Enigma Frame

This is what we will be making

For this tutorial you will need the following:-

PSP 8 or 9

A tube of your choice

Italian Editors Filters Picture in a Picture (Freeware) (Available Here)

I.C.Net. Software Filters Unlimited 2

Let's Begin!

1.  Open the tube of your choice and re-size so that it is no larger than 300 pixels on it's largest side. Choose two good contrasting colours as your foreground and background choices.  Neither of these colours will be permanent so don't worry about them too much at this stage.

2.  Duplicate twice and close the original

3.  Minimise one copy and with the other copy open in your workspace go to Effects/Image Effects/Seamless Tile at default.

4.  Adjust/Blur/Gaussian Blur/Radius 40

5.  Effects/Reflection Effects/Feedback using the following Settings:- (I have used the Elliptical Setting but you can use whichever you prefer. Depending on your tube and how much of this background you will see around it.)

6. Effects/Image Effects/Seamless Tile at default.

Layers/merge/merge all flatten

7.  In your materials Palette go to Pattern and select the pattern you have just created.  You can set the angle and scale to what you prefer or you can leave it as it is.  Minimise this image 

8.  Maximise your second copy of the tube.

9.  Effects/3D effects/Drop Shadow using the following settings.

10.  Layers/New Raster Layer.

11.  Flood Fill this layer with your pattern and move to bottom.

12.  Layers/Merge/Merge Visible

13.  Image/Canvas Size/Transparent.  Increase your canvas size by 100 pixels on all sides.  Image Centre.

14.  Using your magic wand select the new transparent border.

15.  Selections/Invert

16.  Selections/Promote Selection to Layer

17.  Effects/3D Effects/Cutout using the following settings.  Use either black or a dark colour that enhances your tube and background.

18.  Selections/Invert

19.  Selections/Promote Selection to Layer

20.  Flood fill with your foreground colour

21.  Effects/Plugins/Italian Editors Effect/Picture in a Picture using the following settings.

22.  Repeat step 21 TWICE more

23.  You should now something like this:-

24.  Selections/Select None

25.  Select the Magic Wand and using the following settings select the four portions of the frame:-

Like this:-

26.  Selections/Promote Selection to Layer.

27.  This is the top layer in your layer palette.  DELETE the promoted layer directly underneath this one.  Leaving this:-

28.  Layers/Merge/Merge Visible.

29.  Flood fill the selected portions of the frame with the pattern you created earlier.

30.  Effects/3D Effects/Inner Bevel using the following settings:-

31.  Effects/Plugins/I.C. Net Software/Filters Unlimited 2/Paper Textures/Fine Canvas at default.

32.  Selections/Select None.

33.  Select your Preset Shape Tool, rectangle and with your pattern active as your foreground choice (if you wish you can use gold or silver gradients or patterns for this effect) null the background option in your materials palette. Using the following settings drag a rectangle to form a frame around around your centre image.

34.  Adjust with the nodes until you are happy with it.

35.  Layers/Convert to Raster Layer

36.  Effects/3D Effects/Inner Bevel using the same settings as before.

37.  Using the Preset Shape Tool drag out another rectangle.

38.  Send this layer to the bottom and adjust with the nodes so that it can be seen through the large gaps in the frame.  See below:-

  39.  Layers/Convert to Raster Layer.

40.  Effects/3D Effects/Inner Bevel.  Same settings as before.

41.  Layers/New Raster Layer

42.  Using the preset shape tool drag out another rectangle so that it can only be seen through the smaller gaps in the frame.  Adjust with the nodes until you are happy with it. 

43.  Effects/3D Effects/Inner Bevel using the same settings as before.

44.  Layers/Merge/Merge Visible.

45.  Effects/3D Effects/Drop Shadow. Same settings as before

  46.  Layers/New Raster Layer.

 47.  Now you can choose whatever background colour you want and add it to this layer.

48.  Layers/Arrange/Send to bottom.

49.  Layers/Merge/Merge all flatten

Save as a Jpeg with the compression set at 25

Your frame is complete.

Now let's make the sidebars!

50.  Make a selection from the side of your main frame image about 75 pixels wide.

51.  Edit/Copy

52.  Edit paste as new image

53.  Effects/Plugins/I.C. Net Software/Filters Unlimited 2/Tile and Mirror/Quadrant Mirror.

Save as a Jpeg with the compression set at 25.

Assemble in Letter Creator matching the background of the image to the letter background

All done.

I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial.

Some more samples

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