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Post by Lillias on May 23, 2016 12:47:29 GMT
I got started on this track thanks to Tom who asked about Deckle Borders in another thread in the Digital Scrapbooking board. I think this kind of exercise is a great way to get more acquaint with some of the tools in PSE. So I started with a new transparent document Went to Graphics Tab and double clicked on the Deckle Photo Edge frame which brought the Frame into my document on a new layer. I then dragged in my image of a tree, resized and repositioned it using a combination of the slider which appears top left of the frame, the transformation handles on the image and the arrow keys. I found that using the Paint Bucket tool I could click on areas of the image to change the colour – for my tree I added a kind of light brown colour to some of the leaves to indicate an autumnal change. I wanted to add to the image inside the Frame but I couldn't as anything I added supplanted what I already had there. So I had to save it as a png file and bring that file back in as a new document. I added another tree on the top of the left side and the bouquet of flowers, also a leaf embellie which I left spilling over the edge of the bottom frame for effect and I put a floral overlay on the page. Because the original tree image I used in the Frame was a png file with no background I felt that the BG of the Frame was colourless so creating a new layer directly above the Frame layer I dragged out a rectangular marquee to the shape of the Frame and put a gradient on that. Then reduced the opacity to something I liked. That gradient covered the original tree in the Frame on the right side so on the gradient layer I added a layer mask and with a low opacity and a soft brushed cleaned that up a bit. Along the way I added shadows to the Frame and the various elements. Then added a background to the whole piece. In the image below starting from top left to right then bottom left to right gives hopefully a picture of how I progressed this project.  Frame from Graphics Tab Flowers and leaf embellie from RDH kits ‘Empire of Flowers’ and Bridge Over Time Trees from textures.com Background from the Riverside Walks kit from Craftscapes, Daisytrail. |
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Post by cats4jan on May 23, 2016 21:24:58 GMT
I really like that deckle edge. I'm going to have to get more familiar with those frames.
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Squirrel2014
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Where's that cup of tea ... ???
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Post by Squirrel2014 on May 23, 2016 21:25:38 GMT
Thanks for explaining how you progressed through this. The finished page is beautiful  |
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Post by Tpgettys on May 23, 2016 23:39:42 GMT
Very impressive Lillias!
I am struggling to understand how you added a gradient to the interior of the frame. When I try it, if I lower the opacity enough to see what's beneath it there is little left of the gradient, and even still there is this "fog" over the subject. I suppose that is where the masking comes in. In my case the subject is text, so I can't really do that.
These frames are curious objects. Do you know what the "Pass Through" in the blend mode box means? Is there a way we can make a frame, or are they like actions, where they can only be made in PS?
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Post by Sepiana on May 24, 2016 0:40:44 GMT
These frames are curious objects. Do you know what the "Pass Through" in the blend mode box means? Is there a way we can make a frame, or are they like actions, where they can only be made in PS? The frames in the Graphics/Content panel are Smart Objects. Smart Objects, as their name implies, seem to understand what they are, what you are trying to do, and will behave accordingly. And, No, Elements cannot create Smart Objects. Only Photoshop can.
As a side note -- Starting with Elements 11, only a few of the graphics are installed on your computer when you install Elements. Now Adobe stores them online. You need to be connected to the Internet the first time you use these graphics (such as frames). After Elements downloads them, you will be able to use them without the need to be connected to the Internet.
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Post by cats4jan on May 24, 2016 0:46:02 GMT
Now I remember why I never use the graphics that come with PSE. They are so incredibly limiting in how you work with them.
I can drag a frame onto the photo and it will automatically fit the frame to part of the photo and I have some leeway in adjusting the photo, but I have no real control. Or I can drag the frame onto a blank canvas and drag a photo onto the frame, but then I don't know how to clip it to the frame.
I wish the graphics were just pngs that I could size as I wanted. I don't really want PSE to decide how I need to use the frame.
I think I know why PSE bogged down when using the graphics - it was the way the graphics are handled. First it's downloaded - then PSE resizes. If you don't have enough temporary memory for PSE to use during the process of resizing and fitting the frame, PSE shuts down.
As a digital scrapbooker, I am used to my frames being pngs - with transparency both inside and outside the frame - both the photo and the frame have their own layer to manipulate as you wish.
