Scrappin' Tutz

Mura's Filters

noreply@blogger.com (Scrapz'nBitz) — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 11:13:00 +0000

Today I found out that the link I have for Mura's Filters no longer works. The Photoshop-filters.com link is continually diverting to the AutoFX site. AutoFX do not host the Mura Filters so I have uploaded my copies of Mura's Filters to my mediafire account for you to use with my tutorials and updated my Filters page.

I have been away

noreply@blogger.com (Scrapz'nBitz) — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 07:19:00 +0000

So sorry that I have not been around on my blog of late but my father has been really ill. Well he passed away at the beginning of September and I have been away organising his funeral and helping my mum put his affairs in order. I will not be at my blog as much as I would like over the next few weeks either I am afraid, as on my return this week, my dear husband informed me that he had decided to call it quits on our marriage as well. It has taken some time but he has for the first time in 10 years admitted that perhaps he needs some sort of counselling to combat his depression and feelings of inadequacy that brought about his silly decision, so I will be devoting a lot more time to helping him get through this period.

At long last .....

noreply@blogger.com (Scrapz'nBitz) — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 09:26:00 +0000

You will be glad to know that I have at long last finished creating PDF versions of my tutorials and they are now all live on the site.

Now I can get down to writing some new ones.

Enjoy.

PDF Tutorials that are now available on site.

noreply@blogger.com (Scrapz'nBitz) — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 19:19:00 +0000

I have uploaded the following PDF versions of my tutorials:

1. Acrylic Elements
2. Bracket Frame
3. Cardboard Tags
4. Creating Cardboard
5. Oval and Round Glass Beads
6. Knotted Ribbon Wrap
7. Making Denim
8. Chrome & Kaleidoscope Frame
9. Fringed Denim Frame
10. Lace Mats
11. Lace Frames (all three tutorials)
12. Organza Ribbons and Bows
13. Restoring and Retouching photos.
14. Beaded Pin
15. How to Pin through a background
16. Stamp Frames
17. Triple Folded Paper
18. Scripts (Three tutorials)
19. Glass Beads - Photoshop CS2 Tutorial
20. Creating a Colour Palette

I will update this list as I add more.

Printable versions of my tutorials

noreply@blogger.com (Scrapz'nBitz) — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 21:13:00 +0000

Well there is good news and there is bad news.

The bad news is that the E-book software was not very good. It was called a Lite version because there were severe file size limitations. I could create as many e-books as I wanted provided they were only about 2-3 pages long.

The good news is that I said "Oh dear", or words to that effect when I was half way through an e-book and I could not save it because it was Too Big. I then scratched my head a couple of times and dug out my original Open Office documents and created the first of many lovely PDF versions that you can download, open in Acrobat and print with no problems at all.

The first one is now up - Oval and Round Beads, and I will be working on some others over the weekend. Good grief, I did not realise just how many tuts I had written until I started this.

Have a lovely weekend and pop over to my main blog, because there is a lovely Ribbon Frame script up for download tonight.

Tutorial E-Books

noreply@blogger.com (Scrapz'nBitz) — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 22:27:00 +0000

Today a very sweet lady came across my site and tried for ages to print out a copy of one of the tutorials to work from. However this is not something that works with my site because the tuts are so long and my blog is full of internal frames. Anyway she contacted me and asked if I could perhaps do something printer friendly for her, so I have downloaded some E-Book software and have created an E-Book for the Acrylic Elements tutorial. I see that a couple of you have already found it.

Over the course of the next couple of weeks, I will work on converting and placing E-Book versions on site for all my tutorials.

Please, please do let me know if the E-Book works for you and makes life easier.

Links changed to Media Fire

noreply@blogger.com (Scrapz'nBitz) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 22:36:00 +0000

Thank you for your patience. Having heard nothing and still having problems with 4shared, I have spent all afternoon and most of this evening uploading every file on both of my blogs to Media Fire.

Soo... Now all the links should work and files to be downloaded should download correctly instead of redirecting you all to stupid gambling sites.

If any of the links do not work, then please, please let me know.

Thanks

My 4shared account has been hijacked

noreply@blogger.com (Scrapz'nBitz) — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:45:00 +0000

This morning when I tried to access one of the files I hold on 4shared I found that my 4shared account had been hijacked and was redirecting to Casino.com. This is totally illegal and malicious behaviour on the part of Casino.com and I have complained to 4shared and asked them to rectify the matter.

Unfortunately, 6 hours later, I have had no response whatsoever from 4Shared and it would appear that my files are not the only ones that are affected. I tried to download some other files that are on 4shared to see whether I was the only one with a problem. It would seem that some people are OK, I unfortunately am not, so I am in the process of uploading all my files to Media Fire and hopefully by tonight will have all the links up and working.

Thank you all for your patience and for those of who wished to download something particular, please pop back tomorrow. It should all be working again by then.

Thank you.

Organza Ribbons and Bows

noreply@blogger.com (Scrapz'nBitz) — Wed, 24 Jun 2009 21:22:00 +0000

Copyright ~ © 2009: Vanessa Fellows
This tutorial, the intellectual copyrights and artwork are the property of
Vanessa Fellows, Scrapz 'n Bitz

This tutorial may be printed out as an instructional copy for personal use only. This tutorial may not be distributed for educational, marketing or for-profit usage in print, digital, or any other format, nor may it be copied and/or uploaded to another website without the authors written consent.

This tutorial, may be shared with others, following the receipt of written permission from me.

A link back when giving credit is not essential, but would be appreciated.

PDF Tutorial - Download Here

Tutorial Supplies: Download Here

Filters Required: AVBros Page Curl Pro 2.1 - This filter has been superceded by Page Curl Pro 2.2 which can be obtained either as a trial or to buy from the AVBros Website.

Alternate Option - A selections file has been supplied for those users who do not have this useful filter but would like to do this tutorial.

Included in your Supplied zip file you will find 4 metallic colour swatches, gold, silver, azure and cream. The bow that we are going to create in this tutorial will be azure and silver, however you could also use cream and gold. Whatever your preference, the gold and silver are there to enable you to mix and match. Copy the four swatches to your “Patterns” folder that you will find located in the “My PSP Files” directory that PSP added under My Documents when you installed it. They should now be available to you from your materials palette.

There is nothing more satisfying than being able to create your own embellishments digitally and have them appear to be as good as a “real life” embellishment that someone has scanned/photographed and then extracted.

In this tutorial you will learn how to create your own digital organza ribbons and from that ribbon to create a beautiful bow. For those people who would like to learn how to create these bows, but who unfortunately do not possess AVBros Page Curl Pro 2.1, I have included a PSP file that contains all the necessary selections to enable them to complete Step 1 to Step 4 using the tutorial and then to continue working from Step 12 to the end of the tutorial using the selections document provided.

Creating the Ribbon

Step 1. To start off we will first create our organza ribbon, so create a new image document 3400px x 200px high, 300ppi, transparent.

Select your rectangular selections tool and then the custom selections box tool on your tools palette.

Change the settings to Left=0; Top=25; Right=3400; Bottom=175 and click to apply.

Step 2. Click on your foreground materials box, click on the Pattern tab and select the Azure swatch, then fill your selection with Azure. Do not deselect as yet. Click once more on the custom selections box too on your tools palette and change the settings to:

Left=0; Top=40; Right=3400: Bottom=160 and click to apply.

Selections Invert (Ctrl+Shift+I), Float (Ctrl+F) and Defloat (Ctrl+Shift+F).

Do not deselect yet.

Step 3. Add a new layer and click on your foreground materials box, then on the Pattern tab and select the Silver swatch and fill the two narrow selection boxes at the top and bottom of your ribbon. Go to Effects, Texture Effects, Blinds and apply the following settings.

Width = 7
Opacity = 75
Light from Left top
Colour = #4c4b46

If you are working with gold as your edging, then a brown shade (I use #724e24) is more sympathetic to the overall look of the blinds edging. You may now deselect.

Step 4. Lower the Opacity of your ribbon (Azure filled) layer to 60% and Merge Visible. Do not merge down because that will result in the silver edging having it's opacity reduced to 60% as well.

Save your ribbon and perhaps also export it as a PNG file for future use.

Creating the Bow

Step 5. Resize your canvas to 3800px x 2000px with the bottom centre button selected so that your ribbon is positioned at the bottom of your image file and rename your layer “Ribbon”.

Duplicate the Ribbon Layer and rename the layer “Left Bow”. Duplicate the layer again and rename the layer “Left Tail”

Hide the Ribbon Layer and click on the Left Bow layer and apply the following Page Curl setting:

Back Side = Define from current layer.

Bend 1 = Fold
Angle = 166 degrees
Level = 100%
Folding angle = 77px

Bend 2 = Curl
Angle = 146 degrees
Level = 49.5%
Folding angle = 490px
Obliquity = 2%
Torsion = 0%

Bend 3 = Curl
Angle = 0 degrees
Level = 100%
Radius = 410px
Obliquity = 4%
Torsion = 82%

3D Transform Rotation Angles

Spin = 0
Azimuth = 308.5
Altitude = 29.3
Level = 0

Lighting

Shading = 30%

Step 6. Adjust Brightness and Contrast. Brightness = 10; Contrast = 25 and duplicate the layer. Rename it Right Bow. Image flip (Ctrl+I) and free rotate (Ctrl+R) 90 degrees to the right, then Image Mirror (Ctrl+M).

Hide the Left Bow Layer.

Step 7. Unhide your Ribbon Layer and create a custom selection using the following settings.

Left = 1700; Top = 1800; Right = 1900; Bottom = 2000.

Step 8. Copy the small selected area of the ribbon, deselect and hide your ribbon layer again.

Paste your selection as a new layer, rename it Lower knot and rotate it 90 degrees. Hide the Right Bow layer. Now you will divide the lower knot section by creating a custom selection over the lower knot using the following settings:

Left = 1800; Top = 850; Right = 2000; Bottom = 1000 and cut (Ctrl+X) the resulting selection.

Do not deselect. Create a new raster layer named Upper Knot, and paste the cut section into the selection that is still on screen (Ctrl+Shift+L). Now deselect.

Step 9. In order to continue creating the tails for the ribbon, you will need to increase your canvas size. First, create a custom selection using the following settings:

Left = 100; Top = 0 :Right = 3700; Bottom = 2000. Click to apply and then crop your image to the selection.

Then resize the canvas to 3600px x 3600px with the centre button selected so that your ribbon will be centrally placed in the image.

Step 10. Click on the Left Tail layer and apply the following Page Curl setting.

Back Side = Define from current layer.

Bend 1 = Curl
Angle = 150 degrees
Level = 40.5%
Radius = 212px
Obliquity = 0%
Torsion = 44.5%

Bend 2 = Curl
Angle = 330 degrees
Level = 50%
Radius = 36px
Obliquity = 0%
Torsion = 10%

Bend 3 = Curl
Angle = 330 degrees
Level = 47%
Radius = 274px
Obliquity = -3%
Torsion = 10%

3D Transform Rotation Angles

Spin = 0
Azimuth = 0
Altitude = 90
Level = 0

Lighting

Shading = 30%

Step 11. Adjust Brightness and Contrast – Brightness = 10; Contrast = 25 and free rotate (Ctrl+R) 90 degrees left.

Using your freehand selections tool, set to point to point, select the bottom section of the ribbon curl as per the screenshot below, then hide the layer.

Shaping the Bow

From here on the shaping of the bows and ribbons involves the use of the Mesh Warp tool and the placement of the various pieces of the bow needs to be accurate in order for the warp adjustments to work correctly.

Step 12. Pull two guidelines out from your margins to the following positions1500 and 1685 and using your mover tool, move the Upper knot down the page until it fits snuggly into the corner created by the two guidelines as shown in the screenshot below.

