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Open the picture, and size it
apropriately. I'd say 250 pixels wide or less. It is necessary to use a
narrow width to keep the image from taking up all the room for writing
when used as stationery. If you want to keep your copy of the original,
press Ctrl D to open a duplicate of your image, and close the original.
If you like, you can save this photo of
mine to use with this tutorial. It is already the right size.
If you
are using your own image, click on the crop tool and outline the part you
want to be framed. You will want to use a portait style image that is
taller than wide.
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| After the portion of your
graphic is selected and the selection is postioned correctly, double click
inside your bounding box to crop. If needed, go to format/ image size and
resize your graphic so that it is no wider than 250 pixels.
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Click on the eyedropper
tool, and RIGHT click a dark color in your image to set your
background color to that color. I am using a dark green, #214314.
This
step is very
important. If you leave your
background color as is, the edges of your shadowbox will be filled with
that color. You want yours to match.
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Go to selection and if there is a
check mark beside preserve base image, uncheck it.
Right click, select all. Right click,
convert to object. Press the enter key to deselect your new object.
Click on format /expand. Make sure
expand sides equally is checked, then type in 15. Right click the color
square, and click background color. Click ok.
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Right click and click All. Right click
and click border. Set the border width to 15, the direction to inward, and
the shape to box. Click ok.
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Click web/button designer/any
shape.
Change the bevel size to 5, and the smoothness to 0.
Light
angle 135,
Light elevation 50.
Click in the box in front of outer to
place a check mark there.
Click the bevel tab, and click the second
button.
Click ok.
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Your expanded region is now an
object.
Change to the pick tool (the arrow) and click
the bring to front button. |
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Right click, and click shadow.
Your color should already be set on black, and the first shadow type
on the left should be selected.
Change x offset and y offset to 2.
Change transparency to 15.
change soft edge to 4.
Click
ok. |
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Press enter to select the
background.
Click on format /expand. Accept previous settings. Click
ok.
Right click and click All. Right click and click border. Accept
previous settings. Ok.
Click web/button designer/any
shape.
Accept the previous settings and click ok.
Change to
the pick tool (the arrow) and click the bring to front button.
 Right click, and click shadow.
Your color should already be
set on black, and the first shadow type on the left should be
selected.
Change x offset and y offset to 2.
Change transparency to
15.
change soft edge to 4.
Click ok.
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Press enter to select the
background.
Click on format /expand. Accept previous settings. Click
ok.
Right click and click All. Right click and click border. Accept
previous settins. Ok.
Click web/button designer/any
shape.
Accept the previous settings and click ok.
Change to
the pick tool (the arrow) and click the bring to front button.
 Right click, and click shadow.
Your color should already be
set on black, and the first shadow type on the left should be
selected.
Change x offset and y offset to 2.
Change transparency to
15.
change soft edge to 4.
Click ok.
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Right click, Merge
all.
Copy your image. (Control c)
The buttonizer lightened the
color around the frame a bit. Reset your background color to this new
color by RIGHT clicking on the edge of the frame to the right
with the eydropper. |
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Press CTRL N to make a new image for
your strip.
Click the circle in front of background color. Click the
circle in front of active image. Take note of the height. Add 20 pixels to
the height, and type that for the height beside user defined. Type in 1152
for the width. Your settings will change to user defined now.
Click
ok.
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Switch to the pick tool. Right click
and paste into the new canvas.
Arrange the piece as you want it, and
right click to merge all.
If you want to add texture, and have the
texturizer plugin, use the selection tool to outline just the image part
of your shadowbox.
Right click and invert.
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 Click
effect, texture/texturizer to open the dialog box for the
texturizer. If you want to use a different texture than what
comes with the texturizer, you can click load texture and
browse the the folder where you have stored your psd files.
You can download these files from different places on the net,
or make your own by saving textures as psd files.
If you don't have the
texturizer but want to add some, go to effect/ noise/ add noise, and set
the amount to 3 and check the box next to monotone.
Use fm tile tools/ blend
emboss to add a fine texture to your image.
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