Liquid Silk Tutorial

By ©LismibaebisCreations
17 December 2008

Tutorial image:
Created using artwork by Trina Clark
Purchased and used according to TOU

Skill Level: Advanced Beginner & 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
Tube of choice

Filters
FunHouse Filters, available here
Simple Filters, available here

Performance Notes
This tutorial is in 2 parts:
- Preparation
- 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

Interactive arrow-bookmark.
Click on the arrow and move it anywhere on this page to create a virtual bookmark. It will stay wherever you might put it until you close the browser(tab). Needs IE to work.

Preparation

1) Download and install filters if necessary
(If you install filters you need to restart PSP afterwards)

2) File > Open
Open tube of choice

3) Edit > Copy
Close original

4) Edit > Paste As New Image

5) Image > Resize
Settings:
Resample using = Bicubic
Lock aspect ratio = Checked
Resize all layers = Checked
Resolution = 72.000 Pixels / Inch
Width = No greater than 375 Pixels
Height = No greater than 400
Write down new height

6) Adjust > Sharpness > Unsharp Mask
Settings:
Radius = 10.00, Strength = 20
Clipping = 7
Luminance only = Not checked
(Or a setting of your liking)

7) Dropper Tool (E)
Left click to choose a medium Foreground color
(I chose #c1b481)
Right click to choose a very dark Background color
(I chose #562a24)
The Foreground color will dominate the final result

8) Materials Palette
Change Foreground to Gradient
Settings:
Foreground-background
Angle = 45, Repeats = 7
Invert = Not checked
Style = Linear
Texture = Not checked

9) Window > Duplicate
Minimize copy

10) Edit > Copy

Background

11) Image > Resize
Settings:
Lock aspect ratio = NOT checked
Width = 1280 Pixels*****
Height = Height of our tube + 50 Pixels

***** or width of your computer resolution, e.g. 1024 or 1680

12) Layers > New Raster Layer

13) Layers > Arrange > Send to Bottom

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

15) Left click to Flood fill new layer with Gradient

16) Layers > Merge > Merge Visible

17) Effects > Plugins > Simple > Centre Tile

18) Adjust > Blur > Gaussian Blur
Settings:
Radius = 11.00

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

20) Effects > Plugins > FunHouse > Polar Perversion
Settings:
X Perversion = 120
Y Perversion = 156
Darkness Adjust = 98
(You might have to adjust the Darkness Adjust to suit your image.
You want lots of contrast, see how my example looked in the preview)

21) Effects > Image Effects > Seamless Tiling

22) Effects > Distortion Effects > Wave
Settings:
Amplitude = 27, Wavelength = 29
Amplitude = 47, Wavelength = 37
Repeat = Selected

This is how mine looks:

Optional
Should your background look mostly like a "V" (one tester had this problem):

22a) Effects > Distortion Effects > Wave
Settings:
Amplitude = 6, Wavelength = 13
Amplitude = 0, Wavelength = 37
Repeat = Selected

23) Effects > Image Effects > Seamless Tiling

24) Adjust > Softness > Soft Focus
Settings:
Softness (%) = 90
Edge importance (%) = 25
Include scattered light = Checked
Amount (%) = 80
Halo size (%) = 44
Halo visibility (%) = 33

25) Effects > Image Effects > Seamless Tiling

26) Materials Palette
Change Foreground from Gradient back to Color

27) Layers > New Raster Layer
Settings:
Blend mode = Color (Legacy)
Opacity = 100
Link set = 0
Highlight in layers palette = Not checked
Layer is visible = Checked
Lock transparency = Not checked

28) Flood Fill Tool
Left click to flood fill with Foreground color

29) Materials Palette
Foreground Color
Choose a lighter shade of your Foreground Color by changing the Luminance (L:) setting to a higher number

I changed it by 40

30) Layers > New Raster Layer
Settings:
Blend mode = Normal

31) Flood Fill Tool
Left click to flood fill with Foreground color

32) Layers Palette
Reduce opacity of the Layer to a setting of your liking in order to make your background text friendly
(I reduced to 59)

33) Edit > Paste As New Layer

34) Move Tool (M)
Move tube to the left of the background

35) Layers > Duplicate

36) 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

37) Layers Palette
Reduce opacity to 52
(Or a setting of your liking)

38) Layers > Merge > Merge Down

39) Effects > 3D Effects > Drop Shadow
Settings:
Vertical & Horizontal = 2
Opacity = 40, Blur = 10.00
Color = Black
Shadow on new layer = Not checked

40) Effects > 3D Effects > Drop Shadow
Settings:
Vertical & Horizontal = -1 (Minus)
Opacity = 15, Blur = 10.00

41) Layers > New Raster Layer

42) Add Watermark(s)

43) File > Export > JPEG Optimizer
Settings:
Set Compression value to = 20
Chroma subsampling = YCbCr 1x1 1x1 1x1 (None)
Save Exif data = Not checked

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.

I would like to thank the testers from Copyright Safe Tutorials who helped me make this tutorial the best it could be.

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