Curled Ribbons with Visros (if you have it)

Curled Ribbons with Visros

based on settings by Laura White  Tutorial link no longer available. See notes below and have fun experimenting!



Open a new image 600 x 600 pixels at 300 pixels per inch.
Draw out a rectangle using preset shapes
Convert to raster layer
Fill with pattern or colour of choice
Keep selected
Apply chosen texture

Go to your plug-in menu, choose Visros, then Twist.
Use the settings below.

Position - Top left
Selection - Input
Parameters
direction - 30
location - 100
radius - 30
Page properties
Keep going back to Page Properties
and go to each of the property options and choose
Fore Page - image (the rectangle you drew) - opaque
Back Page - solid custom color - opaque -
(on the patterned ribbon I used - image - master image - opaque)
(on the plain ribbon I used - solid - customer colour and chose a darker shade)
(on the pale pink ribbon I used - solid - front colour - opaque)
Ground Page - solid - transparent - make sure the slider is fully to transparent
Unselected page - solid - transparent

As always, Experiment,
Try changing the direction / location / radius / settings
and using Adjust / Hue and Saturation / Hue/Saturation/Lightness - try colourizing your finished ribbons

Maybe try adding Greg's Pool Shadow to your straight ribbons - use intensity at about 52

Rick Rack or Ric Rac

Rick Rack

Tutorial - Rick Rack from (Pracken's Paint Scrapbook Series)

I absolutely love the variety of tutorials and skill from this talented lady!




Creating Rick Rack or Ric Rac (I wonder what the correct spelling is here?) was easier than I thought it would be so I enjoyed this valuable lesson.



Tutorial Note from Pat

Click image for larger preview.
I drew mine on 17 inch x 1 inch canvas at 300 pixels per inch with a line width of 150 (to be able to use it corner to corner if need be on a 12 inch page)
I used a pale blue gradient to draw the line - Angle 0 / Style Linear / Repeats 7
At this size I made my Effects / Distortion / Wave settings
Horizontal - Amplitude 0 Wave Length 1
Vertical - Amplitude 6 Wave Length 3
SAVE AS .png

Experiment

Copy your rick rack and paste as a new layer
Try adjusting colours, using
Adjust / Hue and Saturation / Hue/Saturation/Lightness
Experiment with textures and other material fills, blinds effects etc.,

Size Guide

Element and Paper Sizes

Digital Scrapping Size Guide for Elements and Papers
by PCArt


This is a quick visual size guide for Digital Scrapping, these are basically the sizes I work with and I hope these guides will be helpful to you.


Note:- Images have been re sized for Preview from 12 inch x 12 inch 300 pixels per inch to 78 pixels per inch and 600 pixels x 600 pixels / Smart Size / All Layers.

Converting Scraps Printing sizes
to TAG for web sizes
(by PCArt)

A question comes up quite often when creating Scraps for printing - about them being so big, and how people who do NOT want to print but only want to create for making TAGS for the web and for e-mail, don't know how to adjust thier sizes.

When you look at tags sometimes large elements like paper clips and buttons are used "almost as big".

It really is a question of personal taste.

Can you believe converting your size while creating from a tutorial is this easy?
Simply follow the Scrapping tutorial with the dimensions given, But change from 300 pixels per inch to 72 pixels per inch :)


Please note that creating on a smaller image also means down sizing the textures etc., given in the tutorials, so you will need to experiment with effects and filters to suit yourself.

Also a 12 inch x 12 inch paper will still be too big for a tag even at 72 pixels per inch so if you plan on creating a "paper" for your tags make it about 600 x 600 pixels at 72 pixels per inch.

EXAMPLES
POST CARD Print Size 6 inches x 4 inches at 300 pixels per inch as per Scrapping Tutorial/size guide.
*Converted to TAG size - same dimensions 6 inches x 4 inches at 72 pixels per inch
Postage Stamp for print size 1 inch x 1,5 inches 300 pixels per inch as per Scrapping Tutorial/size guide.
*Converted to TAG size - same dimensions 1 inch x 1,5 inches at 72 pixels per inch

Make Stickers

Making Stickers

Make sticker like images by using preset shapes and then adding a white flat edge to your images.

Use the magic wand to select areas of the image and while selected, apply a soft bevel to those areas to make them appear raised or cushioned above the white edges.



Try applying a texture to your areas of colour and a soft bevel too.

Make your own Brads

Make Your Own Brads

Using the skills you have already acquired, open a new image and then using shapes - circle, select and while selected fill with patterns and use image effects kaleidoscope to create amazing patterns. Apply a slight bevel to the edge and there you have a lovely brad!  Save as a .png image to place on your scrapping pages.

Postage Stamp

Tutorial - Creating a Postage Stamp  * 2017 tutorial link is no longer available - see notes below.
(By Zee Helmick)



Click on Image to see Preview shown at 600 pixels x 600 pixels at 78 pixels per inch

Tutorial Note from Pat

I worked on a 3 inch x 3 inch canvas at 300 pixels per inch
Flood fill with a colour to work over.
Add new Raster Layer / Selections select all contract x 41 flood with white
To cut the edges
View / Grids to see them / View / Change grids to 45 vertical and 45 horizontal
Eraser - Size 45 / erase dot on every other grid crossing around the white edge
Text - I used Comic Sans MS - sized at 30 points, 15 points and 12 points
Decorate with image of your choice.
I applied an Inner bevel to my stamp and a drop shadow, and saved as .png

Patchwork Flower Layout

Tutorial - Patchwork Flower Layout - * 2017 link no longer available
(by Zee Helmick)

Sorry the link is not available but use the image below as inspiration to create a similar layout.
Please share your results in our Facebook group -  Art & Digital Art Friends and use this patchwork flower template if you wish.


Ballet Image from Public Domain

Stripes from a Photo

Tutorial - Stripes from Photo no longer available (by Lori J Davis)

Here is another tutorial using Photoshop - but it will work in Paintshop Pro with a few little tweeks.

This tutorial can be used to create stripes for a paper or to create a different colour pallete if you are having difficulty choosing colours to work with for a certain image.

It can be used as a pattern fill - Experimenting with your program and colours, effects and settings is the key to creating something you did not at first expect.

A lot of my things are made "by accident" simply because of experimenting.

Just one thing - if you get something you really like - save it! (or write it down in a note book so you can remember how you did it, or so that you can tell us how you did it!)

Glitter Elements

Tutorial - Creating Glitter Elements - 2017 the link no longer works - see notes below.
(by Tracey Renemo)

Thanks to the wonderfully talented and generous teachers who share their talent and tutorials, I am continually learning!

Right click on this image and open in a new window to see a larger preview of the glitter.

The link given in tutorial for glitter does not work - use any glitter you have or use the ones I have here



you can also re-colour them and save them as a new colour .jpg

Things to do to set up for your Glitter Elements, you need the vector paint script.
it is not as complicated as you may first think it is! Unzip your Paint script and place it in your Scripts Restricted Folder.

Briefly it is this easy to do.
1 - Download Script - unzip and place your script in the correct folder.
2 - Find a glitter to use and open in your work space to view in your materials patterns palette.
3 - Open new canvas
4 - Set up your paint brush settings as set out below (save as your own preset)
5 - Choose your preset shape, or lettering, and place on your canvas. (as Vector)
6 - Run your script - File/Script/Run and choose Vector Paint Script and see what happens
7 - Keep on experimenting! Adjust your brush size and try again.

I have icluded the Glitters that I used.
You could also just paint your glitter on like doodles by hand with your paint brush.

Read through the tutorial carefully - then read my notes.

(I do not have the coloured noise brush)
Click on your Paint Brush and set to default
(click brush presets and click on bent back arrow to get to default)
Paint Brush Settings.
Round - size 17 - hardness 4 - step 35 -density 70
thickness 100 - rotation 0 - opacity 100 - blend mode normal
continuous unchecked - wet look paint unchecked.
Click View/Palettes/Brush Variance
all settings on 0 except Fade 100 - position jitter 5 - impressions per step 1
Open your choice of glitter pattern in your Paint Shop Pro work space.
Any open image in your workspace can be viewed in your Materials/patterns palette.
Save Brush Preset. Click on Brush Preset and then on the save disk image give your preset a name.

As you can see on my preview some glitter is smaller, just go to brush - change your size and then go back to run your script - use the undo button if you need to.
The script can only be run on the vector layer while it is a vector.
I use Paint Shop Pro XI - I can type text and then under the objects button - convert to path - I can then run the script on lettering too. However, if you are unable to do this you can select your text and float/defloat expand selection and paint your glitter by hand into your selection.

Email me for help if needed. See side bar.

Beads on a Wire & Wire Words

Tutorial - Beads on a Wire (by Tracey Renemo) * 2017 tutorial no longer available, see notes below.




Tutorial Note from Pat

Here I drew a curved vector line across my page and used a script to place the beads, then placed smaller beads by hand in between the larger ones. I then texturized and sculptured the line to make it like a string or cord.

Don't be afraid to experiment with sculptures, bevels, textures and colourization, you will be surprised what you can come up with!

Try using preset shapes or vector shapes and use your vector/tube paint script to place your beads, or place them by hand individually, on wire words for example.

Wire Words Tutorial

See 16 Beads for a tutorial on making your own beads




Thanks to the wonderfully talented and generous tutorial writers who share their talent, I am continually learning!

Photo Prong

Look at these prongs - can you see the simple shapes? Ovals and circles. This is where you begin creating your prongs with shapes.


Tutorial Notes from pat/PCArt

Save your first prong as a flat grey template with your brad still on a separate layer.


Copy and use your template to make many different brads.
When you are finished and your layers are merged,
go to Selections / Select all / Float / Defloat and crop to selection.
Save as .png

Try Different bevels, Textures, Sculptures, Pattern Fills,
The possibilities are endless!




This was a 12 inch x 12 inch page and the finished prongs were pasted onto it.

When viewing the page in Paint Shop Pro at 100% the Prongs are as big as you see the loose ones in this post, but on the page when viewed in Paint Shop Pro at between 17%and 20% which is about how big it would be when printing it out, they appear proportionately on the page as you see them above in this preview.

Perhaps this helps to explain why we create our elements "so big" :)

Chalked Edge Effect

Tutorial - Chalked Edge Effect
(By PCArt)


Using Paint Shop Pro - Open new canvas 600 x 600 pixels 300 pixels per inch
Fill with your colour choice

duplicate layer

On copy layer
Go to freehand selection tool - draw a narrow random selection quite close to the edge
all the way around your canvas to select the edge to be chalked.
(You could also Select modify and contract however much you want to)
Delete inner selection. (leaving edge on canvas) Select None.
Effects / Art Media Effects / Coloured Chalk - detail 20 - Opacity 20
Adjust Blur Gaussian Blur 13
Adjust add / remove noise - add noise - uniform - monochrome - 17%
On Chalk Layer Adjust /Sharpen and change layer property to Lighten.

(Optional - Apply texture to both layers)
I used Texture Canvas Coarse, size 150 depth 1 (smoothness, ambience, shininess 0)
Angle 315, Intensity 50, Elevation 30.

Merge Visible Layers and Save

Try this technique with other shapes.

Stamped Text

Note from Pat

Using Paint Shop Pro - on a 600 x 600 pixel canvas - played with the words, cutting and pasting them where I wanted them to be.

Heart was done with preset shape and stitches done with a script and then the stitches colour was adjusted using -Adjust / Hue and Saturation / Hue /Saturation/Lightness - I experimented with the settings until I got the colour I wanted.

The white lettering layer was lowered in opacity and nothing else was done to it.

I used Filters Unlimited for the background texture and a Rose preset shape, coloured, texturized, and lowered in opacity.

Adler Font

Make a scrap book page

Tutorial - Make a Scrapbook Page
(by Pracken)


I added the Peace symbol because it is also 50 this year. Click on image to see a larger preview. This image was downsized from 12 inch x 12 inch 300 pixels per inch
to 78 pixels per inch and 600 x 600 pixels - smart size in Paint Shop Pro.

This is an interesting tutorial - which I recommend you to only use as a guide.
It gives you a good example of a simple and elegant well balanced layout.
Do the tutorial exactly as presented if you want to.
By using your own images, elements and colours the result will be uniquely yours!
Use any free elements and tubes if you wish.

Tutorial Notes from pat/PCArt
I created my paper on a 12 inch x 12 inch canvas 300 pixels per inch - and Scribbled a lot with my paint brush set at default / round and size 50 - No two papers will be the same because our scribbles and colour choices are different.

Then I Applied Fantastic Machines Paint Engine - just hit the random button till I saw something I liked. Then I applied Brush Strokes as in the tutorial but used a darker shade of my dark colour. Applied Kaliedoscope at default - Applied Pattern at default - Applied Brush strokes again.

Creating paper like this takes a long time because of the size so you need to be very patient!

The fibres were drawn freestyle on a new layer, then selected and selection expanded by 7 - float - defloat and apply Fantastic Machines to give a fibrous look to them and a drop shadow.

My heading was done in Freestyle Script
set to bold and 90 points, then used the deform tool to rotate it slightly.

My buttons were made using Preset Shapes from Scrap Stuff with PSP

and I applied Effects - Flaming Pear - Laquer to them. Try any other glassy or sculpture effects on yours.

Easy Grosgrain Ribbon

Tutorial - Easy Grosgrain Ribbon
(by PCArt)

Preview Shown at approximately 20% - Click on image to see larger preview.

