| ::Blurred Blinds Tut:: |

Blurred Blinds Frame Tut © Made by Lysa™
Written: October 10, 2005
Revised: October 9, 2008
Updated: July 17, 2011

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

I'm using a photo by Roger Schoolcraft. He is a friend of mine who has given me
personal permission to use his photos.

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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:
Blurred Blinds Frame Tut © Made by Lysa™

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Supplies Needed:
An Image of choice
This was written for PSP XI but other versions should work.

Skill Level:
Intermediate/Beginner

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

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

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

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Part 1: Preparation

1. File > Open
Image of choice

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

3. Image > Resize
Settings:
Resample using = Bicubic
Resize all layers = Checked
Lock aspect ratio = Checked
Width & Height = No more than 500 pixels

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

5. Dropper Tool (E)
Left click for light Foreground color
Right click for dark Background color

6. Window > Duplicate (Shift + D)
Minimize one copy for later

7. Edit > Copy (Ctrl + C)

Part 2: Making your Header

1. Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Symmetric = Checked
Size in pixels = 2
Color = Dark Color

2. Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Size in pixels = 5
Color = Light Color

3. Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Size in pixels = 2
Color = Dark Color

4. Selections > Select All

5. Selections > Modify > Contract
Settings:
Number of pixels = 9

6. Selections > Invert

7. Adjust > Add/Remove Noise > Add Noise
Settings:
Gaussian = Checked
Noise = 25%
Monochrome = Checked

8. Effects > 3D Effects > Inner Bevel
Settings:
Bevel = 12
Width = 7
Smoothness = 0
Depth = 2
Ambience = 6
Shininess = 0
Color = White
Angle = 315
Intensity = 50
Elevation = 30

9. Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Size in pixels = 25
Color = Light Color

10. Magic Wand
Settings:
Mode = Replace
Match mode = RGB Value
Tolerance = 0
Use all layers = Unchecked
Contiguous = Checked
Feather = 0
Anti-alias = Checked
Inside = Selected
Select new border

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

12. Adjust > Blur > Radial Blur
Settings:
Default

13. Effects > Texture Effects > Blinds
Settings:
Width = 5
Opacity = 54
Color = Black
Horizontal = Unchecked
Light from left/top = Unchecked

14. Effects > 3D Effects > Cutout
Settings:
V&H = 0
Opacity = 100
Blur = 12.00
Shadow Color = Black
FIll interior with color = Unchecked

15. Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Size in pixels = 2
Color = Dark Color

16. Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Size in pixels = 5
Color = Light Color

17. Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Size in pixels = 2
Color = Dark Color

18. Selections > Select All

19. Selections > Modify > Contract

20. Selections > Invert

21. Adjust > Add/Remove Noise > Add Noise

22. Effects > 3D Effects > Inner Bevel

23. Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Size in pixels = 45
Color = Light Color

24. Magic Wand
Select New border

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

26. Adjust > Blur > Radial Blur

27. Effects > Texture Effects > Blinds
Settings:
Horizontal = Checked

28. Effects > 3D Effects > Cutout
Settings:
Blur = 25.00

29. Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Size in pixels = 2
Color = Dark Color

30. Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Size in pixels = 5
Color = Light Color

31. Image > Add Borders
Settings:
Size in pixels = 2
Color = Dark Color

32. Selections > Select All

33. Selections > Modify > Contract

34. Selections > Invert

35. Adjust > Add/Remove Noise > Add Noise

36. Effects > 3D Effects > Inner Bevel

37. Selections > Select None

38. Selection Tool (S) > Custom Selection
Settings:
Custom Selection
Top = 100
Left = 0
Right = 62
Bottom = 325
Use current selection as default = Unchecked

39. Edit > Copy (Ctrl + C)

40. Edit > Paste As New Image (Ctrl + V)
Minimize this image for later use.

41. Selections > Select None

42. Optional
Image > Resize
Settings:
Width & Height = No more than 600 pixels

NOTE: This step is useful if you find your header to be too large for your tastes.

43. Optional
Adjust > Sharpness > Unsharp Mask

44. Layers > New Raster Layer

45. Apply the artist's watermark

46. Layers > New Raster Layer

47. Apply your watermark

48. File > Save As
Settings:
Choose your file name that you want
Save As Type = pspimage

NOTE: This will allow you to make changes later if needed. This is especially
useful if the artist's information changes.

49. File > Export > JPEG Optimizer
Settings:
Set compression value to = 25 (or whatever works best for your image)
Chroma Subsampling = YCbCr 1x1 1x1 1x1 (None)
Save Exif data = Unchecked

Part 3: Making the Background

1. Activate your copied frame border.

2. Effects > Image Effects > Seamless Tiling
Settings:
Default
Direction = Vertical

3. Image > Canvas Size
Settings:
Lock aspect ratio = Unchecked
Width = 2500 Pixels
Height = 225
Placement = Left Middle Arrow

4. Layers > New Raster Layer

5. Layers > Arrange > Send to Bottom

6. Restore minimized image.

7. Edit > Copy (Ctrl + C)

8. Minimize copy.

9. Restore background image.

10. Selections > Select All

11. Edit > Paste Into Selection (Ctrl + Shift + L)
(This is your original image we copied earlier.)

12. Selections > Select None

13. Effects > Image Effects > Seamless Tiling
Settings:
Default

14. Adjust > Blur > Radial Blur

15. Effects > Image Effects > Seamless Tiling

16. Layers > New Raster Layer

17. Flood Fill (F)
Fill with either of your chosen colors or another color that works for your image.

18. Adjust > Add/Remove Noise > Add Noise
Settings:
Noise = 7%

19. Layers Palette
Lower the opacity on this top layer to between 80 and 95

20. File > Export > JPEG Optimizer

Now that you are done, you can put it together in Letter Creator. :) I hope you
enjoyed my tutorial. :)

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As always, please link your results to my tut 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.
Blurred Blinds Frame Tut © Made by Lysa™

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you for taking the time to try my tutorial. I hope you had as much fun
trying it as I did writing it. :)

Thank you to the Tenacious Tut Testers for testing this tutorial for me.

I would like to extend a special thank you to the following testers at CS Tut
Testing who helped me revise this tutorial and make it the best it can be:

Paula aka KyRed,
Robin O'Neill aka CrystalHeart♥Designs™,
Meshi aka Made by Meshi™,
Shera aka Shera's-Letters-N-Stuff™,
Kat aka GukiCreations,
Adele aka An AMK Creation,
Barbara aka LismibaebisCreations

Any similarity to other tutorials is completely coincidental.
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