Welcome to Jaddell's Graphics
Taj Mahal
To view decorated Taj Mahal click here
You will need to download my zip file here.
The Taj Mahal was an experiment I did a few months ago, but never got around to writing the tutorial. NOTE: To make this project easier, it is done in three sections, and put together at the finish, then reduced to a smaller size. It is advisable to empty your Cache folder (don't delete the folder) in the PSP program file before commencing each section, so you don't see the dreaded sign telling you 'PSP has to close...' I empty my cache folder every day I use PSP.
TOP SECTION: Open a new image 850 x 400, transparent. Open and minimize the following samples: Taj One, Taj Two, Taj Pattern 1, all are Scale 100, Angle 0.
Large Dome: 1. Add new layer, Selections, load from disk, 'A', flood fill Taj One. Deselect.
2. Same layer, Selections, load from disk, 'B', flood fill #646464, and while still selected, Effects, 3D, Inner Bevel, Round, Width 13, Smoothness 33, Depth 3, Ambience 0, Shininess 0, Color white, Angle 0, Intensity 46, Elevation 29. Deselect.
3. Same layer, open Taj pattern 1, Edit, Copy, close small image, selections, load from disk, 'C', Edit, paste into selection. Deselect.
4 Same layer, Selections, load from disk, 'Ca', no flood fill, Colors, Adjust, Brightness/Contrast, -40, 0. Deselect.
5. Same layer, Selections, load from disk, 'Cb', flood fill #FFE0D0, leave selected. Effects 3D, Inner Bevel, Round, Width 3, Smoothness 33, Depth 3, Ambience 0, Shininess 0, Color white, Angle 0, Intensity 40, Elevation 29. Deselect. Save. Turn layer off.
Medium Dome: 6. Add new layer, Selections, load from disk, 'D', flood fill Taj Two. Deselect.
7. Add new layer, Selections, load from disk 'E', flood fill Taj Two. Colors, adjust, brightness/contrast, -15, 0. Deselect. Save.
8. Same layer, Edit, Copy, paste as new selection, image, mirror, and place on right side of 'D'. Deselect. Save.
9. Add new layer, Selections, load from disk, 'F', flood fill #655543, Deselect.
10. Turn Large Dome layer back on and duplicate. Turn Large Dome off. Make sure you are on the duplicate layer, Image, make sure all layers box is unchecked, Resize 55%. Colors, Adjust, B/C, -20, 0. Mover tool, place medium dome on the top of the structure you just built. Leave large dome turned off, Layers, Merge, Merge Visible. Save.
11. Edit, copy, paste as new image, save as Small Dome.psp and close. This will be resized and used later.
12. Edit, paste as new layer. Turn on Large Dome layer and make it the top layer. Mover tool, move the second medium dome to the right hand side of large dome. Use your grid to make sure the two medium domes are lined up correctly. Layers, Merge, Merge visible. Save.
13. Magic Wand, hold down shift key, highlight the windows on each medium dome. Selections, modify, expand by 2, flood fill #C09178. Deselect. Image, Resize 50%. Effects, Sharpen, Sharpen. Save your Top Section in psp format and close it down. Take a break, have a stretch, then onto the next section. :)
MIDDLE SECTION: Open a new image 850 x 400, transparent. For this section you will need to open Taj two, Taj three, Flag Pole Top image, also Small Dome.psp you saved in the top section.
1. Add new layer, Selections, load from disk, 'G', flood fill #D9C6BB. Deselect.
2. Add new layer, Selections, load from disk, 'H', Styles, Background, Taj Two, flood fill. Colors, Adjust, Brightness/Contrast, -80, 0. Deselect. Save.
3. Add new layer, Selections, load from disk, 'I', flood fill Taj Two. Colors, Adjust, B/C, -10, 0. Deselect. Save.
4. Add new layer, Selections, load from disk, 'J', flood fill Taj Two. Colors, Adjust, B/C, -30, 0. Effects, Texture, Texture, choose Panel, Size 25, Smoothness 0, Depth 3, Ambience -8, Shininess 0, Color White, Angle 0, Intensity 40, Elevation 40. Deselect. Save.
5. Add new layer, Selections, load from disk, 'K', flood fill Taj Three. Deselect.
6. Add new layer, Selections, load from disk, 'L', flood fill Black. Deselect. Layers, Merge, Merge Visible. Save.
7. On the merged layer, Selections, load from disk 'M'. Edit, copy, paste as new layer. Deselect. Mover tool, line it up with the left end of the wall. Deformation tool, hold down ctrl key, top left node down 20 pixels, release ctrl key. Left middle node slide right 30 pixels. Click arrow tool to release nodes. Selections, load from disk 'MA' to check angle, make any adjustments then deselect. Edit, copy, paste as new selection, image, mirror, place on right-hand end. Merge, Merge Visible. Save.
8. Add new layer, Selections, load from disk, 'N', flood fill Black. Deselect.
9. Same layer, Selections, load from disk, 'O', flood fill #C59F8C. Deselect.
10. Same layer, Selections, load from disk, 'P', flood fill Black. Deselect. Save.
11. Add new layer, Selections, load from disk, 'Q', flood fill Taj Two. Colors, Adjust, B/C -10, 0. Layers, arrange, send to bottom. Merge all layers. Deselect. Save.
12. Add new layer, Selections, load from disk 'R', flood fill #CBA895. Effects, 3D, Inner Bevel, Round, Width 10, Smoothness 100, Depth 5, Ambience 0, Shininess 10, Color White, Angle 35, Intensity 50, Elevation 30. Deselect.
13. Add new layer, Selections, load from disk, 'S', flood fill Taj Two. Effects, Texture, Blinds, Width 2, Opacity 35, Color Black, Horizontal and Light boxes both checked. Colors, Adjust, B/C -40, 0. Deselect.
14. Add new layer, Selections, load from disk, 'U', flood fill #CBA895. Effects, 3D, Inner Bevel, same settings. Deselect. Edit, Copy, paste as new selection, Image, Mirror, move to right side of building, Deselect. Save.
15. Same layer. Open the Flag Pole Top image supplied, Edit, copy, close small image, paste as new selection, and place on top of first pole. Edit, paste as new selection for the remaining five flag poles. Deselect. Save.
16. Add new layer, Selections, load from disk, 'V', flood fill Taj Two. Colors, Adjust, B/C -20, 0. Deselect. Magic wand, click on the background space, Selections, Invert, Selections, float. Effects, 3D, Cut-out, Vertical 10, Horizontal -10, Opacity 28, Blur 20, Color Black. Deselect. Save.
17. Add new layer, Selections, load from disk, 'W', flood fill #B3907D. Effects, Inner Bevel, same settings. Deselect. Save.
18. Open your small dome.psp. Edit, copy, close small image, Edit, paste as new layer. Image, Resize 20 % (make sure resize all layers is NOT checked). Place image on left tower. Edit, copy, paste as new selection, move to right tower. Deselect.
19. Merge all layers. Image, Resize 50%. Effects, Sharpen, Sharpen. Save the Middle Section in psp format and close. Well done! Take a break and have a stretch, you've earned it. :)
LOWER SECTION:
Open a new image 850 x 400, transparent. If you're continuing on from just finishing middle section, Edit, Empty, Clipboard and Command History.
Wall: 1. Add new layer, Selections, load from disk, 'X', flood fill #AD8A76. Effects, Texture, Texture, choose Large Bricks, Size 25, Smoothness 0, Depth 3, Ambience -8, Shininess 0, Color white, Angle 0, Intensity 40, Elevation 40. Deselect. Save.
2. Add new layer, Selections, load from disk, 'Y', flood fill #808080, Deselect. Layers Palette, lower layer opacity to 25.
3. Add new layer, Selections, load from disk, 'Z', flood fill #C19B86. Effects, Texture, Texture, Large Bricks, same settings. Effects, Inner Bevel, Round, Width 3, Smoothness 33, Depth 3, Ambience 0, Shininess 0, Color white, Angle 0, Intensity 46, Elevation 29. Deselect. Merge these three layers, rename Wall. Save.
Garden: 4. Add new layer, Selections, load from disk, 'ZA', flood fill #8AABBE Deselect. Save.
5. Add new layer, Selections, load from disk, 'ZB', flood fill #DFDBDB. Effects, Texture, Texture, choose My Paper, Size 25, Smoothness 10, Depth 5, Ambience 0, Shininess 0, Color White, Angle 315, Intensity 40, Elevation 33. Deselect. Save.
6. Add new layer, Selections, load from disk, 'ZC', flood fill #B96767. Effects, Texture, Texture, choose Med Bricks, Size 25%, Smoothness 0, Depth 1, Ambience 0, Shininess 0, Color White, Angle 0, Intensity 40, Elevation 25. Deselect. Save.
7. Add new layer, Selections, load from disk, 'ZD'. Picture Tube, choose Lawn, Scale 25, Step 220, fill both sides. Deselect. Save.
8. Add new layer, Selections, load from disk, 'ZE', flood fill #808080. Effects, Texture, Texture, choose My Paper, Size 25%, same settings as used for Med Bricks. Colors, Adjust, B/C, 20,0. Deselect. Save.
9. Add new layer, Selections, load from disk, 'ZF', Picture Tube, Lawn, Scale 10, Step 220, fill both sides. Colors, Adjust, B/C, 20, 0. Deselect. Save.
10. Turn off merged layer (wall). Layers, Merge, Merge Visible. Save.
11. Open Taj Tree image supplied, or use your own. Edit, copy, paste as new layer. Mover tool, place tree near the base of the dark green grass. Edit, paste as new selection, image, resize, 95%. Continue on decreasing the resize by another 5% each time, eg 90, 85 etc. Finish row of trees. Edit, copy, paste as new selection, image, mirror, place trees on the other dark green grass. Deselect.
12. Layers, Merge, Merge Visible. Image, Resize 50%. Effects, Sharpen, Sharpen. Save. Minimize the Lower Section.
FINISHING TOUCHES: Open new image 530 x 500, transparent. Open the Top Section you saved previously, Edit, copy, paste as new layer. Move the top of the image to (263,5). Check the numbers in the bottom left hand side of your screen.
Open the Middle Section you saved previously, edit, copy, paste as new layer. Line this section up with the base of the large dome and the top of the brown section between the two flag poles.
Open the Lower Section, Edit, copy, paste as new layer. Center this section with the base of the middle layer.
Highlight layer 1, and add sky of your choice. I used PSP Gradient Violet- Orange, Angle 0, Repeats 0. Save.
Turn off all layers except the Top Section and Middle section. Merge these
two layers. Layer Palette, duplicate the merged layer and move it above the
Lower Section on your layer palette. Image, Flip, place it so the two long
horizontal bars meet. Lower layer opacity to 37. Use lasso tool to surround
the excess reflection outside the blue water area and delete.
This next step will add a slight reflection from the sky colors to the building. Add new layer and flood fill the screen with the Violet-Orange Gradient, and lower the layer opacity to 20.
Add new layer, Selections, load from disk, 'ZG', flood fill Black. Merge all layers. Save.
Finished at last. :) Add some people, birds and shrubs or anything else you prefer. I hope you enjoyed this tutorial. :)
All Text and Graphics by Jaddell's Graphics Copyright ©
1 September, 2003. All rights reserved.