You may need to adjust the various settings depending on the size of your ribbon - please note tutorials are merely a guide for you to work with - ultimately the end result reflects your own creativity and individuality and style. Try different noise and blinds settings. Also when creating for a scrap page that you intend printing and creating at the large sizes stipulated, Try viewing at approximately 17% to 20 % to see what the printed image size will be like.

1 - Open a new canvas 17 inches x .50 inches (or however wide or long you want your ribbon to be)
17 inches is so that the ribbon can be used corner to corner at 45 degrees across a 12 inch x 12 inch page.
2 - flood fill your canvas with your colour
3 - selections /select all /modify /contract x 12 pixels / invert selection
4 - add a new layer and flood fill selection with a darker shade of your colour
5 - effects / texture effects / blinds / width 30 opacity 50 colour #202020 / horizontal and light Unchecked
6 - effects / 3d effects / inner bevel / default round - change depth and width to 2
7 - adjust / add remove noise / add noise gaussian monochrome 10 - 15
8 - lower opacity of this edge layer to 50 percent
9 - apply the same blinds and noise effects to the bottom ribbon layer
10 - merge visible
11 - effects / Greg's pool shadow / intensity 52 and lightness 190
12 - use your selection tool to select the end parts of the ribbon "frame" and delete so that your ribbon has raw ends.
13 - selections / select all / float / defloat / crop to selection

File / save as / image name .PNG
Greg's Pool Shadow Zip

Creating stitches in Paintshop Pro

Tutorial - Creating Stitches in Paint Shop Pro
This is an advanced Tutorial (from Just Mommies)



Here I used the script to stitch around preset shapes "square, heart and flower
1 - in vector mode - draw your shape,
2 - choose your tube/stitch/bead
3 - and then run the script!

To get the script for stitching (or beading etc.,)
around your vectors, go here

If you require help contact me, email is in side bar.

Simple Bezier Flowers

Tutorial - Simple Bezier Flowers(by SuzShook)  Tutorial link no longer available - see my notes below.

Tutorial Note by pat/PCArt
I made the first big pink flower following the tutorial - (well...sort of)
then duplicated and colorized for the red and orange
then played with preset shapes for the little pink ones and fern leaves. Use preset shapes and then use the WARP tool to manipulate the shapes slightly as you prefer. Paint or spray paint selected areas with gradients

Dymo Tape Label

Tutorial Dymo Tape Label
by PCArt



Shown at 20%

File New
3600 x 142 pixels 300 pixels per inch Raster background
this is for the tape

Flood fill with colour of choice
Open Font ARLRDBD

Click on Text tool and choose your font
you will see it as Arial Rounded MT 1 from your dropdown menu
and type your words - Auto Kern Off - Kerning 149
Colour white size 100 as Vector
Object - Align - Center in Canvas
Go to your layers and convert to Raster

SAVE

on your text layer
Selections select all float defloat
selections modify expand x 8 ok
add new layer
fill selections on new layer with tape colour
Select None
Effects 3d effects inner bevel
Default bevel 1


Adjust blur Gaussian blur 1
Lower opacity of this layer to 50%

on your top white text layer
(if not at the top - move to the top)

effects 3d effects
bevel default bevel 1
change width to 15 and depth to 5

merge visible
cut tape

apply inner bevel
default bevel 1
change width to 2 and depth to 1

save - you are done

xoxoxo pat/PCArt

Looking for Freebies? Click on the Freebie Label to see what is available!

Digital Scrapping Class

Polaroid Frame

Tutorial - Polaroid Frame(by ©PCArt)
Using Paint Shop Pro



Click on image to see Frames Shown at approximately 20%

Keep in mind the kind of dimensions a typical Polaroid Frame has
and this has to be one of the easiest things to do!

File New Image
1125 x 1353
300 pixels per inch
(Resize this to 20% if you only want to make a tag)

First Layer Create frame using selection tool rectangle
and flood fill Frame #dbdfe2
Use selection tool again to cut out the middle
(see sample images as a guide to where to cut out)
Bevel default 2
change to width 3 depth 3

(Optional Inner Film)
Select with magic wand inside frame
expand selection by 8
Add New Raster Layer
Fill selection on this new layer #202632
Gregs Pool Shadow and reduce layer opacity to about 40%
Make sure inner film layer is underneath

FINISH
Merge visible layers
click magic wand outside frame
invert and crop to selection
and save as .png


Challenge - Decorate those frames!



Now why stop at a plain old empty frame?

You've learned some pretty interesting things - you've made a colour palette, you've made a mat frame, a polaroid frame, a few embellishments, like the charm, a few felt shapes, and perhaps even some papers - now it is time to jazz up your work and make it uniquely you!

