Description: Create a beautiful window scene using PhotoImpact's Path Tools.

Skill Level: Intermediate/Advanced. I assume you have a good working knowledge of PhotoImpact. There are not many screen shots and the instructions are minimal.

Additional Files: An image, I used one of my paintings. Please download it here. Or use one of your own.

My color chart . Make a new folder on your desktop and call it Window Scene. Put both files in this folder on your desktop. We will save to this folder when we finish each part of this tutorial.

Author: Wouter Démoet

Terms of Use: Please read here

NOTE: Save your work often. I suggest you read the entire tutorial, before you start. And if you need help, or if you have any suggestions, please don't hesitate to contact me at

wouter@demoet.nl
The Path Panel looks different in PI 10. Under the 3D tab the Border has been replaced by Width. In PI 10 Border refers now to the new border feature for paths in the Attribute Toolbar. Older versions: where you read Width for a path object in this tutorial, use Border in your Path Panel. Where you read: Border - Apply Paint on Edges as instructed.

Open the color chart in PI. Open a new image, white, 500 x 400 pixels, 96 dpi. Save as window.ufo to your desktop folder.
Right click: All. Right click: Border - 20 pixels Inwards. Edit:Trace Edges - Selection Marquee - Accept Defaults. Change the Mode to 3D. . Border: 1 Color 3 of chart.

(Note: If you use an earlier version of PhotoImpact the new border feature is not available. Use: PaintBrush: Size 1. Color 3 of chart. Transparency: 0 Soft Edge: 0 Press: Shift+P to Paint on Edges. Deselect).

Open your Material box. Click the Color/Texture tab. Gradient. First color: Color 2 of chart. Second color: Color 1 of chart.
Fill mode: Rectangular Gradient Fill.



Click the Bevel tab. Change to 3D-Custom and click the 4th Icon. Click the Bevel Settings tab. Border:15 Depth:10.

If you like, save this preset to your EasyPalette by clicking the Add button. Close Material Box. Deselect.

Right click: All. Right click: Expand/Shrink. Shrink the selection with 21 pixels.
Note: (earlier versions of PI: Shrink:20. as you don't have the extra pixel for the added border as PI 10 has; Paint on Edge does not add the extra pixel).
Right click: Border: 12 pixels Inwards. Trace Edges - Defaults - Change to 3D Custom. Path Panel: Width 15 Depth: 10



Open the background image, copy and paste it into your work. Align: Center Both. Arrange: Send to Back. Deselect.

Path Drawing Tool- Shape: Rectangle Mode: 3D Custom. Border: 1 Same color. Draw a shape of approx. 330 x150 pixels.Don't worry about the bevel, we will fix that later. Adjust the height so it will fit perfectly between the top- and bottom borders. Change the Mode to: Continue Draw.



Draw the top left rectangle (see above) Using the Tool Panel: go into Path Edit Mode.
Right click: Duplicate path. Put in place as the top right rectangle. Press Control: Select both rectangles. Right click: Align Top. Deselect.

Select first rectangle. Duplicate. Put in place as bottom left rectangle. Use the nodes to make the shape longer. Make sure all your lines stay perfectly straight. When you are happy with the results, press control to add the top left rectangle to your selected shape so both are selected. Right click: Align: Left. Deselect both shapes. Select the bottom left shape and duplicate path.
Put the duplicate shape in place as bottom right rectangle.Press Control and add the top right shape so both are selected.
Right click: Align: Right. Select all 4 paths - Right click: Group Path.
Keep Selected.

Move the grouped path into position, more to the top than to the bottom (see the above screen shot).

Click out of Path edit mode. In your Path Panel change the Width to 10 and the Depth to: 10.
In the Material box change the direction of the gradient to Left-Right, with the darker color on the left.
Note: for earlier versions: repeat the Paint on Edge.

Change to the Transform Tool: Perspective. Drag the top right transform handle down. Use this image as your reference:



Keep selected.

For the glass: Change to your Lasso Tool. Smart Lasso: Unchecked. Soft Edge: 0. Click the Select on Object button. Draw a selection a bit smaller than the window frame. Click: Finish. Trace selection - Change the mode to 3D Round. Apply a glass preset of your choice. I am using G25 from the Glass gallery. In the Material box I changed the transparency to 80. Width = 76 Depth = 12. Place this glass layer under your window layer.

For the hinges I drew a tiny rounded rectangle, 3D - Silver 7 from the EasyPalette - Metallic Gallery. Width: 2 Depth: 10. Duplicate 2 times and put in place. Align: Space Evenly: Vertically and Group.