FlipAlbum ®
Photo Cover

Created by: WendiM

This tutorial extends the challenge of taking photos for your FlipAlbum ® by using those creative talents you have to making your own custom album covers - using your own photographs.

We also have written two other FlipAlbum ® Cover tutorials:

- all made with PSP V7.

This tutorial (written for new and experienced PSP7 users) - has been adapted from the Leather Bound Books tutorial created by Doro Sensen and MaggieA1.

This PSP tutorial is broken into the following steps:

Opening a photo image and duplicating it,
Creating a new layer, a crease and adding a cutout effect,
Adding shadows to your crease,
Duplicating and mirroring the crease layer,
Reducing the image size,
Applying an Inner Bevel to the Front Cover,
Applying an Inner Bevel to the Back Cover.

Your final image needs to be exactly 360 x 510 pixels, as required for the FlipAlbum ® cover. However. your original photo needs to be at least 360 x 530 pixels high (allowing us some extra pixels in length needed for this tutorial, which will be cropped off eventually).

If your image is a lot larger than this, then you need to reduce its size by either using the Resize and/or Crop functions in PSP. However, before commencing this tutorial, it is essential your image is 360 x 530 pixels.

The following links take you to pages that show you how to either resize or crop your image before commencing this tutorial:

To resize your photo in PSP, click here.

To crop your photo in PSP, click here

Original photo (small version) - double click to download this image

For the purposes of this tutorial, I have used the attached image, which you should unzip into your PSP images directory. In this first step, we will open the photo, and make a duplicate copy of it (to preserve the original).

To open the photo image and duplicate it:

1. Click on this Download Image link. The system will save
     the zip file to your specified folder.

2. After downloading, unzip (extract) the file contained in the zip
     (named "flip2photo.jpg") - into your working PSP folder.

3. Start PSP and open the "flip2photo.jpg" image.

4. To make sure that you preserve the original image, duplicate
     it [SHIFT+D].

5. Save the duplicated image as flip2cover1.psp [CTRL+S],
     then switch back to the original image and close it (without
     saving).

6. Click on your Layer Palette's title bar (to activate it). You will
     notice that the image only has one layer - named "Background"
     (as shown in the image on the left).

7. In the Layer Palette, double-click on the "Background" layer's
     name. The system displays the Promote Layer and Edit
     Properties dialog box.

8. In the Name field, rename this layer "photo", then click on the
     [OK] button (leaving all of the rest of the settings in this
     dialog box as they are). Your Layer Palette should now look like
     that shown on the left.

9. Now would be a good time to save your image [CTRL+S].

Layer Palette - displaying crease1 layer as the active layer

In this step we'll create a new layer, create the "crease" on the front cover and apply a shiny cutout effect.

To create a new layer and add a cutout effect:

1. Click on the Layers > New Raster Layer... menu option
    . The system displays the Layer Properties dialog box.

2. In the Layer Properties name field, type your new layer name as
    "crease1", then click on the [OK] button (accepting all of the
     other default options in this dialog box). Your Layer Palette
     should now look like that shown on the left.

3. Double click on your Selection tool. The system displays the
     Select Area dialog box.

4. Use the following Select Area settings:

     Left = 20,
     Right = 35,
     Top = 0,
     Bottom = 530
     Custom size & position button = selected.

     then click on the [OK] button to accept these settings. The
     system displays a long narrow selection down the side of
     your image. This is the crease area (15 x 535 pixels).

     If you want your crease a little wider, use the [Undo] button
     on the Toolbar, and adjust the Select Area settings in the
     previous step.

     Your "Selection" should look similar to that displayed on the left.

5. Now we're going to save your selection to an alpha channel (in
     which PSP stores the selection within the image) allowing us to
     use the same "selection" several times.

     Click on the Selections > Save to Alpha Channel... menu
     option, then click on the [OK] button twice (to accept the default
     options).

6. Next we'll apply a cutout effect, to give the crease a shinier look.
     Click on the Effects > 3dEffects > Cutout... menu option. The
     system displays the Cutout dialog box (as shown on the left).

7. Change the settings in this dialog box to the following:

     Offset Vertical & Horizontal = 1,
     Opacity = 100,
     Blur = 10.
     Shadow Color = white,
     Fill interior with color checkbox = unchecked.

     then click on the [OK] button to accept these settings. The
     system displays a white cutout effect on your selection.

8. Do not deselect your selection but, again, save your image
     [CTRL+S].

In this step we'll add the shadows to your crease, Your selection should still be active from the last step. If not use the Selections > Load from Alpha Channel.. menu option, then click on the [OK] button.

To add shadows to your crease:

1. To apply our first drop shadow, click on the Effects > 3D Effects
     > Drop Shadow... menu option. The system displays the
     Drop Shadow dialog box.

2. Use the following Drop Shadow settings:

     Offset Vertical = -3,
     Offset Horizontal = -3,
     Opacity = 52,
     Blur = (approx.) 7.1
     Color = Black.

     Note - if Black is not the default colour, click on
     the color box and select Black (top right) from the
     Basic Colors in the Color dialog box, then click
     on the [OK] button to accept this setting.

     then click on the [OK] button to accept these settings. The
     system applies your drop shadow down the left side of your
     selection, as shown in the image on the left.

3. To apply a second drop shadow, again click on the
     Effects > 3D Effects > Drop Shadow... menu option.
     The system again displays the Drop Shadow dialog box.

