King Arthur's Garden Frame & BG Tutorial

By ©LismibaebisCreations
10 February 2007

Skill Level: Advanced Beginner
Knowledge of using Filters and Masks 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 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

Graphic
Tube of choice, ideally of similar width and height

Texture
Texture "LB_texture3", available here

Mask
Mask "219b", available here

Filters
Fantastic Machine's Paint Engine, available here
Simple Filters, available here

Performance Notes
This tutorial is in 4 parts:
- Preparation
- Frame
- Background
- Assembling stationary in LC

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

Don't forget to save your work often

Preparation

1) Download the Texture and Mask

2) Place the Texture in your Texture Folder and the Mask in your Mask Folder
(I keep all "extras" in a folder in "My Documents"
You can see here how I do it)

3) File > Open
Open Tube of choice

4) Edit > Copy

5) Edit > Paste > Paste As New Image

6) Close original Tube

7) Image > Resize
Settings:
Resample using = Bicubic
Lock aspect ratio = Checked
Resize all layers = Checked
Resolution = 72.000
Width = No greater than 350 pixels
Height = No greater than 350 pixels

8) Adjust > Sharpness > Sharpen
(If necessary)

9) Image > Canvas Size
Settings:
Lock aspect ratio = Not checked
Width= 500 pixels
Height = 500 pixels
Placement = Center

10) Dropper Tool (E)
Choose a light Foreground Color
(I chose #f5e8e1)
and a very dark Background Color
(I chose #47600D)

Frame

11) Edit > Copy

12) Layers Palette
Turn off visibility of bottom layer

13) Layers > New Raster Layer

14) Selections > Select All

15) Edit > Paste > Paste Into Selection

16) Selections > Select None

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

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

18) Adjust > Blur > Gaussian Blur
Settings:
Radius 24.00

19) Layers > New Raster Layer

20) Layers > Arrange > Move Down
(Will be your middle Layer)

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

22) Left click to Flood fill new Layer with your Foreground Color

23) Layers > Merge > Merge Visible

24) Effects > Plugins > Fantastic Machines > PaintEngine
Important Hint:
Move the slider near to the setting you require and then use the left and right arrow keys on the keyboard to move the slider to the exact setting
Settings:

Push Intensity = 1.14, Lighten = .2
Bias = 00, Pull Intensity = .65
Lighten = .9, Bias = .00
Amount = 1.22
Wrap Edges = Not checked
Type = Uphill
Input = Checked, Line = Not checked
Length = 20, Radiate = 1.00
Motion Angle = -141 (Minus), Curl = 0
Operation Angle = -6 (Minus), Curl = 40
Direction Channel
R = Checked

You can save the preset as LB dotty if you would like to

25) Effects > Texture Effects > Texture
Settings:
Texture = LB_texture3
Size = 40 %, Smoothness = 0
Depth = 3, Ambience = 0
Shininess = 0, Color = White
Angle = 315, Intensity = 50
Elevation = 30

26) Layers > New Raster Layer

27) Flood Fill Tool
Left click to Flood fill new Layer with Foreground Color

28) Layers Palette
Turn opacity down to 70
(Or a Setting of your liking)

29) Layers Palette
Select Bottom layer and turn Visibility back on

30) Layers > Arrange > Bring to Top

31) Effects > 3D Effects > Inner Bevel
Settings:
Bevel = #2, Width = 15
Smoothness = 7, Depth = 5
Ambience = 7, Shininess = 12
Color = White, Angle = 315
Intensity = 32, Elevation = 50
(Or a Setting of your liking)

32) Effects > 3D Effects > Drop Shadow
Settings:
Vertical & Horizontal = 3
Opacity = 40, Blur = 15.00
Color = Black
Shadow on new layer = Not checked

33) Effects > 3D Effects > Drop Shadow
Settings:
Vertical & Horizontal = - 1 (Minus)
Opacity = 20, Blur = 15.00
Color = Black
Shadow on new layer = Not checked
(Or a Setting of your liking)

34) Layers > Merge > Merge Visible

35) Layers > New Raster Layer

36) Flood Fill Tool
Right click to Flood fill new Layer with Background Color

37) Layers > Load/Save > Load Mask from Disk
Settings:
Mask = 219b
Source luminance = Checked
Fit to canvas = Checked
Invert transparency = Checked
Hide all mask = Checked
Load

