Frosted Mask Frame

Filters you will need before starting:

Fun House http://perso.wanadoo.fr/funanbule/

DSB Flux http://perso.wanadoo.fr/funanbule/

Simple http://www.btinternet.com/~cateran/simple/

FM Tile Tools http://www.fantasticmachines.com/html/free_download.htm

Open your graphic in PSP. Duplicate and close the original. We are going to be adding 65 pixels in borders to each side of the graphic so resize with that in mind. A graphic that is square will be easier to work with.

Choose 2 complimentary colors from your graphic to make the frame with. Create a new canvas equal in dimensions to your graphic. Fill with one of the colors you just chose. Apply DSB Flux/Bright Noise at 37. Apply your mask. Invert if necessary. You want to end up with something that looks like this…………

Go to Masks/Delete and answer yes to the question. (PSP8 users-Delete Layer Mask Raster 1.  Go to Layers/Merge Group.)  Copy your mask and paste as a new layer on top of your graphic. Move it into place at the bottom of the graphic. If the mask you’ve chosen is rather wide and covers too much of your graphic move it down so that half of it is off the screen. You can play around with the mask moving it around until you have something you like. In this sample I’ve moved the mask down until only about half of it is actually visible. Go to Layers/Duplicate and then go to Image/Flip. Duplicate the layer again and go to Image/Rotate. Rotate left at 90 degrees. (PSP8 users-Select Free Rotate and make sure to check the box "Rotate single layer around canvas center" and uncheck the box "All layers")  Move the mask into place at the left of the graphic. Duplicate this layer and go to Image/Mirror. You should now have your mask bordering the graphic on all 4 sides.

If you have used a graphic that is longer than it is wide or vice versa, when creating the new canvas make it the exact dimensions of your graphic and get your top and bottom mask borders. Then create another new canvas with opposite dimensions to get your two side mask borders. In other words if your graphic is 375 W x 288 L make the first canvas 375x288. Make the second one 288x375.

Once you have all four borders in place open your layer pallet and hide the bottom layer which is your graphic. Go to Layers/Merge/Merge Visible for the four mask borders. Apply a drop shadow if desired and reactivate the bottom layer. Layers/Merge/Merge All.

Add a 5 px border in the opposite color from that which you used on the mask. Switch colors and add another 5 px border in the first color.

Switch colors again and add a 25 px border. Select this border with your magic wand. Go to Effects/3D Effects/Cutout. Settings are Horizontal 1, Vertical 1, Opacity 100, Blur 11.3, make sure the Fill with Color box is unchecked. Apply one more time changing the horizontal and vertical settings to -1. Selections/Select None.

Switch colors again and add a 20 px border. Select this border with your magic wand and apply DSB Flux/Bright Noise at 37. While still selected apply FunHouse/Sierpenski’s Mirror at the following settings:

Selections/Select None.

Switch your colors one more time and add a 10 px border. Select with your magic wand and apply the FunHouse/Sierpenski’s Mirror filter again using the same settings as above. With this border still selected go to Selections/Promote Selection to Layer. Image/Flip. Image/Mirror. Apply an inner bevel using the Metallic bevel at the following settings:

Selections/Select None.

Select a corner tube of your choice. (I have made several specifically for this tutorial which members of my Yahoo group can download from the group site.)

Open the corner tube in PSP. Duplicate and close the original. Selections/All. Selections/Float. Using the two colors you used earlier in the frame, create a gradient - Linear/Angle 135/Repeats 10. Fill the corner tube with this gradient. Selections/Select None. Go to Edit/Copy and activate your framed graphic and paste as new layer. Move the corner into position on the solid colored border on which you applied the cut-out. Go to Layers/Duplicate and then Image/Flip. Layers/Duplicate and Image/Mirror. And one more time, Layers Duplicate and Image/Flip. All 4 corners should now be in position. On your layer palette, hide the bottom layer which is your graphic. Go to Layers/Merge/Merge Visible. Apply a drop shadow to the merged corner layer. Reactivate the graphic layer. Apply your watermark and save as a jpg for later assembly in Letter Creator.

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