Night Sky
from a Window

PSP X

*NOTE*
Sometimes the links for filters change, it's difficult (and a lot of work) to
keep changing them on individual pages, so I have created a page with
links to filters and programs that I have used in my tutorials.
That way it is easier for me, because when there are changes I will
only have one page to update and hopefully better for you, because I'm
less likely to miss a page out when doing the updates :)

You will find links to filters/programs used in this tutorial Here
the link will open in a new window

Filters and programs used in this tutorial :-
Paint Shop Pro
Dragonfly's Sinedots II
SuperBladePro

Materials :-
Read the text file included in the zip, for where to place the items.
My sg_window.cfg, SBP presets, pattern BMPs and the sparkle tube Here
The use of the sbp presets is optional, but they are included in the zip

some images have been made smaller to shorten file size

step 1.
Open a new image 200 x 200 transparent,
I have flood filled with black to make it
easier to see the sinedot. Add a new layer

Go to Effects...Plugins...Sinedots...
open the sg_window.cfg and
choose the preset called drape2
if you are new to sinedots and don't know how to open
the .cfg file click HERE for more information
Go to the blend box, just above the colour box
and change the blend to 'screen' then click ok

Go to Edit...Copy...
this image can be closed

Step 2.
Open a new image 400 x 400 transparent
Flood fill with black and go to
Edit...Paste...and paste as a new layer.
Go to Image...Free Rotate...
and rotate 'Left' by 67.5°
All layers=unticked
Then use the mover tool to place the sinedots image at
the top left corner leaving a small space above it for the
curtain rail and with the left side almost touching the edge

Step 3.
Go to Layers...Duplicate...then
Image...Mirror...

Step 4.
Open a new Image 100 x 240 transparent
again I've flood filled with black. Add a new layer
Go to Effects...Plugins...Sinedots...
and choose the preset called drape
Change the blend to 'screen' as before and click ok

Go to Edit...Copy...
the image can be closed

Step 5.
Back to the main image paste as a new layer
and with the Mover Tool position this sinedot
at the bottom right corner as in the following
screenshot it will overlap at the top

Step 6.
Go to Layers...Duplicate...then
Image...Mirror...

Turn off the visibility of the background layer
by opening the layer palette and clicking the eye
Go to Layers...Merge...and Merge visible
Re-name this layer 'curtain'(or drapes)
turn visibility back on.

Step 7.
For the window frame, go to
the Raster 1 layer and add a new layer, then
Selections...Select all....
Selections...Modify...Select Selection borders...
Border width=20, Inside, Antialias=unticked.

Step 8.
Change the foreground style of the palette
to pattern fill and choose a wood pattern, I used
'Finished Wood' (this came with PSP7, I have
included this in the materials zip file)
Scale=100, Angle =0

Flood fill the selected border

Keep selected and go to
Effects...3D Effects...Inner Bevel...
and use these settings
This screenshot is from psp7,
but the settings are the same

De-select

Step 9.
Add a new layer and using the Pen Tool
Mode=draw lines and polygons
Connect segments=unticked, Create on vector=unticked,
Show nodes=unticked, width=10

With the palette foreground still on the wood pattern,
draw a line from the top center(200,0) to the bottom
and another from the left centre(0,200) to the right
If you hold the shift key while drawing it's easier
to keep the lines straight.

Repeat the same Inner Bevel used on the frame, then go to
Layers...Arrange...Move Down...this will move the layer
underneath the frame so that the ends won't show

Make the layer with the frame on (Raster 2) active
Go to Layers...Merge...and Merge Down.
Re-name the layer 'frame'

Step 10.
Make the top layer (the curtain) active and add a new layer
change the foreground pattern on the palette to the goldspeckle
pattern (or whatever pattern you want to use for the curtain rail)

On the Pen tool change the width to 4, the other settings stay the
same as before. Draw a horizontal line above the curtain

(If you need to you can move the curtain a little closer
(or further away) from the rail using the Mover Tool)

Step 11.
Make sure you are on the top layer and add a new layer
Turn the background fill on the palette to transparent
keep the speckle fill as the foreground
Use the Ellipse Tool Width=2
Show nodes=unticked, Create on vector=unticked

Make a small loop from the rail to the curtain,
(I found it easiest to start the loop from it's centre
by holding down the Ctrl key whilst creating it)
Use the Eraser Tool to remove a small section, so
that it looks as though the loop goes through the curtain
I have Zoomed in on the area of the loop in this screenshot

For all the other loops, I found it easiest to keep
duplicating the layer and then moving the loop into
position with the Mover Tool. The number of loops you
make is up to you, I did 6 in the centre and 1 each end

Step 12.
To add a tie-back ribbon each side open a new image
75 x 75 transparent, I have flood filled with black.
Add a new layer, go to
Effects...Plugins...Sinedots...
choose the 'ribbon' preset, make sure that the blend
is 'screen' and click ok.

