PI12-blend

And this is what we are making:

DESCRIPTION: Make a beautiful blend with PI.
Tutorial: Copyright © Inge Klement

PI Version: 12 (but you can use earlier versions too)
Level: Intermediate
Featured tools: Pick Tool
Additional filters: Xero (filter set 2), FM Tile Tools
Additional files: 1 tube, 1 photo and 1 mask.
You'll get them in the zip-file.

IMPORTANT NOTE:
The photo is from Aboutpixel.de - Bovist, and the tube I'm using is from Suzi Sgai -
Tube: you are allowed to download it here and use it for your private use,
but you are not allowed to change the name of the tube,
delete the watermark, offer it for sale or download.
Photos: If you like them, you can register yourself (free) at Aboutpixel.de,
and download the original photos directly from there . (Read the rules!)
The copyright © belongs ALWAYS to the original artist/designer!
No copyright infringement is intended.

Remember to save often!

Before we start, you should open the mask, and store it into your Easy Palette. In case you need to freshen up your memory on how to save a mask into the EP - you can take a look at one of my other tutorials, where I explain a little bit more about how to use a mask in PI. You'll find the tutorial here. Important - in my tutorials my masks fit the chosen background/object ... you achieve this by right clicking any mask inside the original category Mask Library in your Easy Palette. Now you choose the option Fit Mask. Very important: Do NOT merge the picture before I tell you to do so!
	Open a New Image, 800x600 Pixels, Color: 181/155/103. Set this color as your Foreground color (white hand), and choose a nice dark shade for your Background color - here I used 87/59/31 (red arrow). Open the photo - tut_blend_013-pic (I've resized the original photo to fit this blend) -, copy (Ctrl+C) the photo (1), activate our main picture (2), and paste (Ctrl+V) the copy of the photo on it.

	Go to Edit/Fade Out and use these settings: Fill type: 6.altern. (white hand) Fill color: Two-color: 100% (red arrow) to 20% (white arrow). Click OK and keep the photo activated.

	Choose the Pick Tool (white hand), and change the Soft edge to 40 (red arrow). Keep the photo activated.

	Effect/Xero/Illustrator and use these settings: Abstraction: 137 Colouration: 152 Definition: 197 Click OK and keep the photo selected.

	Effect/Xero/SoftMood and use the default settings: Haziness: 50 Glow - Red: 50 Lock sliders Brightness: 0 Contrast: 0 Click OK and keep the photo selected.

	Effect/FM Tilt Tools/Blend Emboss and use the default settings. Click Apply (red arrow) and deselect the photo (Enter).

	Open the tube - SS_331 -, copy (Ctrl+C) the tube (1), activate our main picture (2), and paste (Ctrl+V) the copy of the tube on it. Right click the tube on the main picture (2)/Properties/ Position & Size (white hand)/Position and use these settings: Left: 352 (red arrow) Top: 41 (white arrow) Click OK and close the original tube (1). Our tube on the main picture should still be activated.

	Choose the Pick Tool (white hand), change the Trans- parency to 30 (red arrow) and the Soft edge to 30 (white arrow). Keep the tube activated.

	Effect/Xero/SoftMood, untick the box Lock sliders (red arrow) and use these settings: Haziness: 50 Glow - Red: 30 Green: 70 Blue: 52 Brightness: - 15 Contrast: - 6 Click OK and Merge All.

	Open your Easy Palette/Libraries (white hand) and double-click the mask tut_blend_013-mask (1), which you've downloaded, unzipped and stored into the EP. On the screenshot you can see that the mask applied on the image (2). Make sure your Background color (red arrow) is still the dark shade of your Foreground color - here 87/59/31, and push 1 x the Delete button (alternatively - go to Edit/Fill/Color and choose the color you want to use.) Deselect (spacebar). Expand all sides equally: 30 Background color + 1 Foreground color. Add some text as you want, Merge All, and the blend is finished :))
Here's the result in the original size :))


That's it! A beautiful blend ... made with PI, one mask, one photo and one tube. HAVE FUN!!!
If you need any help with this tutorial - or want to make suggestions to improve it - please email me!