Step 13. This section of the knot is shaped in two parts. Click on your Mesh Warp Tool and set the Horizontal and Vertical mesh calibrations both to 31, with Symmetric and Show Mesh both “Checked”. Zoom in on your Upper Knot and make the following adjustments to the Mesh Warp Nodes.

1. 1462 x 1688 Move To 1455 x 1688
2. 1575 x 1800 Move To1602 x 1800
3. 1462 x 1800 Move To 1584 x 1800

Click the “tick” mark to accept the adjustments.

Now move your guidelines to the following position:- 1650 x 1750 and then re-position your upper knot with your mover tool, so that the bottom right hand corner is touching the intersection of the guidelines and the top of the knot is resting against the top guideline.

Click on your Mesh Warp Tool again. Zoom in on your Upper Knot and make the following adjustments to the Mesh Warp Nodes.

1. 1462 x 1687 Move To 1464 x 1612
2. 1575 x 1687 Move To1572 x 1746
3. 1687 x 1687 Move To 1673 x 1783
4. 1687 x 1800 Move To 1677 x 1823
5. 1575 x 1912 Move To 1584 x 1893
6. 1687 x 1912 Move To 1618 x 1967

Click the “tick” mark to accept the adjustments.

The Upper Knot is now complete so hide the layer and then reveal the Lower Knot layer and click on it to make it active.

Step 14. The Lower Knot is also shaped in two sections. First move the Lower Knot down so that the top and right hand side fit snuggly into the corner formed by the two intersecting guidelines. Click on your Mesh Warp Tool again. Zoom in on your Lower Knot and make the following adjustments to the Mesh Warp Nodes.

1. 1462 x 1912 Move To 1500 x 1921
2. 1575 x 1912 Move To 1575 x 1907
3. 1687 x 1912 Move To 1693 x 1961

Click the “tick” mark to accept the adjustments.

Click on your Mesh Warp Tool again. Zoom in on your Lower Knot and make the following adjustments to the Mesh Warp Nodes.

1. 1462 x 1687 Move To 1529 x 1649
2. 1577 x 1687 Move To 1570 x 1708
3. 1687 x 1687 Move To 1611 x 1707
4. 1462 x 1800 Move To 1490 x 1801
5. 1575 x 1800 Move To 1540 x 1801
6. 1687 x 1800 Move To 1605 x 1801
7. 1462 x 1912 Move To 1461 x 1916
8. 1575 x 1912 Move To 1578 x 1908
9. 1687 x 1912 Move To 1734 x 1918

Click the “tick” mark to accept the adjustments.

Step 15. Now to line up both pieces of the knot. Move the guidelines to 1499 x 1733. Reveal and click on the Upper Knot layer and move the upper knot so that the top left hand corner is touching the inside corner of the intersecting guidelines. Move the guidelines again to 1499 x 1895 and reveal and click on the Lower Knot layer. Now move the lower knot so that the left hand side is resting against the left hand guideline and the bottom right hand corner is just touching the bottom guideline. (As per screenshot below). Link both the Upper and Lower Knot layers (1) in the layers palette and hide both layers again.

Step 16. Reveal and click on the Left Bow layer. We need to get rid of the long tail as it is not needed, so create a custom selection with the following settings:

Left = 1945; Top = 950; Right = 2345; Bottom = 1650. Click to apply, delete and deselect.

Now, change the guidelines to 1235 x 1528 and move the Left Bow down and position it so that the top left hand and top right hand sections of the bow loop are just touching the guidelines.

Step 17. Now you need to shape the Left Bow to fit inside the Knot. Again this is done in two parts.

Click on your Mesh Warp Tool. Zoom in on your Left Bow and make the following adjustments to the Mesh Warp Nodes.

1. 1237 x 1462 Move To 1281 x 1549
2. 1237 x 1575 Move To 1252 x 1605
3. 1462 x 1912 Move To 1470 x 1907
4. 1575 x 1687 Move To 1574 x 1717
5. 1575 x 1800 Move To 1575 x 1820

Click the “tick” mark to accept the adjustments.

Click on your Mesh Warp Tool. Zoom in on your Left Bow and make the following adjustments to the Mesh Warp Nodes.

1. 1462 x 1912 Move To 1463 x 1896
2. 1575 x 1912 Move To 1575 x 1886

Click the “tick” mark to accept the adjustments.

Step 18. Move the Left Bow layer below the two knot layers and click on it to make sure that it is selected. Using your freehand selections tool set to point to point, carefully select the excess as shown in the screenshot below and delete it.

Step 19. Reveal and click on the Right Bow layer. We need to get rid of the long tail as it is not needed, so create a custom selection with the following settings:

Left = 1050; Top = 995; Right = 2115; Bottom = 1475.

Click to apply, delete and before deselecting create a new raster layer called “Right Tail”, click on that layer and paste the piece you just deleted into the selection that you still have on screen. Now click back on your Right Bow layer.

Now free rotate it 40 degrees to the right. Move your guidelines to 1757 x 1958 and then move the right bow down and line it up with the guidelines.

Click on your Mesh Warp Tool. Zoom in on your Right Bow and make the following adjustments to the Mesh Warp Nodes.

1. 1575 x 1687 Move To 1577 x 1719
2. 1575 x 1800 Move To 1574 x 1843
3. 1575 x 1912 Move To 1574 x 1848
4. 1687 x 1687 Move To 1687 x 1723
5. 1687 x 1800 Move To 1668 x 1830
6. 1687 x 1912 Move To 1638 x 1886
7. 2024 x 1800 Move To 1995 x 1815

Click the “tick” mark to accept the adjustments.

Click on your Mesh Warp Tool. Zoom in on your Left Bow and make the following adjustments to the Mesh Warp Nodes.

1. 2024 x 1800 Move To 1998 x 1811

Click the “tick” mark to accept the adjustments.

Step 20. Move the Right Bow layer below the two knot layers and carefully remove the excess ribbon using the freehand selections tool as per the screenshot below.

Step 21. Reveal and click on the Left Tail layer. Image flip and free rotate 10 degrees left. Set your guidelines to 1300 x 1940 and move your bow tail to the left and position it against the guidelines so that the right hand side of the section pointing downwards is against the guideline and the bottom of the section pointing to the right is resting against the horizontal guideline.

Click on your Mesh Warp Tool. Zoom in on your Left Tail and make the following adjustments to the Mesh Warp Nodes.

1. 1462 x 1912 Move To 1479 x 1904
2. 1575 x 1800 Move To 1576 x 1817
3. 1575 x 1912 Move To 1581 x 1862
4. 1687 x 1800 Move To 1688 x 1818
5. 1687 x 1912 Move To 1701 x 1871

Click the “tick” mark to accept the adjustments.

Carefully remove the excess ribbon using the freehand selections tool.

Step 22. Reveal and click on the Right Tail layer. Image Mirror and Image Flip and free rotate 15 degrees to the right.

Alter the position of your guidelines to 1515 x 1990 and position the bottom left hand corner of your section in the corner where the guidelines intersect.

Click on your Mesh Warp Tool. Zoom in on your Right Tail and make the following adjustments to the Mesh Warp Nodes.

1. 1462 x 1912 Move To 1425 x 1885
2. 1462 x 2024 Move To 1431 x 1985
3. 1575 x 1800 Move To 1595 x 1824
4. 1575 x 1912 Move To 1547 x 1885
5. 1575 x 2024 Move To 1525 x 1971
6. 1687 x 1800 Move To 1697 x 1806
7. 1687 x 1912 Move To 1659 x 1897
8. 1687 x 2024 Move To 1613 x 1981
9. 1800 x 1912 Move To 1789 x 1899

Click the “tick” mark to accept the adjustments.

Click on your Mesh Warp Tool. Zoom in on your Right Tail and make the following adjustments to the Mesh Warp Nodes.

1. 1462 x 1912 Move To 1462 x 1889
2. 1575 x 1912 Move To 1569 x 1887
3. 1575 x 2024 Move To 1569 x 1961
4. 1687 x 1912 Move To 1661 x 1883
5. 1687 x 2024 Move To 1671 x 1995
6. 1800 x 1912 Move To 1791 x 1899

Click the “tick” mark to accept the adjustments.

Move the Right Tail below the Right Bow and carefully delete the excess using your freehand selections tool.

Step 23. Arrange the layers of your bow in the following order, reading from top to bottom.

No. Position
1. Upper Knot
2. Lower Knot
3. Left Tail
4. Right Bow
5. Right Tail
6. Left Bow

Merge Visible and export as a PNG for later use.

I hope you enjoyed this rather long tutorial.

Scripting Help

noreply@blogger.com (Scrapz'nBitz) — Tue, 23 Jun 2009 06:06:00 +0000

Lots of people have problems understanding the python programming language that is used to create PSP scripts. I must admit that it must be pretty daunting when you first open a script editor and see what your mouse movements and clicks look like in programming language.

Below I have taken some of the initial scripting statements from one of my scripts to use as a demonstration of what you should see and to try to explain a bit about what each individual statement does. I hope this is of some help to you all.

This is typical of the initial opening statements that you will see when you open your script in Notepad.

This small section of script that I have included here tells PSP what version my script is written for; to create a new image document then create an oval selection; create a message box and then allow me to choose my fill colour.

from JascApp import *

def ScriptProperties():
return {
'Author': u'Vanessa Fellows',
'Copyright': u'Vanessa Fellows \u00A9 2009 \u0027Personal Use Only\u0027',
'Description': u'Creates fully scalable oval glass bead with user colour input',
'Host': u'Paint Shop Pro 9',
'Host Version': u'9.00'
}

def Do(Environment):
# EnableOptimizedScriptUndo
App.Do( Environment, 'EnableOptimizedScriptUndo', {
'GeneralSettings': {
'ExecutionMode': App.Constants.ExecutionMode.Default,
'AutoActionMode': App.Constants.AutoActionMode.Match,
'Version': ((9,0,0),1)
}
})

# FileNew
App.Do( Environment, 'NewFile', {
'Width': 400,
'Height': 400,
'ColorDepth': App.Constants.Colordepth.SixteenMillionColor,
'DimensionUnits': App.Constants.DimensionType.Pixels,
'ResolutionUnits': App.Constants.ResolutionUnits.PixelsPerIn,
'Resolution': 300,
'FillMaterial': {
'Color': (255,255,255),
'Pattern': None,
'Gradient': None,
'Texture': None,
'Art': None
},
'Transparent': True,
'LayerType': App.Constants.NewLayerType.Raster,
'ArtMediaTexture': {
'Category': u'Art Media',
'Name': u'Canvas coarse',
'EnableFill': True,
'FillColor': (255,255,255)
},
'GeneralSettings': {
'ExecutionMode': App.Constants.ExecutionMode.Default,
'DialogPlacement': {
'ShowMaximized': False,
'Rect': ((695,253), 291, 511)
},
'AutoActionMode': App.Constants.AutoActionMode.Match,
'Version': ((9,0,0),1)
}
})

# SelectDocument
App.Do( Environment, 'SelectDocument', {
'SelectedImage': 0,
'Strict': False,
'GeneralSettings': {
'ExecutionMode': App.Constants.ExecutionMode.Default,
'AutoActionMode': App.Constants.AutoActionMode.Match,
'Version': ((9,0,0),1)
}
})

# Selection
App.Do( Environment, 'Selection', {
'General': {
'Mode': App.Constants.SelectionOperation.Add,
'Antialias': True,
'Feather': 0
},
'SelectionShape': App.Constants.SelectionShape.Ellipse,
'Start': (200,200),
'End': (275,310),
'Fill': None,
'Stroke': None,
'GeneralSettings': {
'ExecutionMode': App.Constants.ExecutionMode.Default,
'AutoActionMode': App.Constants.AutoActionMode.Match,
'Version': ((9,0,0),1)
}
})

# MsgBox
Result = App.Do( Environment, 'MsgBox', {
'Buttons': App.Constants.MsgButtons.OK,
'Icon': App.Constants.MsgIcons.Info,
'Text': 'Choose a colour for your bead.',
})
print Result
print
print "Choose a colour for your bead."
print
Fill = App.Do(Environment,'GetMaterial',{
'IsPrimary':App.Constants.Boolean.true,
'GeneralSettings': {
'ExecutionMode':App.Constants.ExecutionMode.Interactive
}
})

# Fill
App.Do( Environment, 'Fill', {
'BlendMode': App.Constants.BlendMode.Normal,
'MatchMode': App.Constants.MatchMode.RGBValue,
'Material': None,
'UseForeground': True,
'Opacity': 100,
'Point': (187.75,150.25),
'SampleMerged': False,
'Tolerance': 0,
'GeneralSettings': {
'ExecutionMode': App.Constants.ExecutionMode.Default,
'AutoActionMode': App.Constants.AutoActionMode.Match,
'Version': ((9,0,0),1)
}
})

.....................................................

