We were given the challenge of "Through the window" and we thought we would make a seaside window scene, adding in a breeze effect.

This is our starting image

Add a new layer and name it frame

To selections/load from disk and open window frame selection

Change the pattern to the wood pattern and Flood Fill the selection

After you have filled the frame add a inner bevel the same as below

Creating the window pane, which near to the seashore, it's not likely to be crystal clear, so we're going to "dirty" it up a bit.

Open new Raster layer above Layer 2 (Window Frame) - Name: Window and flood fill with white.

To make the window "dirty"
Effects > Texture Effects > Tiles

Tile shape: Hexagon Image Smoothness: 75 Light: White
Tile angularity: 0 Depth: 6 Angle: 45
Tile size: 30 Ambience: 0 Intensity: 50
Border size: 1 Shinniness: 0 Elevation: 30

Effects > Blur ? Motion Blur

Angle: 45 to 70 Pixels: 40
Angle: 45 to 70 Pixels: 20

Move Window layer just below the Window frame
Adjust the Opacity on the Layer Palette so that you can see through and see just a hint of the roughness of the Window. This can be adjusted later, after all other elements have been added, 50% is good for now

Highlight the Window frame layer

Open American flag > Select > Copy > Paste New Layer
Click Deformation. From the left side, narrow the flag ONLY horizontally; leave the vertical the same. Move it to the right window frame, and turn it to the left about 15% or so, just enough to appear as if it is attached to the outside of the cabin in a flag holder.

Click the arrow on the toolbar to deselect the deformation.

Open the British flag > Copy > Paste New Layer
Repeat the steps as with the American flag, moving it to the right along with the American flag - or the countrie(s) of your choice)

They will extend beyond the window, but it is okay for now. Close the Window and Window frame for now, leaving the flags visible.

New Raster Layer/ Name: Sun spot

Open tube, Sparkle- , size 45

On the new layer place a sparkle in the very upper left-hand corner; repeat, bringing it down diagonally just a bit.

Effects > Blur > Motion Blur
Line the viewing box up beside your image and place the angle to correspond to the angle of the "sun" rags from the tube, probalby 220 to 225 degrees.
Pixels: 40
Repeat
Repeat
Now chance the angle to 180 degrees, leaving the pixels at 40
Repeat
Now, to somooth the colors out, Effects > Blur > Gaussian Blur: 10

New Vector Layer Name: Fog
With Foreground and Background colors to white, from the shapes tool, draw a rectangle from the left-hand corner (doesn't have to be exact), almost to the sunglow. Resize your white box so that it is below the boardwalk, and make sure it is not too close to the sunglow. When satisfied, change to Raster Layer.

Effects > Blur > Motion Blur
First 180% and 40 pixels, 270%, 0%, and finally 90%. Be sure and leave the 90% til last.
Repeat (will blur the 90% again)

New Vector Layer Name: Sun rays
Foreground and background colors to yellow
From the Shapes tool, draw a rectangle the vertial length of the image, about i inch wide (doesn't have to be exact)
Turn it at an angle coming from the upper left corner. You can play around with the width here, increasing it some if desired (I did).
Back to the Effect > Blur > Motion Blur again :)
This time start with a 90% angle; repeat
0% angle; repeat
Repeat if you need to until you can see through the yellow
Effects > Blur > Gaussian Blur: 20
Your yellow should look ludicrous, but able to see the image below it.

Yucky looking now isn't it? Well, this is where the fun part comes in, and you put your creativity to work. All that's left now is choosing your desired Layer Opacities, final placement of the flags, and erasing all the gibbetibly gook around the window. Keep the window frame on top for your guide. Highlight one layer that shows on the outside of the window, e.g., the American flag. Use the eraser tool to get rid of the extra part of the pole; repeat with the British flag. I like to close the other layers that need cleaning so that I know exactly which layer I am dealing with (senior moments can creep in here :)

By using layers for each object, the possibilities are liminted only by your emagination.

Right now we need to add the curtains. Add a new layer (layers/New Raster Layer) and call it pelmet. Load the pelmet selection from the zip file. And fill it with the foreground colour #D0D0F9. No to make the gingham look alike click Effects/Texture Effects/Blinds using white as the background colour and the following settings

Now click on OK

repeat and check the horizontal box same settings as before.

Now click Effects/3D Effects/Drop Shadow and use these settings

Click ok then click Effects/3D Effects/ Drop Shadow and change the settings to these

and click OK.

Click Selections/Select None

Now add a new Layer (layers/New Raster Layers) and call it curtains and make sure that it is below the pelmet layer so tht we will not see the top of the curtains.

Load the selection called curtains from the zip file. Fill with the forground colour. Repeat the two blinds settings that we used for the Pelmet.

Now apply the two Shadow Settings that we used for the Pelmet.

Last thing we are going to do is to make the curtains move a little with the breeze.

Copy the image (shift D) twice and in one of them apply these filters.

Effects/Geometric Effects/Skew use these settings

click OK

Now Selections/Select None and then click Effects/Geometric Effects/Ripple and use these settings

On the other new one use the same filters but with the skew use these settings Horizontal -2 Vertical 0 and with the ripple use these settings Horizontal center 100 Vertical Center 80 leave the other settings the same.

Now we need to merge all layers on each image and copy each one in turn into Animation Shop. So start up Animation Shop (File/Jasc Products/Animation Shop) and copy one of the moving images and paste that into Animation Shop using Edit/Paste/As new Animation. Repeat with the other movement image, but this time Click Edit/Paste/After Current Frame Now click Edit/Select All so that both the frames are selected and then click Animation/Frame Properties and change the time to 75/1000ths of a second this will slow the movement down.

Brilliant you have finished and your curtains now look as though they are blowing in the breeze.

We hope that you have enjoyed this tutorial, we have sure loved making it and had a load of fun.

January 12th 2002