Niesen Frame and
Background Tutorial

picture of finished framed picture

By ©LismibaebisCreations
20 August 2006


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 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
Simple Filters, Quick Tile, available here
Auto FX Software Mosaic, available here (see *** at the end of the tutorial for installation instructions of this free plugin)

Graphic
Graphic of choice

Performance Notes
The settings for Magic Wand Tool, Flood Fill Tool and Inner Bevel remain the same throughout the tutorial.
Other settings stay the same unless noted otherwise

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 = No greater than 450 pixels
Height = No greater than 340 pixels

4) Adjust > Sharpness > Sharpen
(if necessary)

5) Window > Duplicate (Shift + D)
(We have now 2 copies)
Minimize one copy for later use (background)

6) Dropper Tool (E)
Choose a medium dark Foreground Color
(I chose #768791)
And a light to medium light Background Color
(I chose #d2dae8)

7) Materials Palette
Click on Background Color, click on Gradient Tab and choose Foreground-Background
Settings:
Angle = 45
Repeats = 17
Invert = Checked
Linear
Texture = NOT checked

8) Edit > Copy

9) Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Symmetric = Checked
1 pixels
Color = Black
(Right click in color box and choose Color)

10) Selections > Select All

11) Selections > Modify > Contract
Settings:
Number of pixels = 1

12) Effects > 3D Effects > Cutout
Settings:
Horizontal & Vertical = 2
Opacity = 30, Blur = 12.00
Shadow Color = Black
Fill interior with color = Not checked

13) Effects > 3D Effects > Cutout
Settings:
Horizontal & Vertical = - 2 (Minus)

14) Image > Add Borders
Settings:
4 pixels
Color = Any Color not in graphic

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

16) Select new border

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

18) Flood fill Selection with Gradient

19) Effects > Texture Effects > Mosaic - Antique
Settings:
Number of columns = 77
Number of rows = 77
Symmetric = Checked
Tile diffusion (%) = 12
Grout width = 5
Grout diffusion (%) = 31

Screenshot of Tool

20) Effects > 3D Effects > Inner Bevel
Settings:
Bevel #6, Width = 4
Smoothness = 0, Depth = 12
Ambience = 11, Shininess = 3
Color = White, Angle = 315
Intensity = 50, Elevation = 30

21) Image > Add Borders
Settings:
1 pixels
Color = Foreground Color

22) Image > Add Borders
Settings:
15 pixels
Color = Any Color not in graphic

23) Magic Wand Tool
Select new border

24) Edit > Paste > Paste Into Selection

25) Effects > Plugins > Simple > Quick Tile

26) Adjust > Blur > Gaussian Blur
Settings:
Radius = 19.00

27) Image > Add Borders
Settings:
4 pixels
Color = Any Color not in graphic

28) Magic Wand Tool
Select new border

29) Flood Fill Tool (F)
Flood fill Selection with Gradient

30) Effects > Texture Effects > Mosaic - Antique

31) Effects > 3D Effects > Inner Bevel

32) Image > Add Borders
Settings:
1 pixels
Color = Foreground Color

33) Image > Add Borders
Settings:
43 pixels
Color = Any Color not in graphic

34) Magic Wand Tool
Select new border

35) Edit > Paste > Paste Into Selection

36) Effects > Plugins > Simple > Quick Tile

37) Adjust > Blur > Gaussian Blur

38) Effects > Plugins > Auto FX Software > DS Bonus
Click on the arrow to the right of Special Effects
You will see DreamSuite Bonus and then you will see Mosaic
Click on Mosaic
Mosaic options will pop up

Screenshot of Plugin

Settings:
Click on the arrow right of Tile Type, choose Square
Tile Type = Square
Tile Size = 11
Depth = 8
Neatness = 0
Color Shift = 100
Spacing = 53
Smooth Surface = Checked
Anti-alias = Checked
Variation = 5
Click OK (at the top of the screen)

Screenshot of Plugin

39) Image > Add Borders
Settings:
4 pixels
Color = Any Color not in graphic

40) Magic Wand Tool
Select new border

41) Flood Fill Tool (F)
Flood fill Selection with Gradient

42) Effects > Texture Effects > Mosaic - Antique

43) Effects > 3D Effects > Inner Bevel

44) Image > Add Borders
Settings:
1 pixels
Color = Foreground Color

45) Selections > Select None

46) Layers > New Raster Layer

47) Add Watermark

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

49) Close file


Background

50) Maximize the other copy of your graphic

51) Image > Resize
Settings:
Width = No greater than 250 pixels
Height = No greater than 250 pixels
Resample using = Bicubic
Lock aspect ratio = Checked
Resize all layers = Checked

52) Effects > Plugins > Simple > Quick Tile

53) Adjust > Blur > Gaussian Blur

54) Effects > Plugins > Auto FX Software > DS Bonus
Settings:
Special Effects > DreamSuite Bonus > Mosaic
Tile Type = Square
Tile Size = 22
Depth = 8
Neatness = 0
Color Shift = 100
Spacing = 53
Smooth Surface = Checked
Anti-alias = Checked
Variation = 5

55) Layers > New Layer

56) Materials Palette
Change gradient back to Background Color

57) Flood Fill Tool
Flood fill new layer with Background Color
(depending on your graphic, you might prefer to choose a different color)

58) Layers Palette
Lower opacity of new layer down to 84
(or setting of your choice)

59) Layers > Merge > Merge Visible

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

screenshot of Tool

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

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


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


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***The following text regarding the Auto FX Software Mosaic has been copied by kind permission from Meshi's wonderful Mosaic Dreams Tutorial.

Auto FX Software Mosaic

Please read carefully before you start downloading.

This is a large download, but a very nice free plugin which needs to be directed to your Jasc or Corel PSP plugin folder.
Do not place in an external hard drive, it won't work from there.
It takes a bit of time to download and install.
Please read this first, so that you will know what to do.
After you click to download, click on Run.

*A couple of testers didn't have this option. Instead, choose a location to download it to.
Then double click on the downloaded file and click on Run to start installing it.

You will be asked to select your language and click OK.
Setup will pop up and you will be asked to select your language and then click OK.
Setup will pop up and you will be asked to read and agree to their terms.
Click "I agree".
It will then search for installed component (this can take some time).
Then it will want you to select an Install Location. It found my Jasc PSP plugins on its own, then I simply clicked continue and OK.

*A few testers had to use the Custom button to direct it to their plugin folder because it did not locate it on its own.
*One tester had to place it in a folder and then direct PSP to it in Preferences > File Locations after the install.

Set up will pop up again and it will begin installing itself into your PSP plugin folder (or other chosen folder).
When it says "Installation has successfully completed, you can click on Exit Install.
When you open PSP and go to use the plugin, you will need the free serial number to use the program.
Here it is: F103081

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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):
Adrienne. Cal, Gina, Hooty, Kat, Maria Rosa, Meshi, MoJo, RitaLynn, Sherri and Steve

smilie


Link to First Page


Last revised January 2007
~~~Best viewed with a 1024 x 768 Screen Resolution~~~
Photograph and Page Design by ©Lismibaebi 2006

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