Explanation

(This tells PSP which version the script applies to:- This one is applicable to version 8&9 but this opening statement can be altered to make it compatible with higher versions too.)

from JascApp import *

(Details about the author, version, copyrights and what the script does)

def ScriptProperties():
return {
'Author': u'Vanessa Fellows',
'Copyright': u'Vanessa Fellows \u00A9 2009 \u0027Personal Use Only\u0027',
'Description': u'Creates fully scalable oval glass bead with user colour input',
'Host': u'Paint Shop Pro 9',
'Host Version': u'9.00'
}

(When this statement is included, you cannot make mistakes when recording your script as it will cause your script to fail when you later try to run it. This is why it is so important to write down all the steps you intend to take, including all your effects settings and work through your scripting slowly and methodically)

def Do(Environment):
# EnableOptimizedScriptUndo
App.Do( Environment, 'EnableOptimizedScriptUndo', {
'GeneralSettings': {
'ExecutionMode': App.Constants.ExecutionMode.Default,
'AutoActionMode': App.Constants.AutoActionMode.Match,
'Version': ((9,0,0),1)
}
})

(This statement tells PSP to create a new image file - W=400:H=400 - 300DPI:Transparent. If you look down below at the Transparent statement you will see it says "True". This type of programming uses the statements True and False to denote whether or not an optional statement applies)

# FileNew
App.Do( Environment, 'NewFile', {
'Width': 400,
'Height': 400,
'ColorDepth': App.Constants.Colordepth.SixteenMillionColor,
'DimensionUnits': App.Constants.DimensionType.Pixels,
'ResolutionUnits': App.Constants.ResolutionUnits.PixelsPerIn,
'Resolution': 300,
'FillMaterial': {
'Color': (255,255,255),
'Pattern': None,
'Gradient': None,
'Texture': None,
'Art': None
},
'Transparent': True,
'LayerType': App.Constants.NewLayerType.Raster,
'ArtMediaTexture': {
'Category': u'Art Media',
'Name': u'Canvas coarse',
'EnableFill': True,
'FillColor': (255,255,255)
},
'GeneralSettings': {
'ExecutionMode': App.Constants.ExecutionMode.Default,
'DialogPlacement': {
'ShowMaximized': False,
'Rect': ((695,253), 291, 511)
},
'AutoActionMode': App.Constants.AutoActionMode.Match,
'Version': ((9,0,0),1)
}
})

(This statement tells PSP to use the new image it has just created as the active image)

# SelectDocument
App.Do( Environment, 'SelectDocument', {
'SelectedImage': 0,
'Strict': False,
'GeneralSettings': {
'ExecutionMode': App.Constants.ExecutionMode.Default,
'AutoActionMode': App.Constants.AutoActionMode.Match,
'Version': ((9,0,0),1)
}
})

(Here you are creating a selection :- Shape=Elipse; Start: X=200:Y=200; Finish: X=275:Y=310; No fill, no stroke - so just a basic eliptical/oval selection)

# Selection
App.Do( Environment, 'Selection', {
'General': {
'Mode': App.Constants.SelectionOperation.Add,
'Antialias': True,
'Feather': 0
},
'SelectionShape': App.Constants.SelectionShape.Ellipse,
'Start': (200,200),
'End': (275,310),
'Fill': None,
'Stroke': None,
'GeneralSettings': {
'ExecutionMode': App.Constants.ExecutionMode.Default,
'AutoActionMode': App.Constants.AutoActionMode.Match,
'Version': ((9,0,0),1)
}
})

(This statement creates a small message box that will pop up when you need to select a custom colour. Wherever you need to choose a colour, you will need to include a small message box like this with a little prompt so that you know whereabout in the script you are and what action is required. The Print statements are quite irrelevant so ignore them. The "Text" statement is what will appear on your message box and can be anything from "Choose a colour for your bead" to "Choose a background colour" or whatever action you require at that point.

Near the bottom of the MsgBox Statement you will see:

"Fill = App.Do(Environment,'GetMaterial',{
'IsPrimary':App.Constants.Boolean.true, This is the most important piece of information in this statement and it tells PSP to enable you to choose your own next action.)

# MsgBox
Result = App.Do( Environment, 'MsgBox', {
'Buttons': App.Constants.MsgButtons.OK,
'Icon': App.Constants.MsgIcons.Info,
'Text': 'Choose a colour for your bead.',
})
print Result
print
print "Choose a colour for your bead."
print
Fill = App.Do(Environment,'GetMaterial',{
'IsPrimary':App.Constants.Boolean.true,
'GeneralSettings': {
'ExecutionMode':App.Constants.ExecutionMode.Interactive
}
})

(This is normally the sort of action statement that you will find associated with your MsgBox. It is very important that the Use Foreground part of this statement is set to True like this:

'UseForeground': True,

This tells PSP to use the colour/pattern/gradient that you choose as your foreground colour, rather than the one that was in the foreground when you created your new image document.

This statement: 'ExecutionMode': App.Constants.ExecutionMode.Default,

can either read "Default" or Interactive.

'ExecutionMode': App.Constants.ExecutionMode.Interactive,

When it reads "Interactive" it forces PSP to allow user interaction.

# Fill
App.Do( Environment, 'Fill', {
'BlendMode': App.Constants.BlendMode.Normal,
'MatchMode': App.Constants.MatchMode.RGBValue,
'Material': None,
'UseForeground': True,
'Opacity': 100,
'Point': (187.75,150.25),
'SampleMerged': False,
'Tolerance': 0,
'GeneralSettings': {
'ExecutionMode': App.Constants.ExecutionMode.Default,
'AutoActionMode': App.Constants.AutoActionMode.Match,
'Version': ((9,0,0),1)
}
})

When applying other sorts of actions, like curling a ribbon with AVBros Page Curl 2.1, or using SuperBladePro, you may wish to change the Execution Mode to Interactive, especially if you wish to make changes to your presets according to what you are working on.

I have been such a baad blogger, so sorry!!

noreply@blogger.com (Scrapz'nBitz) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 21:14:00 +0000

I think I vanished into a black hole there for a while. Goodness I did not realise that I had not posted for so long. In fact all I can say is that I have been so self-absorbed focusing totally on losing weight and other family crises that I just haven't had the inclination or the energy to scrap.

Mind you, I have lost a load of weight and I can now say that I am only "overweight" rather than being "clinically obese", so that is one good thing. My garden is looking rather good because I have spent a lot of time working on it and growing all sorts of plants. I even devoted a small patch of my garden to growing some veggies, zuccinni, peppers, marrows, beans and aubergines. (well fenced off of course to prevent my cocker from cocking his leg against my veggies). The veggies are tiny at the moment, but I am watching them grow and can't wait to harvest my own home grown.

I took a long look around the web and some of the scrap sites that I visit and I have been trying to make a few bits and pieces again. Plus, I have been working some more on finding my way around CS2. My husband bought me a lovely 17" laptop for my birthday, mind you I have to wait a few more weeks until I am allowed to play with it. I have been having fun finding my way around Vista and installing all the programmes I use so that it is all ready to use. Can't wait. Hopefully by the time my birthday comes round (mid July) I will have organised a wireless router so that I can sit out in the garden designing and chatting al-fresco in the glorious summer sunshine.

Anyway! That's all for now, I will be back soon with some more tutorials. Please remember, if there is anything that you would like to see as a tutorial or something that you don't know how to do or make, please drop me a line and I will see what I can come up with.

How to Pin through a Background

noreply@blogger.com (Scrapz'nBitz) — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 20:20:00 +0000

Copyright ~ © 2009 : Vanessa Fellows

This tutorial, the intellectual copyrights and artwork are the property of
Vanessa Fellows, Scrapz 'n Bitz

An instructional copy of this tutorial may be printed out for personal use only. My tutorials may not be distributed for educational, marketing or for-profit usage in print, digital, or any other format. Nor may my tutorials be copied and/or uploaded to any other website without
my written consent.

If you wish to share my tutorials with others in a learning group, please contact me via email (scrapznbitz@blueyonder.co.uk), for written permission to so .

A link back when giving credit is not essential, but would be appreciated.

This tutorial was written using PaintshopPro 9, but can be adapted for use by any of the PSP versions.

PDF Tutorial - Download Here

Making a pin appear to be pinned through a piece of material/paper digitally is not that hard to do.

If you don't already have a pin to use, then have a look at my Beaded Pin tutorial and complete Steps 1 through to 6 to create one.

Resize your pin twice by 85% , bicubic and increase your canvas size to 1500 x 1500px and rotate your pin about 30 degrees to the left. Just a quirk of mine, I like to work with pins on an angle.

Now add a new layer and fill it with a background pattern of your choice and then pull your background layer below your pin layer.

OK now let's begin.

Step 1 – Zoom in close to your pin and select your Freehand selections tool and set it to Point to point on your tools palette. Make a selection along the length of your pin like the one in the screenshot below.

Step 2 – Delete your selection, but do not deselect. Now select your Lighten/Darken Brush from the left hand tool palette. If you look at your pin you will notice that on the bead there is a spot of light. Click on your background layer to make it active and Lighten the right hand side of the pin by clicking inside the selection and pulling your brush down to the bottom of the selection towards the sharp end of the pin. Apply the Darken brush to the opposite side of the selection. Do not deselect yet.

Step 3 – Click on your pin layer to make it the active layer and apply a drop shadow. Effects, 3D Effects, Drop Shadow as follows:

Vertical = -3
Horizontal = -9
Opacity = 65
Blur = 20
Colour = Black

Now you can deselect.

Step 4 – Now apply a slight drop shadow to your pin. Effects, 3D Effects, Drop Shadow as follows:

Vertical = 2
Horizontal = 10
Opacity = 65
Blur = 9
Colour = Black

That is all there is to it really. This is the end result

Beaded Pin

noreply@blogger.com (Scrapz'nBitz) — Sun, 29 Mar 2009 20:58:00 +0000

A link back when giving credit is not essential, but would be appreciated.

This tutorial was written using PaintshopPro 9, but can be adapted for use by any of the PSP versions.

PDF Tutorial - Download Here

External filters required: SuperBladePro – Download trial version here

Materials: Download here .

Unzip the file and place my silver preset into your Superbladepro environments folder. Open the beads in PSP or alternatively make your own from my beads tutorial.
The earlier versions of PSP used to have vector shapes like hearts, diamonds etc that you could draw, but PSP 9 doesn't have them, so please download the file called “Objecten.zip” from Mars' Jumbo PSP site. This link will take you the page and the file you need is the top right hand file in the lower section. Unzip the file and add it to your preset shapes folder.
Celia Martin of Martin's Eclectic Adventures has some beautiful gems that are available for download from her PSP tubes section. Make sure you download a teardrop shaped gem for this tutorial and unzip it to your tubes folder.

The aim of this tutorial is to create a beaded pin similar to the one that I made for my blogsites.

Create a New image 1500 x 2000, 300ppi, transparent and set your Foreground colour to black and your background colour to white.

Step 1 – From the left hand toolbar, select the Rectangle tool and with your cursor placed at x=100:y=200, draw out a rectangle that is 20px high x 1100px wide.

Step 2 – Go to your layers palette and click on the “+” sign to expand the vector layer and then right click on “New Rectangle”. Select “Convert to path” from the drop down list and click on the pen tool on your left hand palette. Select “Edit” mode on the tools palette, hold down your Ctrl key and add a node to the middle of the short left hand side of the rectangle you created. This node will eventually form the very end point of your pin.

Step 3 – Now to shape the pointed end of your pin. This is really quite simple. Click on the top left hand node and while holding the mouse button down, pull the node across to the right until it is at position x=200. Do the same thing with the bottom left hand node. Now right click on the new node that you added, select “Node Type” from the drop down list and then “Cusp”. Move each side of the arrow that runs through the node towards the right hand side – as per the screenshot below – to gently bend the line, thus creating a slightly curved end to your pin.

Now click on “New Rectangle” in the Vector layer and select “Properties” from the drop down list. Then change the “Stroke” colour from Black to White, convert your layer to a Raster layer and rename it “Pin”

Step 4 – Now we are going to create a circular ring that joins onto the end of the pin. With your foreground set to black and your background set to white, select “Elipse” from your vector tools and then the “Circle” from your tool palette. Draw out a circle that measures 60 x 60 px. Move it to the right hand end of your pin. Right click on “New Elipse” in the Vector layer and select “Properties” from the drop down list. Then change the “Stroke” colour from Black to White, and convert it to a raster layer.

Now using your magic wand, click on the circle, go to Selections, Modify and Contract your selection by 12px, then delete and deselect. If you are satisfied with the placement of the ring, merge the two layers.

Step 5 – Now we are going to add a shape that will hold a gem. I am going to use the teardrop shape from the shapes file that we downloaded from Jumbo PSP. With your foreground set to black and your background set to white, select “Preset Shape” from your vector tools and then scroll through the shape list on your tools palette until you find the “teardrop”. Draw out your teardrop and when you are satisfied with the size, rotate it 90 degrees to the left and centre it over the outer edge of your ring.

Right click on “Teardrop” in the Vector layer and select “Properties” from the drop down list. Then change the “Stroke” colour from Black to White, and convert it to a raster layer. Using your magic wand, click on your teardrop shape, go to Selections, Modify and Contract your selection by 12px, delete and deselect. Then merge down.

OK that is your basic pin shape. If this pin is something that you intend using over and over, but just changing the colours of the gem or beads, then save a copy of your pin for future reference.

Step 6 – Using your magic wand, click on you pin to select it and go to Effects, Plugins, Flaming Pear, SuperBladePro and select vjf_silver.q5q and apply and deselect.

Viola, one beautiful siver pin.

Step 7 – Adding a gem to your pin. I don't believe in making work for myself, especially when Celia Martin has the most exquisite gems on her site. I cannot reproduce gems to this quality so I always use Celia's gems in my work. Add a new raster layer and select one of the teardrop shaped gems from your tubes. I have chosen the roughly faceted light blue sapphire and because I have set my scale to 115 because I know from trial and error that the sapphire was not quite big enough. Place your tube on your new layer, rotate the sapphire 90 degrees to the left. Move it over your silver pin so that the gem is above the teardrop shape at the end and pull the layer below your pin. This gives you a cabuchon effect. Merge the two layers.

Save your work because the next bit is a bit fiddly and I would hate for you to lose your work if PSP crashes.

Step 8 – The chains that I made for this pin are very stylised. We first need to make a little guide to build the chain around. Click on your pen tool and with your foreground set to black and your background to transparent, select the “Draw point to point – Bezier Curves” mode from your tools palette. Place your first node just under the open circle at the end of your pin and pull out the directional arrows – see screenshot below.

Now come further down your screen and place your next node and pull the directional arrow out. While doing this turn the arrow until the line is the shape that you require.

Now come further down your screen and place your final node, pulling and turning the directional arrow until you are satisfied with your shape. Click on your Object Selection tool and then on your image to deselect the line that you have just drawn.

Repeat the process again to create a second guide line and then convert your layer to a raster layer. Rename it “Guides”. This layer will be deleted when we have finished.

Step 9 – The chains are made using this symbol “~”. I don't know what it is called, but the symbol appear on the key below your Return key on your keyboard. It is on the same key as the hash symbol “#”. Select your Text tool on your left hand toolbar, and on your tools palette select “Times New Roman” and 72 pts. Set your foreground and background to black. Now type “~” this symbol, Ctrl+C to copy it and then Ctrl+G to paste a copy of the symbol on your layer. Now switch to the “Object Selection Tool” and we are going to start to build a chain.

With your tool, click on the first symbol and move it up to the end of your guideline, just below the circle on your pin. Rotate it until each of the curves, lines up either side of the guideline. Click on the second symbol that you copied to your layer and move it up below the first. Rotate it so that the curves line up either side of the guideline and it lies just below the first symbol. Because the copy of that you made of the symbol is still in you PSP memory, you can just paste another symbol onto your layer by pressing Ctrl+G. Keep lining them up in this way until you reach the bottom of the guideline. When you have completed the first string, convert your vector layer to a raster layer and rename it “Chain 1”.

Step 10 – Change your foreground and background to blue and type another symbol just like the one before. Go to Image and Flip and then Ctrl+C to copy it and then Ctrl+G to paste a copy of the symbol on your layer. Now switch to the “Object Selection Tool” and move the new blue symbol up just under the circle on your pin, just like the screenshot below.

Continue pasting, rotating and placing the links for the second side of the chain until you reach the bottom of the guideline. Then convert your vector layer to a raster layer and name it Chain 2.

Step 11 - Now we will weave the two chains together. Select your “Freehand Selections tool” and set it to “Point to Point” on your tools palette. Make a rough selection over the area where the middle of the blue and black chains cross over. Then holding your Shift key down continue doing the same thing until you have the middle sections of all the chain crossing points selected.

Now click on Chain 1 in your layers palette to make it the active layer and Ctrl+F to float your selections.

Now click on Chain 2 in your layers palette to make it the active layer and delete and deselect.

Now you will see that your chains are interlinked. At this point we will change the colours of the links back to white. So click on Chain 1 and then click Adjust, Colour Balance, Manual Colour Correction and click on the Source. Change the colour to Black, then click on Target and change the colour to White, and click OK. Do the same for Chain 2, but when you click on Source, change the colour to Blue.

Both chains should now be white.

Step 12 – Repeat this process from Step 9 to 11, for the second guideline, so that you once again create two sections of chain that you subsequently interlink. Name your new chain sections, Chain 3 and Chain 4. Change the colour back to white

Step 13 – Now that you have created both chains you can delete your “Guidelines” layer as you no longer need it. Click on Chain 1 to make it active and Ctrl+A, Ctrl+F and Effects, Plugins, Flaming Pear, SuperbladePro and apply my silver setting, then deselect. Click on Chain 2, Ctrl+A, Ctrl+F, Effects, Plugins, SuperbladePro and apply my silver setting, then deselect. Merge these two layers.

Repeat the application of the silver SuperbladePro setting with Chain 3 and Chain 4 and merge these two layers.

Step 14 – Now move Chain 1 up so that the topmost link is lying over the circle at the end of the pin. Using your Freehand selections tool set to Point to point, select the section of ring that lies under the right hand side of your link. Then click on your “Pin” layer and Ctrl+F so that the section of the circle that you selected is floated and click on Chain 1 again and delete and deselect. Now your chain appears to be joined to the circle on the pin. Move the other chain up so that the topmost link is lying over the circle at the end of the pin. Using your Freehand selections tool set to Point to point, select the section of ring that lies under the left hand side of your link. Then click on your “Pin” layer and Ctrl+F so that the section of the circle that you selected is floated and click on the chain layer again and delete and deselect.

Beautiful.

Step 15 – Now for the easy part. In the zip file were two PNG files. Open the Oval bead, copy it and paste it as a new layer into your image. Rotate it 90 degrees to the left and flip your bead, then position it over the pin, close to the circle.

Open the Round Bead, copy it and paste it into your image as a new layer and position it over one of the chains. You will need to do this 6 times as there are six beads to position and you may need to adjust the placement of the bead by rotating it slightly. You will notice that I did not include the bead channel in these beads. That is purely to make them a look more natural rather than seeing a hard line in the middle of the curves of the chains.

Step 16 – Almost done. You are to make a little post and ball for the bottom two beads. Click on your pen on the left hand toolbar and set the mode to “Draw lines and polylines” on your tools palette. Change your foreground colour to white and your background colour to transparent. Set your line style to “solid” and the line width to “8” and draw a line from the end of the left hand chain through the width of the bead. Now select the “Object selections tool” and click on your layer to deselect the line. Do the same for the end of the other chain.

Now change your foreground and your background colours to white and select your Elipse tool from your left hand toolbar. Then select the Circle tool from your tools palette and draw a small circle at the bottom of the first line. Ctrl+C and Ctrl+G and move the second circle to the bottom of the second line. Convert your layer to a raster layer and rename it “Posts”.

Now Ctrl+A and Ctrl+F to select and float your posts and Effects, Plugins, SuperbladePro and apply my silver setting. Deselect and move the layer to the bottom.

Merge visible and you are done.

Oval Glass Beads using Photoshop CS2

noreply@blogger.com (Scrapz'nBitz) — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 10:02:00 +0000

Copyright ~ © 2009 : Vanessa Fellows

This tutorial, the intellectual copyrights and artwork are the property of
Vanessa Fellows, Scrapz 'n Bitz

This tutorial may be printed out as an instructional copy for personal use only. This tutorial may not be distributed for educational, marketing or for-profit usage in print, digital, or any other format, nor may it be copied and/or uploaded to another website without
the authors written consent.

This tutorial, may be shared with others, following the receipt of written permission from me.

A link back when giving credit is not essential, but would be appreciated.

This tutorial was written using Photoshop CS2, especially for a lady called Jody who struggled with my PSP version. Please excuse the abundance of screenshots, but I am a Photoshop novice.

It requires the following Photoshop Plugin Filter: Eye Candy 5 Impact found here:

PDF Tutorial - Download Here

Step 1 - Create a new image file 400 x 400 px, 300ppi, Transparent and save your document. Ensure that your Info Palette is turned on and visible and that your rulers are on and that the units of measurement are set to “Pixels”.

Select your Eliptical Marque Tool from the left hand toolbar and using your Info palette as a guide, place your cursor at starting point:

Vertical=90 and Horizontal=125.

Click and hold down your mouse button and draw out an elipse until your cursor reaches

Vertical=310 and Horizontal=275.

Release your mouse button.

In your Layer's palette, right click on your layer, then click Layer Properties and rename your layer “Bead Back”, change the Opacity of your layer to 50%, click on the foreground colour on your Materials palette and enter #d3b08b in the HTML colour box, then Edit and Fill your layer with the foreground colour.

Duplicate your layer and rename it “Bead Front”. DO NOT deselect yet.

Step 2 – Create a new layer and rename it “Inner Highlight”, set the Layer Opacity to 60% and the Blend Mode to Luminosity.

Now go to Select, Modify and Contract and contract your selection by 25px. Click on the foreground colour in your Materials Palette and enter #ffeedb in the HTML colour box. Go to Edit and Fill your selection with the foreground colour.

Hold down the Ctrl key and press the Right arrow 15 times and then the Down arrow 15 times too to move your selection to the bottom right of your elipse. You may now deselect

Go to Filter, Blur and Gaussian Blur and apply a Gaussian blur of 15.00 to your layer.

