Paint Shop Pro Colourbar Tutorial by sillymongoose
Paint Shop Pro Colourbar Tutorial
**Image Heavy**
This is a colourbar tutorial for those of you who aren't blessed with Photoshop. Hopefully, it'll be easy to follow. But please don't be too harsh if it isn't - it is my first one after all.
You will learn how to make this colourbar:
TUTORIAL:
Step 1:
Open Paint Shop Pro.
Step 2:
Decide what you want the bar to be about (this bar, for example, will be about doughnuts), and find the pictures. Colourbars can have any amount of pictures, but most people tend to use 5-7. For this tutorial, we will use 6. I generally search for pictures in Google. To save searching, these are the pictures I used:
Image 1
Image 2
Image 3
Image 4
Image 5
Image 6
Step 3:
So, you have your pictures, and now I expect you're wondering how to load them onto the program. There are two ways to do this. The first is the one I most frequently use, which is copy and paste. Right-click on the image you want to use, and click copy. Then go to PSP, and hit CTRL + V. This will paste the image as a new image in PSP. Alternatively, you can go to EDIT > PASTE > PASTE AS NEW IMAGE.
The other way is to upload it from your computer. I use this for pictures I already have saved, such as personal photos. Go to FILE > OPEN, then select the picture you want to use and hit OK.
Step 4 - Cropping and Resizing:
So now you should have all your pictures opened up in PSP. You'll have noticed that they're most likely not the right shape or size for a conventional colourbar. This is where the cropping tool comes in.
You'll find it here:
Click on it.
It's best to crop creatively, as just centering the picture can sometimes look quite boring. So decide how you want your picture to be cropped. Then click on the picture with your tool, and draw a square, like so:
To get a perfect square, make sure these two numbers down in the right-hand corner are equal.
Once you've drawn the square, you can drag it around to your desired position, and adjust the size. Once you're happy with it, double click inside the square to crop.
You should end up with this:
It's still too big - it needs to be resized. So go to IMAGE > RESIZE, and you should get this window:
The standard size for colourbar pictures is 100x100 pixels. So in Width, type 100. The Height value should change accordingly. If it doesn't, then make sure 'Lock Aspect Ratio' is checked. Also make sure that it's set to Smart Size and not Pixel Resize.
Click OK.
This is what you should have:
It's nice, but a little blurry for my liking. So go to ADJUST > SHARPNESS > SHARPEN.
You should have this:
You see how it's clearer? Believe me, that is not a step you should miss. Just don't take it too far, or your picture will just look pixelated.
Now repeat those steps for the rest of your pictures.
Step 5 - Creating the bar:
Now you've got your pictures edited, you'll want to put them together. So go to FILE > NEW.
Because we have 6 pictures, each with a width of 100, the width of the final bar will be 600. And the height of the pictures is 100, so the height of the bar will be 100. Type these values in, then press OK. A new, all-white image should appear.
Now you have to paste the pictures into the bar. Select the picture you want to paste, then go to EDIT > COPY. Then go back to the white image, and go to EDIT > PASTE > PASTE AS NEW LAYER, and then repeat for the rest of the pictures. Pasting an image on a new layer means that you can move it around easier.
When you have all your images placed how you would like them, go to LAYERS > MERGE > MERGE ALL.
You should have this:
Now you've got to greyscale the bar. This is an important step, because otherwise the colours of the natural bar will react with the rainbow colours, and make it look fugly.
So go to ADJUST > HUE AND SATURATION > HUE/SATURATION/LIGHTNESS.
Pull the left hand arrow right down to -100 and click OK. Your bar should now be black and white.
Step 6 - Creating the rainbow:
Now comes the rainbow gradient. To do this, you'll need to create a new layer above the bar. To do this, go down to the layer palette:
Click the button that's circled, then click ok in the window that comes up. This has created a new Raster Layer.
Now you'll want to find your rainbow gradient. See the colour palette, and how each colour has three buttons beneath it? Click on the first button, and it will bring up to others:
Click on the middle one, which will take you to the gradients. If the rainbow gradient doesn't come up straight away, then click on the colour window. This will take you to a menu where you can choose a gradient. PSP always comes with a default rainbow gradient.
Now find the Paint Bucket tool.
Make sure your new raster layer is selected, and fill it with the rainbow gradient. Don't worry about the fact that you can't see your bar anymore. Now we've got to change the blend mode of the rainbow to make the pictures show through.
Click on the arrow next to where it says 'Normal', and this menu will appear. Click on 'Colour'.
(You can experiment with the other blend modes too. Colour just tends to give the brightest results).
You should get this:
Almost there. The colours are a little bit too bright though. The opacity of the rainbow layer needs to be changed.
