All graphics and tutorials on this site are copyright � 1998 by Dr. Jo Ann/Visual Sonnets.

Please, see the Terms of Usage on the Sets page for use of graphics.  Tutorials may not be reproduced without express written permission of the author.

am-em-linkback.jpg (3673 bytes)

 

am-em-welcome.jpg (7940 bytes)

 

Two Related Textures

am-em-bar.jpg (3215 bytes)
It is assumed that the user is familiar with PSP5 and comfortable working with layers and selections.  Often, I save selections to the alpha channel which I don't really need, but it is easier to do that than to try to recreate a selection.

In this tutorial, we will use Paint Shop Pro and Blade Pro to do the following:

  • On the first page, we created "gems" with fairly simple facets, but clearly distinguishable pavilion cuts.
  • On this page, we will explore how to create the texture found on this set in both a light and dark version.  This will employ the use of the "hue map".
  • On the third page, we will look at ways of using Blade Pro to make metallic decorations from very "thin" dingbats, such as some of Davy's Dingbats.

 

am-em-bar.jpg (3215 bytes)
Step 1 Open an image which is 200x 200 pixels.
Step 2 Add a layer called White Base and flood fill with white
Step 3 Add a layer called Black Base and flood fill with black.
Step 4 Duplicate Black Base for another black layer.
Step 5 On the copy, add about 50% random noise.
Step 6 Select all, and then modify the selection to make black transparent with a tolerance of 35.
Step 7 Promote this selection to a new layer called Speckle 1.  At this point I save the selection, but it is not required to do so.
Step 8 Keep the selection active.  Using the Hue Map under the Colors menu, adjust the sliders so that you only have greens and purples.
Step 9 Duplicate this layer and call it Speckle 2.  Adjust the lightness from the HSL by about 75%.
Step 10 Select none.
Step 11 Staying on the Speckle 2 layer, Gaussian blur with a radius of 3.
Step 12 Moving to the Speckle 1 layer, soften it.
Step 13 Make only the White Base and Speckle 2 layers to be visible.  Choose a 100 x 100 selection in the middle of the image, and make a seamless tile from it.
Step 14 Repeat Step 13 for other combinations of layers.  Using Black Base and Speckle 1 is effective, as are the two speckled layers on top of the white base.
Options
  • Try bases of different colors before applying random noise.
  • Use more or less random noise.
  • Vary the tolerance level for the Make Transparent modification.
  • Use different colors combinations when changing the hue map.
  • Adjust saturation and lightness from the hue map as well as the HSL.
  • Gaussian blur by a different radius.
  • Use Soften More, or another blurring option.
  • Put in some more layers in different colors and try combining the speckle layers over those.
  • Vary the opacity of the speckle layers.
  • Start with an even larger base, and resize down.
  • Etc., etc., etc. - this is a very versatile technique!
Note The bases for the sidebar, welcome, etc. were made from the light version of this texture.  I then used part of Mardi's Jeweled graphics tutorial to give the sense of dimensionality.  You can find that tutorial here.

am-em-bar.jpg (3215 bytes)
am-em-mail.jpg (1758 bytes)      E-mail me with any questions or comments.
am-em-purple-button.jpg (1406 bytes) am-em-green-button.jpg (1188 bytes) am-em-purple-button.jpg (1406 bytes)
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am-em-bar.jpg (3215 bytes)
This page was last modified on 09/30/98 01:25 PM CDT