Now click on Layer and Layer Style, then on Inner Glow and enter the following settings:

Blend mode = Luminosity
Opacity = 100%
Glow colour = #fbf7c0
Technique = Softer
Source = Centre
Size = 250px
Contour = Half round

and click OK

Step 3 – Click on Bead Back, go to Select and load your saved selection, then click on your topmost layer and create a new layer. Rename it “Cutout” and set the Layer Properties to Hard Light and the Opacity to 75%.

Then click on your foreground colour in your materials palette and enter #954e01 in the HTML colour box. Go to Edit and Fill your selection.

Go to Select, Modify and Contract and contract your selection by 15px, then hold down the Shift key and press the Right arrow 4 times and the Down arrow 4 times too. Press the Delete key and deselect.

Go to Filter, Blur and Gaussian Blur and apply a blur of 15.00, then whilst holding down the Ctrl key, press the Up arrow 8 times and the Left arrow 8 times to move your blurred cutout selection up and to the left. Don't worry about the blurring being outside of your bead outline.

Click on your Bead Back layer and then go to Select and load your selection. Click back on your “Cutout” layer to make it active again. Go to Select, Inverse and delete. Now deselect. The excess blurring has been deleted and your bead should now look like this.

Step 4 - Click on Bead Back, go to Select and load your saved selection, then click on your topmost layer and create a new layer. Rename it “Outer Edge” and set your layer's Blend Mode to Colour Burn and the Opacity to 35%.

Now click on your foreground colour in your materials palette and enter #060300 in the HTML colour box, then Edit and Fill your selection with your foreground colour.

Go to Select, Modify and Contract and contract your selection by 6 pixels, then go back to Select and Feather and Feather your selection by 15 pixels. Now press delete and deselect. Your bead should have a slightly darker edge to it.

Step 5 – Click on your Bead Back layer and then on your Pen tool. On your Pen's tool palette, select – Line Tool, Weight 15px and change the colour to #954e01.

Referring to your Info palette for your exact position, place your cursor on

x=200:y=80

Draw a line out vertically until your cursor reaches

x=200:y=320.

Now rasterise your layer and rename your layer “Bead Channel”. Set your layer's Blend Mode to Colour Dodge and the Opacity to 60%.

Using your magic wand, click on your bead channel to select it and go to Layer, Layer Style, Inner Shadow and enter the following settings:

Blend Mode = Colour Burn
Opacity = 75%
Angle 135 degrees
Use Global Light = checked
Distance = 5px
Choke = 10%
Size = 5px
Contour = Half round
Anti Alias = checked

Click on Bead Back, go to Select and load your saved selection, then click on your Bead channel layer again to make it active. Go to Select and Inverse and then press delete and deselect.

Step 6 - Click on Bead Back, go to Select and load your saved selection, then click on your topmost layer and create a new layer. Rename it Glass.

Go to Filter, Eye Candy Impact and Glass and apply the following settings:

Width = 70.65
Smoothness = 25.00
Glass Colour = #acacac
Refraction = 50
Inner Shadow Opacity = 31%
Drop Shadow Opacity = 30%
Shadow Offset = 45.00
Shadow Glow = 20.00

Direction = 149
Inclination = 24
Highlight Brightness = 70
Highlight Size = 75
Reflection Map = None

Bevel profile = Factory profile – Button.

Save your document, Merge all your layers (Merge visible). Go to Image and Trim and remove all the excess space around your bead then Save for Web as a PNG24 file.

Here I have taken the bead that I made in CS2, placed it over a silver bar and then placed it alongside one of the same colour that I made in PSP9. I have placed them both over a material swatch and applied a drop shadow.

There is a difference between the two beads in the colour brightness and density of the cutout. In the PSP 9 bead it is more vibrant. Please be a little forgiving of this as this is my first proper attempt at using Photoshop CS2 and because I am a novice with this programme I may have missed something here that those of you who have been working with Photoshop for ages will pick up on.

Other than that, the bead looks pretty good to me.

Oval and Round Glass Beads

noreply@blogger.com (Scrapz'nBitz) — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 22:53:00 +0000

Copyright ~ © 2009 : Vanessa Fellows
This tutorial, the intellectual copyrights and artwork are the property of
Vanessa Fellows, Scrapz 'n Bitz

This tutorial may be printed out as an instructional copy for personal use only. This tutorial may not be distributed for educational, marketing or for-profit usage in print, digital, or any other format, nor may it be copied and/or uploaded to another website without the authors written consent.

This tutorial, may be shared with others, following the receipt of written permission from me.

A link back when giving credit is not essential, but would be appreciated.

PDF Tutorial - Download Here

This tutorial was created using Paintshop Pro 9 and requires the following Photoshop Plugin Filter: Eye Candy 5 Impact found here:

Step 1 - Create a new image file 400 x 400 px, 300ppi, Transparent and select your selections box tool from the left hand toolbar, then the elipse tool from the toolbars palette.

With your cursor positioned at Horizontal=200 and Vertical=200, hold down your mouse button and draw out your elipse until Horizontal=275 and Vertical=310. You will know when to stop by keeping your eye on your status bar as you draw your elipse out.

Before you go any further, save your selection to your alpha channel. You will find it useful should you inadvertently deselect at any time.

Step 2 - Now choose a colour for your bead – I have used #98ad84, a rather strange grey/green colour which will eventually produce a beautiful bead.

Rename your layer - “Bead Background” and reduce the opacity of the layer to 50%.

Duplicate your layer and rename it “Bead Foreground”. DO NOT deselect yet.

Step 3 – Add a New layer – Inner highlight - Contract your selection by 25 pixels and choose a very light colour in for your inner highlight. I have chosen #edffdb which is a very pale green and fill your contracted selection. You may now deselect.

Note: When choosing your highlight/cutout/outer edge colour, it is always best to start off by entering the hexadecimal colour code of your original bead colour as the colour spectrum that is displayed will be relative to that particular colour.

Step 4 – Using your magic wand, click on the highlight to select and float it, then whilst holding your Shift key down, press your right hand arrow 15 times and then your down arrow 15 times. This will move your selection 15 px to the right and 15 px down. Then deselect and go to “Adjust”, “Blur”, “Gaussian” and apply a Gaussian blur with a radius of 15.00.

Change the blend mode of your layer to Luminance Legacy and the lower the layer's opacity to 50%.

Step 5 – Add a New layer - “Cutout”, then go to Selections and load the selection you saved to your alpha channel. Go to Effects, 3D effects and Cutout and apply a cutout with the following settings:

Horizontal = 15
Vertical = 15
Opacity = 100
Blur = 60
Fill Interior = unchecked

Choose a sympathetic but markedly darker version of your bead colour for the shadow colour. I have chosen #489002 for mine which is like a hunter green.

Note: When choosing your highlight/cutout/outer edge colour, it is always best to start off by entering the hexadecimal colour code of your bead colour as the colour spectrum that is displayed will be relative to that particular colour.

Now change the Blend mode of the layer to Hard Light and the layer's opacity to 75%. DO NOT deselect yet.

Step 6 – Create a New Layer and call it “Outer Edge” and choose the darkest colour you possibly can in your bead's colour spectrum for this layer. I have used #0d1901. What you are going to be doing is creating an extremely fine, defining edge to your bead. Fill your layer

This green is so dark it is almost black.

Now go to “Selections”, “Modify”, “Contract” and contract your selection by 6 pixels, then to “Selections” again, “Modify” and “Feather” and feather the selection by 15 pixels and press the delete key.

Change the Blend mode of your layer to Burn and the layer's opacity to 30%, then deselect.

Step 7 – Now to add a stringing channel through your bead. Firstly click on your Bead Background layer and then on your vector drawing pen. Select the straight line option and a solid line style, width of 15px and anti-alias checked.

Hide the background colour and draw a vertical line starting from about 15px above the bead and ending about 15px below the bead. Convert your vector to a raster layer and rename it Bead channel.

Go to Effects, 3D Effects and Cutout and apply a cutout to the bead channel using the following settings:

Horizontal = 5
Vertical = -2
Opacity = 100
Blur = 12.00
Fill interior = unchecked

Shadow colour – use the same colour that you used for the previous cutout (#489002)

Now go to Selections and load the selection you saved to your alpha channel, then Invert your selection and press the delete key to get rid of any excess bead channel and deselect

Step 8 - Select the topmost layer and merge visible, then add a New Layer and call it Glass. Go to Selections and load the selection you saved to your alpha channel, then go to Effects, Plugins, Alien Skin Eye Candy 5 Impact and Glass and apply the following settings:

Width = 70.65
Smoothness = 25.00
Glass Colour = #acacac
Refraction = 50
Inner Shadow Opacity = 31%
Drop Shadow Opacity = 30%
Shadow Offset = 45.00
Shadow Glow = 20.00

Direction = 149
Inclination = 24
Highlight Brightness = 70
Highlight Size = 75
Reflection Map = None

Bevel profile = Factory profile – Button.

Merge visible and deselect.

There you have it one beautiful green oval glass bead

This bead is now ready for you to export as a PNG file for later use. I use the same basic workup to produce round beads. The only differences in my technique are:

Step 1 - I use the circular selection tool and my starting points are (Horizontal = 200, Vertical = 200) and end points are (Horizontal = 275, Vertical = 275), giving me a circle with a diameter of 150 pixels.

Step 3 – I only contract my selection by 20 pixels.

Step 4 – I move my selection 10 pixels to the right and 10 pixels down.

Step 6 – I contract my outer edge by 4 pixels and feather it by 12 pixels before deleting.

All the other steps are the same as the oval glass beads.

I hope you enjoyed this tut and find it useful in your scrapping.

Cardboard Tags - Torn and Tattered

noreply@blogger.com (Scrapz'nBitz) — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 15:32:00 +0000

Copyright ~ © 2009: Vanessa Fellows

This tutorial, the intellectual copyrights and artwork are the property of
Vanessa Fellows, Scrapz 'n Bitz

This tutorial may be printed out as an instructional copy for personal use only. This tutorial may not be distributed for educational, marketing or for-profit usage in print, digital, or any other format, nor may it be copied and/or uploaded to another website without the authors written consent.

This tutorial, may be shared with others, following the receipt of written permission from me.

A link back when giving credit is not essential, but would be appreciated.

PDF Tutorial Download:

Tutorial Supplies: Download Here

Filters Required:

Texturiser – copy available here.
FM Paint Engine – copy available here - download the old Beta version
Alternatively you can obtain an older working version from here

In your zip file you will find an ordinary postal tag and a misted image of a victorian/edwardian type lady. There is also a Deckle Brush Tip Shape that came from Corel.com's PaintshopPro 9 tutorial on how to make handmade paper. Import the brush into your brush collection.

Step 1 - Open your postal tag image in PSP, duplicate your image (Shift+D) and close the original. Now open all three of the seamless cardboard tiles that you made in the previous tutorial. Click on your foreground colour in your colour palette and from the “Patterns” tab, in Open Images, select your Rough Cardboard.

Step 2 – Click on your duplicated postal tag to make the image active and then click on “Tag-Bottom” which will be a white postal tag. Select all – (Ctrl+A), Float (Ctrl+F) and Defloat (Ctrl+Shift+F). Now press delete to remove the white background and fill it with your Rough Cardboard. DO NOT deselect at this time.

Step 3 - Click on your foreground colour again and from the “Patterns” tab, in Open Images, select your Hard Cardboard, then return to your image and click on the “Tag-Top” layer and fill the outline with your Hard cardboard. DO NOT deselect at this time.

Step 4 - Click on your foreground colour again and from the “Patterns” tab, in Open Images, select your Corrugated Cardboard, then return to your image and click on the “Tag-Middle” layer and fill the outline with your top cardboard. You may now deselect (Ctrl+D).

Now comes the fun part.

I usually start on the top layer and work my way down.

