buttonexample

Skill Level: Beginner
Author:  Merlene Guldager
Home Page: Gold Acres Designs
Software:PhotoImpact Version 7 or higher



What you will need:

The Simple Filters
The Jama 3D Filter by Redfield
A photo
Click the examples below to download them
link to Simple Filters     link to Redfield filters    photo to use

Turn any image or photo into a perfectly color matiching herringbone background tile with the use of a couple of super filters. This tutorial assumes you know how to install third party Plugins and Filters. If you don't, this tutorial might be of help. Do be sure you have them installed before attempting to open PI to begin the tutorial or you won't be able to use them.

****NOTE about versions 10 and higher. Be sure you are working in Standard Mode or Full Edit so that all of the features of PhotoImpact are available to you. Some things have been moved to different places in the Menus. Notably Format has been split between Adjust and Photo.

Let's Begin...

  1. Open the image in Photo Impact and press Control + d to duplicate it. Close the orignal. This will preseve it as it is for future use.
  2. click on FORMAT/DIMENSIONS... or FORMAT/IMAGE SIZE.. or ADJUST/IMAGE SIZE
  3. Uncheck the box at the bottom that says 'Keep Aspect Ratio'. Then in the drop down box Choose PIeELS and in the two boxes above this enter 150. Then click OK.
  4. Now Click on EFFECT/BLUR & SHARPEN/Gaussian Blur or EFFECT/BLUR/Gaussian BLUR or PHOTO/BLUR/Guassian Blurand choose one of the thumbnails on the bottom row. I chose the middle one. Or you can manually set the blur amount to at least 20.
    example
  5. Open the Simple Quick Tile filter by clicking on EFFECTS/SIMPLE/Quick Tile and accept the defaults. You might choose 4 Way Average here instead depending on the image you are using. All we want to do is equalize the colors so that at the end it will tile seamlessly as a background. (you might need to search the Effect menu a bit to find Simple)

  6. example Next, set your Background color to or any light color in your image. You can right click on the foreground color in the color palette on the Left side tool bar. This opens the color picker. Choose Eyedropper and move your mouse over the blurred image. Watch the colors change in the left half of the box.
  7. Leave the Forground color set at white or reset it if it has been changed.
    example
  8. Open the Jama 3D filter by clicking on EFFECT/REDFIELD/JAMA 3D. Click the drop box and select 'Herring Bonus'. Most of the settings we will leave alone. Please note the items enclosed in Red boxes...
    example
  9. Once you match your settings to mine click again on the drop box and select 'Save User Preset' from the menu. Give it a name and now click APPLY. Now they'll be there for you the next time you want to use them.
  10. Now save your tileable image as a Jpg and you ar done.
    result image

2000 - 2010 © Gold Acres Designs