This tutorial is my original work and may not be copied, placed on CD or posted on another site without my expressed written consent. Please do not send the tutorial itself through email or link to any images on the site. If you have any questions or problems please feel free to email me.

Tutorial Date
July 23, 2001 ©QuickCreations
This tutorial will show you how to make the Opal stone pictured above. Some basic understanding of PSP is assumed, it can be done in most versions if you are familiar with your version.

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Here's what you'll need for this tutorial:

Paint Shop Pro (Screen shots are in PSP 6)

You'll need to download and install the MuRa's Meister Cloud 2.2 filter. This is a free plug in filter.

You'll need my selection for the setting, available in a zip Here This zip also contains my sparkles tube and silver glitter image. Place the selection in your selection folder (just make a folder called "Selections" if you don't have one) and unzip the tube to your TUBE folder and open the glitter picture in PSP when needed.

BladePro or Super BladePro. You can download my Liquid Gold preset Here The use of SuperBlade Pro is optional, you can use whatever effect you'd like for the border and the setting.


Let's get started

Open a new image 200x200 with a transparent background.

Click on your selection tool: Selection type-ELLIPSE, Feather-0, Antialias-CHECKMARKED. Draw an oval. Leave some room because you'll be adding a border later on. Do not deselect this oval until the end.

Open the silver glitter picture and flood fill your oval with this pattern.

Add a new raster layer, click on your air brush tool with these settings:

We are going to be using these 3 colors, starting with the light pink (#FFC0FF) and working towards the top.

Add color by clicking around the area, not a heavy coat. It will be hard to see but we want a light touch. Add the next color #C0C0FF (light blue) and then the pale green (#COFFFF). Here's what I have.

On this layer go to your "layer blend mode" and change the layer to DISSOLVE.



Next open up the Cloud filter with these settings:

Add a new raster layer. Use my sparkle tube *(change the SCALE to 76)* to add as much or as little sparkle on this layer as you would like.

Add a new raster layer. Go to IMAGE- EFFECTS- CUTOUT with these settings. Repeat the cutout but change the horizontal and vertical offsets to (-3).

Add a new raster layer, click on your preset shapes with these settings, color- white:

Draw a small oval, in the center of your stone.

Click on your paintbrush tool with these settings, color- white.
Draw 2 lines here:

Then go to IMAGE- BLUR- GAUSSIAN BLUR with radius 7.00

Then LAYERS- MERGE- MERGE VISIBLE.

SELECTIONS- MODIFY- EXPAND- by 10. Add a new layer and move this under your merged layer. Change your flood tool back to solid color and flood fill with white. Open BladePro and apply the shiny gold preset. LAYERS- MERGE- MERGE VISIBLE. DESELECT. You can export your Opal stone as a tube now without the setting if you would like.

To continue with the setting, minimize your stone and open a new image 300x300 with a transparent background. Add a new raster layer.

Then go to SELECTIONS- LOAD FROM DISK- and open the Opal Setting_qc selection. Flood fill with white and apply the shiny gold BladePro preset. Deselect.

Select your magic wand, TOLERANCE=0, FEATHER=0. Select the openings here:
To select all of these openings, hold down your shift key as you select the areas.

Then go to SELECTIONS- MODIFY- EXPAND by 2. Add a new layer and move it under the setting. Change your flood tool back to pattern and fill these areas in with the silver glitter pattern.
Next, IMAGE- EFFECTS- INNER BEVEL with these settings: Then go to COLORS- COLORIZE- Hue=163, Saturation=106. Deselect.

Open your Opal stone, EDIT- COPY. Click on the setting: EDIT- PASTE AS A NEW LAYER and move this to the top.

Turn off your bottom layer (click on the eyeglasses on the layer palette) LAYERS- MERGE- MERGE VISIBLE. Click on the eyeglasses again to make that layer visible. Flood fill with any background color you would like, add a small drop shadow to the setting and frame as desired. Your Opal stone is done :)