metallic watchstrap part3

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If you feel unfamiliar with terms like color palette , layers palette , tools toolbar , tool options menu , please visit this page.

Download the script for this tutorial HERE! (only for psp8 owners).

To download the script , just right click on it and choose "save target as"(if you have a Microsoft O.S. and Browser), now rename the script from watchstrapJamesV.txt , to watchstrapJamesV.PspScript , then browse for the "script restrictedted" folder created by Paint shop pro 8 , and save the script into it.

Download the pspimage HERE! (only psp8 owners).
To download the pspimage, just right click on it and choose "save target as" then save it on your Hard Disk , and open it in Psp8.

On the left is what you'll get , on the right the reference image you should use.

Using the object selection tool (O) drag a selection window wide enough to select all the chromed components
then group them object>group.

Chromed parts have been grouped.
Now we have to mirror this group but in another layer.
To do so just copy the group edit>copy
then paste it but in another layer , edit>paste>paste as a new layer
Now mirror the copied group image>mirror
And place this group into position.

Note - The mirror command in Psp applies to all the objects belonging to the same layer , for this reason if you need to create a mirrored copy from a single object (or group) first you have to put the object into a different layer and then create the mirror .

Chromed group mirrored and placed into position.
The bottom watchstrap is ready , now we need to create a flipped copy of this shape , to create the top part .

Draw a window to select all the vector objects you have on the canvas and then create a group objects>group

A group has been created.

Note - Since a so-called "group" is forced to stay in a single layer , automatically when you create a new group , Psp moves all the objects belonging to that group into one single layer , so practically you can delete all the empty layers you got till now , since only one layer is really necessary.

Now it's time to rasterize the vector shapes you have drawn .
There should be only one vector layer left , containing the bottom part of the warchstrap .
Using the layer palette activate this vector layer (just click on it) , then rasterize it : layers>convert to raster layer .

To create the top part of the strap , we have to create a flipped copy of the bottom part , but (like before) , we have to flip it on a separate layer.
So launch edit>copy
then edit>paste>paste as a new layer

Execute Image>flip this will create a flipped copy of the bottom watchstrap.
Position the new raster flipped copy using the "mover" tool .

Note - you can't use the align menu to position your shape , because the layer you are working on , is a "raster" layer, and the "align menu" applies only to vectors .

The completed watchstrap.
We have to create a dark background for the watchstrap.
Using the layer palette activate the first bottom layer , named "background" (that one containing the reference image) and create a new raster layer layers>new raster layer
Using the layer palette , double click on the layer name and rename it to "darkBg" .

Pick the flood fill tool (F) , in the tool option menù verify the match mode=none
In the materials palette set the foreground style to : foreground style=color , color=dark blue HTML code=#090B21 , texture=none .

A dark layer has added.
From this background we have to remove the pixels located outside the watchstrap area.
To do so we have first to merge all the layers containing the watchstrap , into one single layer , then create a selection.
Adjust the selection to suit our needes then use this inverted selection over the "darkBg" layer.

Merging Layers
Use the layer palette toogle to turn visibility off for every layer you don't want to merge.
Then execute layers>merge>merge visible

Layers Raster1 and Raster2 are the only visible
This will merge every visible layer into a single layer , named "merged" .
Double click on it and rename this layer to "watchstrap".

Creating the selection
Pick the magic wand tool and set its tool option menu to : mode=add (shift) , match mode=all opaque , other=defaults
Click on the canvas , the times you need to select the whole watchstrap.

Only the top part is shown
To use this selection we need before to clean it.
Since from this selection we need only the external shape of the strap , to remove the unnecessary selections , we can use this way:
just exapand the selection a number of pixels bigger in size than the smallest selection you have (normally 2pixels wide) , then contract the selection again , by the same pixel's amount .

selection>modify>expand (by 2 pixel )
selection>modify>contract ( by 6 pixel this way we'll achieve a more believable selection)
Save to alpha channel selections>load and save selections>save selection to alpha channel.

the selection you should have
Now using the layer palette activate the layer "darkBg" and toogle its visibility=on.
Invert the selection selection>invert and then delete edit>clear.
Deselect (ctrl+d).

This is the result
Now we have to draw a false watch to complete our drawing.
The false watch is nothing but a dark blue circle , surrounded by a 10 pixel chromed edge .
To draw it we'll use a vector shape (ellipse).

Pick the preset shape tool (P) .
In the tool option menu set the shape type=ellipse , stroke width=10 , and verify these settings : antialias=yes , create as a vector=yes , retain style=no .

In the materials palette set the stroke box : style=gradient , gradient=chrome1 , texture=none .
The fill box : fill=color , color=dark blue (HTML code=#000138) , texture=none.
Activate the highest layer in the material palette (the "watchstrap" layer) , this will create the new shape just on top of each other layer.
Using the shift key to constrain the ellipse to a circle , draw a vector circle on the canvas .
Center it objects>align>center in canvas.
Use the adjustament handles to adjust its dimensions (last operation should always be the centering in canvas)

The false watch has been created.
We now create a drop shadow .
To do so we need to have the entire watch shape available .
So first of all we have to merge into one single layer all the layers we made till now (except for the first "background" one ).

To do so we'll use the layer palette and toogle visibilty off for every layer we don't want to merge (in this case only the first one) , and we execute layers>merge>merge visible.

Layers have been merged
Double click on the layer name (merged) and rename it to "watch".

Creating the drop shadow
launch effects>3d effects>drop shadow and use the below image settings

A new layer is created for the shadow
Now we create a light background for the watch.
To do so we need a new gradiente as usual you can download the gradient HERE or you can make it by yourself using these tweaks: name=lightSky , color1=blue light , color2=white.

Note - if you need a cloudy background like that one I made for the first image , you can download for FREE these effects named Mura's filter (I used the cloud2.2 filter)

Create a new layer for the light background layers>new raster layer . name it "lightBg" and using the layer palette , position it as the second one , just on top of the first one (the background layer)
Pick the flood fill tool (F) , using the tool options menu set its match mode=none.
Set the materials palette to : foreground style=gradient , gradient type=lightSky (the last we prepared) , texture=none , background style=none.
Click on the canvas and you're done!

The finished watch.

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