[Paperquilter]

I liked the way Syndee Nuckles used the "Brush Set: Vintage Photo Masks" on the product page here: http://store.scrapgi...age-Photo-masks and wanted to try it for myself, so I bought the product.

I'm Very New at this digital scrapbooking, using Paint Shop Pro X2 on Windows XP, and I can't figure out how to achieve the same effect with my own pictures and papers. I've searched through the University files and have so far come up empty. I've succeeded in converting the .png file to a brush tip, but it doesn't do what Syndee achieved; I know I'm missing something!

Thanks for any help you can provide,
--paperquilter (Liz)

[BarbaraC1977]

Liz, I'm a Photo-Paint user, but it's pretty similar to PSP. For masks such as these, which I love, I don't even bother creating a brush with it. I just drag the PNG into my page, which immediately creates a layer--I think PSP does, also. Position it the way you want, re-size, etc, and move the mask layer below the photo of interest. Click the Paper-Clip area on the photo layer, which Clips the photo to the mask. Done!

You can also color the mask, blend it with the photo, erase parts of it, etc.

[DDecker]

I'll download it and create some directions for using in PSP.

[DDecker]

 Masks_Layers_NewMaskLayer.jpg (85.52K)
Number of downloads: 12

Open the mask you want to use, copy and paste as new Image. Delete the mask and fill with a color or photo of your choice.

With the new Image active go to Layer>New Mask Layer>From Image. Choose the Mask image from the drop down box.


 Masks_Layers_NewMaskLayer_SourceOpacity.png (477.96K)
Number of downloads: 11
Choose Source Opacity and with the Invert box left UNchecked, click OK. The image will look like the mask in your choice of color, paper or photo. You now have a Mask Layer Group in the Layer Palette.


 Masks_Layers_NewMaskLayer_SourceOpacity_Invert.png (465.22K)
Number of downloads: 8
To create a frame instead follow the same steps but CHECK the Invert Mask Data box and click OK.

[Paperquilter]

DDecker, on 21 September 2009 - 10:37 AM, said:

Masks_Layers_NewMaskLayer.jpg

Open the mask you want to use, copy and paste as new Image. Delete the mask and fill with a color or photo of your choice.

With the new Image active go to Layer>New Mask Layer>From Image. Choose the Mask image from the drop down box.


Masks_Layers_NewMaskLayer_SourceOpacity.png
Choose Source Opacity and with the Invert box left UNchecked, click OK. The image will look like the mask in your choice of color, paper or photo. You now have a Mask Layer Group in the Layer Palette.


Masks_Layers_NewMaskLayer_SourceOpacity_Invert.png
To create a frame instead follow the same steps but CHECK the Invert Mask Data box and click OK.

Well aren't you just amazing! I tried every which way I could think of and couldn't get it but now It Works! I'm so pleased to be able to use these files. I thought it might have been because the .png files had to be "installed" somewhere in PSP, but your directions are so clear and straightforward. Graphics software just has a whole different vocabulary and logic from the spreadsheets and databases I'm used to using!

Thanks so much for making the special effort to use exactly the same item and program, complete with the screen shots -- a huge help!
--Paperquilter (Liz)

[BarbaraC1977]

Yep--Dee is the PSP wizard, and her answer is much better than mine!

[Paperquilter]

Thanks for helping Barbara; I just couldn't manage to relate your instructions to the PSP desktop--no paperclip area for example. No doubt there's something equivalent, but you're right, Dee's mini-tutorial was exactly what I needed. Good to know there's a PSP expert in the house.
--Paperquilter (Liz)

[DDecker]

Glad it worked for you, masks took me forever to figure out but now I love them. Let us know if you have other questions, we are here to help!

[marissa11]

How do you save it so that the background is transparent. I can't figure out how to put the new masked image onto a 12x12 paper without having it have a white border. Please help!

[marissa11]

And one more thing, does the mask have to be the same size as the picture to be masked? Is there any way to use a square mask on a rectangle picture? Thanks!!

[Paperquilter]

marissa11, on 26 April 2010 - 07:10 PM, said:

And one more thing, does the mask have to be the same size as the picture to be masked? Is there any way to use a square mask on a rectangle picture? Thanks!!

Hi Marissall,
I'll assume you are also using Paint Shop Pro, as that was part of my original question, and the program I can answer about. I have found a pretty easy way to apply masks to photos and maintain the transparency, but it means preparing the photo first, before dragging it into your layout. It seems like a lot of steps, but I've tried to be very exact and not leave anything out. It's actually pretty quick once you've done it a few times!

1. Open the .png file of the mask of your choice
2. Open the photo or patterned paper you want to take the shape of that mask
3. Open a new blank document with a transparent background

4. Drag #1 and # 2 onto your blank file (or copy Cntrl+ C and then Paste as new layer Cntrl + L). Now there should be three layers on the new file, the transparent background, the photo, the mask. Be sure the mask is the top layer. You can now close files #1 and #2.

5. Make the photo and/or the mask layer active and using the pick tool (arrow, or transform) adjust the size, proportions and position of the layers until the mask covers exactly the part of the photo you want to have show in the final result. Reduce the transparency of the mask layer temporarily if that helps to position it.

6. Reset the mask layer to 100% opaque
7. With the magic wand tool, and settings for "opacity" in the menu bar at the top, and the mask layer active, select the background. This should result in "marching ants" all around the outer edge and all around the mask.

8. Leaving the selection in place, make the photo layer active.
9. Press Delete -- this will delete the selected areas, leaving the photo in the shape of the mask. Deselect (Cntrl+D) the image.

10. You can now delete the mask layer, merge the photo layer into the background, and crop it down to size if necessary.
11. Drag this new image onto your layout, where you can re-size, rotate, position it etc. like any other element.

There may well be a way to do this right in the layout, but I like to do it separately so I don't accidentally involve any other layers. Hope this helps,
--Liz

PS I don't see why you can't use any shape of mask over any shape of photo -- you will be selecting the bits you don't want and deleting them, leaving only the mask shape.

PPS. Perhaps your white border has resulted from having a white background initially instead of transparent?

[marissa11]

Thank you so much Liz! That helped tons! I'm just having trouble now because when I delete it does leave the photo in the shape of the mask, however it does not leave the detail. It's sort of just the outline of the mask, not the shading and detail. Am I doing something wrong?

[Syndee]

Thanks for the awesome tutorial Dee! Your rock!

[DDecker]

Marissa which mask are you working with. It helps to be able to "see" what you are working with to determine the best way to help you.

[Paperquilter]

marissa11, on 28 April 2010 - 11:45 PM, said:

Thank you so much Liz! That helped tons! I'm just having trouble now because when I delete it does leave the photo in the shape of the mask, however it does not leave the detail. It's sort of just the outline of the mask, not the shading and detail. Am I doing something wrong?

Marissa,
Have you tried using different blending modes? On the layer palette, with the photo layer active, click the drop-down arrow next to the word "Normal" which is the default blending mode. Try out things like "overlay" or "hard light" -- well try them all and see what you like! The blend mode lets some of the lower layer show through. You can also adjust the opacity by moving the slider on the layers palette to the left for more transparency.
Hope this helps,
--Liz

[marissa11]

I figured it out! Thanks Dee I found one of your other tutorials and used it, played around and now I can do it!! Thanks for the help!