BIRDHOUSE CLOCK

Created March 15, 2002 © Copyright Moon's Designs
Property of Moon's Designs
This is my creation, any similarity to other tutorials on the Internet is unintentional.
Please do not copy or place this tutorial or any graphics to any other place without written permission directly from me. Thank you

 

While looking through one of my crafts magazines, I saw this adorable birdhouse clock sitting on a table. I set out to recreate it in PSP and was quite pleased with my results. I will teach you how to make the birdhouse/clock, but the decorating will be left to you and your imagination. If you need any bird or floral tubes, Jane has a wonderful assortment that you may wish to peruse. You can view Jane's site HERE.

This tutorial will be using several PSP functions and Ulead Art Texture for the clock rim. My tutorials are only guidelines to help you accomplish a certain creation. Please feel free to be inventive and take whatever liberties you would like. I encourage each of you to do your "own thing" and make your creation yours! Your finished creation is yours to do with as you please.

Screenshots are at 50% and compressed for faster loading. Don't forget to SAVE your work often.

This tutorial is written in and for PSP Version 7.04 and assumes you have a working knowledge of PSP at an intermediate - advanced level. I am sure this can easily be done in Version 6 with a few adjustments in paths but I have only used Version 7 so I can't make promises *S*

FOR THIS TUTORIAL YOU WILL NEED:
JASC's PSP (30 day free trial)- You can get it HERE
My Inner Bevel and Texture Presets ~~ You can get them HERE. The presets for the inner bevel are md-birdhouse, md-birdhouse2; md-birdhouserim and md-frame1. The preset for the texture is md-paper. **unzip into your PSP Presets Folder**
ULead's Art Texture - You can get the free version HERE
**When executing the setup the program will look for Photoshop on your computer to install Art Texture. Click on the Browse button and navigate to your PSP PLUGINS FOLDER and install Art Texture there. If you don't do this the program will not work properly for you.

Step 1:
Open a new image 350x500, 16 million colors, transparent background. Set your foreground color to Null and your background color to Black.

Step 2:
Add a new layer, name it base. Set your Preset Shapes tool to rectangle, antialias checked, retain style and create as vector UNchecked. Draw a long rectangle across the bottom of your image.

Step 3:
Change your background color to the color you would like for your trim. I used #B58383. Add a new layer, name it trim. Starting at the lower left corner of your base, draw a rectangle to the lower right corner.

Step 4:
Add a new layer, name it side trim. Draw a narrow rectangle on the right side of your base. I will leave it up to you if you would also like a trim on your left side. Remember, this is your creation. *smiles*

Step 5:
Go to your layer palette. Hide Layer1 by clicking on the eye glasses; a red X will appear. Make sure you are on your top layer, go to Layers-->Layers-->Merge Visible. Rename your layer to base.

Step 6:
If you don't have your rulers activated on your image, go to View-->Rulers. On your tool palette, activate your deformation tool . Holding down your Ctrl key, push the upper right node to about 300 pixels. Release your Ctrl key. Do not apply yet.

Step 7:
On the top, center node push down about 10 pixels. When you are happy with the way your base looks go to your tool options and press apply. Save.

Step 8:
When using the deformation tool, your image tends to get a bit fuzzy. Go to Effects-->Sharpen-->Sharpen to clarify your base. Go to Effects-->3D-->Inner Bevel and apply the md-frame1 preset. Save.

Step 9:
Change your background color to the color you want your birdhouse. I used #FDF2DB. Change your Preset Shapes to Pentagon, CHECK create as vector. No need to get excited about the vector, we just need it for pushing down the top of the birdhouse. :-)) Starting at coordinates 60,50 draw out your pentagon to coordinates 330,442. On your tool palette, click on your Objects tool . On your tool options box press Node Edit.

Push down on the top node until you are happy with the shape of your bird house. I pushed mine down to about the 110 mark on the ruler.

Go to Layers-->Convert to Raster. Rename this layer to house. Save.

Step 10:
Go to Effects-->Texture Effects-->Textures. Apply the MD-paper preset. Go to 3D-->Effects-->Inner Bevel and apply the same inner bevel. Save.

Step 11:
Add a new layer, name it eaves. Change your preset shape to Rectangle, UNcheck create as vector. Change your background color back to the color you used for your trim. Draw a rectangle that is about 210x20 pixels. If you look at the bottom left of your work area you will see your coordinates. The third set of numbers is the size of your rectangle.

Go to Images-->Rotate. Rotate your rectangle to the left, 45 degrees, making sure that all layers is UNchecked.

Use your mover tool to move it into place.

Step 12:
Go to Layers-->Duplicate. Go to Images-->Mirror. Use your mover tool if you need to move it into place.

Go to your layer palette and hide layer1, base, and house layers. The only two open layers should be your eaves and copy of eaves. Make sure you are on one of those. Go to Layers-->Merge-->Merge Visible. Rename your layer to eaves. Go to Effects-->3D-->Inner Bevel and apply the MD-birdhouse preset. Go to Effects-->3D-->Drop Shadow and apply the following settings:

(Offsets=4; Opacity=49; Blur=6.2)

You may open all of your layers. Save.

