Simple Cloudy Frame Trio & SB

© Marianne's Creations - October, 2009

Photographs used are my own personal collection

This tutorial is for non-profit use only.

 

This tutorial is my own creation.

Any resemblance to any other

tutorials is unintentional and

coincidental.

 

Written for PSP X2

 

Skill level: Intermediate

 

Plugins Needed:

Simple Plugins - Diamonds and

4 Way Average both Available here

MuRa's Meister Cloud - Available here
 

Supplies Needed:

3 Graphics or Photographs.

One tall picture 210 X 270 pixels and

Two wide pictures 270 X 210 pixels.

  

Preparation:

Install plugins, if needed.

 

Performance Notes:

All settings will remain the same,

unless new or revised settings

are given.

  
 

 

Here is a arrow you can drag and drop when you

need to mark where you are. .
Just left click and drag to where you want it then let

go. It will stay where ever you put it, until you close

your browser.

 

Let's begin

 

Frame:

1.  File > Open

Open 3 graphics of choice.

 

2.  Window > Duplicate (Shift+D)

Activate each graphic and duplicate

closing originals

 

3. Materials Palette

Right click in your Foreground box

and choose Black

 

4. File > New Image

Settings:

Width = 600 pixels

Height = 400 pixels

Raster Background = Checked

Transparent = Checked

 

5. Selection Tool > Custom Selection

Settings:

Top = 40

Left = 40

Right = 245

Bottom = 305

 

6. Flood Fill Tool

Settings: 

Match mode = None

Use all layers = Not Checked

Blend mode = Normal

Opacity = 100

Left click to fill selection with

Foreground color.

 

7. Selections > Modify > Contract

Settings:

Number of pixels = 2

 

8. Edit > Clear

 

9. Selections > Select None

 

10. Layers > Duplicate

 

11. Image > Free Rotate

Settings:

Direction = Right

Degrees = 90

All layers = Not Checked

Rotate single layer around

canvas center = Not Checked

 

12. Layers > Duplicate

 

13. Layers Palette

Rename your layers from Raster 1

to Raster 3 and close the top

and middle layer by clicking

on the eye. Make sure to activate

bottom layer again.

 

14. Magic Wand Tool

Settings:

Mode = Replace

Match mode = RGB Value

Tolerance = 0

Use all layers = Unchecked

Contiguous = Checked

Feather = 0

Anti-alias = Checked

Outside = Selected

Select inside the black rectangle

 

15. Activate your First Graphic

 

*Note - So your image doesn't end

up too distorted you may like to

resize first. You will be pasting into

a selection of 205 X 265 pixels.

If you resize, a good size would be

210 X 270 pixels. If you prefer to use

the crop tool to the exact dimensions,

crop to Width 205 X Height 265 pixels.

 

16. Edit > Copy

 

17. Activate your working canvas

 

18. Edit > Paste into Selection

 

19. Adjust > Sharpness > Sharpen

 

20. Layers > New Raster Layer

 

21. Effects > 3D Effects > Cutout

Settings:

Vertical = 0

Horizontal = 0

Opacity = 50

Blur = 10.00

Shadow color = Black

Fill interior with color = Not Checked

 

22. Selections > Select None

 

23. Layers > Merge > Merge Down

 

24. Layers Palette

Click on the eye to close

bottom layer (Raster 1)

and open and activate middle layer

(Raster 2).

 

25. Magic Wand Tool

Select inside the black rectangle

 

26. Activate your Second Graphic

 

*Note - So your image doesn't end

up too distorted you may like to

resize first. You will be pasting into

a selection of 265 X 205 pixels.

If you resize, a good size would be

270 X 210 pixels. If you prefer to use

the crop tool to the exact dimensions,

crop to Width 265 X Height 205 pixels.

 

27. Edit > Copy

 

28. Activate your working canvas

 

29. Edit > Paste into Selection

 

30. Adjust > Sharpness > Sharpen

 

31. Layers > New Raster Layer

 

32. Effects > 3D Effects > Cutout

 

33. Selections > Select None

 

34. Layers > Merge > Merge Down

 

35. Layers Palette

Click on the eye to close the middle

layer (Raster 2) and activate and

open the top layer (Raster 3)

 

36. Magic Wand Tool

Select inside the black rectangle

 

37. Activate your third Graphic

 

*Note - So your image doesn't end

up too distorted you may like to

resize first. You will be pasting into

a selection of 265 X 205 pixels.

If you resize, a good size would be

270 X 210 pixels. If you prefer to use

the crop tool to the exact dimensions,

crop to Width 265 X Height 205 pixels.

 

38. Edit > Copy

 

39. Activate your working canvas

 

40. Edit > Paste into Selection

 

41. Adjust > Sharpness > Sharpen

 

42. Layers > New Raster Layer

 

43. Effects > 3D Effects > Cutout

 

44. Selections > Select None

 

45. Layers > Merge > Merge Down

 

46. Layers > View > All

 

47.  Move Tool

Arrange layers to your liking

 

48. Layers > Merge > Merge Visible

 

49. Layers > New Raster Layer

 

50. Layers > Arrange > Send to Bottom

 

51. Dropper Tool

Left click and select a light color for

your Foreground color and Right

click to select a dark color for your

Background.

 

52. Effects > Plugins > MuRa's Meister >

Cloud

Settings:

Light = Checked (White)

FG = Checked  (Foreground Color)

BG = Checked  (Background Color)

Blend mode = Normal

Source base = Not Checked

Effect = 100

Amount = 100

Grain = 3

Contrast = 0

Bias = 0

Light = 0

Cubic = 0

Blur = 0

Contour = 0

 

53. Layers > Merge > Merge All (Flatten)

 

54. Image > Add Borders

Settings:

Symmetric = Checked

Size in pixels = 2

Color = Black

 

55. Image > Add Borders

Size in pixels = 5

Color = Foreground color

 

56. Magic Wand Tool

Select 5 pixel border

 

57. Effects > 3D Effects > Inner Bevel

Settings:

Bevel = Bevel #2

Width = 3

Smoothness = 15

Depth = 3

Ambience = 0

Shininess = 40

Color = White

Angle = 315

Intensity = 35

Elevation = 40

 

58. Image > Add Borders

Size in pixels = 2

Color = Black

 

59. Image > Add Borders

Size in pixels = 5

Color = Background Color

 

60. Magic Wand Tool

Select 5 pixel border

 

61. Effects > 3D Effects > Inner Bevel

 

62. Image > Add Borders

Size in pixels = 2

Color = Black

 

63. Selections > Select All

 

64. Selections > Modify > Contract

Settings:

Number of pixels = 16

 

65. Effects > 3D Effects > Cutout

 

66. Selections > Invert

 

67. Effects > Plugins > Simple >

Diamonds

 

68. Effects > 3D Effects > Inner Bevel

 

69. Selections > Select None

 

70. Selection Tool > Custom Selection

Settings:

Top = 16

Left = 0

Right = 16

Bottom = 416

 

71. Edit > Copy

 

72. Edit > Paste As New Image

*Note - This is for the side bar later

 

73. Activate Working Canvas

 

74. Selections > Select None

 

*Note - You may now add any text

or embellishments to your liking.

 

75. Layers > New Raster Layer

 

76. Add your watermark

 

77. File > Export > JPEG Optimizer

Settings:

Set compression value to 10-15,

or to your preferred compression

 

Background & Side Bar:

1. Activate side bar we pasted earlier

 

2. Image > Canvas Size

Settings:

Width = 90 Pixels

Height = 400 Pixels

Lock aspect ratio = Not Checked

Placement = Left center arrow

**Change Left value to 20**

 

3. Layers > Duplicate

 

4. Image > Mirror

 

5. Layers > Merge > Merge Down

 

6. Effects > Plugins > Simple >

4 Way Average

 

7. Effects > 3D Effects > Drop Shadow

Settings:

Vertical = 0

Horizontal = 0

Opacity = 60

Blur = 10.00

Color = Black

Shadow on new layer = Checked

 

8. Effects > Image Effects > Seamless Tiling

Settings:

Edge & Vertical = Selected

Width (%) = 50

Transition (%) = 50

*Note - Only the drop shadow will be tiled.

 

9. Layers > Merge > Merge Visible

 

10. Image > Canvas Size

Settings:

Width = 1800 pixels (or preferred width)

Height = 400 pixels

Lock aspect ratio = Unchecked

Placement = Left center arrow

 

11. Layers > New Raster Layer

 

12. Layers > Arrange > Send to Bottom

 

13. Effects > Plugins > MuRa's Meister >

Cloud

 

14. Effects > Image Effects >

Seamless Tiling

 

*Note - Steps 15 to 17 are optional if

you find that your background is too dark.

 

15. Layers > New Raster Layer

 

16. Flood Fill Tool

Fill with Foreground or Background

color

 

17. Layers Palette

Reduce Opacity to 30 or your liking

 

18. File > Export > JPEG Optimizer

Settings:

Set compression value to 15,

or to your preferred compression

 

All finished !! You're now ready to

assemble for Incredimail or

Outlook Express.

I do hope you have enjoyed this tutorial.

 

I would like to thank the wonderful testers

at CTT.  Their time, talent & encouragement

are greatly appreciated.

They are:

Diane (LBM Creations), CeCelia (CeCelia Robinson's Designs),

Joyce (Joy-Creations), PaulaDean (Elite Letters & Tags),

Zinnia (Zinnees), Sonja, Donna (Donna's Designz), Cheryl (gnarlee),

Sharon (Creations By Sharon), Lane (Letters by Lane), Deanne (Deanne's Designs).

 

I'd love to see your results if you try

my tutorial. Please send them to:

 

You are free to share my tutorial

as you like, but please do not

upload them to any website or

group files without asking me first.

 

 

Thanks!

Marianne Giles

Proud Tutorial Writer for: