For this tutorial you will need:

The graphic effect tool: Simple Filter - Install this in your PSP 'plugins' folder.

My scalloped edge selection. - Install in your PSP Selections folder.

My leather look texture. - Install in PSP Textures folder as a bitmap file.

The Beautiful font. Install in your favourite fonts folder.

And your own imagination.

All graphic files used in this tutorial - apart from the blue leather sample - have been optimized for faster download. The haziness of some of the graphics is due to the amount of optimization.

For the best results on most screens, you will need to create a longer (wider) image than normal. This will count to your byte usage in stationery, for example, this particular background, when used as stationery will account for 48kb of the email. Depending on the colour choices and the amount of colour you use in your stationery the kb usage may be higher or lower.

To enable you to adjust your inital kb usage, always keep the original graphic open in PSP while you are creating the stationery in OE. In this way you can adjust the graphic byte usage with the optimizer facility.

Ok, first you will need to download Simple Filter, the Selections file as well as the font provided. Install them in the folders as noted above.

Open up PSP and create new transparent image measuring 100 x 100 pixels.

Choose the colour you would like your leather to be, making sure it is in your foreground colour box. Once that is done, you need to load the 'cbn-leather' into you foreground texture box. Flood fill the image with the chosen colour and texture. Then 'Layers | Merge | Merge All' - this will be your leather fill pattern.

       

Create a new transparent image measuring 200 x 200 pixels. Then go to your Selections tab, and 'Load from Disk', you should see 'cbn-scallopped-border.sel' listed there, double click and the selection will load into the transparent image.

Next, in the 'Styles' box under your colour pallette, click the small black arrow and activate your 'Pattern' fill. Click on the 'Pattern' and you will see a choice of more patterns available. If you scroll to the top of the choices, you will see your 'Leather' there, click on it to make it active. Hide your foreground Texture!

Flood fill the selected area of your image.

Vertical = 0
Horizontal = 1
Opacity = 50
Blur = 2
Color = Black

Create a second drop shadow using these settings:

Vertical = 0
Horizontal = -1
Opacity = 50
Blur = 2
Color = Black

Create a second transparent image measuring 200 x 250; then double click on the marquee tool, entering the following:

Left 20
Right 180
Top 0
Bottom 250
Custom size and position - Checked

Once this is done, choose 'Effects | 3D Effects | Inner Bevel" and use the following settings:

Now, copy this 200 x 250 image and 'Paste as a New Layer' into the 200 x 200 image. This new layer will be centered to hide both the top and bottom parts of the bevel, with give your side border and even flow. 'Image | Mirror' this layer - then 'Layers | Merge | Merge Visible'. (Name this layer 'Binder' in your layer pallette) This is what you should have so far:

:: Side Bar Page 2 :: Stationery Set Up ::


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February 2003
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