Stitched Frame - PSP8 Tutorial
 

                                                               
This tutorial was done using PSP 8. It is intended to serve as a learning tool. I encourage you to make it uniquely your own creation. The images on this page are reduced for space.You will need:          
** Paint Shop Pro - download a trial version here   
** A good working knowledge of psp tools and vectors.
** Woodgrain Texture you can get here. Place this in your psp textures folder.

Getting started
Open your image file. I am assuming this image is a photo in "JPG" file format. My image size is 260x265 so you may need to increase or decrease your border size as we make the frame.  Please make sure you save often.

Make the Inner Frame
* Select "Layers, Promote background layer".
* Select "Image, Add Borders" with symmetric checked and enter the number 25 in the top box. Click on the color and with the eye dropper go to your image and select a color in the image that would compliment it as a frame and click OK. You can also select any color you want.

* Just inside your image (not the borders), using your "Selection Tool, Rectangle shape", draw a rectangle around your image.


* Select, "Selections, Invert"
* Select "Effects, Texture Effects, Blinds ..." with these settings:
              Width 4
              Opacity 35
              Color Black (#000000)
              Horizontal checked
              Light from Left/Top unchecked
              Click OK.

* DO NOT unselect your image.

* Repeat the above changing the following two settings only.
              Horizontal unchecked
              Light from Left/Top checked.
* Select "Selections, Select None".

* Using your "Selection Tool, Rectangle shape", draw a rectangle around the border, surrounding only half of the inner portion of the border.

        
 * Select "Effects, 3d Effects, Inner Bevel" using these settings:
    Bevel 2
    Width 1
    Image Smoothness 40
    Depth 4
    Ambience 0
    Shininess 15
    Color White (#ffffff)
    Angle 306
    Intensity 40
    Elevation 35
    Click OK
* Select "Selections, Select None".

Make the Outer Frame

* Select "Image, Add Borders" with the same settings and color and click OK.
* Using your "Selection Tool, Rectangle shape", draw a rectangle around your entire first frame.


* Select, "Selections, Invert"
* Select "Effects, Texture Effects, Texture ..." with these settings:
              Texture Woodgrain (or any texture you have that you like)
              Size% 25
              Image Smoothness 0
              Ambience 16
              Shininess 0
              Color white (#ffffff)
              Angle 315
              Intensity 45
              Elevation 30
              Click OK.

* DO NOT unselect your image.

 * Select "Effects, 3d Effects, Inner Bevel" using the same settings as before:
    Bevel 2
    Width 1
    Image Smoothness 40
    Depth 3
    Ambience 0
    Shininess 15
    Color White (#ffffff)
    Angle 306
    Intensity 40
    Elevation 35
    Click OK
* Select "Selections, Select None".

Make the Frame Stitching

* Make a New Vector layer
* Make your foreground color the same color you used on the second border, your background color null.
* Select "Pen Tool, New Shape, Point to Point, Line style Solid, Width 3, Anti-alias checked.
* On the left side of the image, draw a small line near the top of the first border, starting on the bevel edge and ending just on the image.
* Selecting one of the nodes, double click on the node to highlight both nodes, right mouse click and select Node Type, Asymmetric.
* Select Edit Mode.
* Click anywhere on the image to unhighlight the nodes.
* Select the left node and zoom in. Grab the Control Arm and pull up and out to round the line.

   
* Convert to a raster layer.

**NOTE: The following instructions are for relative square images. You may need to adjust how many stitches you need if your image is more retangular.

* Create a New Raster layer.
* Make your background color a very dark version of the color you used for the stitch, or black, and your foreground color null
* Select your "Preset Shape tool, Ellipse", Create as Vector not checked and Anti-alias checked, Line Style Solid and while holding down your shift key, draw a small circle at the end of the stitch.
* Right click on this layer and duplicate it.
* Select your "Move Tool" and move the duplicated layer in place.


 
* Click on the eye of the image layer to turn it off and then "Layers, Merge Visible" the stitch layers.
* Click on the eye of the image layer to turn it back on.
 
** SEE ABOVE NOTE FIRST * Selecting the merged layer, duplicate it as many times as you need to place stitches down the left side.
* When you have the left side done, turn off the image layer and select "Layers, Merge Visible".
* Duplicate this layer 2 times.
* Selecting the first duplicated layer, select "Image, Mirror".

* Select the second duplicated layer and then select the "Deform tool, Deform" (from the drop down list) and grab the handle and rotate the layer 90 degrees and move it to the top.  (Note you can also instead select "Image, Rotate, Rotate Clockwise 90" to turn the stitching. At this point if you see it is too long you can erase some of the stitches or add more stitches if needed.

* Duplicate this layer.
* Select your "Move Tool" and move the layer to the bottom of the frame.

* When you are statisfied with the way the frame looks, select "Layers, Merge Visible" and you are done!

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and that it stimulated your creative juices. If you have any questions or problems, don't hesitate to email me.