Step 13:
Add a new layer, name it clock face. We will be making several layers for the clock and then merging them together. When I was first creating the tutorial, I made my clock face white, making screenshots in white. I then changed my mind and changed the color to the trim color and finished making the screenshots in that color. I don't mean to confuse you with the screenshots, but that is why you will see two different colors when viewing them. *grin* Okay, let's get back to making the clock. Make your background color what you would like your clockface to be. Change your Preset Shapes to Ellipse. Holding down the shift key, draw a circle approximately 72 pixels in diameter. Use your mover tool to place it into position under your eaves.

Step 14:
We will now add numbers to the clock. My clock has the basic 4 numbers 12, 3, 6, and 9. You may want to make all of the numbers, or use Roman Numerals, this is entirely up to you. I added a new layer for each number, this makes it much easier for moving the numbers into place. Add a new layer, open your text. I used Tahoma, Size 12, Color - Black. Again feel free to use whatever font and color you like.

Add the following drop shadow to each number as you do them.

(Offsets=1; Opacity=49; Blur=1.2)

This is how my numbers looked after applying them to the clock face.

Step 15:
Now it is time to apply the hands. Make your foreground color Black, background to Null. Activate your Draw tool, , on your tool palette. On your Tool Options set your draw tool to Single Line, Width 1, #3 arrowhead at end.

Add a new layer, name it hand1. Draw out your first hand to where you want it to be. Apply the same drop shadow that you did for the numbers.

Add a new layer, name it hand2. Draw out your second hand and apply the same drop shadow.

Add a new layer, name it dot. Using the paintbrush tool apply a dot in the middle of where the lines of your hands meet. These are the settings I used. SAVE.

This is how my clock face looks now. I had already hidden the house and eaves when I did the screenshot, but I wanted to give you the general idea. *winks*

Step 16:
When you are happy with your clock go to your layer palette. Close all layers not pertaining to the clock, the layers you are closing should be layer1; base; house; eaves. Make sure you are on the top layer. Go to Layers-->Merge-->Merge Visible. Rename your layer clock. Save.

Step 17:
While on the clock layer, go to Selections-->Select All (Ctrl+A). Selections-->Float (Ctrl+F). Go to Effects-->3D-->Cutout and apply the following settings. Deselect and save.

(Offsets=0; Opacity=100; Blur=15)

Step 18:
Add a new layer, name it clock rim. Change your foreground color to White, make sure your background is Null. Activate your preset shapes set to Ellipse, Line Width = 6, Antialias checked, retain style and create as vector UNchecked. Holding down your shift key draw out a ring approximately 2-4 pixels larger than your clock face. With your mover tool move your rim over the clock.

Step 19:
Go to Effects-->Plugins-->Ulead-->Art Texture. On the first screen, press edit.

On the second screen, choose the Gold Palette-5 and Press OK.

You will now get a third screen. On that screen press the top, far right pattern and click OK. Using this pattern gives a nice shine next to the major 4 numbers on your clock.

Step 20:
Go to Effects-->3D-->Inner Bevel and apply the md-birdhouserim preset. Go to Effects-->3D-->Drop Shadow and apply the same drop shadow as your numbers.

Step 21:
Every bird needs a hole to look out, so go to your layer palette and activate your house layer. Use your selection tool, , set at Circle, feather=0, antialias checked. In the middle of your birdhouse, draw a circle approximatately 41 pixels in diameter. Press the delete key on your keyboard. Keep Selected. Go to Effects-->3D-->Drop Shadow and apply the following settings. Deselect and Save.

(Offsets=0; Opacity=57; Blur=16)

Step 22:
On your layer palette, activate your eave layer. Go to Edit-->Copy (Ctrl+C). Edit-->Paste-->As a New Layer (Ctrl+L). Go to Images-->Resize and resize your copied eave by 75%. Make sure Resize all layers is UNchecked.

With your mover tool, place your lower eave above the hole.

Step 23:
We are almost done making the birdhouse and then you can have the fun of decorating it! We need a ledge for the birds to sit on. Add a new layer, name it ledge. Change your foreground to Null, background to your trim color. Change your Preset Shapes to Rectangle. Under your hole draw a long, narrow rectangle. I used coordinates 124,264 to 233,377. Go to your Inner Bevel and apply the md-birdhouse2 preset. Save.

You can now add flowers, birds, butterflies, or whatever you would like to your creation. I would advise you to add a new layer for each decoration that you add.

When you are satisfied with your birdhouse, go to your layer palette and hide layer1. Make sure you are on the top layer and merge visible. You can now tube your birdhouse clock, save it as a gif, add a background to layer1, frame it or whatever you want. You will probably want to resize your creation before sending it to your groups, if they are using this tutorial as a lesson. If you aren't familiar with resizing and sharpening please view my resizing tutorial HERE.

I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial as much as I have creating it. A special thank you to my tutorial testers, Suz, Suecat, Beckie, Elkay, Terri and Randie. Without these wonderful gals I really wouldn't be where I am today.