OVAL MIRROR EFFECT

Paint Shop Pro Tutorials by Karen

I wanted to make a mirror effect image for an online contest, but couldn`t make head or tail of any tutorials I found. So I decided to see if I could figure out a method of making a basic mirror effect for myself. This is rather a long process, but I was fairly pleased with the result (for now). This is how I did it...

Ready?... here we go then... Start a new image as in fig 1.

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All you will need is a tube of your choice and the psp default silver fill. For this tutorial I am using my tube of a collie puppy, but you can use any suitable tube you have.If you want my puppy tube you can download it HERE

Go to effects/texture effects/sculpture. Choose the default silver fill and make settings as fig 2 then click ok.

Click on selections tool, right click it and select tool options then make settings as fig 3.

Drag the pointer inside your canvas to draw an oval. (fig 4)

Go effects/3D effects / inner bevel. Make settings as fig 5

Click ok but do not deselect the oval. (fig 6)

Set the foreground colour to white. Click paint brush tool icon, right click it and select tool options, set as fig 7 then close dialogue box.

Use the paint brush to draw highlights on your oval. (fig 8) Then go to effects / blur/ gauzian blur (as fig 9) then click ok. (fig 10)

Now go to effects / blur/ soften more (fig 11)

Next go to effects/ 3D effects/ outer bevel. Set as in fig 12 then click ok (fig 13)

Go to edit/ copy/ edit/ paste as new image (fig 14)

Now you need more blank canvas to work with. Go to image/ canvas size and set as fig 15. Then click ok (fig 16)

If you need to enlarge the image to work on, go to view / zoom in by 1. Next click on the tubes tool then right click it and select tool options. Choose a tube and resize it if needed as appropriate for your graphic (fig 17) then close dialogue box.

Now go to layers/ new raster layer (fig 18) then click ok.

Click on your canvas to add the tube (fig 19)

If you need to reposition the tube (which will be the reflected image in the mirror) click on the mover tool (4 arrows pointing outwards) and then use the pointer to relocate the tube. Now go to effects/ texture effects/ sculpture, set as fig 20 and click ok (fig 21)

Right click on canvas to deselect the tube, then click on the freehand tool icon (lasso) and right click on it, select tool options and set as fig 22 then close dialogue box.

Now drag the pointer on canvas around all parts of the tube which are outside the "mirror", then right click to join up the ends and select the unwanted bits. (fig 23)

Press delete then right click the canvas to deselect. (fig 24)

Now go to layers/ new raster layer, then go back to the tubes tool and add the tube again exactly as you did before. Use the mover tool to position the tube "in front" of the "mirror". (fig 25)

Go to effects / 3D effects / drop shadow and set as in fig 26.

Now go to layers / merge / merge visible then edit / copy/ edit / paste as new image. That`s your basic mirror effect. You can tube it, save as psp image or transparent gif. Why not add the finished image to a room scene or use as a sig tag... it`s up to you what you do with it now. You could try different shapes or putting the "mirror" in a frame before adding any tubes, or you could add more tubes and build up a bigger scene before you save it... Have fun!!!

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial which  was written for PSP V 7 but should adapt for other versions.