In this lesson we will use scripts to enhance a photo and add a caption. We will also create a frame for the photo using Add Borders, Dropper tool, and Inner Bevel.
Before you start extract the file from the b13scriptszjh_v8-dl.zip file, which contains the photo I used to complete the tutorial or you can use your own photo.
Open (File || Open) scooter.jpg or another photo of your choice. Duplicate (Windows || Duplicate [Shift+D]) and close the original.
Look at the toolbar area and see if the Photo and Script toolbars are on. You can also click View || Toolbars or right click on one of the toolbars and highlight Toolbars to see if they are on. If not just click on the one you want to turn on in the menu.
Make sure the Script Output palette is on, if not click View || Palettes || Script Output (F3) to turn it on.
Remember to turn toolbars and palettes on/off you click on them in View menu.
The reason I had you turn on both the photo and script toolbars is because the script we are going to run to enhance the photo can be found on both toolbars. The Photo toolbar contains various tools for enhancing photos and the Script toolbar contains various tools for running, editing, recording and saving scripts.
Scripts contain a set of actions that will be performed. PSP 8 comes with several great scripts such as the 2 we are going to use. You can also make your own and download scripts others have made.
It is very important to remember when downloading scripts that scripting is a program language and therefore can contain harmful code. Jasc has taken steps to prevent harmful code from being executed by providing Restricted and Trusted folders. It is best NOT to put any scripts you download into the Trusted folder!
Any scripts located outside of the Trusted folder are ran in restricted mode which means potentially harmful commands will not be executed. This includes presets, swatches, and print templates (which are really scripts) also.
Don't be afraid of any scripts, presets, swatches, and print templates offered by other people though because there are some great ones available. Just put them where they go and you should be fine. The Brushtip_name.pspscript files goes in the Brushes folder, the Preset_type_name.pspscript goes in the Preset folder, Swatch_name.pspscript goes in the Swatches folder, MIPTemplate_name.pspscript goes in the Templates folder, and all other .pspscript files you download goes in the Restricted folder.
Now that you know how to protect yourself let's get back to enhancing the photo.
Jasc has made it easy for us by linking the script we are going to run to the Photo toolbar so we are going to run it from there. Click Enhance Photo then click One Step Photo Fix.
Look at the items on the Photo Enhance menu then look at the Script Output palette you will see that the script executed all the commands on the menu using default settings. You could have clicked on each option separately and clicked reset to default on each one to produce the same effect.
The same script can also be ran from the Script toolbar. We will cover the Script toolbar later in this lesson. You can turn off the Photo toolbar if you wish we are done with it.
Let's create a frame for our photo. First we want to save an alpha selection of our image so we can save our frame later. Selections || Select All (Ctrl+A) then Selections || Load/Save Selection || Save Selection To Alpha Channel. Name the selection photo. Deselect (Selections || None [Ctrl+D]).
Click on your Dropper tool Sample size 1 Pixel put it over a color you like in your image and left click to make it the Foreground color. Put the dropper over a different color in your image and right click to make it the Background color. I chose a light brown (#94755B) and a dark brown (#5A411E) from the foot area. These are the colors we are going to use for the frame.
Click Image || Add Borders make sure Pixels and Symmetric are selected. Type 10 in one of the white boxes, since you have Symmetric checked the other 3 white boxes will be changed to 10 also.
Still in the Add Borders dialog right click on the color box beside the Other button you will see two color boxes representing your Foreground and Background colors click on one of them. Click Ok.
Click the Magic Wand tool reset to default Tolerance = 0. Click inside the border you just added to select it. If a part of your image is selected also click Selections || Load/Save Selection || Load Selection From Alpha Channel. Choose the photo selection. Click Load. Click Selections || Invert.
Click Effects || 3D Effects || Inner Bevel. Choose Frame from the Preset list. Click Ok. Deselect (Selections || None [Ctrl+D]).
Click Image || Add Borders make sure Pixels and Symmetric are selected. Type 5 in one of the white boxes. Right click on the color box and choose the other color this time. Click Ok.
Click the Magic Wand tool reset to default Tolerance = 0. Click inside the border you just added to select it. Click Effects || 3D Effects || Inner Bevel. Choose Frame from the Preset list. Click Ok. Deselect (Selections || None [Ctrl+D]).
Click Image || Add Borders make sure Pixels and Symmetric are selected. Type 10 in one of the white boxes. Right click on the color box and change back to the first color. Click Ok.
Click the Magic Wand tool reset to default Tolerance = 0. Click inside the border you just added to select it. Click Effects || 3D Effects || Inner Bevel. Choose Frame from the Preset list. Click Ok. Deselect (Selections || None [Ctrl+D]).
Picture Frame (optional) : Only do the steps in this paragraph if you wish to save your frame. Duplicate (Windows || Duplicate [Shift+D]). Layers || Promote Background Layer. Selections || Load/Save Selection || Load Selection From Alpha Channel. Choose the photo selection. Click Load. Hit the Delete key to erase the photo. File || Export || Picture Frame, type in what you want to name your frame, and click Save. Close the frame image. When asked if you want to save changes click No because your frame has already been saved. You can add your frame to any image now by clicking Image || Picture Frame and choosing it from the list. (End of optional steps).
Now back to the Script toolbar. You can also find the Script options by clicking File || Script. It is easier to use the toolbar though. Right click in the Script Output palette and click Clear.
In the Script toolbar choose the simplecaption option from the drop-down list and click the Run button 
. An Enter Image Caption dialog will open just type in the caption you want. I put Scooter because that is this dog's name. Click Ok. Watch the script output window and you will see PSP executing a series of actions.
I don't like the color it chose for background and I want the text to stand out more so let's make some changes.
Click on the Page Surface layer in the Layers Palette. Click your Flood tool and reset to default. In Tool Options set the Match Mode to None. Flood with the color you used for the middle of the frame. Click Effects || Texture Effects || Texture and choose the Pool Bottom preset. Right click on the color box and choose White. Click Ok.
Click on the plus sign in front of the Caption text layer in the layers palette to expand the layers. Double click on the text layer (has the text tool icon followed by the caption you typed). The text dialog will open with the caption selected (if you want to change the words type in the new words and select them). While the text was selected I changed the Font Size to 20 and clicedk the B (bold) button under Font Style on the Tool Options palette. Make any changes to the text you want. Change the colors in the Materials palette if you want to change the color of the text. That's it for creating the image. Save (File || Save).
There are several buttons on the Script toolbar. I want to draw your attention to the recording section of your toolbar. There are 4 buttons here Start Script Recording, Pause Script Recording, Cancel Script Recording, and Save Script Recording. These are the buttons you can use to create your own scripts.
To make a script click on the Start Script Recording and perform the actions you want the script to do. When you have completed all the actions click on the Save Script Recording button. Type in what you want to name your script and click Save. The script will be saved to the Restricted folder. The pause button pauses recording and the cancel button stops recording without saving.
Scripts are great time savers. If you find yourself repeating the same actions repeatedly then consider making yourself a script.
That's it! I hope you enjoyed this lesson. In the next lesson we will be covering Canvas Size, Cropping, Resizing, and Feathering.