Crystal Palace Frame
(PSP all versions - no filters)
A tutorial by Mar © 2006

 "The Crystal Palace" © Randy Sounders.

What you need:
Corel PSP. Download a 30 day trial here.
The materials: Download here.
Open all images from the ZIP in PSP.

Save often.
Let's get started.
Good luck with your Crystal Palace Frame.

This tutorial is done in PSP 9.

We are going to work with a lovely image but
we will get that later. First some explanations.

This tutorial is done with the gorgeous
Crystal Palace painting by Randy Souders.

Randy Souders has granted permission to use his art
for this tutorial. If you want to use his art too, please take
the politeness to put a link to his site in your work or email.
Thank you Randy for granting me permission to use
your gorgeous art for this Paint Shop Pro tutorial.

It is most important that your image for this tut is always 263 X 330.
Be very accurate otherwise your Kaleidoscope frame won't work.
For every other size you will have a different effect. Do you want
to make this tutorial with a landscape (wider as the height) image?

Edit > Rotate > Rotate clockwise.


I know your image is the wrong way now but
we will rotate that back after your frame is done.
You can use the crop tool if you like. I do it different.
I always open a new image with the size I need.
In this case 263 X 330.  Select all. Copy your image and
paste your image into selection. Resize first if needed.
Edit > Paste > Paste into selection.

1. Open the Crystal Palace that can be found on the Sounders site.
Of course you can use another picture of
your own but your have to make it the right size.
If you do use the Crystal Palace image from the Sounders site:
Image > Change size to 75%. See the size (=blue hands)?

2. Open the MD-Silver from the ZIP.
Foreground to pattern and find the opened pattern.
Texture unchecked (blue hand).

3. Image > Add borders > 3 Pixels > Symmetric > Red.

4. With your magic wand select (feather 0 - tolerance 15) the red border.
Fill the selection with the silver pattern.

5. Image > Add borders > 40 Pixels > Symmetric > Red.
With your magic wand select the red border.

6. Open the MD-CrystalBlue from the ZIP.
Background to pattern and find the opened pattern.
Texture unchecked (blue hand).

7. Fill the selection with your right mouse button, the blue pattern.

8. Image > Add borders > 3 Pixels > Symmetric > Red.
With your magic wand select the red border.

9. Fill the selection with the silver pattern again.
Selections > None.

10. Open the MD-CrystalGem.psp and copy.
Edit > Paste > Paste as a new layer.

11. Move the decoration all the way up to the top against the edge.
Notice.........., the position of the jewel is important.

This is how an image that is rotated clockwise looks like:

12. Effects > Reflection-effects > Kaleidoscope.

13. Move the decoration up for a good view.

14. With your rectangle selection tool
pull a selection like on the screenshot.

Take a better look at the
screenshot that is zoomed in..

15. Click delete to remove the part we are not going to use.

16. Effects > 3D-effects > Drop shadow > Black.

17. Layers > Duplicate.
Image > Flip.

18. Layers > Duplicate.
Image > Rotate > Free rotation > 90 Degrees left.
All  layers unchecked.

19. Move the border to the left against the edge.
Make sure the border lines up
against the first 3 pixels silver border.

20. Layers > Duplicate.
Image > Mirror.

21. Open the MD-CrystalGem-2.psp and copy.

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

23. Move the jewel to the top middle as on the screenshot.

Don't use a drop shadow on this gem.

24. Layers > Duplicate.
Image > Flip.

25. Layers > Duplicate.
Move it to the left (make sure it is in the middle)..

26. Layers > Duplicate.
Image > Mirror.

27. Open the MD-CrystalGem-3.psp and copy.

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

29. Move this jewel to the left bottom corner of your frame.
Repeat the drop shadow like you used before.

30. Layers > Duplicate.
Image > Mirror.
Layers > Duplicate.
Image > Flip.
Layers > Duplicate.
Image > Mirror.

31. Layers > Merge > Merge flatten.

32. If your image was rotated, rotate it counter clockwise now.

33. With your lasso tool (feather 0) select the parts that you
want to animate. Don't select to much. Be selective. When you want
to select an additional piece, keep your Shift-Key down (PSP 7.)
PSP 8+ users can put their selection settings to add.

If you are satisfied with the pieces you want to animate:

34. Layers > Duplicate. Repeat this again.
You now have 3 layers in total.

35. The top layer is selected (=blue).

36. Adjust > Add noise/.... > Add noise.

37. Lock your top layer for now and repeat the noise to the other two
layers. For layer 2 the noise at 30 and for layer 3 the noise to 40.

38. Unlock all layers.

39. Save your image as crystalpalace.psp.

PSP 7 users can just save as.
PSP 8 - 9 and 10 users......
Because Animation Shop doesn't recognize *.pspimage you have to save as *.psp.
This can be done in 2 different ways:

Use this one for all early 8 and 9 versions.
Animation Shop doesn't recognize *.pspimage from
 PSP 8 and 9 so we save as a PSP 7 or 6 file. Like this:
Save as > Click options and save as a *.PSP 6 or 7 compatible file.

Use this one for the latest versions.
The latest PSP 9 and all PSP X versions have the option to
directly save as PSP for Animation Shop.
Look in the pull down menu and select Animation Shop (*psp).

1. Open your crystalpalace.psp in Animation Shop (AS) .
You have 3 frames. Zoom in and out again. Now you see them.

2. Click Ctrl-A to select all 3 frames.

3. Animation > Properties for frame > Set your frame time at 10.
Save your frame as a GIF.

Your Crystal Palace Frame is done.
I hope you like this tutorial.
Thank you for putting it to the test.

© Randy Sounders

© Randy Sounders

© Randy Sounders

Since 10-28-2006: