We're actually doing two techniques here, we're using an artistic effect available in the new Paint Shop Pro 7 to give an impressionistic look to the picture, then we're framing it. For practice, you can use a picture of your own you want to work with, or you can use the picture on the left. (Right click and choose save as; make sure to download to a destination where you can easily find the graphic).

Where the illustrations below are too large to fit with the writing, I'll use thumbnails to illustrate the step. Run your mouse over the top of the picture, if the arrow turns into a hand, there is a large version of the picture. Just click on it to view.

• Open a new picture, resize (Image/Resize) to approximately 215 width x 300, (or crop first if you have too much irrelevant background), then resize. If you're using the illustration above to follow along, you won't need to resize or crop.
• Select the lasso tool and use these settings: Selection type=Freehand; Feather=11; Antialias=checked.

• Run the selection tool around the outside of the dog's head (or the head of the subject you chose for your picture). This doesn't need to be exact, just get in the general vicinity. When you have the head selected, the feathering will make your selection look much bigger. Go to Selections on your top menu bar, and choose Invert; everything except a small portion of the face should now be selected. (Maximize picture on right to view).

• Now select Effects/Artistic Effects/Brush Strokes. Use the settings already there unless you want to experiment a bit. The feathering should make the portion you applied the effect to blend in the with the non-affected portion. If you want more or less of the picture to be included in the effect, select undo (under Edit) three times and reselect the face or change the amount of feathering, then invert and apply the effect again.

• In order to add a white frame around the image, we need to set up the color on the styles bar . Left click on the dropper tool to open it; then click on the styles bar (colored arrow is pointing to the second panel, which is the background color or fill picker). Hold down the dropper on this panel (clicking on the black triangle works the fastest); another window with 4 icons will open underneath it. The first one (the paintbrush-outlined with red), stands for solid color (the second one stands for gradient fill, the third one is a pattern, and the last one indicates no effect). Choose the paintbrush, then click once again on the background. The color dialogue window will open; choose a plain white or a color that contrasts with your picture.

• We're ready now to add the frame. Right click on the picture to deselect it (or click on Selections/Select None). Go to Image/Add Borders. Check Symmetric, and type in 20 (or arrow up to 20), then click ok. Use the magic wand to select the white border. Leave your settings as before; due to the feathering, you'll notice that you have selected not only the white, but part of the picture as well.

• We need to put a fill in the frame. Use the eyedropper tool again; this time click on the top box in the Styles Panel, and select the third icon (outlined in red) , the one that stands for pattern fill. Now click once on the middle of the foreground pattern. A dialogue box will open (diagram on left); notice that you can change the size and direction of the pattern. For now we'll leave the current settings as is.
  Click on the small down arrow and all the patterns currently available will open. Notice that if you have any other pictures open, they will also be available as patterns. If you have a texture of your own you'd like to try, just open it in PSP 7 then choose it from the list of patterns. I went down to the texture labeled Grass; the color closely matches the picture we're working with. Click ok. Use the paint bucket to pour the fill into the selected area. The feathering causes the white to leak out into the pattern you just poured in; if you don't want that effect, go back to the previous step and turn your feathering lower or to zero. Do not deselect yet.

• Choose Effects/3D Effects/Outer Bevel. Use the settings as illustrated below (you'll have to click to view large enough to see the settings) to get the same effect as on my finished illustration, or play around with various settings. Click on the eye icon to preview what the various settings will do on your picture (as opposed to just viewing it in the small window).
  

  Click ok and view your finished picture. Go to File/Save as and give it a name. You should save it as a jpg file.
  

I was inspired to write this tutorial after creating the picture for a contest sponsored by MollyDog! And I won!
Here's the award, you can click on it to go to MollyDog's site and (among other things), participate in the monthly
contest; each month has a different theme (August's was puppy love).

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