Autumn Frames

I own the intellectual copyright for the written tutorial.  What you make is yours, but please do not take my tutorial.  Share only my link.

This tutorial is intended for beginners to learn how to create a frame tag.  If you have any questions, please feel free to Email  me.

To do this tutorial you will also need Paint Shop Pro.  I wrote this with  Paint Shop Pro X2, but the steps may also be done in any version.  You may download a free trial at Corel.

Remember to save as a psp file often!

Download Supplies.

1.  Open the photo that you wish to use.  Edit > Copy

2.  New transparent image, size 500 x 400.

3.  Selections > Select All

4.  Edit > Paste Into Selection

5.  Slide the Opacity of this layer between 20 and 25 %.

6.  Layers > Merge > Merge All (Flatten)  The image should be a pale blend into white.

7.  Selections > Select None

8.  Layers > Promote Background Layer

9.  Open the image DistressedPaperMask (found in the supply zip)

10.  Layers > Add  Mask Layer > From Image.  Choose the Distressed Paper Mask in the source window.

11.  Right-click on the top layer and choose Merge > merge Group.

12.  Effects > 3D > Drop Shadow.  Apply these settings:  Vertical & Horizontal = 1, Opacity = 100, Blur = 2, Color = black

13.  Repeat the drop shadow effect but change the vertical and Horizontal settings to - 1 (negative 1)

14.  Open up the sandpaper pattern found in the supply folder.

15.  Click on Pattern for the foreground.  Choose the sandpaper pattern.  Set the background color to white.

16.  Choose the Rectangle shape.

CHECK Show Nodes and Create on Vector.  Set Width = 20

17.  Draw a large rectangle (but don't extend beyond the distressed background)

18.  Left-click and hold mouse button down on the right, top node (see pink arrow)

Holding the mouse button down, drag the node downward (in direction of pink arrow).  The corners will be rounded.

when you release the mouse button, the corners are rounded.

19.  Right-click on the vector layer and choose Convert to Raster Layer

20.  Right-click on the top layer and choose Duplicate.

21.  With the magic wand, select the white center of the rounded rectangle.

22.  Selections > Invert

23.  Open up one of the bows from the supply folder.

24.  With the eye dropper, left click to choose the color from the bow (to make it foreground color).

25.   Minimize the bow to the bottom of the screen.

26.  Click on the foreground color box to open up the Materials Palette.  Write down the Hue (H) and Saturation (S) numbers.  Choose Cancel.

27.  Click back on the frame image.  Adjust > Hue/Saturation > Colorize  Set the Hue and Saturation numbers to the numbers you copied in Step 26.  These are only starting points, you may want to adjust the numbers to get the shade to what you want.

28.  In the Layer Palette, click on the frame layer below (middle layer).

29.  Adjust > Huge/Saturation > Colorize.  The same settings will be in there.  Change the settings to a complimentary color.

30.  Selections > Invert

31.  Open up the Autumn Leaves pattern from the supply folder.  Edit > Copy   Minimize

32.  Click back on the frames image.  Edit > Paste Into Selection.

33.  Effects > 3D Effects > Drop Shadow  Apply these settings:  Vertical & Horizontal = negative 1, Opacity = 75, Blur = 5, color = black

34.  Repeat the Drop Shadow, but change the Vertical & Horizontal to 1.

35.  In the Layer Palette, click on the top layer.

36.  Edit > Paste into Selection.

37.  Repeat Steps 33 & 34 to add the same drop shadow.

38.  Selections > Select None

39.  Image > Free Rotate.  Set Direction = Left, Free = 6,  UNCHECK both boxes on the bottom.

40.  Click on the middle frame layer.  Image > Free Rotate.  Direction = Right, Free = 6.

41.  In the Layer Palette, click back on the top layer.

42.  Choose the Rectangle SHAPE tool.  Set foreground = white, background = another color

43.  Left-click and hold mouse button down on the node (see pink arrow).

Drag this node upward, until the corner becomes square instead of rounded.

44.  Right-click on this layer and choose Convert to Raster Layer.

45.  Open up your autumn picture again.  Edit > Copy.

46.  Click back on the frame layer.  With the magic wand, select the colored center.

47.  Edit > Paste Into Selection.  Selection > Deselect

48.  Open up one of the bow tubes.  I resized mine.  Image > Resize to 115 pixels wide.  Edit > Copy

49.  Click on Picture.  Edit > Paste as new layer.

50.  Choose the Raster Deform tool.  It will put the deform box around the bow like in the pic above.

If your PSP doesn't have the deform tool in the toolbar:  Right-click anywhere on the psp blank desktop and choose Customize.  Click on tools (in left menu).  Scroll down in right pane and find the raster deform tool.  Drag it over to the tool menu and release.  Now the deform tool is in your tool menu.

51.  Use the deform tool to rotate your bow by dragging the center lever up or down.  Then move the bow into position along one corner.

52.  Now add some leaf decorations and maybe more bows.  Don't forget to place some of these underneath the top layer.

53.    Add some text to your tag and your watermark.

54.  Layers > Merge  > Merge Visible.

55.  Save this as a GIF.  File > Export > GIF Optimizer.

Here is one where I used a solid color for the underlayer.

 Please do not remove this tutorial from my site.  Share my url.