Granddad's Roses Frame and BG Tutorial

By ©LismibaebisCreations
20 April 2008

I have used one of my own photographs for this tutorial

This tutorial is dedicated to the memory of my children's paternal grandfather.
He planted the rosebush before his death in December 1966. It is wonderful to see that this rosebush is still flowering every year.

I am told he sang "Ave Maria" most beautifully in Church.
If you don't want to listen to it, you can turn it off at the bottom of the tutorial.

Skill Level: Intermediate & Adventurous Others
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
Letter Creator from Incredimail (optional), available here

Image
Graphic of choice, ideally with a central focus

Filters
FM Tiles Tools, Blend Emboss****, available here
Simple Filters, available here
"V" Kiwi's Oelfilter, available here

****Blend Emboss is a working filter in the free to download Demo version

Gold Pattern
Arguld10, available here
(or a Pattern of your choice)
This will be known as "Gold Pattern" for the rest of the tutorial

Performance Notes
This tutorial is in 5 parts:
- Preparation
- Masked Image
- Making a small tube
- 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

Preparation

1) Download and install filters if necessary

2) Download the Gold Pattern and place into your Pattern Folder
You can see here how I arrange my PSP "Extras"

3) File > Open
Open Graphic of choice

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

5) Layers > Promote Background Layer
(if necessary)

6) Image > Resize
Settings:
Resample using = Bicubic
Lock aspect ratio = Checked
Resize all layers = Checked
Resolution = 72.000
Width = No greater than 450 Pixels
Height = No greater than 390 Pixels

7) Adjust > Sharpness > Unsharp Mask
Settings:
Radius = 2.00, Strength = 10
Clipping = 5
Luminance only = Not checked

8) Dropper Tool (E)
Left click in graphic to choose a light color as Foreground Color
(I chose #ebd4ff)
Right click in graphic to choose a very dark color as Background Color
(I chose #114f1d)

9) Materials Palette
Change Foreground to Gradient
Settings:
Repeats = 0
Invert = Not checked
Style = Sunburst
Center Point Horizontal = 50
Vertical = 50
Focal Point Horizontal = 50
Vertical = 50
Link center and focal point = Not checked
Texture = Not checked

Change Background to Pattern
Settings:
Pattern = Gold Pattern
Angle = 0, Scale = 100
Texture = Not checked

10) Window > Duplicate twice
(we have 3 images)
Minimize all but one image

Misting Image

11) Freehand Selection Tool
Settings:
Selection type = Point to Point
Mode = Replace
Feather = 75
Smoothing = 7
Anti-alias = Checked

Draw around the part of the image you want to keep and double-click into the beginning of the selection to make it active

12) Selections > Invert

13) Edit > Clear

14) Edit > Repeat Clear
until you are satisfied with the result

15) Selections > Select None

A good time to save your work!

16) Minimize for now

Making a small Tube

17) Maximize one of the minimized images

18) Crop Tool (R)
Draw around a small part in your image
Double-click on image to crop
(this will become the decoration for your Background)

19) Background Eraser Tool
Settings:
Shape = Round, Size = 32
Hardness = 100, Step = 5
Density = 100, Thickness = 100
Rotation = 0, Opacity = 100
Sharpness = 70
Sampling = Continuous
Limits = Contiguous
Auto tolerance = Checked
Use all layers = Not Checked

Draw with the Eraser around the parts you want to keep

Deleted too much?
Just right click and go over the deleted area

For the areas where the color difference between background and image part you want to keep is very subtle, change to the

20) Eraser Tool (X)
Settings:
Shape = Round, Size = 1
Hardness = 100, Step = 10
Density = 100, Thickness = 100
Rotation = 0, Opacity = 100

Adjust the size to clean up

You should finish up with the part of the image you want to keep on a transparent background

Optional
If you like your tube and would like to keep it:

File > Export > Picture Tube

A good time to save your work!

21) Minimize your new tube for now

Frame

22) Maximize your misted image

23) Layers > New Raster Layer

24) Layers > Arrange > Move Down

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

Left click to flood fill with Gradient

26) Effects > Texture Effects > Sandstone
Settings:
Blur = 61, Detail = 13
Luminance = 16, Angle = 1
Color = Your Foreground Color

27) Layers > Merge > Merge Visible

28) Edit > Copy

29) Layers > New Raster Layer

30) Selections > Select All

31) Effects > 3D Effects > Cutout
Settings:
Vertical = 0, Horizontal = 0
Opacity = 80, Blur = 15.00
Color = Black
Fill interior with color = Not checked

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

33) Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Size in pixels = 3
Color = Any Color not in image

34) 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

Select new border

35) Flood Fill Tool
Right click to flood fill selected border with Gold Pattern

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

37) Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Size in pixels = 32
Color = Any Color not in image

38) Magic Wand Tool
Select new border

39) Edit > Paste > Paste Into Selection

40) Effects > Plugins > "V" Kiwi's Oelfilter > Leinwand
Settings:
Leinwandstruktur = 160
Leinwand = 75
Leinwand auf/ab = 179

