This frame is made using some of the effects in PSP7. While I have called it an 'Easy Country Frame', you can really use this frame with a number of different looks. It isn't strictly for country graphics. I hope you enjoy it! (Created: July, 2001)
First, lets open a new 300 x 300 transparent image.
Next, flood fill with one of your favorite country backgrounds or create whatever country graphic you like. Or perhaps you just want to use some art from your collected images folder, and that's ok, too. For now I'm just going to fill with a country background. This background is based on the Easy Country Background tutorial by Suzanne, a FlyByNight Graphics member. If you would like to make this background, you can find the tutorial here.
Easy Country Background
At this point you can add whatever tube you want, or if you've already got something on your canvas, then we're ready to start the framing. Or, you can add your tube at the end, like I'm going to do with this graphic today.
If you have more than one layer, go to Layers|Merge All (Flatten). Now, with your background color set to white, go to Image|Add Border and set the number of pixels to 8. Again, the width is up to you, but you don't want it so big that it will choke a horse - or cause you to go over any KB limits. :o)
Grab your Magic Wand and with the following settings click in the white border.
With the marching ants still trotting around that border, select a complimentary country color from your Foreground Palette and Flood Fill your border. (I've used #CC9AA3.) Now comes the fun part! Oh, this is so easy, too! Go to Effect|Artistic|Brush Strokes and use the following settings:
Click OK. Now we're going to add a bevel. Go to Effects|3D Effects|Inner Bevel and select the Pillow preset. This is what the settings look like:
Click OK and, with the ants still marching, lets add some drop shadow. Go to Effects|3D Effects|Drop Shadow and use the following settings:
Now let's do the same thing again, only this time change the Vertical and Horizontal settings to -2.
Deselect. (Why do we all say that? We all know there is no 'deselect' button but that we have to go to Select|Select None in order to get rid of the marching ants!)
Now we're going to add the second border - Image|Add Border and set the number of pixels to 12. Here's what we have so far:
Grab your Magic Wand again, same settings as before, and click on the white border. Now add another complimentary country color. I've used #DBCBB2, but you can use any color you like.
Guess what's next? That's right! Effects|Artistic Effects|Brush Stroke, and you don't have to change the settings. I told you this is soooo easy! :o)
Now, with your ants still marching, go to Selections|Invert and we're going to now add some drop shadow to this border. This time, because the border is wider, let's use 3 for the vertical and horizontal the first time and then -3 for the vertical and horizontal the second time we do it. The other settings will remain the same.
Deselect, and this is what we now have:
OK, one more border to go. Image|Add Borders and this time change the settings back to 8. Get that Magic Wand again and click. What color do you want to use this time? I've used #7796A8, which matches the background for my image. Again, you can do whatever you'd like here. After all, this is your graphic! :o)
And next? Of course, Effects|Artistic Effects|Brush Stroke, and you don't have to change the settings. I told you this is soooo easy! :o)
Add the same Pillow bevel as we did with the first border, and the same drop shadows we used with the first border. Deselect, and this is what we now have:
OK, since I did my frame first, I'm now going to add a layer and use one of my country type tubes that I've made. I'm going to do a couple to show you how they look when all finished. The first one is the Lil' Fuzzy based on the tutorial by Ronni. If you haven't made this darling bear, but want to, you will find the tutorial here:
Ronni's Lil' Fuzzy
For the next example I used Meneka's Country Cat. If you'd like to try this tutorial, you will find it here:
Meneka's Country Cat
And, for the last example, I've used my 14 year old yellow Lab Sioux for the model. Since this was done around the 4th of July, she's all decorated in a patriotic theme. The frame, however, is definitly 'old country'
