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Easter Eggs

Using seamless tiles, gradients or plain colours

This tutorial is written for Paint Shop Pro (PSP) 8 or higher.  It cannot be done with PSP 7 as it uses the Balls and Bubbles Effect and the Mesh Warp tools which PSP 7 and before do not have.

You will need to download my preset for Balls and Bubbles HERE.  Extract the zip file to your My Documents/My PSP Files/Presets folder.

You can also download my Deformation map.  These are version specific - PSP8   PSP10  .  Extract the zip file to your My Documents/My PSP Files/My Deformation Maps.   Instructions are provided for creating your own deformation map and saving it.

If you have a pattern tile you want to use for you egg, open it in PSP before you begin and minimize it.

If you want to make a seamless pattern to use on your egg then I have a tutorial for doing that HERE

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Create a new image 400 x 400, Raster, Transparent

 

Effects menu, Artistic Effects, Balls and Bubbles

On the pull down list at the top of the Ballls and Bubbles window, select my plain_ball-jh preset.   You should get a large red ball.

Click on the Surface tab.

Zoom out the preview window so that you can see the whole ball.

Click in the box showing the red colour and select the material you want - plain colour, gradient or pattern.  If you are using a pattern I suggest you set an angle of 20 - 30 and a scale between 20 and 50.  Click OK to see how what you've chosen looks in the preview window (you can go back into the materials and change them if you need to).

When you are happy with the material you have chosen, click OK at the bottom of the Balls and Bubbles window.

 

Image menu, Resize - use these settings:

Width = 60 %
Height = 60 %
Resample using = ticked and set to bicubic
Maintain Original Print Size = unticked
Lock Aspect Ratio = ticked
Resize All Layers = unticked

 

Click on the Mesh Warp tool - PSP 8/9 it is in the group 2nd down on the tool pallet.  PSP 10 it is near the bottom of the tool pallet.

  

Set the tool options as shown below:

Note: If your computer reacts slowly as you make changes, change the Draft Quality to Low.

 

Using a saved deformation map:

If you already have an egg deformation map (one of mine or one you've made) you load it now by clicking on the Folder Symbol on the Options Pallet.  Use the following settings:

Deformation Map = egg2-jh or egg3-jh (or your own)
Operation = Replace Current Map
Mapping = Fit To Canvas
Checkerboard Size = Small

Click the Tick on the Options Pallet to apply the deformation at best quality.

Click on the Crop tool (just to get out of the Mesh Warp)

 

To create your own deformation map:

Click on the Mesh Warp tool.

 

Set the tool options as shown below:

Note: If your computer reacts slowly as you make changes, change the Draft Quality to Low.

 

You start with your round ball on a grid of straight lines.  Where the lines cross there are nodes you can move about to change the shape of what's on the layer.

Move the nodes marked 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 to the positions marked 1a, 2a, 3a, 4a and 5a, as shown in the diagram.  You only move nodes 3, 4 and 5 a very small amount.

 

If you are not happy with the position you move a node to just click the Undo button on the top tool bar to work backwards through your adjustments.  You can put all the nodes back to their starting positions by clicking the X on the Options Pallet.

When you are happy with the positions you have moved all the nodes to - it should look like the picture opposite, click on the disk on the options pallet, and save your deformation map with an appropriate name, so you can use it again for making more eggs.

Finally, click the tick on the Options Pallet to do a final apply of the changes to the shape.

Click on the Crop tool to get out of the Mesh Warp tool.

 

To save your egg as a tube:

File menu, Export, Picture Tube - give it a name and click OK to save.