Making
Cutouts&Chiseled Buttons
and Using Hot Wax

Let's make Different Types of Buttons for use on your webpage. We will explore using the Cutout effect, the Chisel Effect and the Hot Wax Coating Effect.

Set Palette Colors:

• PSP5&PSP6:
  • Foreground = Light Blue (R192, G192, B255)
  • Background = Darker Blue (R160, G160, B255)
• PSP7:
  • Styles Boxes = Solid Color
    (Click on Right Arrow and Click on Brush Icon)
  • Textures Boxes = Null
  • Lock = Checked
    (Click on Right Arrow and click on Null Icon)
  • Foreground = Light Blue (R192, G192, B255)
  • Background = Darker Blue (R160, G160, B255)

Create a New Canvas:

• New Canvas in Pixels
  • Width = 165
  • Height = 65
  • Resolution = 'doesn't matter'
  • Background Color = Transparent
  • Image Type = 16 M Colors (25 bit)
  • Click on OK

• Use FLOOD FILL Tool
  • PSP7: (Only Blend Mode and Match Mode will need to be set as rest has been set when setting the Color Palette)
  • PSP5: (Use OPTIONS Button to set Blend Mode)
  • Fill Style = Solid Color
  • Blend Mode = Normal
  • Match Mode = None
  • Tolerance = 0
  • Opacity = 100
  • Paper Texture = None (PSP6 only)
  • Left Click on Canvas for the FOREGROUND Color

Write Text: (Click on the TEXT Tool - Icon Looks like an 'A')

(We will use HOME in the example. However, you may want to use your name or any other text. For the Font Style we will use Arial Black but you may use any other fat font style.)

• PSP7: Width = 1 and Line Style = Single Line (default)
• Click on Canvas
  • Name = Arial Black (or any text wanted)
  • PSP5: Style = Bold
  • Script = Western
  • Size = 28
  • PSP6: Text Effects = Click on Foreground Color
  • PSP7: In Styles, Stroke = Null, Fill = Foreground Color
  • PSP7: In Textures, Both = Null
  • PSP7: Click on 'B' (Bold)&Alignment = Center
  • Floating = Checked (Not in PSP5)
  • Antialias = Checked
  • PSP5: Alignment = Center
  • PSP6&7: Auto Kern = Checked (Not in PSP5)
  • Enter Text = HOME (Capitalized)
  • Click on OK

• To Center the Text, use either of the following:
  1. Place Cursor in Text and when changes to double arrows, Hold Mouse Button Down and Drag to position wanted.
  2. Use the SHIFT Key + ARROW KEYS (on keyboard) to move text.
• Save Selection (Text Outline)
  • Use file menu, SELECTIONS || SAVE TO ALPHA CHANNEL
  • Click on OK
  • Click on OK again
  • Deselect (Selections || None or Control+D)
• PSP7 only: Click on FLOOD FILL TOOL and flood fill to remove the text and return to a solid color.

Note: We will be using the text selection a few times to illustrate the Cutout and Chisel Effects. Rather than writing the text again and again in new canvas, we will use the Alpha Channel to recall the text we just saved. This approach will work as long as the PSP canvas is open and the one from which the Alpha Channel was saved.

So, Let's Move on now and Explore Using the Cutout Effect.

The Cutout Effect creates a look of a 'Cutout' of the shape (selection) used on the image surface. When you select the CUTOUT Effect, there is a CUTOUT OPTIONS Window. So Let's first explore the various options and how they work.

• PSP5&PSP6: Click on IMAGE || EFFECTS || CUTOUT
• PSP7: Click on EFFECTS || 3D EFFECTS || CUTOUT
• Before we set values, let's explore the Options
  • In the Attributes Area, we can set
    --gt; Interior Color
    --gt; Shadow Color
    --> Opacity of the cutout
    --> Blur factor for the cutout
  • In the Offset Area, we can set
    --> Vertical and Horizontal Offsets

• The Interior Color, when set by checking the Fill Interior with color, is used at times to paint the text a different color when it will accentuate the cutout effect. If it is NOT set, when you use it, the colors within the text selection will be deleted.
• The Shadow Color is a key option and often will be set to a Black Color.
• Opacity is a switch that will lighten the effect
• Blur will blur the effect with a little blur (small numbers) to larger blur effect (larger numbers)
• The Offsets will place the shadow dependent upon whether the number is positive or negative. Positive numbers will place the shadow top (vertical)&left (horizontal) when positive and bottom (vertical) and right (horizontal) when negative.
• One can create some stunning effects using the Cutout feature so explore it at your leisure using various values and options.

Illustration #1: Basic Technique #1

• For All Examples:
• Use the Canvas with the foreground color as canvas color.
• Use SELECTIONS || LOAD FROM ALPHA and click on OK for the Text Selection.
• Use WINDOWS || DUPLICATE to start a New Canvas with the Text Selection.
• Then Use the CUTOUT EFFECT
  (PSP5 & 6: Image || Effects || Cutout)
  (PSP7: Effects || 3D Effects || Cutout)

• Set These Values in the cutout window:
  • Fill Interior with Color = Checked
  • Interior Color = Foreground (R192, G192, B255)
  • Shadow Color = Black (0, 0, 0)
  • Opacity = 100
  • Blur = 6
  • Vertical and Horizontal Offset = 3
  • Click on OK

  • Use DROP SHADOW EFFECT
    (PSP5 & 6: Image || Effects || Drop Shadow)
    (PSP7: Effects || 3D Effects || Drop Shadow)
    • Color = White
    • Opacity = 100
    • Blur = 1
    • Vertical and Horizontal Offset = 1
    • Click on OK
  • DESELECT (Selections || None or Control+D)

• Using this Technique, we have created a Cutout Effect on a single layer. In the next Technique, we will use multiple layers to have a bit more control over the effect.

Illustration #2: Basic Technique #2

In this technique, we will only use the CUTOUT Effect and not use the Drop Shadow Effect. And, we will use two additional layers for the cutout effects.

• Highlight the Original Canvas which should have the text showing. If not, use Selections || Load from Alpha.
• Duplicate it: Windows || Duplicate
• Create a New Layer labeled Black Cutout (Click on the New Layer Icon)
• Use the CUTOUT EFFECT and the same Values present from above, except Fill Interior with color = Unchecked.

• Create a NEW LAYER labeled White Cutout
• Use the CUTOUT EFFECT and set these values:
  • Fill Interior With Color = UNCHECKED
  • Shadow Color = WHITE
  • Opacity = 100
  • Blur = 3
  • Vertical and Horizontal Offset = -1 (minus 1)
  • DESELECT (Control+D)
• Note that the effect is very much the same as above. However, we have much more control now.

  In Your Layer Palette, you can use the Opacity Switches to lower the opacity of a layer. You can soften the black shadow by reducing the opacity.

  You can also can also change the top color (layer 1). Just use Selections || Load from Alpha, then Selections || Invert and then use Flood Fill and flood fill layer 1 with the background color. The text colors remain with the foreground color.

Lets Make Buttons from these images so you can use them on a Web Page.

• Select the First Image of a single layer.
• Use BUTTONIZE:
  --> (PSP5 & 6: Image || Effects || Buttonize)
  --> (PSP7: Effects || 3D Effects || Buttonize)
• Height = 12
• Width = 12
• Opacity = 100
• Transparent Edge = Checked
• Click on OK

• Select the Second Image of three layers.
• Create a New Layer at top labeled 'Buttonize'.
• Use BUTTONIZE again but with this Change:
• Change Height to its Maximum
• Leave other values as set
• Click on OK
• Then in the Layer Palette set the MODE OPTION to LUMINANCE which creates a more uniform blue shadow.

(Note: You can play around with the Buttonize Values to create other types of buttons. Try setting the Height to 6 and width to it's maximum or a value of 32 for a different effect.)

The Chisel Effect creates a carved border around the selection, or in our example, the text giving it a rough raised appearance.

When you click on the Chisel Effect, the Chisel Options window will allow you to set some values:

• Size = which controls the size of the border around the selection.
• Transparent, if checked = setting the border around the letters to transparent to allow colors from a lower layer to show through.
• Background, if checked = setting the border to the current background color with a black border.

Illustration #1: Chisel Effect on one layer.

• Set Foreground = Darker Purple (R160, G160, B255)
• Set Background = Lighter Purple (R192, G192, B255)
• New Canvas = 165 x 65 Transparent&16M
• Flood Fill (Solid) with Background Color
• Use TEXT Tool (as used previously) but set the size = 22
• Center the Text
• SELECTIONS || SAVE TO ALPHA
• PSP5&PSP6: IMAGE || EFFECTS || CHISEL
• PSP7: EFFECTS || 3D EFFECTS || CHISEL
• Size = 14
• Background Color = selected
• Click on OK
• Deselect (Control+D)

Illustration #2: Chisel Effect with Drop Shadow

• Continue with same Canvas
• Selections || LOAD FROM ALPHA to get text selection around the text.
• PSP5&PSP6: IMAGE || EFFECTS || DROP SHADOW
• PSP7: EFFECTS || 3D EFFECTS || DROP SHADOW
• Color = Black
• Opacity = 100
• Blur = 4
• Vertical&Horizontal Offset = 1
• Click on OK
• Deselect (Control+D)

NOTE: Notice that with the Drop Shadow one is able to get a more defined area for the text.

Illustration #3: Chisel Effect with Transparent Background

• Use the Same Values as for Illustration #1 with TRANSPARENT CHECKED rather than Background Checked in the Chisel Options Window.
• Make sure the Text Selection has been Saved to Alpha Channel.
• After the Chisel Effect, Deselect
• (You may find a transparent area around the text.)
• (If so, just create a new layer, drag it to be the bottom layer, and flood fill with the background color.)
• Then Load From Alpha the text selection
• Use the DROP SHADOW effect with these values for Opacity and Blur.
• Opacity = 40
• Blur = 2

Now, let's set the Buttonized Border for these images.
PSP5&PSP6: Image || Effects || Buttonize
PSP7: Effects || 3D Effects || Buttonize

• Illustration #1: Height&Width = 8&Opacity = 60
• Illustration #2: Height = 6&Width = 24&Opacity = 60
• Illustration #3: Height = 32&Width = 12&Opacity = 60

As an extra illustration, using techniques with the Air Brush one is able to create a marble effect for the button. Just experiment and have fun with the chisel Effect.

HOT Wax Coating creates an effect of a waxed look over the image by applying a layer of color in varying degrees of transparency. This transparency is determined by the contour of the image. The Hot Wax Coating also uses the current foreground color that is selected to apply this layer over the image.

Let's experiment with the hot wax coating.

First, let's set the basic image:

• Set Colors: (Solid)
  • Foreground = White (255, 255, 255)
  • Background = Burgundy (192, 0, 0)
• New Canvas: 165 x 65 White Background, 16M Colors
• Add Noise:
  • PSP5&PSP6: Image || Noise || Add
  • PSP7: Effects || Noise || Add
  • Noise = 100%
  • Random = Checked
• Buttonize:
  • PSP5&PSP6: Image || Effects || Buttonize
  • PSP7: Effects || 3D Effects || Buttonize
  • Height = 15
  • Width = 15
  • Opacity = 62
  • Solid Edge = Checked
• Add Text:
  • (See Above for Cutout for setting text)
  • PSP7: Reverse Foreground and Background colors by clicking on double arrow so that White is background. Then, when clicking on TEXT, set Stroke = Null&Fill = White.
  • Font Size = 22
  • Font Color = White
  • Click on Ok
  • Save Selection To Alpha Channel
  • Deselect
  • PSP7: Reverse Foreground and Background Colors by clicking on double arrow so that White is again Foreground.

• Now, let's apply the Hot Wax Coating:
  • Make sure Foreground is White and Background is Burgundy

  • PSP5&PSP6: Image || Other || Hot Wax Coating
  • PSP7: Effects || Artistic Effects || Hot Wax Coating

Sometimes the result might be a bit darker than wanted. One may want to Adjust the Brightness and Contrast a bit. Play with the settings to get your desired result:

• Using Colors || Adjust || Brightness/Contrast
  • Brightness = 10%
  • Contrast = 20%

Experiment with these Effects. The more you explore, the more you will find new and exciting images. Have fun. :o)

Next week we will be covering Deformation, Filters and Screen Capture, so stay tuned.