| :: 3D Constellation Frame Tut

3D Constellation Frame Tut © Made by Lysa™
Written: April 27, 2011

- Click on the envelope to download the IMF copy of this tut.
Here is what we are making today:

Today I'm using the wonderful artwork of Collin Bogle. You can find his art HERE. If you want to use his work, please write to him to get his permission.

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Please link your results of my tutorial to my yahoo group:
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/mbl_tutorials

Or to make it easier for you, you can copy and paste this line into your stationery footer.
3D Constellation Frame Tut © Made by Lysa™

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Needed:
An Image (wider than tall works best)
PSP XI (Should work in earlier and later versions, some tools may be in a different place or worded differently.)
Fantastic Machines - Paint Engine Beta
Simple - Quick Tile, Diamonds, 4 Way Average
Alien Skin Xenofex 2 (no longer available for purchase) - Constellation

To make this easier, I've broken it down into 3 sections.

Part 1: Preparation
Part 2: Making the Frame
Part 3: Making the Background

Skill Level = Intermediate

NOTE: All settings will remain the same unless otherwise noted.

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Part 1: Preparation

1. File > Open
Open your image.

2. Window > Duplicate (Shift + D)
Close your original image.

3. Image > Resize
Settings:
Lock aspect ratio = Checked
Resample using = Bicubic
Resize all layers = Checked
Width & Height = No larger than 450 Pixels

NOTE: If your image is smaller than this you may skip ahead to step 5.

4. Adjust > Sharpness > Unsharp Mask
Settings:
Radius = 1.00
Strength = 47
Clipping = 5
Luminance only = Checked

5. Window > Duplicate (Shift + D)
Minimize your copy. If at any time your image is not on your clipboard, you can go to this image and press Ctrl + C (or Edit > Copy) to return it to your clipboard.

6. Dropper Tool (E)
Choose 2 colors from the same hue from your image that you want to bring out in your frame. If you'd like to spice things up, choose 2 different colors that go well together.
Left click to make your dark color your foreground color.
Right click to make your light color your background color.

7. Edit > Copy

8. File > New (Ctrl + N)
Settings:
Width & Height = 100 Pixels
Raster Background = Checked
Color depth = RGB - 8bits/channel
Transparent = Checked

9. Flood Fill Tool (F)
Settings:
Match mode = RGB Value
Tolerance = 0
Use all layers = Unchecked
Blend mode = Normal
Opacity = 100
Flood fill with your dark color (left click).

10. Effects > Plugins > Fantastic Machines > PaintEngine
Settings:
Wrap Edges = Checked
Use your favorite settings or hit the Randomize button until you find something you like.

11. Minimize this pattern for now, we will need it later.

Part 2: Making the Frame

1. On your image, Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Symmetric = Checked
Pixels = 2
Color = Foreground Color

2. Magic Wand Tool
Settings:
Mode = Replace
Match mode = Color
Tolerance = 0
Use all layers = Unchecked
Contiguous = Checked
Feather = 0
Anti-alias = Checked
Inside
Select New Border

3. Effects > 3D Effects > Inner Bevel
Settings:
Bead

NOTE: If you have this preset saved and used a different one before this, check to make sure the Intensity is the right number as listed here. Some testers discovered the Intensity stayed at whatever setting they used previously and had to manually change it.

4. Selections > Invert

5. Effects > 3D Effects > Cutout
Settings:
V&H = 0
Opacity = 44
Blur = 25.00
Color = Black
Fill interior with color = Unchecked

6. Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Pixels = 20
Color = Background Color

7. Magic Wand Tool
Select New Border

8. Edit > Paste Into Selection (Ctrl + Shift + L)

9. Effects > Plugins > Simple > Quick Tile

10. Effects > Plugins > Simple > Diamonds

11. Effects > Plugins > Simple > 4 Way Average

NOTE: Steps 12 - 16 are to clean up the mess that the constellation filter makes. When you apply the filter some of the effects jump outside the selection and these steps clean it up.

12. Selections > Promote Selection to Layer

13. Effects > Plugins > Alien Skin Xenofex 2 > Constellation
Settings:

NOTE: If you can't get your Star Size (pixels) to 1.98, 2 is good enough.

14. Selections > Invert

15. Edit > Clear (Hit your delete key.)

16. Selections > Invert

17. Layers > New Raster Layer

18. Flood Fill Tool (F)
Flood fill with your background color.

19. Layers Palette
Lower the opacity of this new layer so you can see the pattern and the color. I am using 67. Choose what works best for your image.

NOTE: The actual amount you lower the opacity of this layer depends how much of the Constellation effects you want to see. You may only want to see a little of it or a lot. This is your creation so play with the opacity to get something you like.