41) Edit > Repeat Leinwand

42) Effects > 3D Effects > Inner Bevel
Settings:
Bevel = #2, Width = 9
Smoothness = 55, Depth = 7
Ambience = 5, Shininess = 0
Color = White, Angle = 315
Intensity = 40, Elevation = 35

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

44) Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Size in pixels = 3
Color = Any Color not in image

45) Magic Wand Tool
Select new border

46) Flood Fill Tool
Right click to flood fill selected border with Gold Pattern

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

48) Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Size in pixels = 7
Color = Any Color not in image

49) Edit > Paste > Paste Into Selection

50) Effects > 3D Effects > Cutout

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

52) Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Size in pixels = 3
Color = Any Color not in image

53) Magic Wand Tool
Select new border

54) Flood Fill Tool
Right click to flood fill selected border with Gold Pattern

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

56) Selections > Select None

57) Layers > New Raster Layer

58) Materials Palette
Change Gold Pattern to Background Color

59) Add Watermark(s)

Optional
a) Text Tool (T)
Settings:
Font = Your Choice (I used Ashley)
Size = Your Choice (I used 36)
Units = Pixels
Font style = Bold
Alignment = Center
Direction = Horizontal and Down
Anti-alias = Sharp
Stroke width = 0
Create as = Vector

Type in the text you want and move to where you want it

b) Layers > Convert to Raster Layer

c) Effects > 3D Effects > Drop Shadow
Settings:
Vertical = 0, Horizontal = 0
Opacity = 50, Blur = 8.00
Color = Black
Shadow on New Layer = Not checked
(Or a Setting of your liking)

60) File > Export > JPEG Optimizer
Settings:
Set compression value to = 25
Chroma subsampling = YCbCr 1x1 1x1 1x1 (None)
Save Exif data = Not checked

Do NOT close Frame

Background

61) Selection Tool (S) > Custom selection
Settings:
Top = 54,
Left = 0, Right = 54
Bottom = Your total height minus 54
(mine is 446 - 54 = 392)
Make sure that the Bottom Setting is not lower than the start of the bottom section of the Frame

62) Edit > Copy Merged

63) Edit > Paste > Paste As New Image

64) Image > Canvas Size
Settings:
Lock aspect ratio = Not Checked
Width = 108 Pixels
Height = Your existing Height
Placement = Left Middle Arrow

65) Layers > Duplicate

66) Image > Mirror

67) Layers > Merge > Merge Visible

68) Image > Resize
Settings:
Lock aspect ratio = Not Checked
Width = 60 Pixels
Height = Your existing Height

69) Effects > Plugins > Simple > Diamonds

70) Effects > Plugins > Simple > 4 Way Average

71) Effects > Image Effects > Seamless Tiling
Settings:
Corner = Checked
Vertical = Checked
Vertical offset = 0
Transition = 50

72) Image > Canvas Size
Settings:
Width = 1280 Pixels*****
Height = Your existing Height
Placement = Left Middle Arrow

*****or width of your computer resolution, e.g. 1024 or 1600

73) Effects > 3D Effects > Drop Shadow
Settings:
Vertical = 0, Horizontal = 6
Shadow on New Layer = Checked
(Or a Setting of your liking)

74) Effects > Image Effects > Seamless Tiling

75) Layers > Merge > Merge Visible

76) Layers > New Raster Layer

77) Layers > Arrange > Move Down

78) Selections > Select All

79) Maximize the copy of your original image

80) Edit > Copy

81) Activate your Background Canvas by clicking on its Title Bar

82) Edit > Paste > Paste Into Selection

83) Selections > Select None

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

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

85) Effects > Plugins > FM Tile Tools > Blend Emboss
Settings: (Default)
Horiz. Offset = -1.000
Vert. Offset = -1.000
Intensity = 0.250
Gray Level = 64
Red Blend = 0.938
Green Blend = 0.938
Blue Blend = 0.938
Edge Wrap = Checked

86) Materials Palette
Change Gradient to Foreground Color

87) Layers > New Raster Layer

88) Flood Fill Tool
Flood fill new layer with either your Foreground or Background color
(or a color of your choice)

89) Layers Palette
Reduce Opacity of flood filled layer to 91
(Or a setting of your choice)

90) Layers Palette
Activate Top Layer

91) Maximize your tubed image

92) Edit > Copy

93) Activate your Background Canvas by clicking on its Title Bar

94) Edit > Paste > Paste As New Layer

95) Move Tool (M)
Move your tube to the left and position according to your choice

96) Effects > 3D Effects > Drop Shadow
Settings:
Vertical = 0, Horizontal = 0
Shadow on New Layer = Not checked
(Or a Setting of your liking)

97) Layers > Duplicate

98) Move tube according to your choice
Add the tube as many times as you like

99) File > Export > JPEG Optimizer

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