Tips and Tutorials for PSP 8

Old English Metal Text


Note: I try to write tutorials that will encourage you to experiment and explore some of the things you can do with PSP. It's discouraging to see a message in my guest book saying this tutorial has been made into a script to be passed around and used. Anyone who uses the script will only make carbon copies instead of learning and creating.. Scripts can be very useful, but they shouldn't be replacing tutorials. This tutorial is NOT to be scripted or made into a "Quick Guide" unless it is for your own personal use.

To do this tutorial you will need a working knowledge of PSP. If you are new to PSP, or have a problem doing this tutorial, you can find me at Raven's PSP Forum, be happy to help you out. You also need 2 Gradients, Steel and Lilac, and a preset for Black and White Points. Click here to download the preset. Unzip and place in your PSP presets folder. Download, unzip the gradient files and place them in your gradients folder. Click here to download. Click here to download. This is an easy tutorial. It's very similar to my Metal Plate tutorial. If you are very new to PSP 8, you might want to try that tutorial before trying this one.

Step 1 Open a new image 600 X 300 Set the background to Transparent. Click on your background color to open the Materials Palette. Find the "mqc Lilac" Gradient. Set it to Style> Linear Repeats> 4 Angle> 348 Click on your Foreground color to open the Materials Palette. Find the "mqc Steel" Gradient. Set it to Style>Linear Repeats>1 Angle>208

Step 2 Click the text tool on your tool bar. Check on the tool options, make sure it's set to Vector. Click on your image and type your text into the Text Entry Box. Highlight your text and choose a Font and size. Keep the Stroke to 0.0 and check Anti-alias. I unchecked Auto kern and set the Kerning to 70 to increase the space between letters. That's optional, set it however you want. When you have all your options set, click apply. Go to Objects>Align>Center in Canvas. Your text will move to the center of your image. (Shown at 50% )

	Note: This tutorial works best with thinner fonts. For a wider font try increasing the width of the bevel.

Go to Selections>Create from Vector. Go to Selections>Load/Save Selection>Save Selection to Alpha Channel. A dialog box will come up showing your selection. Just click on Save. You may or may not need to use the selection, but it's good item to have. As long as you save your image as a PSP image the selection will be there. If you want to test it, go to Selections>Select None to deselect your text. Go to Selections>Load/Save Selection>Load from Alpha Channel. Click on Load. Note: If you "undo" while working on your image your selection will be lost.

Step 3 Make sure your text is still selected. Go to Layers>Convert to Raster Layer. (You can't add effects to a vector object.) Go to Effects>Artistic Effects> Contours. Use these settings. Color Black.

Step 4 Go to Effects>Artistic Effects>Enamel. Set it like this. Color white. Go to Adjust>Blur>Blur Average. Set it to 3.

Step 5 Go to Layers>New Raster Layer. Flood Fill Layer 3 with the "mqc Steel" gradient. Go Adjust>Blur>Gaussian Blur. Set it to 4. Note: The amount of Gaussian Blur to use varies with the size of the text. Smaller text = less blur, Larger text = more blur.

Step 6 Open your Layer Palette. Click on the small arrow next to Normal on Layer 3. Set it to Hard Light.


Step 7 Go Layers>Merge>Merge Visible. Go to Effects>Artistic Effects>Chrome. Use these settings.

Step 8 Go to Effects>3D Effects>Inner Bevel. Use the these settings. You might want to save this as "old English"

	Note: At this point you could clean up your edges, Sharpen and Colorize. Add a Drop Shadow and be done.

Step 9 Go Layers>Duplicate. Go to Adjust>Negative Image. Open your Layer Palette. Set the Blend Mode to Overlay on your duplicate layer. Go Layers>Merge>Merge Visible. Go to Adjust>Sharpness>Sharpen More.


Step 10 Go to Effects>Texture Effects>Soft Plastic. Use these settings. Color #EDF6F7

Step 11 Go to Selections>Modify>Inside/Outside Feather. Set it to Inside, Feather Amount 1. Go to Selections>Invert. Go to Edit>Clear. Go to Selections>Invert. That will give you a cleaner edge around your letters. Go to Adjust>Sharpness>Sharpen More Go to Adjust>Hue and Saturation>Colorize. Go to Adjust>Sharpness>Sharpen More

	Note: At this point you could go to Adjust>Color Balance>Black and White Points, use the "old English" preset, or experiment with you own settings. Add a Drop Shadow and be done. Camp Ratty has some information on using Black and White Points.

Step 12 Add a New Raster Layer. Flood Fill with the "Duotone dark blue" that comes with PSP, or a similar gradient. Set the Layer Blend Mode to Overlay.

Step 13 Go to Selections>Select None. Do not merge your layers. Your blue highlighted Layer is the active one. Make sure the top layer is active. Go to Effects>3D>Effects>Drop Shadow. Use these settings. Go to Layers>Merge Visible.

	Note: At this point you could Sharpen, add a Drop Shadow and be done.

	Note: Another option at this point, you could repeat your Chrome setting and sharpen. Add a Drop Shadow and be done.

Step 14 Go to Adjust>Negative Image.

	Note: At this point you could Sharpen, add a Drop Shadow and be done.

Step 15 Go to >Effects>Artistic Effects>Chrome. Use these settings. Go to Selections>Load/Save Selections>Load Selection from Alpha Channel. Go to Adjust>Color Balance>Black and White Points. Find the "old English" preset and apply it. I don't really understand this tool yet, so I can't include any advice on how to use it.

	Note: At this point you could go to Layers>Duplicate. Set your Foreground Color to White. Go to Effects>Artistic Effects>Hot Wax Coating.
	Set the Layer Blend Mode to Dodge and Merge Visible. Add a Drop Shadow and be done.

Step 16 Go to Effects>Artistic Effects>Chrome. Use these settings. Go to Adjust>Sharpness>Unsharp Mask. Use the default settings. Repeat 4 times. Go to Effects>3D Effects>Inner Bevel. Use the "old English" preset. Go to Adjust>Brightness and Contrast>Brightness/Contrast. Add a Drop Shadow and call it done.:) To create a metal plate go here. Need screws for the plate? Go here. Back to top of page

Experiment, and have fun!

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Tips and Tutorials for PSP 8