375 pixels
Height no greater than 375 pixels
Resize all layers = Checked
Write down new height

5) Adjust > Sharpness > Sharpen (if necessary)

6) Window > Duplicate (Shift + D)
(we have now 2 resized copies)
Minimize one copy

7) Image > Resize
Settings:
Lock Aspect Ratio = NOT checked
Width = 1024
Height = New height + 30 pixels
Resize all layers = Checked
(My example is 1024 x 311 pixels)

8) Effects > Image Effects > Seamless Tiling
Settings:
Default Setting

If you click on the icon indicated by the hand, PSP will set it to default

9) Adjust > Blur > Gaussian Blur
Settings:
Radius = 16.00

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

11) Effects > Plugins > Fantastic Machines > Paint Engine
Settings: Pastel Sponge Preset
Push Intensity = 1.08
Lighten = .9, Bias = .00
Push Intensity = .14
Lighten = -.1, Bias = .00
Amount = 1.18
Wrap Edges = NOT checked
Type = Downhill
Input & Line = NOT checked
Length = 9, Radiate = 1.00
Motion Angle = -127, Curl = 2
Operation Angle = -36, Curl = 1
Direction Angle = R Checked

12) Layers > New Raster Layer

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

14) Left Click to floodfill new layer with Foreground Color

15) Layers Palette
Reduce opacity of top layer to 58

16) Layers > Merge > Merge Visible

17) Effects > Plugins > Fantastic Machines > Paint Engine
Settings:
Pastel Sponge Preset

18) Adjust > Softness > Soft Focus
Settings:
Softness (%) = 17
Edge Importance (%) = 79
Include Scattered Light = NOT Checked
Amount (%) = 28
Halo Size (%) = 67
Halo Visibility (%) = 59

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

20) Effects > Plugins > FM Tile Tools > Blend Emboss
Settings:
Horiz. Offset = -1.000
Vert. Offset = -1.000
Intensity = .250
Gray Level = 64
Red Blend = 0.938
Green Blend = 0.938
Blue Blend = 0.938
Edge Wrap = NOT Checked

21) Effects > Plugins > FM Tile Tools > Blend Emboss

22) Effects > Plugins > FM Tile Tools > Blend Emboss
(We have applied the same plugin three times)

23) Layers > New Raster Layer

24) Flood Fill Tool
Floodfill new layer with Foreground Color

25) Layers Palette
Reduce opacity of top layer to 26 or a setting of your choice
(you want to be able to see the pattern, but also make sure that the background is text friendly)

26) Minimize this background tile

27) Maximize your remaining graphic

28) Layers > Load/Save Mask > Load Mask from Disk
Settings:
Source luminance = Checked
Fit to layer = Checked
Hide all mask = Checked
Invert transparency = Not Checked (depends on mask used)
Load

29) Edit > Copy Merged

30) Minimize graphic with mask applied

31) Maximize background tile

32) Edit > Paste > Paste as New Layer

33) Move Tool (M)
Move graphic to left of tile

34) Effects > 3D Effects > Drop Shadow
Settings:
Vertical & Horizontal = 4
Opacity = 62, Blur = 6.2
Color = Black
Shadow on new layer = Not Checked

35) Effects > 3D Effects > Drop Shadow
Settings:
Vertical & Horizontal = - 2 (Minus)
Opacity = 42, Blur = 6.2
Color = Black
Shadow on new layer = Not Checked
(or Drop Shadow Settings of your choice)

36) Layers > New Raster Layer

37) Add Watermark(s)
If you have a watermark tube, see Step #37a)
If not, follow Step #37b)

37a) Place your tube and continue with Step #39

37b) Text Tool (T)
Create as Vector
Write your watermark
(I like to use the font Chinacat at size 8 – 10, Stroke Width 0.0, Font Style Bold)

38) Layers > Convert to Raster Layer

39) Move Tool (M)
Move watermark to where you want it

40) If necessary, reduce opacity of watermark layer

41) File > Export > JPEG Optimizer
Settings:
Compression = 25
Chroma subsampling = YCbCr 1x1 1x1 1x1 (None)
Save Exit data = Not checked

Letter Creator

42) Open Letter Creator

43) Body > Image
Look for the JPEG file
Click on “Tile”
Choose Font and Font Size
Choose Text Color
Choose Link Color
Margins: Top 10, Left 10 - 20 to the right of your graphic, Right 10

44) Footer
Your Name
Reference and link to the image you used
Reference and link to the image you used
Name of tutorial ”Embossed Sponge SB" and link to this page
Date you created this stat

45) Finish
Choose Letter Name and Collection Name
Save Project
Add to Incredimail

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 big "Thank you" goes to my testers. I couldn't do it without your help and support.