I wish to thank Sherry and Rusty for testing this tutorial for me. They are both such eager testers :) Below is what we will be creating with this tutorial.

For this tutorial you will need

PAINT SHOP PRO VS 7.02 (Trial Version)

EYECANDY 4000 (Trial Version) - Using Eyecandy is an optional step. I like to use it for my cutout effect in frames, but PSP's cutout can be used just as easily.

The image I used is by artist Jonathon Earl Bowser and is being used with his permission. If you would like to use the same image, just click here. If you use Mr. Bowser's work on your website, please provide a link back to his site. I have a banner at the bottom of this page that you may use on your site.

You will also need the pattern fill I used for the frame. Click here for the pattern fill. Note: If you are using a different image than the one I am using, then you will need to use a different pattern for your frame. Just click on your selection tool and go to your graphic that you are using and select an area of the image that you want to use for the border. After selecting an area, go to Selections/Convert to Seamless Pattern. I went a step further and used the Kaleidoscope II filter on mine to give it a different look. And click here if you want to use the same gold fill that I used.

1. Let's get started. Open up your image, pattern fill, and gold fill in PSP. Minimize the pattern and gold fill. Make a copy of your graphic (Shift+D) and close the original. We will be working with the copy. Minimize your graphic for now.

2. Go to File/New and create a new image 300w x 450h transparent background.

3. Selections/Select All. Bring up your pattern cache and select your gold fill pattern. Scale at 100% Angle 0.

4. With your floodfill tool (tolerance 200 Opacity 100)fill your selected area with your gold pattern. Selections/Modify/Contract by 5. Hit delete.

5. Open your pattern cache box and select your frame pattern. Scale at 50% Angle 45. Select your floodfill tool and fill your selected area with your frame pattern.

6. Selections/Modify/Contract by 25. Hit delete. Change back to your gold fill pattern (Scale 100% Angle 0), then with your floodfill tool, fill your selected area with your gold fill. Selections/Modify/Contract by 5. Hit delete. This is what your frame should look like at this point: (Yours will have a transparent center.)

7. Selections/Invert. Set your background color to white (#FFFFFF). Go to Effects/Plug-in Filters/DC Special/PerssianRug with settings as shown below:

8. Selections/Select None. With your magic wand, tolerance 0 feather 0, while holding down the Shift key, click on the white areas of the frame to select. See screenshot below.

9. Selections/Invert. Effects/3D Effects/Inner Bevel using settings as shown below:

10. Effects/3D Effects/Drop Shadow using the settings as shown below. Repeat drop shadow with settings the same except horizontal and vetical (-3) this time.

11. Selections/Invert. Go to your background color palette, switch it to patterns and select the frame pattern (Scale 50% Angle 45). With your floodfill tool, fill your white frame selections. Effects/3D Effects/Inner Bevel with the settings as shown below:

12. Selections/Invert. I applied another drop shadow here to give the frame a little more depth. Effects/3D Effects/Drop Shadow Opacity 100 Blur 2.5 Vertical 0 Horizontal 1. Apply drop shadow again with same settings only (-1) for Horizontal.

13. With your magic wand selected ( tolerance 0 feather 0), click inside the frame on the transparent area. Go to patterns and select your gold fill pattern (Scale 100% Angle 0) and floodfill your selected area. Effects/3D Effects/Drop Shadow with settings as shown below. Repeat drop shadow using same settings except (-3) for horizontal and vertical.

14. Selections/Modify/Contract by 10. Hit delete. Effects/Plug-in Filters/EyeCandy 4000/Cutout using the matte effect at the default settings.

15. While still selected, go to Layers/New Raster Layer click okay. Layers/Arrange/Send to Bottom. Selections/Modify/Expand by 2.

16. Bring up your graphic that you will be using in your frame, make it active and go to Edit/Copy. Now minimize your graphic, make your frame image active, and go to Edit/Paste/Into Selection. Selections/Select None. Layers/Merge/Merge All Flatten.

17. Set your background color to white (#FFFFFF), go to Image/Add Borders symmetric checked 5 pixels. With your magic wand (tolerance 0 feather 0), select your white border. Change your background to patterns, select your gold fill, and using your floodfill tool, fill your selected border with your gold fill. Effects/3D Effects/Drop Shadow with Opacity 100 Blur 2.5 Vertical 2 Horizontal 2; repeat drop shadow with same settings except (-2) for vertical and horizontal. Selections/Select None. Save as .jpg.