20. Layers > Merge > Merge All (Flatten)

21. Selections > Invert

22. Effects > 3D Effects > Drop Shadow
Settings:
V&H = 0
Opacity = 100
Blur = 10.00
Color = Black
Shadow on new layer = Unchecked

23. Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Pixels = 2
Color = Foreground Color

24. Magic Wand Tool
Select New Border

25. Effects > 3D Effects > Inner Bevel

26. Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Pixels = 10

27. Magic Wand Tool
Select New Border

28. Materials Palette
Set your color pattern as your foreground.
Settings:
Angle = 0
Scale = 100
Texture = Unchecked

29. Flood Fill Tool (F)
Flood fill with your colored pattern.

30. Selections > Invert

31. Effects > 3D Effects > Drop Shadow

32. Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Pixels = 3
Color = Background Color

33. Magic Wand Tool
Select New Border

34. Effects > 3D Effects > Inner Bevel

35. Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Pixels = 35
Color = Foreground Color

36. Selections > Select All

37. Selections > Modify > Contract
Settings:
Number of pixels = 36 (Yes this is intentional.)

38. Selections > Invert

39. Edit > Paste Into Selection (Ctrl + Shift + L)

40. Effects > Plugins > Simple > Quick Tile

41. Effects > Plugins > Simple > Diamonds

42. Effects > Plugins > Simple > 4 Way Average

NOTE: Steps 43 - 47 are to clean up the mess that the constellation filter makes. When you apply the filter some of the effects jump outside the selection and these steps clean it up.

43. Selections > Promote Selection to Layer

44. Effects > Plugins > Alien Skin Xenofex 2 > Constellation

45. Selections > Invert

46. Edit > Clear (Hit your delete key.)

47. Selections > Invert

48. Layers > New Raster Layer

49. Materials Palette
Change your foreground from your color pattern to your dark color.

50. Flood Fill Tool (F)
Flood fill this layer with your foreground color.

51. Layers Palette
Lower the opacity of this layer so you can still see the pattern but also the dark color. I'm using 60.

NOTE: The actual amount you lower the opacity of this layer depends how much of the Constellation effects you want to see. You may only want to see a little of it or a lot. This is your creation so play with the opacity to get something you like.

52. Layers > Merge > Merge All (Flatten)

53. Selections > Invert

54. Effects > 3D Effects > Drop Shadow

55. Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Pixels = 3
Color = Background Color

56. Magic Wand Tool
Select New Border

57. Effects > 3D Effects > Inner Bevel

58. Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Pixels = 10
Color = Foreground Color

59. Selections > Select All

60. Selections > Modify > Contract
Settings:
Number of pixels = 11 (Yes this is intentional.)

61. Selections > Invert

62. Materials Palette
Change your foreground color to your pattern.

63. Flood Fill Tool (F)
Flood fill with your pattern.

64. Selections > Invert

65. Effects > 3D Effects > Drop Shadow

66. Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Symmetric = Unchecked
Top & Left = 2
Right & Bottom = 3
Color = Background Color

67. Magic Wand Tool
Select New Border

68. Effects > 3D Effects > Inner Bevel

69. Selections > Select None

70. Layers > New Raster Layer

71. Apply the artist's watermark.

72. Layers > New Raster Layer

73. Apply your watermark (but do NOT put a copyright symbol near your watermark, unless you are using your own photo).

74. File > Export > JPEG Optimizer
Settings:
Set compression value to = 25
Chroma subsampling = YCbCr 1x1 1x1 1x1 (None)
Save Exif data = Unchecked

Do not close framed image.

Part 3: Making the Background

1. Still on your framed image.
Layers Palette > Click on your bottom layer.

2. Selection Tool (S) > Custom Selection
Settings:
Top = 80
Left = 0
Right = 65
Bottom = 380

NOTE: Even if your header image is taller you only need a portion of it. If you want more of the frame used adjust the bottom margin to a higher number.

3. Edit > Copy (Ctrl + C)

4. Edit > Paste As New Image (Ctrl + V)

5. Image > Canvas Size
Settings:
Lock aspect ratio = Unchecked
Width = 2000
Height = Original Dimensions (should be 300)
Placement = Left Center Arrow

6. Effects > 3D Effects > Drop Shadow
Settings:
V&H = 2
Opacity = 74
Blur = 7.00
Color = Black
Shadow on new layer = Unchecked

7. Effects > Image Effects > Seamless Tiling
Settings:
Tiling method = Corner
Direction = Vertical
Vertical offset (%) = -41 (minus 41)
Transition (%) = 100

8. Layers > New Raster Layer

9. Flood Fill Tool (F)
Flood fill your new layer with your background color.

10. Effects > Plugins > Fantastic Machines > Paint Engine
Settings:
Wrap Edges = Checked
Use your favorite settings or hit the Randomize button until you find something you like.

11. Layers > Arrange > Send to Bottom

12. Effects > Image Effects > Seamless Tiling

NOTE: If at this point you think your pattern would be hard to read text on, follow these next few steps. Otherwise pick back up at step 17.

13. Layers > New Raster Layer

14. Flood Fill Tool (F)
Flood fill new layer with your light color

15. Layers > Arrange > Send To Bottom

16. Layers Palette
On your patterned layer, lower the opacity down so you can read your text easily.

17. File > Export > JPEG Optimizer

You have completed this tutorial. :) I hope you have had as much fun as I did writing it. :)

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Thank you for taking the time to try my tutorial.

I would like to send a special thank you to the Tenacious Tut Testers and the CS Tut Testing Group. Thank you ladies, you helped make this tut the best it can be. :)

Any similarity to other tutorials is completely coincidental.
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