Paint Shop Pro - Versions 8, 9 and X

Understanding and Using Masks - Part 2

Once you have your photo or graphic masked there are many ways you could complete it for presentation. You could simply Merge the Layers, do any resizing that is necessary, enhance, buttonize or use any other finishing technique. Here are a couple of ideas you might try.

This part of the Mask Tutorial uses the tulip photo from the previous page and a bouquet of flowers made from tubes which you can download by going to the link below:

Step 1. Set up new image.

Open a new image 300 x 300 with a White Background.

With the tulip picture open, use the Selection Tool and select a center portion of the tulips. Copy the selection (Ctrl C) and Paste as a New Image (Ctrl V). Do not paste into the blank image you have opened above. You can now close the original large tulip picture. But leave the small one open.

Step 2. Back to Original Blank Image.

On the original blank image paste a copy of the Flower Bouquet made in the first exercises of this week. Make sure the Bouquet is pasted as a new layer.

Step 3. Add Mask.

1. Add New Raster Layer
2. Load Mask From Disk
   Mask in Sample - Edge Pattern.

Step 4. Choose Pattern.

Click on Foreground/Stroke and choose Pattern. Use the Drop-Down arrow and scroll all the way to the top. You should see the tulip pattern that you have copied and pasted as a new image (shown in the sample on the right).

Settings for Pattern:
    Angle: = 0
    Scale: = 43

Note: Any image that you have open will show as a pattern you can select and use for painting.

Step 5. Flood Fill with Pattern.

Make sure the Raster Layer under the Mask Layer is selected. Use the Flood Fill Tool and Left Click to fill the Layer.

Step 6. Invert Mask Adjustment.

Make sure the Mask Layer is selected. Click on Layers/Invert Mask Adjustment.

Now for something New!

Step 7. Merge Group.

Click on Group Layer to activate.

Then Right Click on the same layer and from the Menu choose Merge/Merge Group.

Step 8. Float.

With the Group Layer highlighted, click on Selections/Select All.

Then click on Selections/Float.

You should now see your Masked Layer floating with Marching Ants on the inside and outside of the Tulip Mask.

Steps 9 and 10. Drop Shadow, Buttonize.

We can now give our image some depth by adding a Drop Shadow.

Click on Effects/3D Effects/Drop Shadow, Settings:
   Vertical: = 4

   Horizontal: = 7
   Opacity: = 54
   Blur: = 8
   Color: = Gray #808080
   shadow on New Layer: = Unchecked

Do the Drop Shadow a second time making sure the selection is still active. Leave all settings the same except:
   Vertical: = -4
   Horizontal: = -7

Ctrl D to deselect.

If you need to move your flowers to center them better, remember that they are on a layer of their own. All you need to do is use the Move Tool, make sure the Flower Layer is active and move them.

Merge your layers and Buttonize in any way that you would like. The completed image is shown above.

This is another Masked graphic that uses an Elephant that I always liked. On this one I used the open Tiger image for the mask with these settings for the Pattern fill:

    Angle: = 0
    Scale: = 12

I also selected the White area of the Elephant Layer and flood filled it with a Gradient.
Only one Drop Shadow was used.

Back to Page One of Mask Tutorial