Almost Black Light Tutorial

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ALMOST BLACK LIGHT
Author: Cyndi Papia Web Site: Graphics Junction PhotoImpact Version: 8 Level: Intermediate -- some knowledge of basic tools required. Tools Used: Merge, Oil Paint, Illumination. Additional Items: A picture of your choice, preferably a light/bright image. Images with large amounts of dark areas do not work well and not all images take this effect correctly. The photo used in this tut can be found at the copyright-free site Schmode under Tigers (tigerdad014.jpg). Text-only Version: Click here. Terms of Use: Please read.
Description: Create a black-light image with almost any photo in a few easy steps using PI effects and tools.
Original Step 6	PART 1 1. Open image of your choice and resize if desired. Go to Selection/Preserve Base Image and uncheck it. 2. Right Click/All. Right Click/Convert to Object. Right Click/Duplicate. 3. Hit Enter to deselect both images. 4. Use Layer Manager to select images; or with the Pick tool, move top image slightly off center to reveal both images. 5. Select back/bottom image. Right Click/Properties. Merge: Difference. Transparency: 0. (Note: The transparency may have to be adjusted later to achieve the desired effect.) 6. Select top image. Right Click/Properties. Merge: Difference. Transparency: 0. Your image should now look like the one on the left.
Step 12	PART 2 7. To achieve the velvet look, select top image: Effect/Artistic/Oil Paint. Adjust the Level to slightly blur edges -- but not too much! 8. Still working with the top image: Effect/Sharpen/Sharpen. Set Level to 1. 9. Still working with the top image, do the following in exact order: Effect/Noise/Despeckle. Then Effect/Noise/Remove Moire. 10. Right Click/Select All Objects. Right Click/Align/Center both. Right Click/Group. 11. Right Click/Align/Center both. 12. Merge All. Your image should now look like the one on the left.
Step 13 Step 15	PART 3 13. Go to Effects/Illumination/Lights and adjust lighting to achieve desired black-light look. Experiment with the lighting color, perhaps using purple or blue. (In this example, I used a purple shade with the settings shown to the left.) 14. Optional: Add your personal watermark or sign your creation, Right Click/Merge All. 15. Go to Edit/Expand Canvas. Expand Color: Black. Check "Expand sides equally." Expand canvas 5 pixels. Optional: Again apply Effect/Illumination/Lights, default colors, adjust spread, ambience, et cetera, until you achieve desired effect. (I used the settings shown to the left). Your image is ready to display! TIP: The bottom image is the secret to achieving the black-light look. Some images require adjusting the Transparency level of one or both images.
SHARE YOUR CREATIONS When you have completed this tutorial, as a courtesy, you are more than welcome to display your results on the PIRC Bulletin Board. You'll find a wonderful group of warm, friendly, talented, and knowledgeable people ready and willing to lend a hand when needed. Everyone welcome to join or visit!
This tutorial © 2003 Cyndi Papia Requests for help, complaints or suggestions, please e-mail me. Web site design Copyright © Cyndi Papia. All rights reserved. This web site, in whole or in part, may not be duplicated, altered, or uploaded to another server without express written permission.