This tutorial was written by Cathy on May 5, 2002.


(Click on the above graphic for an explanation of the FBN skill ratings.)

For this tutorial you will need:

Paint Shop Pro, which you can get at the Jasc site

My zip file - click the folder and save to your hard drive.

Unzip the file you downloaded, and:

  1. Open "cc_fence_fill.jpg" and "cc_bark.bmp" in PSP and minimize until needed.

  2. Save the folder "cc_picnic_selections" to your hard drive.

  3. If you don't have the Lawn.tub installed in PSP, open this image and export as a Picture Tube.

  4. If you don't have the Clouds.tub installed in PSP, open this image and export as a Picture Tube.

 

* * *   PREPARATION   * * *
For this tutorial, we will be using selection files.  Selection files CAN NOT be "opened" in Paint Shop Pro - they can ONLY be "loaded" into an existing canvas. The selections files are in the folder named "cc_picnic_selections" which is included in the zip file you downloaded.  You can place this folder anywhere on your hard drive.  When the tutorial calls for loading a selection file for the first time, go to Selections/Load From Disk and browse to this folder to find the file you need.  Paint Shop Pro will now default to this folder until you tell it otherwise.

You may notice that I do not tell you to deselect before loading a new selection.  This step is not necessary, as loading a new selection will automatically deselect your prior selection.

Here are the tools we will be using for this tutorial:

   Disk Load Selection
  Flood Fill
  Float selection
  Select None
  Drop Shadow
  Contract Selection
  Motion Blur
  Gaussian Blur
   Invert Selection
  Airbrush
  Save 

The best advice I can give you is to SAVE, SAVE, SAVE!!!  There's not much worse than losing all your hard work due to a program or computer lock up or melt down!!!  So...save your work often!  I will be putting reminders throughout the tutorial:

Save 

As with any of my tutorials, please feel free to use any colors you like to create you own unique image.

First decide whether you would like a "summer" scene of a "fall" scene.  This will help you decide on the color scheme you would like to use.  These choices will make the picnic scene uniquely yours.  The graphic in my header is a "fall" scene, and the colors I give you throughout the tutorial are for creating the above graphic.  At the bottom of the page you can see my "summer" version.

Open a new image 600 x 490, transparent background, 16 million colors.  Save as "picnic.psp".  Now you can save at any time by hitting your Save Icon .

Okay, let's get started...

 

*** PART I - BIRDHOUSE ***
1. Add a new layer and name it "birdhouse".

2. Load "bird_house_pole.sel".

3. Flood fill with the "cc_fence_fill.jpg" pattern. (Size: 100%, Angle: 0)

4. Apply an Inner Bevel, using the "Frame" preset.

5. Load "bird_house_base1.sel".

6. Flood fill with the "cc_fence_fill.jpg" pattern. (Size: 100%, Angle: 0)

7. Colors/Adjust/Brightness/Contrast:

  1. Brightness: -45
  2. Contrast: 0

8. Load "bird_house_base2.sel".

9. Flood fill with the "cc_fence_fill.jpg" pattern. (Size: 100%, Angle: 0)

10. Colors/Adjust/Brightness/Contrast:

  1. Brightness: -20
  2. Contrast: 0

11. Load "bird_house_sides.sel".

12. Flood fill with the color of your choice. (I used #CADFE8.)

13. Load "bird_house_sides2.sel".

14. Flood fill with a darker shade of the color you used on the sides. (I used #5691AA.)

15. Load "bird_house_roof.sel".

16. Flood fill with the same color you used above. (#5691AA)

17. Effects/Texture Effects/Blinds:

  1. Width: 3
  2. Opacity: 25
  3. Color: black
  4. Horizontal: checked
  5. Light from left/top: checked

18. Load "bird_house_holes.sel".

19. Flood fill with #C0C0C0.

20. Float your selection.

21. Apply a cutout:

  1. Horizontal and Vertical: 1;
  2. Opacity: 100
  3. Blur: 2
  4. Shadow color: black
  5. Fill interior with color: unchecked

22. Deselect.

Save 

 