Step 5 – Click on your “Tag-Top” layer and click on your “Freehand Selections” tool on the left hand toolbar and then alter the settings on the tools palette to “Freehand”. Using the Freehand Selections tool draw out a very jaggy selection along the right hand side of the tag and extending onto the bottom edge like the screenshot below.

Press delete and cut the selection out and deselect (Ctrl+D).

Step 6 – Zoom in reasonably close and make another jagged selection further in than the edge you just cut out. DO NOT deselect. Now select your “Dodge Brush” with the following settings:

Shape = Round
Size = 78
Hardness = 40
Step = 1
Density = 64
Thickness = 100
Rotation = 0
Opacity = 38

Using long sweeping movements, brush over the selection a couple of times. It does not matter if there are areas which have not been covered once or twice as this gives a bit of contrast in the dodged area and adds character to the torn edge. DO NOT Deselect.

Step 7 – Now go to Effects, Plugins, Fantastic Machines and Paint Engine and select Flakes and apply the standard “Downhill” settings. If you do not have the Flakes setting in your list then enter the following settings into Paint Engine and save the settings.

Brush
Push Intensity = 1.07
Lighten = 0.6
Bias = 0.00
Pull Intensity = 0.11
Lighten = 0.3
Bias = 0.00

Effect
Amount = 1.27

Stroke
Type = Downhill
Line = checked
Length = 23
Radiate = 1.00
Motion angle = 15
Curl = 109
Operation angle = -162
Curl = -1
Direction channel = R

And click OK

Now apply the same setting again.

DO NOT deselect yet.

Step 8 – Now go to Effects, Plugins,Texture and apply your Texturiser filter with the following settings:

Texture = Canvas
Scaling = 100%
Relief = 4

and click OK and deselect

As you can see from the screenshot the outer cut edges are greyed and appear rather jagged. You can either leave them as they are or you can use the Freehand Selection tool, set to freehand and clean this edge up so that it really does appear jagged.

Step 9 – Now click on your “Tag – Middle” layer to activate it. Delete the bottom black contrast layer as you no longer need it and and increase the size of your canvas to 600 x 900px with your image centrally placed. Then select your eraser with the following settings:

Brush tip = Deckle Brush
Size = 129
Step = 32
Density = 100
Rotation = 92
Opacity = 100

Using the eraser, erase the middle layer below the top layer's cut edge as per the screenshot below.

The deckled edge on the eraser will give the corrugated layer a lovely torn and tattered look to it.

Step 10 – You can either use the same deckled brush on the “Tag Bottom” layer or use the Freehand Selections tool set to Freehand to remove some of the outside edge – not too much mind.

Step 11 – Now to accentuate the edges with some shadowing. Click on the “Tag-Middle” or corrugated layer and using your Freehand Selections tool set to freehand, make a rough selection around the cut edge. Then press Ctrl+F to float the selection and go to Effects, 3D Effects and Drop shadows and apply the following settings.

Vertical = 3
Horizontal = 6
Opacity = 65
Blur = 10
Colour = Black
Shadow on new layer = checked

and click OK

Now deselect and using the selections box tool, select the areas of shadowing that fall outside of the area of your tag and delete them.

Step 12 – Click on the “Tag – Top” layer and using your Freehand Selections tool set to freehand, make a rough selection around the cut edge. Then press Ctrl+F to float the selection and go to Effects, 3D Effects and Drop shadows and apply the following settings.

Vertical = 3
Horizontal = 6
Opacity = 65
Blur = 18
Colour = Black
Shadow on new layer = checked

and click OK

Now deselect and in the layers palette, move the “Tag-Top” layer above the shadow layer, then using the selections box tool, select the areas of shadowing that fall outside of the area of your tag and delete them. Merge Visible

Your tag should now look like this.

This tag as it stands can now be saved for later use or you can carry on and add a picture and text to it to decorate it.

Step 13 – Open the Misted image of the Blue lady that I included in the zip file. Copy it and click on your tag to make it the active image, then Ctrl+L to paste your misted image as a new layer above the merged tag.

Increase the size of the misted image (Shift+S) by 115% with bicubic resizing, and mirror the image (Ctrl+M) so that the lady is looking left, rather than right. Move the image up the tag so that it is position more or less centrally. Now you can either leave it as a coloured image or you can do as I have done which is to change it to a Sepia image.

To do this go to Effects, Artistic Effects, Sepia Toning and age it by 80 years. I have also adjusted the Brightness and Contrast to darken my image.

Brightness = -29
Contrast = 0

Creating Cardboard

noreply@blogger.com (Scrapz'nBitz) — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 10:05:00 +0000

Copyright ~ © 2009: Vanessa Fellows

This tutorial, the intellectual copyrights and artwork are the property of
Vanessa Fellows, Scrapz 'n Bitz

This tutorial may be printed out as an instructional copy for personal use only. This tutorial may not be distributed for educational, marketing or for-profit usage in print, digital, or any other format, nor may it be copied and/or uploaded to another website without the authors written consent.

This tutorial, may be shared with others, following the receipt of written permission from me.

A link back when giving credit is not essential, but would be appreciated.

PDF Tutorial Download:

Filters Required:

Redfield Jama 3D – freeware plugin available here:
Texturiser – copy available here:
Mura's Cloud – copy available here:
Mura's Seamless – copy available here:

My word making cardboard has to be the most closely guarded secret in the scrapping world. For a long time now, when I have been making cardboard tags, I have been using cardboard tiles from the “Ripped Cardboard” tutorial by Shawna of Scrap Stuff with PSP. Anyway I went looking on the net for a tutorial on making flat and corrugated cardboard and came up empty handed apart from one or two Photoshop tutorials that I could not replicate in PSP, so I set about making some myself and this is what I came up with.

When I make my tags, I use 3 layers of cardboard, the top layer is slightly roughened in appearance, then there is a corrugated layer and finally a much harder and flatter looking cardboard. We will be making all three types.

Plain cardboard – (Hard & Flattened)

Open a new image 600 x 600 px, 300ppi, transparent.

Click on your foreground colour and enter #bca689 into the HTML colour box, then click on your background colour and enter #997d5b into the HTML colour box.

Step 1 - Fill your background with the foreground colour (#bca689), go to Effects on the top toolbar, Plugins, Mura Meister and Cloud, and apply Mura's cloud filter with the following settings:

Effect = 83
Amount = 81
Grain = 7
Contrast = 33
Bias = 0
Light = -85

All the rest of the settings are left at the default values and click OK

Step 2 - Next go to Effects, Plugins and Texture, then Texturiser and apply the plugin with the following settings:

Texture = Canvas
Scaling = 100%
Relief = 4
Light Direction = top

and click OK

Step 3 - Now go to Adjust, Blur and Gaussian Blur and add a Gaussian Blur with a radius of 1:00.

Step 4 - Now we will make your piece of hard cardboard into a seamless tile so that you can effortlessly fill any size of canvas. Go to Effects, Image Effects and Seamless tiling and apply the following settings:

Tiling method = Edge
Direction = Bidirectional
Width = 50%
Transition = 50%

and click OK.

That is now complete, so Save your file as Cardboard_Hard or something similar that you will remember and export a copy as a JPeg to My Documents, My PSP Files, Patterns so that it is available to use with your materials palette.

Now for the next one.

Plain cardboard – (Slightly roughened)

Open a new image 600 x 600 px, 300ppi, transparent.

Click on your foreground colour and enter #bca689 into the HTML colour box, then click on your background colour and enter #997d5b into the HTML colour box.

Step 1 - Fill your background with the foreground colour (#bca689), go to Effects, Plugins and Texture, then Texturiser and apply the plugin with the following settings:

Texture = Canvas
Scaling = 130%
Relief = 7
Light Direction = top

and click OK

Step 2 - Now go to Adjust, Add/Remove Noise and Add Noise and apply the following settings:

Uniform = checked
Monochrome = checked
Noise = 23%

and click OK.

Step 4 - Now we will make your piece of hard cardboard into a seamless tile so that you can effortlessly fill any size of canvas. We will not be using the normal seamless tiling filter that comes with PSP as the end results are not brilliant. Instead we will be using Mura's seamless tiling because we have more control over the vertical aspect of the tiling which is were the inbuilt filter was letting me down.

Go to Effects on the top toolbar, Effects on the top toolbar, Plugins, Mura and Seamless and apply the following settings:

Overlap X = 0
Overlap Y = 3
Fade = 37
Through BG = 0
BG Smooth = 10
Freq = 4
Fit = checked

and click OK.

That is now complete, so Save your file as Cardboard_Top or something similar that you will remember and export a copy as a JPeg to My Documents, My PSP Files, Patterns so that it is available to use with your materials palette.

Now for the corrugated card.

Cardboard - Corrugated

Here I really struggled to obtain the peaks and valleys of the corrugations but we did it eventually.

Open a new image 600 x 600 px, 300ppi, transparent.

Click on your foreground colour and enter #bca689 into the HTML colour box, then click on your background colour and enter #997d5b into the HTML colour box.

Step 1 - Fill your background with the foreground colour (#bca689), go to Effects, Plugins, Redfield and Jama 3D. Within Jama, choose Jalousie and apply the following settings:

Top Left Hand Slider = 100
Left Hand slider = 12
Top – Antialiasing = checked

Right hand settings:
Box shaped slider – Top = 00 : Bottom = 25
Inverted “T” slider – Left = 25 : Right = 00
S Shading = 10

S Blur = 10
Strip orientation = Horizontal
Deformation = 50
Light Exiting = 35
Saturation = 15
Brightness ratio = 40

Bottom right hand corner sliders – both set at 00

Before clicking on OK – Save this setting by clicking the drop down box and clicking SAVE USER PRESET. I saved mine as “Cardboard – corrugated”.

Now click OK

Looking good so far? At this point, make a copy of your file (Shift+D) because whilst I was experimenting I discovered an interesting look to this corrugated cardboard that I want to show you later.

Step 2 – Image, Rotate and rotate clockwise by 90 degrees.

Step 3 - Adjust, Brightness and Contrast and apply the following settings:

Brightness = 5
Contrast = 7

and click OK.

I have saved my present for future reference as “Corrugated Cardboard Contrast”.

Step 4 – We are now going to make the image seamless by going to Effects, Image Effects and Seamless tiling. Then apply the same settings that you used for the hard cardboard.

Tiling method = Edge
Direction = Bidirectional
Width = 50%
Transition = 50%

and click OK.

Save your image – something memorable like Corrugated Card and export a copy as a JPeg to My Documents, My PSP Files, Patterns so that it is available to use with your materials palette.

Now for the “Something a little bit interesting”.

Alternative Corrugated Cardboard

Step 1 - Go back to the duplicated image that you made after your Jama 3D settings and apply the Texturiser settings that you used for the Hard Cardboard.

Texture = Canvas
Scaling = 100%
Relief = 4
Light Direction = top

and click OK.

Step 2 – Apply the “Add Noise” settings you used in the second piece of card you made.

Uniform = checked
Monochrome = checked
Noise = 23%

and click OK.

Step 3 – Adjust the Brightness and Contrast using the following settings:

Brightness = -10
Contrast = 7

and click OK

Step 4 – Click on your Selections box tool and then on the Custom Selection box on the top toolbar. Enter the following settings:

Left = 15
Top = 15
Right = 575
Bottom = 575

and click OK

Then Image – Crop to Selection (Shift+R).

Step 5 - Now apply Mura's Seamless filter to your image using the same settings as before:

Overlap X = 0
Overlap Y = 3
Fade = 37
Through BG = 0
BG Smooth = 10
Freq = 4

Fit = checked

and click OK.

Save your image – something memorable like Corrugated Card_Rough and export a copy as a JPeg to My Documents, My PSP Files, Patterns so that it is available to use with your materials palette.

Although I don't think this corrugated effect is suitable for me for making my tags, I have seen corrugated card that is rough in appearance like this and you may well find it suitable for using with larger items – ie. Background paper or frames.