See that there's the number '100' next to the blend mode, with an arrow? Drag the arrow down to about 60.
Your layer palette should now look like this:
And your bar, like this:
Much better. Now go to LAYERS > MERGE > MERGE ALL again.
Step 7 - Borders:
I use the cheat's method of doing borders, but it's much easier, and quicker, than any other way. Here's what you do:
Find your paintbrush tool:
And make sure your options on the toolbar at the top look like this:
And that your colour palette is like this (with the black selected):
Now, zoom into your image to about 300%. Click the paintbrush in the top left-hand corner of your bar. Now, whilst holding shift, click the bottom left-hand corner of your bar. It's a straight line. Now do this all the way around the outside of your bar.
Now you need to seperate the pictures from each other. Go along to where the first picture meets the second. Click on the join, and then hold shift and click on the bottom of the join. You'll have drawn a straight line between the pictures. Repeat for the rest.
Now you should have this:
Congratulations! You've just made your first colourbar!
You can leave it like this, or you can add text. If you want to leave it, skip Step 8 and go onto the next one.
Step 8 - Text:
Open up a new blank image. Leave the width the same, but increase the height to 125 pixels. Copy and paste your bar into this new image, leaving white space at the bottom. Like so:
Now select your text tool:
Make sure the settings at the top match these (you can change the font and size):
And that the BACKGROUND colour is set to black:
Now click where you want the text to be on the bar, and type.
When you're done, hit apply. The text is then created on a new Vector layer. This can be moved and repositioned. Also, if you want to change the text, click on the text tool, and hover over the text until the cursor changes slightly. Then click.
You should now have this:
Step 9 - Saving and Uploading:
Now you've made your colourbar, you'll want to show it off. First, you've got to save it. I always find that PNGs have the best quality. So go to FILE > EXPORT > PNG OPTIMIZER. Fiddle around until you like how it looks, and press OK. You'll then be asked to save it. When you have, a message will come up asking if you want it to be saved as a merged file. Click OK.
Now open yourself an image hosting account. I recommend either GreatestJournal or PhotoBucket. Upload your bar.
Now use this code to paste it into whereever you want on LJ. Replace the words in capitals with your name and the URL of your bar.
http://www.livejournal.com/users/YOURUSERNAME">
Made by
And there you go! You've just made your very own colourbar in PSP!
I hope this was useful. Please tell me if there's anything that could be made better.
**Image Heavy**
This is a colourbar tutorial for those of you who aren't blessed with Photoshop. Hopefully, it'll be easy to follow. But please don't be too harsh if it isn't - it is my first one after all.
You will learn how to make this colourbar:
TUTORIAL:
Step 1:
Open Paint Shop Pro.
Step 2:
Decide what you want the bar to be about (this bar, for example, will be about doughnuts), and find the pictures. Colourbars can have any amount of pictures, but most people tend to use 5-7. For this tutorial, we will use 6. I generally search for pictures in Google. To save searching, these are the pictures I used:
Image 1
Image 2
Image 3
Image 4
Image 5
Image 6
Step 3:
So, you have your pictures, and now I expect you're wondering how to load them onto the program. There are two ways to do this. The first is the one I most frequently use, which is copy and paste. Right-click on the image you want to use, and click copy. Then go to PSP, and hit CTRL + V. This will paste the image as a new image in PSP. Alternatively, you can go to EDIT > PASTE > PASTE AS NEW IMAGE.
The other way is to upload it from your computer. I use this for pictures I already have saved, such as personal photos. Go to FILE > OPEN, then select the picture you want to use and hit OK.
Step 4 - Cropping and Resizing:
So now you should have all your pictures opened up in PSP. You'll have noticed that they're most likely not the right shape or size for a conventional colourbar. This is where the cropping tool comes in.
You'll find it here:
Click on it.
It's best to crop creatively, as just centering the picture can sometimes look quite boring. So decide how you want your picture to be cropped. Then click on the picture with your tool, and draw a square, like so:
To get a perfect square, make sure these two numbers down in the right-hand corner are equal.
Once you've drawn the square, you can drag it around to your desired position, and adjust the size. Once you're happy with it, double click inside the square to crop.
You should end up with this:
It's still too big - it needs to be resized. So go to IMAGE > RESIZE, and you should get this window:
The standard size for colourbar pictures is 100x100 pixels. So in Width, type 100. The Height value should change accordingly. If it doesn't, then make sure 'Lock Aspect Ratio' is checked. Also make sure that it's set to Smart Size and not Pixel Resize.
Click OK.
This is what you should have:
It's nice, but a little blurry for my liking. So go to ADJUST > SHARPNESS > SHARPEN.
