Creating Snowglobes with Paint Shop Pro Version 7

This tutorial uses Paint Shop Pro version 7. We will be using the preset shapes that come with Paint shop pro and playing with some of the controls.
Open a new image 300 x 400, 16 million colors and transparent background. Now go to the preset shapes icon on the tool pallet (it looks like a blue square with a red circle in front of it), see image below.

Click on the small grey bar to the right of the tool preview area and move down until you get to the website buttons and select on of the round buttons. Be sure that you have create as vector selected.

For this tutorial I used the orange one, select a colored button that will enhance the image/item you want to place in the globe.


Move to your image
and move your cursor
until you get an oval
similar to the one to the left.
When you release the cursor the
area will change to a color
filled button.

You can adjust the shape of your
oval using the vector manipulation tools.
Be sure to position your oval near the upper portion of your image, leaving room for your globe stand and a small area around the oval to fill in the next step as a ring around the globe.



Use the layer pallet to convert your vector layer to a raster layer, see image to the left.



Now use the magic wand to select the background area around your oval, see image to the right.

Now do a selection, Invert so that the oval is selected.




We will now use the retouch tool (it looks like a hand on the tools pallet)
to smooth away the bevel edge in the upper left hand corner of the oval.
Set the tool option to smudge, and make your brush size about 30, opacity about 40.
With several stokes of the brush (from the center of the oval outward you can smooth the area.
Use the undo and redo until you are happy with the looks of the button. DO NOT DESELECT the oval area.


Now we will create a ring around the globe.
Do a Selection, Modify, Expand setting of about 8 pixels.
The little marching ants ring will move out from the oval.




Add a new layer and move it under your oval.

Click on the flood fill tool,
now select colors to use for your ring.
I chose one of the darker colors from the button.
You can also use a gradient fill,
use the style buttons under the color pallet
to select the type of gradient fill your want.

Remember that only about 8 to 10 pixels of your fill will show around the button. See image below.






Now do a selection, modify, contract of 10 pixels.

Your marching ants ring will move back within the area of the oval.






Be sure that you are on the layer you just filled,
use the scissors to cut away the inner area that you just filled.






Turn off the layer with the oval in it using the layer pallet.

Now select the ring that you just created using the magic wand.
Do a Selection, Modify, Expand of one pixel.
Do a Selection, Modify, Feather of one pixel.







For this tutorial I used Paint Shop Pro effects to finish the area.

Go to effects menu,

move down to texture,

then choose emboss.










To add a base to your globe,
you can use some of the design fonts that you find on the internet
or a tube.

Here I used a design font called Designs Galore,
and used the same Paint Shop Pro emboss effect on the base.








We now can add a globe to the image.
Turn off all the layers except the ring
you can leave the base as long as it does not interfere with the ring at all
Use the magic wand and select the area in the middle of the ring.
Do a modify selection expand of about 2 pixels.
Add a layer, chose the globe tube that you want to use
and add it to the new layer
You may have to adjust the size of the tube
until you get it to fit just right






Turn on all your layers and in the layer pallet,
right click and choose properties
and name each of your layers.







You can use a sparkle tube to add a highlight to your globe.
I save a great deal of time later and save the globe as a psp file at this point.
Then I can use it again at some other time and you can easily change the base, or adjust the color the of oval to suit another item. Hit Control plus D to make a copy and close your psp file. Now we will make start the fun!!
Continue to page 2

---

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial. Please feel free to contact me with any thoughts for improving it. Email Me  Page Updated December 1, 2002.

If you liked this tutorial, try one of my other tutorials . You can find sites with great bladepro presets, tubes, frames, etc on my psp quick links pages .

When you have a minute, stop by my domain page

Web Design by: Pysmatic Services