This tutorial is written for PSP7.04. It was written November 23, 2001. The winter background you create may be used in the presentation of other PSP images that you make. Or, you could use a combination of tubes from your collection to create a winter scene. You may also use variations of the background to create your own Christmas cards. The tutorial requires the use of the two plugins listed below. If you do not have these or don't wish to download the demo versions, you may be able to achieve the same effect by using a cloud tube and perhaps the Almathera puddle filter. I have not shown how you would do this so you would have to experiment a bit on your own.

Based on the FlyByNightGraphics skill rating level, this tutorial is considered an Intermediate Level tutorial with the following ratings:

This tutorial was written based on PSP7.04. If you do not already own Paint Shop Pro, you may download a trial version. If you do own PSP, then you can download or purchase the upgrade to PSP7.04. You can find and download them HERE.

This tutorial also uses the Flaming Pear Flood. You can download a demo version of Flood HERE.

I've also used Xenofex's Littly Fluffy Clouds. You can download Xenofex HERE.

PLEASE NOTE: I've learned that the demo version of Xenofex does not contain the working version of Little Fluffy Clouds. You can also make the background setting using the cloud tube that came with PSP. At the end of this tutorial I'll give you an example of one I made that way, and also a brief explanation of the process. If you do not have the clouds tube, you can download it HERE.

If you need the Snow tube, you can download it HERE.

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Open a new 400 x 400 transparent image.

Go to Effects|Plugins|Xenofex|Little Fluffy Clouds, use the following settings, and click 'OK'.

Get your Lasso tool, with Selection Type = Freehand; Feather = 0; Antialias = unchecked and draw an area for your pond. The size of your pond is up to you. You may want a larger pond with a little snow on the perimeter. Or, you may want a smaller pond. This is what mine looks like:

Next you may want to make the snow a little less smooth, but that is up to you. And you can always change from time to time. To do that, go to Selections|Invert and then go to Effects|Little Fluffy Clouds (it should still be there as it is the last one that you used) and apply these settings:

Now for the 'ice'. Selections|Invert, Effects|Flaming Pear|Flood and use these presets, which you may also save, for the ice on the pond: (I used #7796A8 for the color in the preset.)

Next we need to soften the edge of the pond where it meets the snow. Get your Smudge tool, Soften, and then go all around the edge of the pond using the following settings:

This is what my pond now looks like:

To complete your background and to give perspective, add some pine trees, making sure that the ones in the back are smaller than the ones in front. Also, it is not necessary to show the entire tree. But, while you're deciding where to place the trees, it's a good idea to place them in the middle of the image first and then move them. I put each tree on a separate layer. Add a layer and place your first tree. Then add another layer and place your second tree, making it smaller and placing it further back. Here's how I've made mine:

Now we need to add a drop shadow to bring out the trees. Click on the layer with the first tree. Go to Selections|Select All; Selections|Float. Then go to your Layer Palette and click on the background layer (Layer 1). Now go to Effects|3D Effects|Drop Shadow and use the settings below to apply your drop shadow. Do the same for each tree.

NOTE: Another thing you may want to do is add some snow to your trees. After you deselect each tree, go to Selections|Select All; Selections|Float. Get your Snow tube and add some snow. Then deselect and do the next tree.

Deselect. Merge|Merge Visible all layers. Now you have a background you can use to show a winter image on ice. To frame this background, go to Selections|Select All; Selections|Modify|Contract by 5 - 7 pixels; Selections|Invert. Flood fill with white. Now you can add a Super Blade Pro, Blade Pro, Ulead Art Texture, or a color for your background. Then be sure to add a drop shadow and do it a second time changing your horizontal and vertical settings to a minus sign.

Here's my framed winter scene background. Now all I need to do is add a layer and then add the tubed image of whatever I've created for the scene.

The next scene shows you how the scene would look if there were snow added to the trees.

That's it! I hope you've enjoyed making an ice pond scene for some of your winter creations!

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Here is a scene made by Mon who tested this tutorial for me. Isn't this just a wonderful scene! It looks like it came from the pages of a a child's book. Thank you, Mon!

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VARIATION USING CLOUDS TUBE

If you do not have Xenofex, start with your transparent background and flood fill with white. Then add your cloud tube to fill the background. Next, get your spray can and with the following settings, spray all the darker gray areas: Size = 31; Hardness = 38; Opacity = 40; Step = 25; Density = 20.

Next, get your Soften Tool and with the following settings, smooth over the areas where you have applied your white spray paing: Shape = Round; Size = 27; Hardness = 52; Opacity = 54; Step = 6; Density = 70. Then follow the remainder of the tutorial above, starting with the step where you use your Lasso tool to make the pond outline. This is an example of what mine looks like using this technique:

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