Well that's that for how to make cardboard. I will be back a bit later with a tutorial on how to make my triple layer, tatty looking tags.

Just a quick update

noreply@blogger.com (Scrapz'nBitz) — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 23:55:00 +0000

Coming up tomorrow are:

1. How to make cardboard - flat and corrugated

and

2. Vanessa's layered and ripped tags

Do pop back tomorrow and have a look at these two tuts.

I haven't forgotten - I have just been busy.

noreply@blogger.com (Scrapz'nBitz) — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 23:23:00 +0000

I will get back to writing some more tuts later this week. I haven't forgotten, honest, I have just been so busy working on some complicated scripts for ribbon wraps.

This is the one that I was working on today. Believe it or not this actually represents about 5 hours of experimentation before I even started to write the script. It still has a couple of finishing touches to be added to it, but I am tired now, so it is best to start fresh in the morning.

Just to give you an idea of how scripts save time, this ribbon from start to this stage, albeit no burns or dodges have been applied as yet, took over an hour to do. That included plotting all the warp points. To reproduce via a script this ribbon from start to finish takes about a minute and a half. Quite handy if you like to make the same style of ribbon over and over in different colours and patterns.

Tip - Something I learned the hard way today. Most scripts contain this statement at the very beginning of the script.

def Do(Environment):
# EnableOptimizedScriptUndo

This means that you cannot write a script and make a mistake, use the "undo" button and carry on as normal. It does not like it and will throw an error back at you every time.

Just one reason why it is so important to write down every step of what you intend to script before you actually do it.

Yet again, if there is anything that you wish to see done as a tutorial, drop me a line and if I can do it, I will.

Scripts - Editing Scripts

noreply@blogger.com (Scrapz'nBitz) — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 14:31:00 +0000

Most of the scripts that you write will not require editing, but there will be occasions when this is necessary.

One of the questions that I have seen asked time and time again in scrapping forums is “How do I write a script that will let me change my colour or pattern when I want to?” and also statements like, “I bought a script, it is for PSPX and I use PSP8. My script won't work”. These are just a couple of the things we will cover here, but first let's have a look at the Script Editor.

PaintshopPro comes with it's own built-in Script Editor. If you write a script and you then click on the “Edit” button on your scripts toolbar, this is what you would normally see.

The screenshot you are looking at is from the example script we wrote in the previous part of this tutorial. If you click on the image so that it enlarges, you will notice a few things.

At the top of the script editor is the information that you will have entered under the “Description” box when you saved your script.

Underneath that is a section with a scrollable right hand bar, called “Script Commands”. In this section is an abbreviated version of the actions that you recorded.

There are three editable sub-sections in the “Scripts Commands” section. Against each of the commands there is a “Checkbox” with a tick in it. There is a drop down list box that states “Default” and then there is the “Action performed”.

Certain actions are not editable from this script editor and these are displayed in italics with (NOT Editable) against them.

Only actions that are editable are displayed in normal script. In this case “File – New” and the two “Blinds” effects. These are the types of changes that you can make to the Editable components using this script editor.

If for example, you do not want to have the blinds effect applied to the centre of your ribbon, then you can click on the checkbox and “untick” it and that effect will not be applied. You will end up with a plain ribbon with a blinds edging instead. If you would like to be able to change the settings in the blinds effect while the script is running, then you can access the “Default” drop down box and click “Interactive”. The next time that your script is run, it will stop on “Blinds” for you to make whatever alterations you wanted to. This is a far more selective process than running your script in Interactive mode where you would have to click to accept each and every action that occurs.

If you attempt to do any of the above on a command that is not editable, then your script will give you an error message when you next run it.

The very first script I ever wrote was one for my Knotted Ribbon Wrap. I wanted to be able to reproduce a matching ribbon wrap in the different shades of blue and grey for the papers that I had created it to go with. This is how I found out that the only way to change the script to enable you to choose your own colour or pattern was to edit the script using either a Python script editor or something like Notepad.

At the bottom of your Script Editor is a button called “Text Editor” If you click on this button and open your script in Notepad, then please note that two things will happen.

You will be able to edit your “Non Editable” actions with your text editor and

If you alter and save your script, it will only open using a text editor by default afterwards, so please don't worry when you click the “Edit” button and it no longer appears in the PSP Script Editor.

In the screenshot above you will see what the example script looks like when it is opened in a text editor (Notepad). Looks confusing doesn't it? All I can say is be careful when editing your scripts this way because if you make a mistake it is not easy to correct.

Open your own grossgrain ribbon script and scroll through it. I will give a brief explanation of the various commands that you can see and hopefully just browsing through, you will recognise some of the actions you took.

At the very top of the script you will see the statement, “from JascApp import *”. This statement only appears at the top of scripts written using PSP versions 8 and 9. From version 10 upward this statement reads “from PSPApp import *”

As with most programmes, PSP is no exception in that it is backwards compatible. In other words newer versions of PSP can open older PSP version files but they produce file that the older versions are not able to open. A while back I did some script testing for a lady in Australia who used PSPXI and wanted to know if her scripts could be made backwards compatible for earlier versions. I was able to open and use her scripts by altering the following statements at the top of the script.

from PSPApp import * - “Change this to from JascApp import *”

def ScriptProperties():
return {
'Author': u,
'Copyright': u'',
'Description': u'',
'Host': u'Paint Shop Pro XI', - “Change this to Paint Shop Pro 9”
'Host Version': u'11.03' - “Change this to 9.00”
}

These few changes enabled me to test her newer version scripts on my older version of software and may prove to be a fix for those unfortunate enough to buy scripts that were not created in their PSP version.

If you scroll through your grossgrain ribbon script you will come across the command statement for your Fill. This is what it should look like.

# Fill
App.Do( Environment, 'Fill', {
'BlendMode': App.Constants.BlendMode.Normal,
'MatchMode': App.Constants.MatchMode.RGBValue,
'Material': None,
'UseForeground': True,
'Opacity': 100,
'Point': (328.5,62.5),
'SampleMerged': False,
'Tolerance': 0,
'GeneralSettings': {
'ExecutionMode': App.Constants.ExecutionMode.Default,
'AutoActionMode': App.Constants.AutoActionMode.Match,
'Version': ((9,0,0),1)
}
})

The simple introduction of an interactive message box will make all the difference between being able to choose your own colour, gradient or pattern and not having that choice. Copy and insert the code for this message box immediately above the “Fill” command and save your script.

# MsgBox
Result = App.Do( Environment, 'MsgBox', {
'Buttons': App.Constants.MsgButtons.OK,
'Icon': App.Constants.MsgIcons.Info,
'Text': 'Choose your fill colour.',
})
print Result
print
print "Choose your fill colour."
print
Fill = App.Do(Environment,'GetMaterial',{
'IsPrimary':App.Constants.Boolean.true,
'GeneralSettings': {
'ExecutionMode':App.Constants.ExecutionMode.Interactive
}
})

This interactive message box command tells PSP the following

# MsgBox
Result = App.Do( Environment, 'MsgBox', {
'Buttons': App.Constants.MsgButtons.OK,
'Icon': App.Constants.MsgIcons.Info,
'Text': 'Choose your fill colour.',
})

This section tells PSP to create a message box that has a button with OK on it, plus an Info icon and the the text “Choose your fill colour.” Just like this one below.

Once you click on the OK button the next section of the message box command code instructs PSP to open the materials palette in Interactive mode. In other words so that you can choose.

Once you have made your choice and clicked OK, the script carries on executing as normal.

This little piece of code can be used wherever you need to make a choice of colour.

These are just a couple of ways in which you can edit your scripts to make them more workable for you. There are many such little snippets of code that will enable you persuade PSP to do what you want it to and thus make your scripting life and scrapping life much quicker and easier.Almost all of these code snippets can be found on Suz Shook's website “Suz's Place” and for those of you who are intent on making lots of elements etc for profitable gain, then you would probably benefit from signing up on one of Suz's scripting courses.

I hope you will appreciate that when it comes to scripting, I am still very much learning by trial and error and can only share with you what knowledge I have gained through experience.

Scripting - Recording a Script

noreply@blogger.com (Scrapz'nBitz) — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 12:43:00 +0000

Recording a script is pretty easy. Just press the “Record” button and away you go. Every action you take will be recorded as you do it. When you are finished, press the “Save” button and save your script.

Sounds easy doesn't it? Well it is and it isn't. Because every action you perform is recorded by the script recorder, every time you have to “undo” an action that is recorded too this can make the script run time very long. Plus some people develop an attack of nerves when recording scripts and get memory block, so the best way of obtaining good results when you record a script is to “Write down every step along the way, including every effect and filter plugin setting you apply”. Do this logically and methodically and then start to record whilst following your written notes. This is so much easier to do and you obtain better recording results.

Let's write a simple script.

Grossgrain ribbon.

Grossgrain ribbons are one of the easiest ribbons to make as they don't involve any outside filter plugins.

These are the basic steps that you will need to follow:

First, click on the “Record” button on your script toolbar and then simply follow these instructions:

New file – Create a new file, 3600px x 200 px, resolution 300ppi, with a transparent background.

Click on the selection tool on your left hand toolbar and then on the custom selection box on the top toolbar and enter the following settings:

Left = 0
Top = 25
Right = 3600
Bottom = 175

and click OK

Click on your Foreground colour palette and choose a colour for your ribbon. I am using #8080ff, but you may choose whatever colour you fancy, and fill your selection. Do not deselect at this time.

Click once again on the selection tool on your left hand toolbar and then on the custom selection box on the top toolbar and enter the following settings:

Left = 0
Top = 40
Right = 3600
Bottom = 160

and click OK

What you will now have is another selection box that is positioned 15px from both the top and the bottom of your ribbon. Do not deselect at this time.

Click on “Effects” on your top toolbar, “Texture Effects” and “Blinds” and apply the following settings:

Width = 14
Opacity = 35
Colour = Black
Light from Left Top = Checked

and click OK

Invert your selection (Ctrl+Shift+I) and then Float (Ctrl+F).

Click on “Effects” on your top toolbar, “Texture Effects” and “Blinds” and apply the following settings:

Width = 14
Opacity = 65
Colour = Black
Light from Left Top = Checked

and click OK

You will notice that by changing the Opacity level from 35 to 65 on the outer edge of the ribbon you can achieve a darker edge without having to mess around with adjusting brightness and contrast levels.

Deselect and save your script

Congratulations, for many of you this will be the first script you ever write, but definitely not the last.

If you now click on the “Select Script” drop down list, you will see your script listed under the “Scripts-Trusted” category. Click on the name of your script to select it and then click on run, sit back and watch your script execute and produce another grossgrain ribbon in about 2 seconds flat.

In the next section we will look at editing scripts.

Scripting in PaintshopPro

noreply@blogger.com (Scrapz'nBitz) — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 09:49:00 +0000

PDF Tutorial (Covers all three tutorials) - Download Here

If you run a Google search for PSP Scripts, you will come across hundreds of sites with scripts on them. Mostly they are tagger sites where the ladies have scripted beautiful tag tutorials. If you are scrapbooking, these sort of sites are not much use to you and unfortunately there are not many places out there where you can obtain either for free or to purchase, good quality PSP scripts.

In my opinion, and please bear in mind that this is only my opinion, there are only three truly good PSP Scripting sites. These are:

Suz's Place (http://home.roadrunner.com/~suzshook/) - Suz is a very experienced PSP user, from version 7 upwards through to the very latest PSP programmes. She has written many scripts that are freely available on her site, along with information such as snippets of code that you can insert into your scripts to enable you to freely choose your colour, pattern, font etc. This is a site that is well worth exploring and you may benefit from signing up with Suz on one of her PSP Scripting courses that she runs through her LSV Associates website.

Sheilsoft (http://www.sheilsoft.com/psp.htm) - This is a site dedicated to Photography and PSP Scripts used to improve on your photographs. Howard Dickson writes some excellent scripts and has both free and purchased scripts on his site. This is another site that is well worth exploring.

Joske Backer (http://members.home.nl/j.a.c.backer/gif-index.html) - Joske's site is packed full of scripts and "how-to's". Some of her scripts are free, but the majority are available to purchase. This is another site well worth visiting.

If anyone knows of any other really good sites, please feel free to use the comments or contact sections and let me know.

When you do find a script that you wish to install to your computer, please remember that PSP Scripts are pieces of code, written in the Python programming language.

ALWAYS - Install your script to the “Scripts-Restricted” folder in order to offer yourself some protection from viruses.

NEVER - Install your script to the “Scripts-Trusted” folder unless it is a script that you know comes from a reputable source, or of course it is one you have made yourself.

The Script Toolbar

This is the script toolbar. If it is not visible on your top toolbar, then right click in your top toolbar area and when you see the drop down list appear, select “Toolbars” from the 4th section, and then “Script” from the next list and your script toolbar should now be visible.

Selected Script: - This drop down list enables you to access and select the script you wish to run from your computer. The displayed script is the one that will run when you press the “Run” button.

Run: - Pressing this button will run the script shown in the “Selected Script” box.

Single Step: - Pressing this button allows the script to be run “Step by Step” with active interaction by you. It is particularly useful when you are troubleshooting a script that has a fault, enabling you to ascertain where the fault is and correct it using the “Edit” facility.

Toggle: - This button allows you to either run the script in “Silent” mode or “Interactive” mode. When running in “Silent” mode, the script will run through automatically, however in “Interactive” mode you are required to “Click through” the script to complete it.

Output: - This button allows a further script palette to open in which you can see each action of the script being completed. This is also one of the first places to look when your script will not complete because of an error, as it will give you an idea of where the error lies.

Run Script: - This button performs the same function as your conventional “Open” button in that it allows you to navigate your computer to where your script is located, click on it to open it, and then run it from your script toolbar as you normally would.

Stop: - Pressing this button at any time during the execution of a script will stop the script from completing.

Record: - Pressing this button will start a new script recording.

Pause: - Similar to pausing a DVD, you can pause your script, work out your next step, come back, click pause again, and continue from where you left off.

Cancel: - This cancels the script that you were recording.

Save: - This button saves your script to your “Scripts – Trusted” folder. When saving your script, select a unique and easy to remember name to call it. Before clicking on the “Save” button, it is always helpful to click on the “Description” button and enter information such as the script Author, copyright information and a short description of what the script does.

In the next section we will cover Recording a Script.

Playing with Scripts

noreply@blogger.com (Scrapz'nBitz) — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 22:07:00 +0000

Having worked until late last night to script the knotted ribbon with floppy ties that I came up with for the Autumn Gold kit, I could not wait to get up and at it this morning to see how it came out. I set up PSP and pulled up my knotted ribbon script and ran it, and then sat back waiting to see all my hard work appear on the screen.

Nooo..... I screeched, but not with glee - rather frustration. My script failed because somewhere along the lines when I was pausing my script to work on another part and write things down before going back and recording again, I missed a Layer selection step. So I spent absolutely ages today, working through the script step by step on the screen while looking at the text editor and working through the programming side of the script just to find out where in the script it was falling down. Good grief, you have no idea just how many deformation grid points there were to plot before I even began to script. I think I must have a few bald patches by now. Anyway I have gotten it back to where I need to add the highlights and shading and then took a long long break. I can always come back and write that section and add it tomorrow.

In the midst of doing that I took a sneak peek at my Google stats to see if anyone was working through my tuts and imaging my surprise when I discovered that my tutorial materials had been picked up and displayed on Digifree and loads of people were visiting the site. Wow, what a wonderful advert for my tuts. Well if just one person out there says "I always wanted to know how to do that", then it is "job well done".

Welcome and enjoy and if you came directly to the site, then why not visit my other site "Scrapz 'n Bitz" and have a little mooch around.

Wow - what a lovely surprise!

noreply@blogger.com (Scrapz'nBitz) — Mon, 02 Feb 2009 23:12:00 +0000

I have just had a look at my site stats, and today there have been so many new people visit my tutorial site. That is truly wonderful, and what is even better is that they are working on my tutorials too. Maybe I am doing something right.

Thank you all for your support.

Triple Folded Paper

noreply@blogger.com (Scrapz'nBitz) — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 00:07:00 +0000

This tutorial, the intellectual copyrights and artwork are the property of Vanessa Fellows,
Scrapz 'n Bitz

This tutorial may be printed out as an instructional copy for personal use only. This tutorial may not be distributed for educational, marketing or for-profit usage in print, digital, or any other format, nor may it be copied and/or uploaded to another website without the authors written consent.

This tutorial, may be shared with others, following the receipt of written permission from me.

A link back when giving credit is not essential, but would be appreciated.

This tutorial was written in PaintshopPro 9, but can be adapted for use by any of the PSP versions. No external Photoshop Plugin Filters are used.

When I first started scrapping I noticed a lot of beautiful layered backgrounds where the scrapper had used what appeared to be multiple folds in the material/paper. This tutorial came about because I wanted to recreate something along similar lines for my layouts.

PDF Tutorial - Download Here

Materials supplied: Download Here

Step 1: Open a new image 3600 x 3600 – transparent. Then copy the Background paper (Wild Geese.jpg) and paste it as a new layer into your working image (Ctrl+L).

Merge your layers down and rename the layer “Background”.

Step 2: Copy the “vjf005_diecut_fancy.png” image and return to your working document. Paste it as a new layer (Ctrl+L), then resize the layer (Only this layer) by 95% Bicubic) as per the screenshot below.

Now using your magic wand, click on the centre of the Diecut area which will Select and Defloat your diecut.

Now press “Delete” a couple of times so that you are left with the selection as a floating un-filled, shimmering image. DO NOT deselect at this time.

Step 3: Copy your “Polka Dots.jpg” and paste it into the selection by pressing (Ctrl+Shift+L). Now deselect (Ctrl+D).

Step 4: Now using your magic wand, click outside of your “Diecut” image area and go to Selections on your top toolbar and “Invert” (Ctrl+Shift+I). You will see that you only have the outer image of the diecut as a floating image and not the cutout dots as well.

Now go to “Selections”, “Modify” and “Contract” and contract your selection by 10 pixels – DO NOT deselect. Then create a new layer and name it “Contrast”, and fill the selection with #b86662, deselect.

Pull the “Contrast” layer below your diecut image and Merge down.

Rename this merged layer - “Diecut”.

Step 5: Add a new layer and call it “Lower Fold”. Now, click on your “Diecut” layer to make it active. Select your “Freehand Selections” tool, set to “Point to Point” on the toolbar palette. Starting at a point approximately 1800 pixels down the left hand side, draw a selection back up to approximately 2400 pixels at the top of your image and back towards the left hand side and then back down to 1800 pixels, so that you have a triangular selection. DO NOT deselect

Now press (Ctrl+X) to cut the selection from your “Diecut” layer and without deselecting, click on “Lower Fold” and press (Ctrl+Shift+L) to paste the selection that you just cut out into the same selection area on the Lower Fold layer. Now you may deselect.

Step 6: Now flip and mirror your image: Image – Flip (Ctrl+I) and Image – Mirror (Ctrl+M). You will notice that the corner selection is now sitting in the bottom right hand corner of your image.

Using your mover tool pull the Lower fold corner up to the top left of your Diecut and position it against the cut edge. If you find it difficult to see where you are lining up the edges, then hide your “Diecut” layer so that you have a darker background to work against.

Step 7: On your “Lower fold” layer, make another triangular selection just like that in the screenshot below, then create a new layer called “Middle fold”. DO NOT deselect.

Click back onto the “Lower fold” layer to make it active. Now press (Ctrl+X) to cut the selection from your “Lower fold” layer and without deselecting, click on “Middle Fold” and press (Ctrl+Shift+L) to paste the selection that you just cut out into the same selection area on the Middle Fold layer. Now you may deselect.

Now flip and mirror your image: Image – Flip (Ctrl+I) and Image – Mirror (Ctrl+M). Using your mover tool pull the Middle fold corner up and position it against the cut edge of the lower fold.

Step 8: On your “Middle fold” layer, make another triangular selection just like that in the screenshot below, then create a new layer called “Top fold”. DO NOT deselect.

Click back onto the “Middle fold” layer to make it active. Now press (Ctrl+X) to cut the selection from your “Middle fold” layer and without deselecting, click on “Top Fold” and press (Ctrl+Shift+L) to paste the selection that you just cut out into the same selection area on the Top Fold layer. Now you may deselect.

Now flip and mirror your image: Image – Flip (Ctrl+I) and Image – Mirror (Ctrl+M). Using your mover tool pull the Top fold corner up and position it against the cut edge of the middle fold.

Now to give your folds a 3 dimensional look:

Step 9: Click on “Lower Fold” and go to the right hand pane in your layers palette and click on the little “lock” to lock the layer's transparency. Do the same for the “Middle Fold” and “Top Fold” layers. Then click back on the “Lower Fold” to make it active and we are now going to apply some cutouts.

Using your magic wand, click outside of your Lower fold image and then press (Ctrl+Shift+I) to Invert your image and then go to Effects on your top toolbar, 3D Effects and Cutout and apply the following settings:

Vertical = 10
Horizontal = 14
Opacity = 51
Blur = 28.71
Colour = Black

and click OK.

Note: You can change the Opacity and Blur settings to whole numbers (i.e. – 50 and 30). I never looked at the actual settings when I was doing this, just at the image and stopped when it looked OK to me.

Step 10: Because the Lower fold and the Top fold have the cutout on the same side, we will now do the “Top Fold” cutout. Click on the “Top Fold” layer and using your magic wand, click outside of your Top fold image. Then press (Ctrl+Shift+I) to Invert your image and go to Effects on your top toolbar, 3D Effects and Cutout and apply the same cutout that you applied to the “Lower Fold”.

Step 11: Now apply the reverse cutout to the “Middle Fold”. So, click on the “Middle Fold” layer and using your magic wand, click outside of your Middle fold image. Then press (Ctrl+Shift+I) to Invert your image and go to Effects on your top toolbar, 3D Effects and Cutout and apply the following settings:

Vertical = -10
Horizontal = -14
Opacity = 51
Blur = 28.71
Colour = Black

and click OK.

You will note that being the reverse cutout, the Vertical and Horizontal setting are negative numbers. Again, you may change the Opacity and Blur if you wish.

Now for some shadows:

Step 12: Click on your “Diecut” layer. You are going to apply two different shadow effects to this layer so that you achieve the appearance of the layer floating just above the background paper and being front-lit, but from a slight upper left hand angle.

First go to Effects on your top toolbar and then 3D effects and then Drop Shadow and apply the following settings:

Right hand drop shadow

Vertical = 20
Horizontal = 20
Opacity = 50
Blur = 12.87
Colour = Black

Then go back and apply the following drop shadow:

Left hand drop shadow

Vertical = -3
Horizontal = -20
Opacity = 50
Blur = 12.87
Colour = Black

Now we need to apply shadows to the three fold layers.

Step 13: Click on the “Lower Fold” layer and apply the right hand drop shadow that you applied to your Diecut layer. Now click on the “Top Fold” layer and apply the right hand drop shadow on this layer too.

Step 14: Click on the “Middle Fold” layer and apply the left hand drop shadow that you applied to your Diecut layer and your Triple fold is now done.

I have not merged the Diecut, and the fold layers because I like to be able to position other elements so that they are lying in between the folds and leaving them unmerged makes it easier for me to manipulate the image.

I do hope you enjoyed this tutorial. I had great fun creating it.