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Post by Sepiana on May 24, 2016 1:06:10 GMT
I think I know why PSE bogged down when using the graphics - it was the way the graphics are handled. First it's downloaded - then PSE resizes. If you don't have enough temporary memory for PSE to use during the process of resizing and fitting the frame, PSE shuts down.I may be wrong but I don't think this is the case. The items in the Graphics/Content panel are not memory-intensive. I have used these graphics in Elements installed on computers with only 2 to 4 GB RAM. Elements never shut down on me. If this is happening to you, then, the culprit lies somewhere else (a corrupted Preferences file?). |
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Post by Lillias on May 24, 2016 11:51:51 GMT
I am struggling to understand how you added a gradient to the interior of the frame. When I try it, if I lower the opacity enough to see what's beneath it there is little left of the gradient, and even still there is this "fog" over the subject. I suppose that is where the masking comes in. In my case the subject is text, so I can't really do that. Hi Tom I think perhaps in my enthusiasm I have provided a bad example as regards the added gradient. I'm not too good at explaining things so I hope the following makes sense. Normally speaking if you put an ordinary photo into a frame there would be no need to add a gradient as the photo would be complete – as in - it would have its own background. It was the fact that the photo I added was a png file of a tree and it had no background of its own, so much of the frame was left empty and looking grey. Being a Smart Object you cannot put more than one photo at a time into a frame. If you try to put another in the first one disappears. So I had to save the first image (Frame with Tree) as a png file and then open it again as a new document. I then drew out a selection on top of that covering the area the photo would normally use and filled that with a gradient. This of course covered the tree so I had to reduce the opacity and then using a layer mask I erased part of the gradient to reveal the tree. This is not something which would be done normally. The other tree and embellishments I added on top and resized and put into place to look as if part of the original photo. In Serif's CraftArtist programme this type of frame is what they would call an 'intelligent frame'. That is to say when you introduce a photo to the frame via the CA software it immediately snaps into place within the frame. The frames in the Graphics panel here in PSE remind me very much of those intelligent frames. In case it helps here is an example of my Layers for the finished page and also the png file of the tree I used. As for the 'Pass Through' blend mode I never noticed that myself but Sepiana has provided a link relative to that in your original thread.  |
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Post by Tpgettys on May 24, 2016 14:02:47 GMT
Lillias, thank you so much for taking the time to fully explain what you did. I understand completely now; you are a patient and excellent teacher!
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Post by Lillias on May 24, 2016 14:59:01 GMT
Lillias, thank you so much for taking the time to fully explain what you did. I understand completely now; you are a patient and excellent teacher! No problem...I'm just glad that you were able to understand my explanation. Putting things into words can be difficult whereas I personally find seeing a video along with an explanation is so much better. |
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Moto
Established Forum Member
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Post by Moto on May 24, 2016 16:44:18 GMT
Billie Jean "Being a Smart Object you cannot put more than one photo at a time into a frame. If you try to put another in the first one disappears. So I had to save the first image (Frame with Tree) as a png file and then open it again as a new document."
Another option is too duplicate the Graphic Frame layer and then Simplify the new layer, turn off the original layer. Make a selection of the inner part of the frame and delete or mask it. Optionally with or without the image in the frame. Then do normal image processing.
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Post by Lillias on May 24, 2016 17:00:53 GMT
Another option is too duplicate the Graphic Frame layer and then Simplify the new layer, turn off the original layer. Make a selection of the inner part of the frame and delete or mask it. Optionally with or without the image in the frame. Then do normal image processing. Thanks for that input Moto. I'm going out for the evening but I'll be sure to try that later tonight. It's always nice to have workarounds for different things. |
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Post by Sepiana on May 24, 2016 17:32:34 GMT
Another option is too duplicate the Graphic Frame layer and then Simplify the new layer, turn off the original layer. Make a selection of the inner part of the frame and delete or mask it. Optionally with or without the image in the frame. Then do normal image processing. Thanks for that input Moto. I'm going out for the evening but I'll be sure to try that later tonight. It's always nice to have workarounds for different things.
This is indeed a great idea. However, the advantage of working with a Smart Object is that you can resize it to any size without any problem. Once a Smart Object is simplified, it is subject to the limitations of any other object. For example, if you try to enlarge it to more than 100%, it will get all pixelated. You just have to decide which option is more important for your project -- simplify or not simplify.
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Moto
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Post by Moto on May 25, 2016 0:59:16 GMT
Thanks for that input Moto. I'm going out for the evening but I'll be sure to try that later tonight. It's always nice to have workarounds for different things.
This is indeed a great idea. However, the advantage of working with a Smart Object is that you can resize it to any size without any problem. Once a Smart Object is simplified, it is subject to the limitations of any other object. For example, if you try to enlarge it to more than 100%, it will get all pixelated. You just have to decide which option is more important for your project -- simplify or not simplify.
Good point Sepiana. That's why I turn off the original smart layer frame, and don't delete it. In case I need to re-size it. I first re-size and angle the smart object frame before simplifying a copy. I find it easier too work with - doing it this way. Note: Oops, I accidently clicked on the like button. |
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Post by Tpgettys on May 25, 2016 1:19:00 GMT
Note: Oops, I accidently clicked on the like button. LOL! There's certainly no problem liking your own post, but just so you know, you can click it again to turn it off. |
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