Quiet Summer Day

Quiet Summer Day

This tut was written by me, Em Jay, on 2-19-10 with all rights reserved.  Please do not copy and paste it in any group or call it your own. You can link to it using a text link to my blog.

This tut is written using a PTU kit created by Raggedee Annie’s Graphics called Dragonflies and Dandelions which can be purchased  here at Scraps with Attitude.   It was written using PSP9, but is adaptable to any version and is for people with a good working knowledge of PSP.

You will also need:  Filter Unlimited 2.0

EyeCandy 5 Nature

The tube I used is with permission ©Elena Dudina, http://elenadudina.deviantart.com. In keeping with the theme of this tag, choose a pretty little fairy as your focus tube.

We’re going to do something a little different with this beautiful kit. We’re going to make and frame a pretty picture.  Open a new image 450 by 300, select all, copy/paste RAG_DandD-Tg064 into selection. Effects/User Defined Filter/Plug-ins/Filter Unlimited 2.0. On the left column click on  Convolution Filters; right column click on Emboss(strong) and you can use the random button to find a look you like. Then click apply.

Open RAG_DandD-Tg001. Resize to the width of 450pix. Copy/paste as a new layer,  align along the bottom of the image and use your deform tool to lower the top of the element down to a height of around 150. Add a nice drop shadow.

Open RAG_DandD-Tg005, resize to 30%. Copy/paste somewhere along the bottom grassy area.  Position and resize as needed with the deform tool, add drop shadow. I also used two copies of RAG_DandD-Tg003. Resizing with the deform tool and placing them on each side of the image on the grassy area.

Open RAG_DandD-Tg017 and Tg018.  Resize both to 40% and copy/paste as a new layer on the top right and left corners of the image.  Add a drop shadow to each layer. Open RAG_DandD-Tg037 and Tg040. Resize both to 20%.  Copy/paste each as new layer, position and resize as needed with the deform tool. Add a drop shadow to each layer. I also added RAG_DandD-Tg087, Tg088 and Tg021, following the steps above about resizing and positioning.  Don’t forget to add a drop shadow to each new layer.  And please feel free to add any other elements you would like to your image, all on new layers and add drop shadows to those layers.

Click on the bottom layer with the paper and add a new raster layer. Select a shade of yellow from a dandelion as the background color.  Click on your paint brush and select any one of your custom grunge brushes. Starting at around the middle of the left edge of the image, right-click your brush while working your way up to the top left corner and across the top to the middle of the top edge.  Now you can duplicate that layer 3 times, highlight the first copy, click on mirror; second copy, click on flip; and the third copy, click on mirror/flip. Merge all flat.

We are going to add the frame. Select a dark color from your image for your foreground color and a lighter color from your image for your background color. Image/add borders, symmetric should be checked. Size in pixels should be 4.  Right-click on the color shown and on the bottom of that little window click on the dark foreground color. Click OK. Use the magic wand and click on that border, effects/3Deffects/inner bevel, use whatever settings that look good to you.  Leave selected, selection/select all, selection/modify/contract 4. Effects/3Deffects/cut out using these settings, vertical/horizontal 2, Opacity 62, Blur 24, Shadow color black, fill interior with color is NOT checked. Click OK.  Repeat these same steps only change the vertical/horizontal settings to -2.

Image/add borders 1, use the light background color. Add borders 1, use the dark foreground color, add borders 1, once again use the light background color.  Add borders 20, use the dark color. Magic wand and select this last border, effects/user defined filter/plug-ins/Eyecandy 5 Nature/Rust. The settings I used are: Feature size 40, Coverage 50, Edge roughness 75, Soften spots 60, Texture variation 40, click on the button on the right of the color that’s shown and click on eyedropper.  Select a color for the rust from your image. You can click on random until you get something you like, click ok. Leave selected, effects/3Deffects/inner bevel, select a bevel that you like. Select none. Add borders 1, light color. Add borders 1, dark color.

Promote background to layer, add new raster layer 3 times. Right click on bottom layer, Arrange/Send to top. Highlight bottom layer. Click on Image/canvas size and add 100 to both the width and height. Lock aspect ratio is NOT checked. Under placement, the center button is clicked.  Flood fill this bottom layer with white.

Open RAG_DandD-Tg055 and Tg068. Highlight top layer, select all/float/defloat, highlight layer 2, Copy/paste Tg055 into selection. Highlight layer 3, Copy/paste Tg068 into selection. Select none. Click on layer 2, Image/rotate/free rotate, right is checked, free is ticked, type in 10, rotate single layer around canvas center is checked, OK. Highlight layer 3 and repeat free rotate with same settings except this time left is checked. Add a drop shadow to each paper layer and the top image layer.

Add a little cluster of flowers on the bottom right corner of the frame, using your deform tool to resize and position. Add a drop shadow to each flower. Merge visible. Add your text, watermark and copyright information, then you’re done.

Thanks for trying this tutorial.  Hope you enjoyed it!