Shimmering Mirrored Frame
Created November 14,
2001 © Copyright Moon's Designs
Property of Moon's Designs
This is my own creation, any similarities to any other tutorial on
the Internet are unintentional.
Please do not copy or place this tutorial or any graphics to any other
place without written permission directly from me. Thank you
There are so many free plugin filters available to
us to make our graphics gorgeous. One of the weekly activities for
PSP_Dynasty
is a P.O.W., which stands for Plugin Of the Week. This week's POW
was Alf's Border FX. While experimenting with it I discovered this
glorious shimmering frame and have had several requests for a tutorial.
I also used the Silver Filter from Flaming Pear. Depending on the
graphic used and the settings in the filters will determine your final
creation.
This tutorial is written in and for PSP Version 7.04
and assumes you have a working knowledge of PSP at an intermediate
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*
You will need:
JASC's PSP (30 day free trial)- You can get it HERE
Flaming Pear's Designer Sextet Series ~~ You can get the trial
download HERE
Alf's Border FX filter ~~ You can get it HERE
**create a new folder in your Plugins folder and name it Alf and
unzip into this folder. This will help you keep your filters organized.
If you keep your filters in Filters Unlimited import them into there.
A graphic ~~ I used Elysium West from Jonathon
Art. Jonathon Earl Bowser is a fantastic artist who allows others
who use his work as long as we give a link back to him. I hope you
will view his site. You may use this graphic if you like. Please right
click on the graphic and save to your hard drive. If you display your
results on a website, please link it to Mr. Bowsers site.
Step 1:
Open your image in PSP and make a copy of it (Shift + D). We will
be working on the copy but minimize the original image as we will
be using it later.
Step 2:
Go to Effects-->Plugins-->Alfs Border FX-->Border Fade3 and
apply the following settings. Naturally you can move the sliders around
and create the shimmer that you feel will look best on your graphic.
Step 3:
Click on the eye dropper tool and right-click on a predominate color
in your graphic (I chose # 957576). Right clicking will add that color
to the Background color box. Make your foreground color white. Click
on your Gradients in your Foreground Style box and select #1 Foreground-Background.
Choose Sunburst Gradient and using the crosshairs in the gradient
box move to about where you want the light to be on your picture.
I chose the upper left all the way to the corner.
Now add a new layer and flood fill with your gradient.
Change the blend mode on your layer palette to overlay. Save.
Step 4:
Go to Layers-->Merge-->Merge Visible. Change your background
color to white. Go to Images-->Add Border and add a border of 8
(make sure symmetric is checked). Click on your magic wand (tolerance
and feather at 0) and select your white border. Go to Effects-->Plugins-->FlamingPear-->Silver
and apply either the settings I have below or one to your liking.
Step 5:
Keep selected and go to Selections-->Invert and apply the following
cutout. (Effects-->3D-->Cutout)
Reapply the cutout, but change the vertical and horizontal
settings to Minus 4. Keep selected.
Step 6:
Go to Selections-->Invert and apply the following Inner Bevel.
Deselect and Save.
Step 7:
Remember I told you that we would be utilizing the original graphic?
Well, now it's time *S* Change your foreground styles to patterns
and choose the original graphic for your pattern. Add a new border
and this time let's make the border size 25. With your magic wand
select the border to get your marching ants and flood fill with your
pattern. Keep selected.
Step 8:
Go to Effects-->Plugins-->Alfs Border FX-->Mirror Bevel and
apply these settings:
Keep selected. We will be applying the Mirror Bevel
3 times with different settings. I will show you what my graphic looked
like after each application and then what I chose for the next settings.
Do not deselect, just keep adding the beveled mirror settings.
Obviously you can stop after the first or second
setting or continue until you get something you are happy with.
Step 9:
Keep selected and add the same Inner Bevel as before and we're done.
I think this has to be one of the easiest and prettiest
framing techniques that I have discovered.
If you are using this tutorial as a group lesson
to be sent in we might need to have a Step 10, it really depends on
the size of your image to begin with. If you used a Jonathon Art graphic,
as I did, it is way too big to send to your groups especially after
adding a frame.
Step 10 if needed:
If you need to resize your final work go to Images --> Resize.
Here is something you need to know about resizing. One of the tricks
you should use to squeeze the absolute best out of a resized image
is to always try to resize to exactly three-quarters (75%), one-half
(50%), or one-quarter (25%) the original image size. The mathematical
reasons this works the best are beyond what I could explain in this
little tip; but trust me--it works. Basically, Paint Shop Pro uses
a complex algorithm to figure out which pixels to keep and which ones
to throw out. Using a standard resize value lets PSP work at its optimal
levels. I also have to add that ANY time you resize in PSP (including
tubes!) you must sharpen your image for optimal viewing. Go to Effects
--> Sharpen -->Sharpen.
As I said at the beginning of this tutorial, depending
on the graphic and the settings that are used, you can have entirely
different results. Here are a couple more that I have done.
I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial as much as
I have creating it for you.
If you have any problems, comments or questions please
do not hesitate to E-mail
me.
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Designs
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If you would like to use this tutorial for group
settings, please contact me. Just click on the above mail slot *S*
Tutorial written and created by Patti Wavinak
for Moon's Designs. These Tutorials are copyrighted by law. You may
LINK to them only. You may not remove any of the graphics, zip files
or html within these pages to reproduce these Tutorials, without the
expressed permission of Moon's Designs. These pages may not be removed
from this website and sent via e-mail, nor saved, stored or archived
in files in YahooGroups or other mailing list sites, nor may they
be translated and placed on another site.
Creations made from these tutorials are your creations.
Moon's Designs holds the copyright to all selections, original tubes
and original images that I have created and provided for use within
my tutorials. Page backgrounds and images are created exclusively
for this website and may not be downloaded or used without written
permission.
If you would like to use any of my tutorials for group lessons please
contact me.
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