Zipped Sideborder Tutorial

By: ©LismibaebisCreations
31 October 2005

I have used a photograph by Joni and am grateful for her kind permission

Skill Level: Advanced Beginner
No Outside Filters
Knowledge of using masks necessary

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

Graphic
Graphic of choice, ideally a picture with a center focus

Masks
Mask lbm14, available here
Mask Edge squares, available here
The Mask Edge squares comes with PSP 9 and you might have it already installed

Performance Notes
The settings for different Tools remain the same for the whole tutorial, unless different instructions are given

Let's Start

1) Open both masks in PSP and minimize
(You might want to save them to your mask folder, but it is not necessary in order to do this tut)

2) File > Open
Open graphic of choice in PSP

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

4) Dropper Tool (E)
Choose a medium dark color as Foreground color
(I chose #c58443)
and a complimentary medium dark color as your Background color
(I chose #a39048)

5) Image > Resize
Settings:
Lock aspect ratio = Checked
Resolution = 72.000
Resample using = Bicubic
Width = No greater than 350 pixels
Height = Will adjust itself
Resize all layers = Checked
(My example is 350 x 262)
Write down the height of your resized graphic

6) Adjust > Sharpness > Sharpen
(if necessary)

7) Edit > Copy

8) File > New (Ctrl + N)
Settings:
Width = 1024 pixels
Height = Height of your graphic
Resolution = 72.000
Raster Background = Checked
Color depth = 16 Million Colors (24 bit)
Transparent = Checked
(My example is: 1024 x 262)

9) Selections > Select All

10) Edit > Paste > Paste Into Selection

11) Selections > Select None

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

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

13) Adjust > Blur > Motion Blur
Settings:
Angle = 133, Strength = 75 %

14) Adjust > Blur > Radial Blur
Settings:
Spin = Checked, Strength = 50 %
Elliptical = Checked
Horizontal offset = 50 %
Vertical offset = 50 %
Protect center = 50 %

15) Adjust > Blur > Gaussian Blur
Settings:
Radius = 15.00

16) Layers > New Raster Layer

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

18) Flood fill new Layer with Foreground Color

19a) If you did not save the masks to the mask folder:
Layers > New Mask Layer > From Image
Source window = lbm14
Source luminance = Checked
Invert mask data = Checked

19b) If you saved the masks to your Mask Folder:
Layers > Load / Save Mask > Load Mask from Disk
Source window = lbm14
Source luminance = Checked
Fit to layer = Checked
Hide all mask = Checked
Invert transparency = Checked
Load

20) Layers > Merge > Merge All (Flatten)

21) Effects > Image Effects > Seamless Tiling
Settings:
Mirror = checked
Bidirectional = checked
Horizontal offset = 0
Vertical offset = 0
Width = 100 %

Steps 22 - 25 are optional in order to make the background more textfriendly (if necessary)

22) Layers > New Raster Layer

23) Flood Fill Tool

24) Flood fill new Layer with Background Color

25) Turn down opacity of new layer so that the pattern can be seen
(I turned mine down to 64)

26) Minimize background tile

27) Maximize the graphic

28) Layers > Promote Background Layer (if necessary)

29a) If you did not save the masks to the mask folder:
Layers > New Mask Layer > From Image
Source window = Edge squares
Source luminance = Checked
Invert mask data = Unchecked

29b) If you saved the masks to your Mask Folder:
Layers > Load / Save Mask > Load Mask from Disk
Source window = Edge squares
Source luminance = Checked
Fit to layer = Checked
Hide all mask = Checked
Invert transparency = Unchecked
Load

30) Layers > Merge > Merge Group

31) Apply the mask Edge squares a second time

32) Edit > Copy Merged

33) Minimize the graphic

34) Maximize the background tile

35) Edit > Paste > Paste as New Layer

36) Move Tool (M)

37) Move graphic to the left of the background tile by using the left arrow key on the keyboard until the masked graphic touches the left of the background tile

The masked graphic should then touch the left side, top and bottom of the background tile

38) Layers > Duplicate (the layer with the graphic)

39) Image > Mirror

40) Layers Palette
Turn opacity down to 14

41) Layers > New Raster Layer

42) Add Watermark(s)
If you have a watermark tube, see Step #42a)
If not, follow Step #42b)

42a) Place your tube and continue with Step #44

42b) Text Tool (T)
Create as Vector

43) Layers > Convert to Raster Layer

44) Move Tool
Move text to where you want it

45) Layers Palette
If necessary, reduce opacity of watermark layer

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

Letter Creator

47) Open Letter Creator

48) Body > Image
Look for the JPEG file
Click on "Tile"
Choose Font and Font Size
Choose Text Color
(I find that with this tutorial, an almost white text color is most text-friendly
Choose a color you like with the equivalent of the Dropper Tool, then click on the arrow and choose a lighter version of the color by simply sliding up the arrow on the right side (see Screenshot below)
Choose Link Color
Margin: Top 10, Left 10 - 20 to the right of your graphic, Right 10

49) Footer
Your Name
Reference and link (if available) to graphic used
If appropriate link to mask (some creators wish a link to their website)
Name of tutorial "Zipped SB Tutorial" and link to this page
Date you created the stat

50) 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" to the Testers from the Hootyworkshop
Especially (in chronological order):
Cal, Claire, Kat, RitaLynn, Robin, Roni, Sabrina, Sheila and Steve.
I apologize if I have forgotten somebody
Your support, help and patience made this possible