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ORIGINAL QUESTION: I am out of sorts trying to figure out how to place paper or a photo onto template(s) in Paint Shop Pro X1 files so that they go exactly in place without having to work for hours trying to place the paper or whatever onto the template. I've read Dee Decker's PSP template for masks, but that's not exactly the same, I don't think... right? Can't seem to figure it out. Also, I would like to know what is the purpose of using "Clear Clipboard?" Thanks in advance for your help! I need step-by-step directions.
ANSWER: Hi, I'll see if I can help you out here. It might help if you'd tell us exactly what templates you are using. For now, I'm supposing you have a template with lots of PNG files which are varying shades of black, gray, and white. And yes, I agree, it is sometimes frustrating to get all those layers with PNG files lined up correctly. (You know they don't have to be exact, don't you?)
However, there is an easier way to go. Most designers also include a PSD file which has all the layers in all their proper places (unlike the separate PNG files which will end up all being centered when you add them to your document). Paint Shop Pro (PSP) is capable of opening the PSD files! Once it's opened, you can then work with it and save it either as a .pspimage file or a .psd file.
Another option is to use a PSP script Dee has developed just for this purpose. And the best part is that it's free! Go to the Scrap Girls Boutique and click on the Freebies and there should be two at the bottom: One for rectangles and one for squares.
If you already have the template PNG files lined up as you like them and are just having trouble getting the paper and/or photos into the proper places, that is another process. You need to copy the paper and/or photo you are using and place it as a new layer "above" the layer you want it on. Then there are several methods to "clip" it to the shape of the PNG file. I usually use the Magic Wand Tool.
With the paper/photo in the layer above, turn off the visibility of the paper. Then making sure the PNG file of the template is the active layer, select all of it with the Magic Wand. Then go to your paper/photo layer, making it the active layer and click on the "eye," making it visible. Go to Selections, click on Invert and then hit your Delete key. The paper/photo should now be the shape of the PNG file underneath and you can delete the PNG file.
Let us know if this helps. Don't want you to be out of sorts!
ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTOR RESPONSE: Thanks for your suggestions. I failed to mention that I just discovered I'm able to use the PSD files... they line up in Layers Palette! How great is that? I truly am grateful for your help. Thanks again. Ciao!
P.S. Would you tell me why one must "clear the clipboard?" Is there a book I can pick up that is "Paint Shop Pro for Dummies?"
ANSWER: There are a lot of good books for PSP users. I'm not at home right now, so can't give you exact titles and authors, but I'll check out www.amazon.com to see if I see anything that rings a bell.
And if you haven't noticed, Ro has a series of videos here in the Boutique specifically for PSP X - which will work for any PSP X series. Look for her Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed. I had used PSP years for web graphics and such, but never realized how useful it would be for digital scrapping until I got these videos... very much worth having.
And always, if you have a question, just ask here. We'll do all we can to help you over a hurdle! And we usually learn something ourselves in the process!
ANSWER: When you copy layers, they pile up on the clipboard, using up your memory. Clearing the clipboard helps free-up space (and for me, it helped me not crash sometimes.)
ORIGINAL QUESTION: I have been playing with the numerous masks I have collected over time and stumbled on a freebie which brings me to this question:
Do masks that are white get treated the same as black ones? I have four photo masks that are grungy-looking but are designed in white. Do I have to do anything special to them to make them work in Paint Shop Pro?
ANSWER: White means it will take away what is in the white and only showcase what is not white... meaning if your mask is white on the outside but has black inside, the picture will go over the black and be erased away by the white. Same with a mask that's white in the middle and black on the outside, only reversed. Make sense? Gray will show up some of the photo or paper or what have you in subtle tones.
ANSWER: Interesting question. I would say that you would use white masks the same as black ones. Have you tried using them the same as black? Hopefully some of our PSP experts will see this and give us some ideas!
ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTOR RESPONSE: Thanks for your help! Your description was so clear and very helpful. The samples were very helpful, too. Thanks again for taking the time to come to my aide. I really appreciate it!
I'm back - still mystified about using masks. I have acquired grunge-frame masks and couldn't get them to work on my photos. It turns out I was using them directly from the Organizer. I slid the mask up out of the organizer onto the layout and didn't like what I saw. I couldn't get the grunge look. I now know I need to save the mask in my PSP mask folder. (I'm guessing it's kind of like loading brushes.) Can anyone give me directions on how to put my masks into the PSP mask folder? Maybe you know of a tutorial somewhere? I've looked around and even consulted my PSP books but no one mentions how to install the masks into the PSP program, just how to use them. I'd appreciate any help. I'm not giving up!
ANSWER: You can use them directly from the Organizer and not put them in your mask folder. Here is what I do:
Drag the mask into my work space and minimize it.
Open my paper or whatever I plan to use the mask on.
Go to Layer> New Mask Layer> From Image.
Use the drop-down menu to choose the layer file and choose the minimized mask layer.
Play with next set of settings until you find one you like.
Because masks use shades of gray from black to white to allow things to show, I usually make sure I have a white layer as my base so I can see the shading easily. It can be turned off when you no longer need it or when you move the layer group to your layout.
ANSWER: One note I'll add, make sure that the "Source Luminance" option is checked in the Layer> New Mask Layer> From Image window. One time I didn't have that selected and got frustrated as the clip didn't happen - then I figured it out!
ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTOR RESPONSE: I thank you all for your help, but "we're" not done! I did as Dee directed; "Source Luminance" was checked. This is what I saw: In the Layers Palette (from top to bottom), there was:
A transparent square icon named: Group Raster 1
Second layer was indented with a solid black square icon named Mask Raster 1
Third layer showed the photo named Photo Raster 1
Last layer showed a white square icon named Background
The photo I was trying to put the mask on did not change. The transparent layer was covering the photo. I changed the Opacity of the black solid mask to see if the photo showed any changed. No luck!
ANSWER: Well, my first thought...
Your mask is a 5x7, so is the photo you are trying to clip 5x7? If the photo is smaller, I think it will "miss" the clipping part.
I understand your frustration because often something "strange" will happen to me with what I thought would be a routine technique and I have discovered two things that make a mask not work:
- I have opened a 12x12 base to scrap and placed my photo on the base then tried using the mask in the way Dee described. That resulted in the mask trying to clip the 12x12 rather than the photo; so what I usually do is make sure my mask and photo are same size, clip it, then copy the merged layers and paste them onto my 12x12 layout base.
- Another thing I have done successfully with some masks is to place the photo onto my base layout and copy/paste the mask under the photo, again making sure they are the same size. Then, I:
- Select the mask layer in the Layers Palette.
- Get my Magic Wand Tool and click on where the mask is on the layout, getting "marching ants."
- Highlight the photo layer in the Layers Palette.
- Go to Selections at the top and choose "Invert."
- Hit the Delete key.
- Hit Ctrl+D to deselect. It seems like a lot of steps, but sometimes that will work when the another method doesn't.
ANSWER: Good point... pay attention to the size of the image you are working on. It is important to have that as the active layer what you want to mask. I wanted to add grunge edges to my photo so it was the active layer when I started. To add this masked photo to a layout, I would need to copy the whole group or delete the yellow base and merge and copy.
The mask image is a 4x6 grunge frame. I left it visible in the screen shot so it could be seen, but usually have the mask layer minimized when I am working on it. The picture is 1800 X 1200 px. These are my layers after using the steps I posted previously.
Final Mask group layer containing mask and photo layers
Mask layer
Photo layer
Base yellow layer
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