You should have this:
You see how it's clearer? Believe me, that is not a step you should miss. Just don't take it too far, or your picture will just look pixelated.
Now repeat those steps for the rest of your pictures.
Step 5 - Creating the bar:
Now you've got your pictures edited, you'll want to put them together. So go to FILE > NEW.
Because we have 6 pictures, each with a width of 100, the width of the final bar will be 600. And the height of the pictures is 100, so the height of the bar will be 100. Type these values in, then press OK. A new, all-white image should appear.
Now you have to paste the pictures into the bar. Select the picture you want to paste, then go to EDIT > COPY. Then go back to the white image, and go to EDIT > PASTE > PASTE AS NEW LAYER, and then repeat for the rest of the pictures. Pasting an image on a new layer means that you can move it around easier.
When you have all your images placed how you would like them, go to LAYERS > MERGE > MERGE ALL.
You should have this:
Now you've got to greyscale the bar. This is an important step, because otherwise the colours of the natural bar will react with the rainbow colours, and make it look fugly.
So go to ADJUST > HUE AND SATURATION > HUE/SATURATION/LIGHTNESS.
Pull the left hand arrow right down to -100 and click OK. Your bar should now be black and white.
Step 6 - Creating the rainbow:
Now comes the rainbow gradient. To do this, you'll need to create a new layer above the bar. To do this, go down to the layer palette:
Click the button that's circled, then click ok in the window that comes up. This has created a new Raster Layer.
Now you'll want to find your rainbow gradient. See the colour palette, and how each colour has three buttons beneath it? Click on the first button, and it will bring up to others:
Click on the middle one, which will take you to the gradients. If the rainbow gradient doesn't come up straight away, then click on the colour window. This will take you to a menu where you can choose a gradient. PSP always comes with a default rainbow gradient.
Now find the Paint Bucket tool.
Make sure your new raster layer is selected, and fill it with the rainbow gradient. Don't worry about the fact that you can't see your bar anymore. Now we've got to change the blend mode of the rainbow to make the pictures show through.
Click on the arrow next to where it says 'Normal', and this menu will appear. Click on 'Colour'.
(You can experiment with the other blend modes too. Colour just tends to give the brightest results).
You should get this:
Almost there. The colours are a little bit too bright though. The opacity of the rainbow layer needs to be changed.
See that there's the number '100' next to the blend mode, with an arrow? Drag the arrow down to about 60.
Your layer palette should now look like this:
And your bar, like this:
Much better. Now go to LAYERS > MERGE > MERGE ALL again.
Step 7 - Borders:
I use the cheat's method of doing borders, but it's much easier, and quicker, than any other way. Here's what you do:
Find your paintbrush tool:
And make sure your options on the toolbar at the top look like this:
And that your colour palette is like this (with the black selected):
Now, zoom into your image to about 300%. Click the paintbrush in the top left-hand corner of your bar. Now, whilst holding shift, click the bottom left-hand corner of your bar. It's a straight line. Now do this all the way around the outside of your bar.
Now you need to seperate the pictures from each other. Go along to where the first picture meets the second. Click on the join, and then hold shift and click on the bottom of the join. You'll have drawn a straight line between the pictures. Repeat for the rest.
Now you should have this:
Congratulations! You've just made your first colourbar!
You can leave it like this, or you can add text. If you want to leave it, skip Step 8 and go onto the next one.
Step 8 - Text:
Open up a new blank image. Leave the width the same, but increase the height to 125 pixels. Copy and paste your bar into this new image, leaving white space at the bottom. Like so:
Now select your text tool:
Make sure the settings at the top match these (you can change the font and size):
And that the BACKGROUND colour is set to black:
Now click where you want the text to be on the bar, and type.
When you're done, hit apply. The text is then created on a new Vector layer. This can be moved and repositioned. Also, if you want to change the text, click on the text tool, and hover over the text until the cursor changes slightly. Then click.
You should now have this:
Step 9 - Saving and Uploading:
Now you've made your colourbar, you'll want to show it off. First, you've got to save it. I always find that PNGs have the best quality. So go to FILE > EXPORT > PNG OPTIMIZER. Fiddle around until you like how it looks, and press OK. You'll then be asked to save it. When you have, a message will come up asking if you want it to be saved as a merged file. Click OK.
Now open yourself an image hosting account. I recommend either GreatestJournal or PhotoBucket. Upload your bar.
Now use this code to paste it into whereever you want on LJ. Replace the words in capitals with your name and the URL of your bar.
Made by
And there you go! You've just made your very own colourbar in PSP!
I hope this was useful. Please tell me if there's anything that could be made better.