4. Use the previous Drop Shadow settings (which remain in the
     dialog box from the last Drop Shadow), except change the
     following settings:

     Offset Vertical = 3,
     Offset Horizontal = 3.

     then click on the [OK] button to accept these settings. The
     system displays the second drop shadow down the right side of
     your selection.

5. Now [CTRL+D] to deselect your selection, then save your image
     [CTRL+S]. Your image should look like that shown on
     the left.

Layer Palette, showing Copy of crease1 layer as the active layer

Now we are going to duplicate the "crease1" layer, and mirror it (in preparation for your back cover).

To duplicate the "crease1" layer and mirror it:

1. Click on the Layers > Duplicate menu option. The system
     places a duplicate copy above your "crease1" layer in,
     the Layer Palette, naming it "Copy of crease1", and making it
     your "active" (highlighted) layer.

     Your layer palette should look like that shown on the left.

2. To mirror the crease in the duplicate layer, click on the Image >
     Mirror menu option [CTRL+M]. The system mirrors your
     crease by placing it on the right-hand side of the image,
     as shown here on the left.

Layer Palette - with photo layer selected

Layer Palette showing "Copy of crease1" and "Copy of photo" layers hidden, and the "photo" layer selected as the active layer

Now we're going to reduce the size of the image to the standard FlipAlbum® cover size (width = 360 pixels x height = 510 pixels), then duplicate the "photo" layer for our back cover.

To reduce the image size and apply a bevel:

1. Double click on the Crop tool. The system displays the
     Crop Area dialog box.

2. Use the following Crop Area settings:

     Left = 0,
     Right = 360,
     Top = 3,
     Bottom = 513.

     then click on the [OK] button to accept these settings. The
     system places a "crop" selection around a portion of your image
     - 3 pixels from the top, and 17 pixels from the bottom.

     This is to get rid of the top and bottom edges of the creases, and
     to reduce our image to the required FlipAlbum ® cover size
     (i.e. to 360 x 510).

3. Using the Tool Options - Crop palette, click on the
     [CROP IMAGE] button. The system crops the image as specified.

4. Using your Layer Palette, left-click once on your "photo" layer
     (to make it the "active" layer, as shown on the left).

5. Using the Layers > Duplicate menu option, duplicate the "photo"
     layer. The system adds a new layer named "Copy of photo".

6. Now click on the Layers > Arrange > Move Up menu option.
     The system moves the "Copy of photo" layer up above your
     "crease1" layer.

7. So that we are clear about which cover we are working on, still
     using the Layer Palette - click on the Show/Hide toggle beside
     each of the "Copy of crease1" and "Copy of photo" layers
     (to hide them), then left click once on the "photo" layer name
     (to make it your "active" layer), as shown in the image on
     the left.

8. Again save your image [CTRL+S].

Almost finished!!! Finally we are going to add a bevel to the "photo" layer, and finish off the FlipAlbum ® front cover.

To add an inner bevel:

1. Use the Selections > Select All menu option [CTRL+A] (to
     select all of your image).

2. Click on the Effects > 3D Effects > Inner Bevel... menu
     option. The system displays the Inner Bevel dialog box.

3. Change the Inner Bevel dialog box settings as follows:

     Bevel
     Bevel = As displayed - top row 3rd from left of bevel types
     (click on the down-arrow beside the image to view these).
     Width = 2.

     Image
     Smoothness = 33,
     Depth = 3,
     Ambience = 8,
     Shininess = 0,

     Light
     Color = white.
     Angle = 45 degrees,
     Intensity = 50,
     Elevation = 30.

     and after making these settings, click on the [OK] button.
     The system applies an Inner Bevel to the outside edges of your
     back cover.

4. Deselect your selection [CTRL+D], then save your image
     [CTRL+S]. Your image should look similar to that shown on
     the left.

5. To save this image as your FlipAlbum ® front cover, duplicate
     the image [SHIFT+D], and save the duplicated copy as
     "photofrontcover.jpg". Switch back to your original image, so
     that we can apply an inner bevel to the back cover as well.

Layer Palette, showing the "Copy of photo" and "Copy of crease1" layers, hiding the "photo" and "crease1" layers, and selecting the "Copy of photo" as the "active" layer.

Now we are going to add a bevel to the "Copy of photo" layer in our original image, to finish off the FlipAlbum ® back cover.

To add an inner bevel:

1. Using the Layer Palette, click on the Show/Hide toggle beside
     each of the "Copy of photo" and "Copy of crease1" layers (to
     show them), then click on the Show/Hide toggle beside each of
     the "photo" and "crease1" layers (to hide them).

     Click on the "Copy of photo" layer to make it your "active" layer.
     Your Layer Palette should look like that shown on the left.

2. Now use the Selections > Select All menu option [CTRL+A] (to
     select all of your image).

3. Click on the Effects > 3D Effects > Inner Bevel... menu
     option. The system displays the Inner Bevel dialog box.

4. Leave the Inner Bevel dialog box settings as per the previous
     settings, with the following exception:

     Light
     Angle = 315 degrees.

     then to apply the settings, click on the [OK] button.
     The system applies an Inner Bevel to the outside edges of your
     front cover.

5. Deselect your selection [CTRL+D], then save your image
     [CTRL+S].

     Your image should look similar to that shown on the left.

6. To save this image as your FlipAlbum ® back cover, duplicate
     the image [SHIFT+D], and save the duplicated copy as
     "photobackcover.jpg".

     This completes our tutorial. You can of course have a plain cover
     on the back, or use another photo for it.

FlipAlbum ®Photo Cover

FlipAlbum ®
Photo Cover