Easy Stitched Circle Frame
~ This tutorial assumes you are familiar with the tools in PSP ~
It was written on January 05, 2007, using PSP 9, but it can be completed in most versions.
Tutorials are only guidelines, it's always fun to experiment with different settings on your own : )
- I've included alternative sample at the end of this tutorial -
Supplies needed: Tools we will be using: Ellipse Tool:  Flood Fill Tool:  Object Selection Tool:  |
Ok, so you could just draw out a circle with a stroke, but I like to do things a bit
differently, so here is my technique.
- I have another sample at the bottom of this page -
Step 1:
Create a new raster file (file > New), 500x500, white background.
(I'm using 500x500 for tutorial purposes, you can make your frame as large as you like).
Step 2:
Grab your Ellipse Tool and plug in the below settings:
Mode: Circle, Create as vector: Checked, Line style: Solid, Width: 47, Anti-alias: Checked
Step 3:
Go over to your Materials Palette and change your Foreground/Stroke properties to
a color or pattern of your choice. I used a pattern for mine.
Set your Background/Fill color to null (transparent)
Step 4:
Draw out a circle shape, center it in your canvas by going up to Objects > Align > Center in canvas.
Name this layer 'Circle Edge'.
Step 5:
Duplicate your Circle Edge layer.
Name the duplicate layer 'Circle Fill'.
Go up to Selections > Select none.
(We do this to ensure that the first circle you made is deselected)
Grab your Object Selection Tool and on your canvas, double click on this new circle. This will bring
up the Vector Property Dialog Box. Change the Stroke to a different color or pattern than
the one you used on the circle edge. Change the Width to 37. (I used a denim pattern for mine).
The Fill box should be unchecked.
Your image should look something like this now, only with your colors/patterns:
Step 6:
Duplicate the Circle Fill layer and rename it 'Stitches'.
Go up to Selections > Select none.
Grab the Object Selection Tool again and double click on this new circle to bring up the
Vector Property Dialog Box. Change the Stroke color to white, Stroke width to 3,
Line style to 'Dashed', check 'Anti-alias'. The Fill box should be unchecked.
Step 7:
Right click on your stitches layer and select 'Convert to raster layer'.
Go up to Effects > 3D Effects > Inner Bevel and apply the 'round' bevel preset.
For those of you who might not have this preset, the settings are below:
Step 8:
You can add some texture to your stitches at this point, if you'd like.
I added a drop shadow with these settings:
Vertical/Horizontal: 1, Opacity 65, Blur 5, Color: Black
That's it, your done! Now you can save this frame as a template for later use.
Keeping the frame in vector format will allow you to change the size, color or shape at any
time without the risk of distorting the image.
You can add as many circles as you like. Just by changing the stroke width, you can achieve
different effects. Below is another sample of one that I made. I used a stroke width of 16
along with a pattern fill on the 2nd circle, then added an additional circle for my denim trim.
You may also want to warp your stitches a bit to make them look more realistic.
EC 4000 Jiggle or PSP's warp tools work great for doing that.
Thanks so much for stopping by. I hope you enjoyed this tutorial!
Feedback is always welcome, and I would love to see your results.