Boxed Dot Frame
(PSP 7, 8 & 9)
A tutorial by Mar © 2005.

What you need:
PSP. Download a 30 day trial here.
Materials:  Download here.
Open the images from the ZIP in PSP.
The Xero Filter set 4: Download here.
The ScreenWorks filter: Download here.
Close and restart PSP otherwise your filters won't work.

Save often.
Let's go. Good luck.....

1. Open a new image 400 X 400 > Transparent.

Foreground to  #808080.
Background to #c0c0c0.

2. Foreground to gradient.
Look for the "Fore-back" gradient.
Texture unchecked (bleu hand).

3. Fill your image with the gradient.

4. Effects > Plugins > ScreenWorks > Boxed Dot.

5. Selections > Select all.

6. Selections  > Modify > Contract with 10 pixels.

7. Again fill with the gradient.
For PSP 7 users **.
Add a new layer first. Merge visible.
This step will repeat itself. So when u see PSP 7**, that's it.

8. Effects > Plugins > Xero > Fritillary.

9. Selections > Invert.

10. Effects > 3D effects > Drop shadow > Color black.

11. Again drop shadow but this time Vert. and Horiz. to - 5.

12. Selections > Select all.

13. Selections  > Modify > Contract with 30 pixels.

14. Again fill with the gradient.
 PSP 7**.

15. Repeat the ScreenWorks filter > Boxed Dots.

16. Selections > Select none.

17. PSP 7 users can only do the next step
with Simple Filter "Half Wrap". Filter here.

18. Effects > Image effects or.... geometric > Offset.

19. Selections > Select all.

20. Selections  > Modify > Contract with 10 pixels.
Selections > Invert.

21. Again fill with the gradient.
 PSP 7**.

22. Repeat the ScreenWorks filter > Boxed Dots.

23. Effects > 3D-effects > Inner bevel > Color white.

24. Repeat the drop shadow at 5 and at - 5.

25. Selections > Select none.

26. Now put your selection tool to oval (feather 0).

27. Click exactly in the middle of your frame and draw an oval.

28. Click delete to remove the middle part.

29. Selections  > Modify > Expand with 10 pixels.

30. Effects > 3D-effects > Inner bevel > Color white.
Notice..... different settings.

31. Repeat the drop shadow at 5 and at - 5.

32. Selections  > Modify > Contract with 10 pixels.

33. Layers > New raster layer.

34. Effects > 3D-effects > Cut out.

35. Layers > New raster layer.

36. Repeat the 3D-effect cut out but this time Vert. and Horiz. at - 5.

37. Layers > Merge > Merge visible layers.
Leave the selection intact.

38. Layers > New raster layer.

39. Open a nice image you want to use.
I used a flower (in the ZIP).

40. Image > Grayscale.
Image > Expand color depth > 16 Million colors.
For PSP 7 users under colors.

41. Copy the image and go back to your frame.

42. Edit > Paste > Paste into selection.
Keep your selection active for the next steps.

43. In your layer pallet move the layer
below your merged frame layer.

44. Layers > New raster layer.

45. Again fill with the gradient.

46. Repeat the ScreenWorks filter > Boxed Dots.

47. Put the opacity of this layer to 30.

48. Layers > Merge > Merge visible layers.

49. Effects > Plugins > Xero > Titanium.

50. Selections > Select none.

51. Open the MD-Dot-Corner.psp from the Zip and copy.

52. Edit > Paste > Paste as a new layer.

53. Move the corner to the top left corner.

54. Put the modus of this layer to 'Dodge'.

55. Layers > Duplicate.
Image > Mirror.
Layers > Duplicate.
Image > Flip.
Layers > Duplicate.
Image > Mirror.

56. Layers > Merge > Merge all flatten.

Your Boxed Dot Frame is done.
I hope you like this tutorial.
Thank you for trying them out.

To get the sparkle effect like the frame below:
Draw another oval selection like before.
Make sure it fits.
Duplicate the layer 2 times (total 3 layers).
Effects > Plugins > VM (Visman) Natural  > Sparkle.
On each of the 3 layers a different setting.
Save as  PSP file and open in AS.
Frame speed to 25.
Save your frame as a GIF.
You can download the VM filter here.

The modus for this corners was set to "Burn".

Since 08-24-2005: