Night Sky from a Window Tutorial PSP X This tutorial was created 4th February 2002©Copyright Artwork by EssexGirl updated for pspX Jan 2007 please do not copy it, or put it anywhere else without my written permision. *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

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