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. 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.