If you are unhappy with your Frame Color, simply go back to Step #36 and choose a different Background Color with your Dropper Tool and then redo Steps #36 and #37

38) Layers > Merge > Merge Group

39) Materials Palette
Turn off Visibility of Bottom Layer

40) Magic Wand Tool
Settings:
Mode = Replace
Match mode = RGB Value
Tolerance = 20
Sample Merged = Checked
Contiguous = Checked
Feather = 9
Anti-alias = Checked
Outside

41) Select the middle of your image

42) Hit Delete button on Keyboard twice

43) Selections > Modify > Expand
Settings:
Number of pixels = 4

44) Layers > New Raster Layer

45) Layers > Arrange > Move Down

46) Effects > 3D Effects > Cutout
Settings:
Vertical & Horizontal = 3
Opacity = 10, Blur = 15.00
Color = Black
Fill interior with color = Not checked

47) Layers > New Raster Layer

48) Effects > 3D Effects > Cutout
Settings:
Vertical & Horizontal = -3 (Minus)

49) Selections > Select None

50) Layers Palette
Turn on Visibility of Bottom Layer

51) Layers > Merge > Merge Visible

Optional
You can add some text at this stage if you like

52) Layers > New Raster Layer

53) Add Watermark(s)

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

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

Do NOT close image!

Background

56) Selection Tool (S) > Custom Selection

Settings:
Top = 1, Left = 1
Right = 129, Bottom = 129

57) Edit > Copy

58) Edit > Paste > Paste As New Image

59) Image > Canvas Size
Settings:
Lock aspect ratio = Not checked
Width= 256 pixels
Height = 256 pixels
Placement = Top left arrow

60) Effects > Plugins > Simple > Top Left Mirror

61) Effects > Reflection Effects > Kaleidoscope
Settings:
Horizontal offset = -23 (Minus)
Vertical offset = 4
Rotation angle = 288
Scale factor = - 83 (Minus)
Number of petals = 2
Number of orbits = 1
Radial suction = 34
Repeat = Checked

62) Selection Tool
Settings:
Selection type = Circle
Mode = Replace, Feather = 0
Anti-alias = Checked

Start in the middle (128 128)

and draw to 180 180

The first circle should be selected

63) Edit > Copy

64) Edit > Paste > Paste as New Image

65) Magic Wand Tool
Settings:
Tolerance = 20 - 25
Feather = 0

66) Select the pattern on the outside of the circle

67) Edit > Cut
OR
Hit Delete button once

68) Selections > Select None

69) Image > Canvas Size
Settings:
Lock aspect ratio = Not checked
Width= 1024 pixels***
Height = 250 pixels
Placement = Left middle arrow
And then change:
Left = 5

***or your computer screen settings, e.g. 1280 or 1600

70) Effects > 3D Effects > Drop Shadow
Settings:
Vertical & Horizontal = 3
Opacity = 40, Blur = 15.00
Color = Black
Shadow on new layer = Not checked
(Or a Setting of your liking)

71) Effects > 3D Effects > Drop Shadow
Settings:
Vertical & Horizontal = -3 (Minus)
(Or a Setting of your liking)

72) Layers > New Raster Layer

73) Layers > Arrange > Move Down

74) Flood Fill Tool
Left click to Flood fill new Layer with Foreground Color

OR
Flood fill with Background Color instead

75) Layers > New Raster Layer

76) Materials Palette
Click on Background Color
Settings:
Texture = Checked
Find LB_texture3
Angle = 0, Scale = 40

OR
add Texture to Foreground Color

77) Flood Fill Tool
Right click to Flood fill new Layer with Background Color

OR
Flood fill with Foreground Color

78) Effects > Image Effects > Seamless Tiling

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

Letter Creator

80) Open Letter Creator

81) Header > Image
Look for the JPEG file of your frame
Alignment = Center

82) Body > Image
Look for the background JPEG file
Click on "Tile"
Choose Font and Font Size
Choose Text Color
Choose Link Color
Margins: Top 0, Left 115, Right 10

83) Footer
Your name
Reference and link (if possible) to Tube
Name of tutorial "King Arthur's Garden" and link to this page
Date you created this stat

84) 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 special "Thank you" goes to my Tester Group
Your help and support has made all the difference

Another "Thank you" goes to my friend Ariane, who came up with another great name for a tutorial