*** PART II - TREE ***
1. Add a new layer and name it "tree".

2. Load "tree.sel".

3. Flood fill with the "cc_bark.bmp" pattern. (Size: 100%, Angle: 0)

4. Apply an Gaussian Blur: 

  1. Radius: 1.50

5. Add a new layer and name it "tree2".

6. Flood fill with #8E2424.

7. Lower the opacity on this layer to 25%.

8. Add a new layer and name it "tree3".

9. Load "tree2.sel".

10. Flood fill with the "cc_bark.bmp" pattern. (Size: 100%, Angle: 0)

11. Apply an Gaussian Blur: 

  1. Radius: 0.50

12. Add a new layer and name it "tree4".

13. Flood fill with #8E2424.

14. Lower the opacity on this layer to 25%.

15. Deselect.

16. Make your "tree3" layer active and add a drop shadow:

  1. Vertical and Horizontal: -2
  2. Opacity: 50
  3. Blur: 2
  4. Color: black

15. Load "tree3.sel".

16. Invert your selection.

17. Hit delete...this will get rid of the unwanted shadows.

18. Merge your four tree layers and rename this merged layer "tree".

19. Add a new layer and name it "leaves".

20. Load "leaves1.sel".

21. Flood fill with black.

22. Contract your selection by 1 pixel.

23. Flood fill with the color of your choice:

  1. For a summer scene use: #008000
  2. For a fall scene use: #DE7237

24. Load "leaves2.sel".

25. Flood fill with the color of your choice:

  1. For a summer scene use: #A0CEA0
  2. For a fall scene use: #F0BA00

26. Deselect

27. For a summer scene, duplicate your leaves layer several times and use your mover tool to move the additional layers slightly.  This will give your tree a fuller "summer" look- see "summer" version at bottom of page.

This is what we have so far:

Save 

 

*** PART III - BLANKET BACK ***
1. Add a new layer and name it "blanket back".

2. Load "blanket_back.sel".

3. Flood fill with black.

4. Contract your selection by 5 pixels.

5. Flood fill with the color of your choice; I used #FEF2F8.

6. Load "blanket_back_trim.sel".

7. Flood fill with the color of your choice; I used #B16B8F.

Save 
 

 

*** PART IV - FENCE ***
1. Add a new layer and name it "fence posts".

2. Load "fence_posts.sel".

3. Flood fill with the "cc_fence_fill.jpg" pattern. (Size: 100%, Angle: 0)

4. Apply a Motion Blur:

  1. Direction angle: 180�
  2. Intensity: 10 pixels
5. Invert your selection

6. Apply a Drop Shadow:

  1. Horizontal and Vertical: -2
  2. Opacity: 75
  3. Blur: 15
  4. Color: black

7. Load "fence_post_top.sel".

8. Colors/Adjust/Brightness/Contrast:

  1. Brightness: -50
  2. Contrast: 0

9. Add a new layer and name it "fence rail hilites".

10. Load "fence_rail_hilites.sel".

11. Flood fill with #5F432D. 

12. Add a new layer and name it "fence rails".

13. Load "fence_rails1.sel".

14. Flood fill with the "cc_fence_fill.jpg" pattern. (Size: 100%, Angle: 70)

15. Apply a Motion Blur:

  1. Direction angle: 70�
  2. Intensity: 10 pixels

16. Load "fence_rails2.sel".

17. Flood fill with the "cc_fence_fill.jpg" pattern. (Size: 100%, Angle: 90)

12. Apply a Motion Blur:

  1. Direction angle: 90�
  2. Intensity: 10 pixels

10. Load "fence_rails3.sel".

11. Flood fill with the "cc_fence_fill.jpg" pattern. (Size: 100%, Angle: 100)

12. Apply a Motion Blur:

  1. Direction angle: 100�
  2. Intensity: 10 pixels

13. Load "fence_rails4.sel".

14. Invert your selection.

15. Apply a Drop Shadow:

  1. Horizontal and Vertical: -2
  2. Opacity: 75
  3. Blur: 15
  4. Color: black

This is what we have so far:

Save 

 

*** PART V - BLANKET ***
1. Add a new layer and name it "blanket".

2. Load "blanket1.sel".

3. Flood fill with the same color you used for your back blanket;  I used #FEF2F8.

4. Load "blanket1_trim1.sel".

5. Flood fill with the same color you used for your back blanket trim; I used #B16B8F.

6. Load "blanket1_trim2.sel".

7. Flood fill with black.

8. Load "blanket1_trim3.sel".

11. Flood fill with the same color you used for your back blanket trim; I used #B16B8F.

12. Load "blanket1_trim4.sel".

13. Flood fill with the same color you used for your back blanket trim; I used #B16B8F.

14. Load "blanket1_trim5.sel".

15. Flood fill with black. (You may have to zoom in on  your image to see the selected area.)

Save

 

*** PART VI - BLANKET DESIGNS ***
1. Add a new layer and name it "blanket designs".

2. Load "blanket1_basket.sel".

3. Flood fill with black.

4. Contract your selection by 1 pixel.

5. Flood fill with the "cc_fence_fill.jpg" pattern. (Size: 100%, Angle: 0)

6. Effects/Texture Effects/Weave:

  1. Gap size: 2
  2. Width: 3
  3. Opacity: 83
  4. Weave Color: #B86B3D
  5. Gap Color: black
  6. Fill gaps: checked
7. Deselect.

