In the lesson we will cover some of the most commonly used PSP 8 effects.
In the last lesson you seen PSP 8 comes with a lot of effects. There are some effects that are used more then others such as the 3D Effects because they add dimension to your images.
We are going to create a button using some of the most used effects so that you get an idea what they do. Keep in mind that these effects works for all images not just buttons.
Don't forget when using each effect to take the time to change each setting so you can see what it does. That is the best way to learn what they do and a lot more fun then doing a lot of reading.
Create a New canvas. (Click File|| New [Ctrl+N])
Width = 200 pixels
Height = 100 pixels
Resolution = 72.00 pixels
Background = Raster
Color Depth = 16 Million Colors (24 Bit)
Color = Transparent Checked
Selections || Select All (Ctrl+A) then Click Selections || Modify || Contract =10.
Click your Flood tool and reset to default. In Tool Options set the Match Mode to None. Fill the section with the Electric Blues gradient (Set your Foreground to Gradient and select Electric Blues).
Let's add some texture. A lot of tutorials use a plug-in to add texture but PSP has its own Texture filter that can be used instead. Click Effects || Texture Effects || Texture and choose the Pool Bottom texture from the preset drop down list. Click Ok.
Click Selections || Invert. Click Effects || 3D Effects || Drop Shadow with the following settings: Vertical and Horizontal = 2, Opacity = 50, Blur = 5, and Color = Black (#000000). Click Ok.
Add another Drop Shadow with these settings: Vertical and Horizontal = -2 (negative 2), Opacity = 50, Blur = 5, and Color = Black (#000000). Click Ok.
Change your foreground to Color and put #1B81A9 in the box beside HTML.
Add a New Raster Layer (Layers || New Raster Layer) and Click your Flood tool and reset to default. In Tool Options set the Match Mode to None. Fill the selection. Apply the same Texture Effect (Click Effects || Texture Effects || Texture choose Pool Bottom).
Click Effects || 3D Effects || Inner Bevel. Remember take a few minutes and change the settings so you get an idea what they do then reset to default. Change the settings to Width = 5, Smoothness = 76, Depth = 5, Ambience = 19, Shininess = 40, Color = White (#FFFFFF), Angle = 315, Intensity = 62, and Elevation = 20. Click Ok.
Layers || Merge || Merge Visible. Ok our button has shaped up well. You can see how the Drop Shadow and Inner Bevel add some depth. Let's add some text.
Add a New Raster Layer (Layers || New Raster Layer) and name it Text. Add a New Raster Layer (Layers || New Raster Layer) and name it Shadow. Add a New Raster Layer (Layers || New Raster Layer) and name it Cutout. You should now have 4 layers counting the merged one.
Click the Text tool and reset to default. Change Create As to Floating, Font = Impact, and Size = 36. Set Foreground to null and Background to Black.
Click inside your button to open the Text Entry dialog and type Home. Click Apply. Edit || Cut (Ctrl+X) then Edit || Paste || Paste as a new layer (Ctrl+L) to center your text.
Selections || Select All (Ctrl+A), Selections || Float (Ctrl+F), and Selections || Defloat (Ctrl+Shift+F). Right click on the top layer in the layer palette and click Delete.
Click on the cutout layer in the Layers palette. Click Effects || 3D Effects || Cutout and reset to default. Cutout settings are Vertical and Horizontal = 2, Opacity = 100, Blur = 4.00, Shadow color Black, and Fill Interior is UNchecked. Click Ok. Do not Deselect!
Click on the shadow layer in the Layers palette. Click Effects || 3D Effects || Drop Shadow and change the settings to Vertical and Horizontal = 1, Opacity = 100, Blur = 1, and Color = White. Click Ok. Do not Deselect!
Click on the text layer and flood fill with the Electric Blues gradient. Click Effects || Texture Effects || Texture and choose Pool Bottom. Deselect (Selections || None [Ctrl+D]). Click Layers || Merge || Merge All (Flatten). Save (File || Save).
That covers the most used Effects. Take some time to explorer all the other Effects that PSP has to offer. Check out all the tutorials on the web covering the different effects. Don't forget about the new effects too such as Balls and Bubbles. I had a lot of fun with that one.
Note: If you are doing a tutorial written for earlier versions of PSP keep in mind that Jasc reorganized the Effects menu and moved several items to the Adjust menu. In other words all the effects are still there you just have to look for them.