Masks Part 3
|
SIMPLE MASK AS A GRAPHIC
Try this after you've done Simple Mask Pts 1 & 2 to get the
look of rubberstamping with rainbow inkpads.
1. Download "fish.jpg, open in PSP 6 and minimize.
|

|
2. Open a new image size 350 x 150 with a
white background @ 16.7 million colors.
3. Add a new layer to the new image.
4. Click on the flood fill tool on toolbar on left side of screen
(bucket).
5. Click on Tool Option Palette. On first tab of flood fill menu
showing a bucket click on "fill style." Choose any gradient
you'd like. I chose "linear gradient." with opacity of 100.
Other settings should be normal or none (fig 1).

|
6. Click on second tab with the small gray
gradient. Settings should be zero. Click on "Edit," which will
take you to another menu (fig 2).

|
7. There you will see a list of the default
linear gradients that come with PSP 6. You can also create your own. I
chose purple-blue-orange. You will see the sliding scale with the colors
in the gradient. You can adjust the gradient by sliding the little
arrows from side to side or even changing the colors by clicking on the
color squares. Experiment by clicking and moving everything to see what
happens (fig 3).

|
8. Once you've chosen your gradient, click
the bucket cursor on the new layer. If you don't like it you can undo
and adjust the gradient (fig 4).

|
9. Add a new layer for the mask. Go to
<Masks menu> and click on <new> then <from image> then
in the drop down menu click on fish. You will not see the mask until you
color it. To see the mask click on <mask menu> then <view
mask> to see a pink shadow mask (fig 5).

|
10. You can color the mask any color you'd
like by clicking on the flood fill tool again. I used another linear
gradient called "blue fading" after adjusting the colors where
I wanted them. I clicked on mask layer with the bucket cursor
(fig 6).

|
Go to <mask menu> and uncheck <view
mask> to get rid of the pink shadow.
11. Fig 7 is the final graphic to which I added a border by clicking
on <image> menu then <add border>. The border will be
whatever color you choose as the background color. The numbers represent
the width of the border in pixels. I chose 4 pixels wide and
symmetrical.

|
12. Fig 8 is the same process done with
"vase.jpg" graphic, which is available for download so you can
try it on your own.

|
13. By the way instead of flood filling the
background or coloring masks with solid colors or gradients, you can
also use patterns. I save all kinds of backgrounds from the internet as
seamless tiles to use for just this purpose. To do this open the
pattern/tile you want to use and minimize. When the flood fill menu is
open, instead of choosing a gradient or solid color, click on pattern.
Then click on the tab with the grid and on the drop down menu click on
the name of your pattern. Flood fill the same as you did with the
gradients.

Back to Masks Part 1 |