8. Image/Rotate:

  1. Direction: right
  2. Direction: Free, 5�
  3. All layers: not checked

9. Load "blanket1_basket_flowers.sel".

10. Flood fill with black.

11. Contract your selection by 1 pixel.

12. Flood fill with the color of your choice; I used #A7D2F7.

13. Use your paintbrush tool to paint 6 or 7 black dots in the centers of your flowers for some detail:

  1. Shape: round
  2. Size: 1
  3. Hardness: 100
  4. Opacity: 100
  5. Step: 25
  6. Density: 100

14. Load "blanket1_basket_leaves.sel".

15. Flood fill with black.

16. Contract your selection by 1 pixel.

17. Flood fill with #008000.

18. Load "blanket1_heart.sel".

19. Flood fill with black.

20. Contract your selection by 1 pixel.

21. Flood fill with the color of your choice, I used #5276A8.

22. Load "blanket1_heart_hilite.sel".

23. Flood fill with the color of your choice, I used #C0CEE2.

24. Load "blanket1_star.sel".

25. Flood fill with black.

26. Contract your selection by 1 pixel.

27. Flood fill with the color of your choice, I used #FAD12C.

28. Click on your Airbrush tool and enter the following settings:

  1. Shape: round
  2. Size: 255
  3. Hardness: 15
  4. Opacity: 100
  5. Step: 1
  6. Density: 25

29. Using a contrasting color click once in the center of your star to add some highlights, I used #5276A8.

30. Load "blanket1_flower.sel".

31. Flood fill with black.

32. Load "blanket1_flower2.sel".

33. Flood fill with white.

34. Load "blanket1_flower_hilite.sel".

35. Flood fill using a color of your choice , I used #D0BFD9.

36. Load "blanket1_vines.sel".

37. Flood fill with #008000.

38. Load "blanket1_flowers.sel".

39. Flood fill with black.

40. Contract your selection by 1 pixel.

41. Flood fill with the color of your choice; I used #FBF1C5.

42. Load "blanket1_grapes.sel".

43. Flood fill with black.

44. Contract your selection by 1 pixel.

45. Flood fill with the color of your choice; I used #A951A6.

This is what we have so far:

Save

 

*** PART VII - BACKGROUND ***
1. Add a new layer and name it "sky", move this layer to the bottom.

2. Flood fill with your sky color:

  1. For a summer scene use: #E4F3FE
  2. For a fall scene use: #D5D8E5

3. Add a new layer above your "sky" layer and name it "clouds".
(By placing our clouds on a separate layer, we can darken/lighten them if we want.)

4. Using your Picture Tube tool, place a few clouds in your sky. I used my picture tube at a scale of 50%.

5. If you are making a fall scene; Colors/Adjust/Brightness/Contrast:

  1. Brightness: -30
  2. Contrast: 0
6. Add a new layer above your "clouds" layer and name it "grass".

7. Load "grass.sel".

8. Using your Picture Tube tool, fill the area with your "lawn" tube. 

9. Merge your "sky, "clouds" and "grass" layers and rename this layer "background".

Here is my picnic scene, before I added any "extras":

Save

 

*** PART VIII - PERSONALIZING YOUR SCENE ***
1. Add a new layer and name it "my stuff".

2. Move this layer to the top in your layer palette.

3. Use your favorite tubes to personalize your picnic scene.

4. Add a new layer for each item you place in your scene.  This will allow you to move/resize each image.

 

Save

 

*** HERE IS MY "SUMMER" PICNIC SCENE ***

I used several tubes to complete my scene, as shown above.
Some of these tubes came from my fellow
FlyByNightGraphic
Members!
Thank you!!!

 

All Art Work & Graphics Designed by Cathy
This tutorial originally written on May 5, 2002
Copyright © 1999 - 2003 by Cathy.
All rights reserved.
Revised: April 06, 2008.