Simple Masked Back for IM 

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This tut was created me, Martha_Ar, while playing with PSP.

I liked the results so much I decided to write a tut to show you all

how to make it.

 

MATERIALS:

 

A graphic of choice. I'm using ©Anna Ignatieva's three beautiful FTU graphics 

You may find them here: www.magnetica.ru

PSP (I'm using version 9)

IncrediMail with Letter Creator

 

 

 

1. Open an image the size of of your screen.  Mine's 1024 x 768.

 

 

2. Coose a graphic rather big. Mine's are between 600/700 wide x 800/900 high. If the image is too little you run the risk it may pixelate. Press Control + C. Close the graphic.

 

 

3. On the main image, Selections < Select All. Edit < Paste into Selection. Selections < Select None.

 

 

4. Layers < New Mask Layer < From Image. The name of the image you're working in will appear in the  box. Tick Source Luminance and press OK.

 

 

5. Layers < Merge < Merge Group.

 

 

6. Open a new layer and moveit below the layer with the mask. Floodfill with a colour of choice.

 

 

7. Turn the Blend Mode of the layer where you applied the mask to Luminance. Merge layers. If you see the image is either too dark or too light, remember you may always use Adjust < Brightness and Contrast < Gamma Correction to settle it. If you don't like the look, you may undo the last actions and till you get the two layers again, and lower the masked layer's opacity. Just play with the settings. You can't imagine the really different looks you may achieve by playing with the settings.

 

My advice is: once you made the tut following the tut writer's parameters, play a bit using your own.

 

 

8. Add the credits (never forget to do this and always make sure the image you are using is either FTU or you have paid for it and have the proper licence number) and your watermark. I always do these steps on new layers, just in case :-)

 

 

9. Export as jpeg. Don't compress it too much.

 

 

10. Set the letter in your IM using the first tab to embed the picture. Be careful while choosing the font colour. Remember you are going to write on this letter and your message must be legible :-)

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We are done. Really easy, uh?

 

Here are more results: