Beaded Curtain Using Custom Line Styles (2): The Beaded Curtain
Created by: Cassandrablue

Step 1

First we need to open an image large enough to work on: Go to File || New. PSP opens the 'New Image' dialog box.

Open a new transparent raster image, large enough for creating your beaded curtain. I used 400 x 400 pixels.

Flood-fill with a dark colour (this makes it easier to see what you are working on and can be changed later).

In the Materials palette, make the Foreground Style 'Color' and make the colour White with no texture.

We are going to use vectors to create the beaded curtain, so add a new Vector layer, naming it 'Crossbar'.

Select the Pen Tool and on the Tool Options palette use these settings:
– Contiguous = unchecked
– Create as vector = checked
– Mode = Drawing Mode
– Segment Type = Line Segments
– Line style = choose the 2nd line that you made (the straight line
                     with a knob at each end)
– Width = 4
– Antialias = checked

Hold down the Shift key to keep the line straight, and draw a horizontal line near the top of the image, making it the width that you want your curtain to be.

Then go to Objects || Align || Horz. Center in Canvas.

Now go to Layers || Duplicate and use the Mover tool to place the duplicate bar just below the first one.

Make sure the top layer is active and go to Layers || Merge || Merge Down, then to Layers || Convert to Raster Layer.

Step 2

Add a new Vector layer naming it 'Centre String'. Select the Pen tool.

Change the 'Line style' to the 1st line that you created in Part 1 of this tutorial (the string of beads). Change the width to 3.00, the other settings should be the same as before.

Hold down the Shift key and draw a vertical line from the top bar downwards, the length is up to you. Now go to Objects || Align || Horiz. Center in Canvas, then to Layers || Convert to Raster Layer.

That is our centre string of beads. We will now draw all of the strings to the right of it, then duplicate and mirror them to make the left side. It halves the work, doesn't it? ;)

Step 3

Add a new vector layer, naming it 'Right Strings'. Click the 'New Shape' icon on the Tool Options palette, then draw a line, a little to the right of your centre string, from the lower bar downwards, making it a different length to your first string of beads.

Click the 'New Shape' icon again and draw a new line from the top bar downwards and a little further to the right.

Keep drawing new lines, alternate between starting at the the top bar and the lower bar and make the lines different lengths. Don't forget to click the 'New Shape' icon before drawing each line.

As you can see in the screenshot, the distance between my lines isn't very even. In the next step we will make any adjustments needed in the positions of the lines.

Step 4

You may want to move some of your lines closer together, or further apart, so if you want to make any ajustments to the positions of your lines, make sure that the Pen Tool is active.

Open the Layer palette and click on the '+' sign next to the 'Right Strings' layer, this will open up all the sub-layers containing the lines you drew as new shapes.

When you click on one of these 'New Shape' layers, it becomes active. If you look at your image you will see that the string of beads that is on that layer has a line down it, with a node on each end.

If you have worked in the same direction as I have, the string nearest to the centre one will be at the bottom and the one on the outside will be at the top. Select a layer contaning a string that you want to adjust.

You can make minor adjustments in any direction by moving the mouse over the line until this sign: '~' appears, then click with the left mouse button and drag into position, or hold the Shift key and click the nodes at the top and bottom of the string, so that they are both selected (when they are selected they are dark red). You can then use the arrow keys to move the line, in any direction, one pixel at a time.

If you want to make a string of beads shorter or longer, select and drag the node at the bottom. You can keep the line straight by holding the Shift key while you drag the node.

Step 5

Go to Layers || Convert to Raster Layer. To make the strings of beads for the left side, go to Layers || Duplicate, then to Image || Mirror.

Now we want to merge all of the bead layers together. Make sure you are on the top layer, and then go to Layers || Merge Down. To merge this layer with the 'Centre String' layer, repeat this step (Layers || Merge down) once.

For this tutorial I have flood-filled the bead strings with a gradient and applied an inner bevel, but as an alternative you could also use SuperBladePro or Eye Candy.

Click on the Foreground and Stroke properties box. In the dialogue box click on the 'Gradient' tab, then on the Gradient Type drop-down list and choose the 'Rainbow Pastel' gradient (or another gradient of your choice). Use these settings:
– Style = Linear
– Angle = 0 – Repeats = 0
– Texture = unchecked

On the layer containing all your strings of beads go to Selections || Select all (Ctrl+A), then to Selections || Float (Ctrl+F). Flood-fill the selection with the gradient and deselect (Ctrl+D).

Tip: If you prefer, you can lock the transparency of the layer, then flood-fill. If you want to use that method, open the Layer palette and click the padlock at the far right of the layer containing your bead strings (it turns blue), this locks (protects) the transparent areas of the layer, then you can flood-fill with your gradient. Don't forget to unlock the transparency by clicking the padlock again when you're finished.

Step 6

To give the beads a bevelled edge, go to Effects || 3D Effects || Inner Bevel. I used these settings:
– Bevel = 6
– Width = 4
– Smoothness = 3
– Depth = 45
– Ambience = 9
– Shininess = 14
– Colour = a very light yellow (#FFFFDB)
– Angle = 346
– Intensity = 50
– Elevation = 55

Feel free to experiment with the settings, you might come up with something that you like better. :-)

Step 7

We now have to flood-fill and bevel the crossbar in a similar way: Make the 'Crossbar' layer active, then go to Selections || Select all (Ctrl+A), then to Selections || Float (Ctrl+F).

Flood-fill with a colour or pattern of your choice (here as with the bead strings, you can also use the lock transparency and flood-fill method to colour the crossbar if you prefer).

Then go to Effects || 3D Effects || Inner Bevel and use the Round preset. Alternatively you could apply SuperBladePro.

Step 8

Next we will add a drop shadow. (If you want to tube your curtain with no drop shadow duplicate the image (Shift+D), delete the 'Background' layer at the bottom, go to Layers || Merge || Merge visible, then to File || Export || Picture Tube. Your duplicate image can now be closed.)

While your 'Crossbar' layer is active, go to Effects || 3D Effects || Drop Shadow. Use these settings:
– Vertical offset = 2
– Horizontal offset = 2
– Opacity = 53
– Blur = 5.93
– Shadow on new layer = unchecked

Make the layer containing your bead strings active and apply a drop shadow with the same settings. Next we will merge the bead strings and crossbar layers: Go to Layers || Merge || Merge down.

You can fill the background in any way you wish, with a colour, or pattern, or as in the example shown here, in front of a window.

If you want to tube the beaded curtain with the drop shadow included, delete the 'Background' layer, then go to File || Export || Picture Tube. Give it a name and leave the other settings at the default values.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and can find a use for your beaded curtain and come up with other ways to use custom line styles.