Preparations:
Open your EasyPalette - Libraries tab. Right click on one of the libaries - Create.
In the box that opens create a new library with the name: My Masks.
Click Yes on the box that opens. You will notice that a new library has been added to your EasyPalette:
We will save the mask that we are going to make in this tutorial to that library.
Creating the Mask:
Open a new image of 25 x 25 pixels color: #585858.
This gray color will be a semi-transparent part of the mask.
(Note: Please remember: White is fully transparent and black contains no transparency at all when used in a Grayscale Mask).
Rc.: Copy. You can close this image now. Open a new
black image of 50 x 50 pixels. Rc.: Paste.
Rc.: Duplicate. Rc.: Align - Right. Rc.: Align - Bottom. Rc.: Merge All.
Rc.: Copy. Close this image. Open a new white image of 350 x 350 pixels. In the Menu bar: Edit - Fill - Image tab.
Click the Clipboard Radio Button and make sure that Tile the Image is ticked.
Your image should look similar to this:
Menu bar: Adjust - Expand Canvas (Shift+N). Expand your canvas with 1 pixel, color: white. Expand sides equally: checked.
Rc.: Copy. Close this image. Open a new
black image of 500 x 500 pixels.
Rc.: Paste. Change to the Transform Tool and rotate this image 45 degrees to the right:
Rc.: Align - Center Both. Deselect.
Open a new white image of 325 x 325 pixels. Expand this canvas with 1 pixel color: black. Menu bar: Edit - Repeat Expand canvas.
This time with 1 pixel color: white. Edit - Repeat Expand Canvas. This time with 1 pixel color black. Edit - Repeat Expand Canvas:
3 pixels color: white. Edit - Repeat Expand Canvas. Finish with a 1 pixel border color: black.
Rc.: Copy. Close this image. On your large image: Rc.: Paste. Rc.: Align - Center Both. Deselect.
Rc.: All. Rc.: Expand/Shrink. Shrink the selection with 40 pixels. Rc.: Border - 1 pixel - Inward. Convert to Object and fill with white. Deselect.
Rc.: All. Rc.: Expand/Shrink. Shrink the selection with 50 pixels. Rc.: Border - 1 pixel - Inward. Convert to Object and fill with white. Deselect.
Pick up your Magic Wand Tool from the Tool Panel. In the Attribute toolbar change to the following settings:
Click between the white lines we just created. You need to click for a total of 4 times to select
all 4 pieces like this:
With all 4 pieces selected: Rc.: Convert to Object and Fill with #585858. Deselect.
Rc.:
Merge All.. This image looks like a mask, but it isn't yet. We first have to Convert it to Grayscale:
Menu bar: Adjust - Convert Data Type - Grayscale. PhotoImpact will create a new image. This is your mask.
We will save this mask to our EasyPalette. Rc.: Import Selection. In the box that opens your mask will show. Click OK.
In the menu bar: Selection - Copy Selection to Object Library. In the box that opens you see your My Mask library.
If not use the drop menu to find and select your My Mask library that we created in the first part of this tutorial:
The mask will sit in your EasyPalette now, ready to use.
You may close your mask or save it as a gif to a folder of your choice.
Using the Mask as a Frame:
Open the wd-morisot image from the download. Set your foreground color to a color from the image. This is
the color we will use for the frame. I am using: #586086
Open a new white image of 500 x 500 pixels. In your EasyPalette, right click on the mask we just made and
make sure that Fit Mask and Keep Aspect Ratio has a check mark:
Double click the mask and the selection lines will appear on your white image. Convert to Object. You won't see anything
as the mask has the same white color as the background. Fill the mask with your foreground color. Deselect.
Copy the image you are using and minimize it.
Change to your Magic wand Tool with the same settings as before. Click inside the dark blue inner square to select it.
Expand the selection with 1 pixel. Convert to Object and Arrange: Bring to Front. In the Menu bar: Edit - Paste - Fit into Selection.
Menu bar: Photo - Focus - Options - Auto-adjust.
Rc.: Select All Objects. Rc.: Merge as a Single Object. Deselect.
Fill the background of your image with another color from the image. I am using a very soft green :#CCCFC7.
Add a 1 pixel border using: #586086.
Add a 8 pixel border using: #A3A7AE.
Add a 2 pixel border using: #586086.
I did not add a shadow to this frame. Add your watermark or name and Merge All. Optimize and save your work as a jpg.
If you resize your image, don't forget to use the Focus command again.
That is all, I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial as much as I liked writing it for you.
your work often. I suggest you read the entire tutorial,
before you start. Where it reads "Rc" in this tutorial, it means right click. And if you need help, or if you have any
suggestions, please don't hesitate to contact me at: