House #1

September 2003

 This house is the first in what will (hopefully!) be a series of houses. This is a little different than the tutorials I'm used to doing. One of my favorite things to do in PSP is to build houses and rooms. I've always wanted to write a house tutorial and here it is! Don't worry, it's not nearly as complicated as it looks :o). This tutorial is entirely my own creation and any similarity to other tutorials is purely coincidental. Don't bother suing me, I'm broke :o).

For this tutorial, you will need:

Jasc Paint Shop Pro - Get a 30-day free trial here. (Note: This tutorial was made using PSP 7, but it may be possible to do it using other versions.)
My Selections and Presets - Download the .zip file here.
Feedback is always appreciated. If you are having a problem with this tutorial, please e-mail me for assistance.

Start by unzipping the selections.zip folder. Save the presets to your PSP presets folder & unzip the selections to the folder of your choice (I unzip mine to a folder on my desktop because it's easy to find).

1 - Open a new image 1268 X 726 pixels, 16 million colors, transparent background. Yes, the canvas is *very* large and I didn't realize that when I was making the tutorial. Just remember to clear your command history and SAVE your work often! You can always resize your work when you're finished. I personally find it's easier to start big and work your way down anyway.

2 - Add a new raster layer & name it Garage Foundation. Load the selection 001-garagefoundation.sel and flood fill with the brick pattern that came with PSP at size 50% and angle 0. I'm not sure if this brick pattern comes with other versions of PSP, but if not you can download a brick pattern fill off the 'net.

3 - Add a new raster layer & name it Garage Front. Load the selection 002-garagefront.sel and flood fill with the color of your choice. I am using #8CCBE2. This will be our Main Color (MC).

4 - Apply a Blinds effect using the following settings (color is black):


5 - Add a new raster layer & name it Garage Door. Load the selection 003-garagedoor.sel and flood fill with the color of your choice. I am using white. This will be our Contrasting Color (CC).

6 - Add a new raster layer & load the selection 004-garagedoordetails.sel.

7 - Apply a Cutout using the following settings (shadow color is black, fill with interior color UNchecked):


8 - Do not deselect. Add a new raster layer & apply the same Cutout, but change the horizontal & vertical offsets to minus 1.

9 - Hide all layers except the two cutout layers & merge visible layers. Rename this layer Garage Door Details.

10 - Add a new raster layer & name it Garage Door Trim. Load the selection 005-garagedoortrim.sel and flood fill with CC.

11 - Apply an Inner Bevel using the House Trim preset I provided. If you are having trouble with the preset, these are the settings I used (color is white):


12 - Add a drop shadow with the following settings (color is black):


13 - Apply the same drop shadow again, but change the horizontal and vertical offsets to minus 3.

14 - Reload the 005-garagedoortrim.sel selection and invert. Use the eraser tool to erase the drop shadow around the edges facing away from the door. Zoom in on your image if necessary.


15 - Add a new raster layer & name it Garage Trim. Load the selection 006-garagetrim.sel and flood fill with CC.

16 - Appy an Inner Bevel using the House Trim preset.

17 - Add a drop shadow using the same settings as in step 12, but do not repeat!

18 - Reload the 006-garagetrim.sel selection and invert. Use the eraser tool to erase the drop shadow around the right edge.

19 - Add a new raster layer & name it Garage Roof. Load the selection 007-garageroof.sel and flood fill with the leather pattern that came with PSP 7 at size 100% and angle 0 (or a flood fill of your choice if you do not have the leather fill).

20 - Add a drop shadow using the same settings as in step 12, but do not repeat!

21 - Reload the 007-garageroof.sel selection and invert. Use the eraser tool to erase the drop shadow around the right edge.

We're finished with the garage! You should have something that looks like this. The image has been resized for faster loading *grin*.


22 - Add a new raster layer & name it Side Foundation. Load the selection 008-sidefoundation.sel and flood fill with the brick fill at size 50% and angle 0.

23 - Add a new raster layer & name it Side. Load the selection 009-side.sel and flood fill with MC.

24 - Apply the same Blinds effect as in step 4.

25 - Add a new raster layer & name it Side Windows. Load the selection 010-sidewindows.sel and flood fill with CC.

26 - Apply an Inner Bevel using the House Trim preset.

27 - Use your Magic Wand Tool and click inside each window pane while holding down the Shift key on your keyboard. This should select the inner areas of each window.

28 - Go to Selections --> Modify --> Expand by 1 pixel. Reactivate the Side layer and hit the Delete key on your keyboard. Deselect. You should have something that looks like this:


29 - Reactivate the Side Windows layer & add a new raster layer & name it Side Shutters. Load the selection 011-sideshutters.sel and flood fill with a contrasting color to the one you used as the main color of your house. I am using #3D7083. This will be our Shutter Color (SC).

30 - Go to Selections --> Modify --> Contract by 3 pixels.

31 - Apply a Blinds effect using the following settings (color is black):


32 - Add a drop shadow using the same settings as in step 12, but do not repeat!

33 - Add a new raster layer & name it Chimney1. Load the selection 012-chimney1.sel and flood fill with MC.

34 - Apply the same blinds effect as in step 4.

35 - Add a new raster layer & name it Chimney2. Load the selection 013-chimney2.sel and flood fill with MC.

36 - Apply the same blinds effect as in step 4.

37 - Go to Colors --> Adjust --> Brightness/Contrast. Set Brightness to minus 5 and Contrast to minus 38%.

38 - Add a new raster layer & name it Side Trim. Load the selection 014-sidetrim.sel and flood fill with CC.

39 - Apply an Inner Bevel using the House Trim preset.

40 - Add a drop shadow using the same settings as in step 12, but do not repeat!

41 - Add a new raster layer & name it Roof. Load the selection 015-roof.sel and flood fill with the leather fill at size 100% and angle 0.

42 - Add a drop shadow using the same settings as in step 12, but do not repeat!

43 - Reload the 015-roof.sel selection, invert and use the Eraser Tool to erase the drop shadow on the right edge of the roof.

We're finished with the side of the house! You should have something that looks like this:


44 - Add a new raster layer & name it Front Foundation. Load the selection 016-frontfoundation.sel and flood fill with brick pattern at size 55% and angle 0.

45 - Add a new raster layer & name it Front. Load the selection 017-front.sel and flood fill with MC.

46 - Apply the same blinds effect as in step 4, but change the width to 15.

47 - Add a drop shadow at the following settings. Repeat, but change the horizontal and vertical offsets to minus 5.


48 - Reload the 017-front.sel selection, invert and use the Eraser Tool to erase the drop shadow on the top and bottom edges.

49 - Add a new raster layer & name it Porch Floor. Load the selection 018-porchfloor.sel and flood fill with #C0C0C0. Add noise 6% uniform.

50 - Add a new raster layer & name it Front Windows. Load the selection 019-frontwindows.sel and flood fill with CC.

51 - Apply an Inner Bevel using the House Trim preset.

52 - Use the Magic Wand tool and click inside each window pane while holding down the Shift key on your keyboard. This should select the inner areas of each window.

53 - Go to Selections --> Modify --> Expand by 1 pixel. Reactivate the Front layer & hit the delete key on your keyboard. Deselect.

54 - Reactivate the Front Windows layer & add a new raster layer and name it Front Shutters. Load the selection 020-frontshutters.sel and flood fill with SC.

55 - Go to Selections --> Modify --> Contract by 3 pixels.

56 - Apply a Blinds effect using the same settings as in step 31.

57 - Add a drop shadow using the same settings as in step 12, but do not repeat!

58 - Add a new raster layer & name it Front Door. Load the selection 021-frontdoor.sel and flood fill with CC.

59 - Add a new raster layer & name it Front Door Details. Load the selection 022-frontdoordetails.sel and apply the following Cutout (shadow color is black, fill with interior color UNchecked):


60 - Add a new raster layer & name it Front Door Trim. Load the selection 023-frontdoortrim.sel and flood fill with CC.

61 - Apply an Inner Bevel using the House Trim preset, but change the width to 7.

62 - Add a drop shadow using the same settings as in step 12. Repeat, but change the horizontal and vertical offsets to minus 3.

63 - Reload the selection 023-frontdoortrim.sel selection, invert and use the Eraser tool to erase the drop shadow around the outside edges (those facing away from the door).

64 - Add a new raster layer & name it Steps. Load the selection 024-steps1.sel and flood fill with #C0C0C0.

65 - On the same layer, load the selection 025-steps2.sel and flood fill with #808080. Add noise 6% uniform.

66 - Add a new raster layer & name it Porch Rails. Load the selection 026-porchrails.sel and flood fill with CC.

67 - Apply an Inner Bevel using the Porch Rails preset I provided. If you are having trouble with the preset, here are the settings I used:


68 - Add a new raster layer & name it Porch Posts. Load the selection 027-porchposts.sel and flood fill with CC.

69 - Apply an Inner Bevel using the Porch Rails preset.

70 - Add a drop shadow using the same settings as in step 12, but do not repeat!

71 - Add a new raster layer & name it Front Trim. Load the selection 028-fronttrim.sel and flood fill with CC.

72 - Apply an Inner Bevel using the House Trim preset.

73 - Add a drop shadow using the same settings as in step 12, but don't repeat!

74 - Add a new raster layer & name it Front Roof. Load the selection 029-frontroof.sel and flood fill with leather pattern.

75 - Add a drop shadow using the same settings as in step 12, but don't repeat!

We're finished with the lower front of the house! You should have something that looks like this:

76 - Add a new raster layer below the Front Roof layer & name it Middle1. Load the selection 030-middle1.sel and flood fill with MC.

77 - Apply a Blinds effect using the same settings as in step 46.

78 - Add a new raster layer & name it Middle1 Windows. Load the selection 031-middle1windows.sel and flood fill with CC.

79 - Apply an Inner Bevel using the House Trim preset.

80 - Use the Magic Wand tool and click inside each window pane while holding down the Shift key on your keyboard. This should select the inner areas of the windows.

81 - Go to Selections --> Modify --> Expand by 1 pixel. Reactivate the Middle1 layer and hit the Delete key on your keyboard. Deselect.

82 - Reactivate the Middle1 Window layer & add a new raster layer & name it Middle1 Shutters. Load the selection 032-middle1shutters.sel and flood fill with SC.

83 - Go to Selections --> Modify --> Contract by 3 pixels.

84 - Apply a Blinds effect using the same settings as in step 31.

85 - Add a drop shadow using the same settings as in step 12, but do not repeat!

86 - Add a new raster layer & name it Middle1 Trim. Load the selection 033-middle1trim.sel and flood fill with CC.

87 - Apply an Inner Bevel using the House Trim preset.

88 - Add a drop shadow using the same settings as in step 12, but do not repeat!

89 - Add a new raster layer & name it Middle1 Roof. Load the selection 034-middle1roof.sel and flood fill with leather pattern.

90 - Add a drop shadow using the same settings as in step 12, but do not repeat!

91 - Add a new raster layer & name it Middle2. Load the selection 035-middle2.sel and flood fill with MC.

92 - Apply Blinds effect using the same settings in step 4, but change the width to 15.

93 - Add a drop shadow using the same settings in step 47. Repeat, but change the horizontal and vertical offsets to minus 5.

94 - Add a new raster layer & name it Middle2 Window. Load the selection 036-middle2window.sel and flood fill with CC.

95 - Apply an Inner Bevel using the House Trim preset.

96 - Use the Magic Wand tool and click inside each window pane while holding down the Shift key on your keyboard. This should select the inner areas of the window.

97 - Go to Selections --> Modify --> Expand by 1 pixel. Reactivate the Middle2 layer and hit the Delete key on your keyboard. Deselect.

98 - Reactivate the Middle2 Window layer & add a new raster layer and name it Middle2 Shutters. Load the selection 037-middle2shutters.sel and flood fill with SC.

99 - Go to Selections --> Modify --> Contract by 3 pixels.

100 - Apply a Blinds effect using the same settings as in step 31.

101 - Add a drop shadow using the same settings as in step 12, but do not repeat!

102 - Add a new raster layer & name it Middle2 Trim. Load the selection 038-middle2trim.sel and flood fill with CC.

103 - Apply an Inner Bevel using the Button preset. I *think* this preset comes with PSP 7, but if you don't have it, here are the settings:


104 - Add a drop shadow using the same settings as in step 12, but do not repeat!

We're finished with the middle front of the house! You should have something that looks like this:


105 - Add a new raster layer below the Middle1 Roof layer & name it Top. Load the selection 039-top.sel and flood fill with MC.

106 - Apply a Blinds effect with the same settings as in step 4, but change the width to 15.

107 - Add a new raster layer & name it Top Window. Load the selection 040-topwindow.sel and flood fill with CC.

108 - Apply an Inner Bevel using the House Trim preset.

109 - Use the Magic Wand tool & click inside each window pane while holding down the Shift key on your keyboard. This should select the inner areas of the windows.

110 - Go to Selections --> Modify --> Expand by 1 pixel. Reactivate the Top layer & hit the Delete key on your keyboard. Activate the Roof layer & hit the Delete key on your keyboard. The area behind your window should be blank.

111 - Add a new raster layer & name it Top Trim. Load the selection 041-toptrim.sel and flood fill with CC.

112 - Apply an Inner Bevel using the Button preset.

113 - Add a drop shadow using the same settings as in step 12, but do not repeat!

That's it! We're finally finished! You can merge all visible layers & export as a picture tube (you may want to resize it first *grin*). Or save as a *.psp file for later use. I recommend doing this if you plan on decorating your house later. It's much easier to go in between layers and add decoration. There are plenty of great tutorials on the 'net for decorating your houses or you can just use your imagination! Now, go fix yourself a nice big glass of chocolate milk. You deserve it!

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Graphics, web design, & content © 2003 Jennifer Chappell. All rights reserved. The graphics and content of this site may not be duplicated, electronically or otherwise, without the author's permission.