Go back to your simplest frames and decorate them and re-save them as a new creation.
Go back to your paper and select a piece of it and make a matching frame for your paper.
Bevel your frames and add other textures to them.
Make frames in different shapes!
Add your bows, buttons, beads etc to them!
Try using the colourizing feature in Paint Shop Pro to change the colours of your pieces

E x p e r i m e n t !
I n s p i r e !
C r e a t e !
Let's see what you can create!
Then show us what you have made - this way we can inspire each other
to try new ideas.

Visit other blogs and see what they make
and then "steal with your eyes" and make something of your own.

Scotch Tape

Tutorial - Scotch Tape
(© PCArt)Paint Shop Pro


File New .50 inch x 3 inch (or larger if you wish)
300 pixels per inch
Raster background
Selections Select all
Selections Modify Contract x 20
flood fill selection with white
Lower Layer opacity to 53
SAVE

Keep Selected
Add a New Layer
Foreground White / Background Black
Gradient Foreground-Background
Style Linear Angle 180 Repeats 7
Fill Selection with Gradient
Lower layer opacity to 36
SAVE

If White Layer is not on top move to top now
Adjust Add noise Uniform 28% Monochrom
Merge Visible

Choose selection tool Rectangle
Select a tiny part of the tape at the top and slightly higher

Apply Filter Fantasic Machine Paint Engine Sandpaper downhill

and then Apply effects Blur Gaussian Blur 1 to this selection

SAVE

Repeat this step again at the bottom of the tape

Selections Select all Float defloat
Image Crop to selection

SAVE as .png

Papers

I just thought I had better say, when we create scraps we need a theme. We need to decide what our "kit" is going to look like, what it is about, or for. What Colours, what elements, frames, or such things to we want to incorporate into the whole. That is why I had you practice making a Colour Palette.

If you have created your colour palette for this first kit and you are happy with your colour choice then remember to refer back to it whenever you are making your elements or papers to keep within your theme.

If you are not happy with it - why not try again and when you are happy - you will feel more confident to continue with the rest of your "kit"

Talking about Papers!!! That is what I want you to play with this time - Paper is very important - it forms the background to your layout. You don't want it too busy that it takes over.

If you have never made papers for scrapping before then, Practicing on a 12 inch by 12 inch 300 dpi image in Paint Shop Pro can be very tiring and frustrating if it is going slow you might want to just quit! Don't! - Rather practice on a smaller image say - 600 pixels by 600 pixels so you can get the feel of how your paper might look - try a few practices of patterns colour fills and textures and also play with your effects - get to know what can be done and then as you build your confidence you can make proper papers.

Practice Making Papers




My Method for the Tea Stained Edges Paper

New Raster Layer one - flood fill with my lightest colour from my Robin Palette

New Raster Layer two - Selection/Freehand Selection/Replace/Feather 71/AntiAlias Unchecked -draw selection quite wide in all around the edge - Selections/Invert - Flood Fill with #442f24 Tolerance 20 / Normal / Opacity 16 - Selections/Select None

New Raster Layer three - Selection/Freehand Selection/Replace/Feather 71/AntiAlias Unchecked -draw selection about half the last width all around the edge - Selections/Invert - Flood Fill with #442f24 Tolerance 20 / Normal / Opacity 20 - Selections/Select None

New Raster Layer four - Selection/Freehand Selection/Replace/Feather 71/AntiAlias Unchecked -draw selection close to the edge all around - Selections/Invert - Flood Fill with #442f24 Tolerance 20 / Normal / Opacity 30 - Selections/Select None - Change Layer Opacity to Darken

Then Close Bottom Colour Layer

Merge Visible Edge layers 2,3,and 4 / Adjust / Add Noise /Gaussian /Monachrome /50%

Open Bottom Colour Layer Colour and Apply Effects / Texture if you wish.

I applied a snakeskin texture at size 150

SAVE AS yournamepaper.jpg

You can change your background Colour apply texture and again SAVE AS anothernamepaper.jpg

I also saved my merged stained edge layer on its own as a .png to use as an overlay too.

Why not just dive right in and try using different fill patterns or make your own patterns.

Buttons

Tutorial - Buttons - From this video tutorial

Your first digital scrap layout

Tutorial - Creating Your First Computer Layout
(Paul Mutton 2001-2006)

Note

If you want to print your layout, then you will want to try and achieve at least 300dpi (dots per inch).

This means your layout will have be at least 3600 x 3600 pixels in size to print out a 12 inch square layout. You may need a lot of memory for images of this size, so be warned!

South African Blinkies

I made a few Blinkies for my South African visitors! Julle is baie welkom!

Click on images to see the real preview and to save to your computer. Enjoy!