Go to Edit...Copy
this image can be closed

Step 13.
On your Main image paste as a new layer and move to
the join between the top part and bottom part of the
curtain on the left. Go to
Layers...Duplicate...then
Image...Mirror...

Step 14.
Go to Layer 1 (the black one at the bottom)
Using the Sparkle tube, in varying sizes place some stars in
the black area showing in the window I used from size 23 to 65
they don't need to be the same as mine, put them where you want
but don't fill completely as more will be added on another layer

Add a new layer and flood fill with #000040 (dark blue),
then go to the layers palette and change the
layer blend mode to 'soft light'

Step 15.
Add a new layer and add a few more of the
tubed stars in varying sizes
this is my screenshot, you can check
the difference with my previous shots

Step 16.(optional)
Just to add a variation, I applied a Super Blade Pro pre-set
to the 'curtain' layer. If you want to do this, go to
Effects...Plugins...Super Blade Pro...
and apply the preset of your choice

To give a heavier effect I duplicated the layer
in the first example I applied 'sg_moneymint'

and in the second I applied 'sg_purple feather'

Another possibility is to change the colour by going to
Adjust...Hue and Saturation...Colorize...
in this example I used Hue 159, saturation 255
Do some experimenting
and see what you come up with

If you'd like to animate the stars go on to the next step,
if not merge all the layers and resize as you like

Step 17.
I have used a different way to animate the stars for this
tutorial. It uses the layer blend modes to get the effect.
First, to make it easier to follow which layers I am talking
about, we are going to do a bit of merging and re-naming

Turn off the visibility of the bottom layer (black with stars,)
the one above it (blue, with blend mode at 'soft light')
and the transparent layer with extra stars.

Make sure one of the visible layers is active
Go to Layers...Merge...and merge visible. Turn visibility of
all layers back on. You should now have four layers.

Re-name the bottom layer 'Black'
Re-name the blue (soft light) layer 'Blue'
Re-name the transparent with extra stars layer 'Clear'

Hold down the shift key and press D twice
You should now have three identical images

Step 18.
For the first of these images leave the
layer blend modes as they are

Merged = Blend Mode 'Normal'
Clear = Blend Mode 'Normal'
Blue = Blend Mode 'Soft Light'
Black = Blend Mode Normal

Go to Layers...Merge...Merge All
The image needs to be saved as PSP7 compatable for
Animation Shop to be able to open it, so Go to File... Save As...
Click on the Options button on the 'Save As' dialog box
in the 'version' section, select PSP7 compatable file

save the image as windowframe1 in a folder
created for your animations

For the second image
Leave the Blend Mode of the Merged and the Black layers 'Normal'
Change the Blend Mode on the 'Blue' layer to 'Overlay'
Change the Blend Mode on the 'Clear' layer to 'Lighten'

Merge all layers and save as windowframe2

For the third image
Leave the Blend Mode of the Merged and the Black layers 'Normal'
change the Blend Mode on the 'Blue' layer to 'Dodge'
change the Blend Mode on the 'Clear' layer to 'Hard Light'

Merge all layers and save as windowframe3

Step 19.
To put it all together open up Animation Shop
Click on the animation wizard in the top left corner
these are the options to select on the windows that follow
'same size as the first frame', click next
'transparent', click next
'upper left corner of the frame', and 'canvas colour', click next
Yes to repeat indefinitely and 20 in the time box, click next
Click on add image and navigate to where you put your three images
select each one, or hold down the Ctrl key and select them all,
but click them in reverse order if you do it this way.
Click next. Click 'finish'
To see the animation working go to
View...Animation

This one I made in a different colour and with fewer curtain loops

If you want to resize your animation, go to Animation...Resize...
and save using the default settings

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial.
Thankyou to my great testers
To see my other tutorials click Here

If you wish to contact me you can find an email address to use included on my Site Map
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