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I’ve been experimenting with making a chipboard alphabet and want to share my results with you. This tutorial is intended for Paint Shop Pro X, however, it can
probably be adapted to use in most the major graphics programs used for digital scrapbooking.
Start by creating a new page. File>New. I usually start with a page 12 inches by 12 inches in size with a resolution of 300 pixels per inch and a raster background. (You should choose whatever page size you’ll need to create your alphabet.) Click on transparent.
Now, let’s make an alphabet. Use the text tool to select the font you’d like to use. Choose a fat font, if possible. I used TypeWrong. To make it appear fatter, I not only had color in the background and fill properties on the materials palette. But I also added the same color in the foreground and stroke properties box. Choose a tan color that would be close to the color of chipboard. I added 1.000 of leading to put more space between each line of
letters.
We’re going to convert the alphabet to a raster layer. Layers>Convert to Raster Layer.
The next step is to add a beveled edge to the alphabet. Effects>3D Effects>Inner Bevel. I used the bevel that looks like a triangle in the bevel selection box. Then I chose these settings. Width: 5; Smoothness: 0; Depth: 5; Ambience: 39; Shininess: 0; Angle: 315; Intensity: 35; Elevation: 30. You can change the settings to achieve the desired effect. Click OK.
Now we’re going to select the entire alphabet. Selections>Select All. Now go to Selections>Modify>Select Similar. Check contiguous. I set the tolerance to 34. The alphabet should have “marching ants” around it. We’re going to modify the selection once more. Selections>Modify>Contract. When the dialogue box pops up, set the number
of pixels around 15. You may need to change this setting, depending upon how big your alphabet is. The idea is for the selection to be slightly inside of the actual alphabet, so when we go to paint the alphabet, the chipboard color shows through on the edges.
Now add a new layer. Layers>New raster layer. Make sure that the layer is on top of the layer with the alphabet. On the materials palette, in the foreground and stroke properties box, select the color that you would like to use to paint your chipboard alphabet. I selected a very pale blue.
Click on the paintbrush tool. I used the fuzz soft paint brush, but you can use any others that give a wispy feel to the painting. Here are the settings. Size: 125; Step: 5; Density: 55; Rotation: 0; Opacity: 100; Blend Mode: Normal. that the alphabet is still selected, take your paintbrush and lightly paint over the letters. You do not want to completely cover the letters with paint.
Deselect the letters by clicking on the selection tool, then right clicking in the
middle of the layout.
Now we’re going to add some crosshatching using a custom brush that I made. Download the brush HERE (I have included the brush as a png file for those who don’t use Paint Shop Pro but are following this tutorial. If your graphics program uses brushes, read the instructions for that program on how to turn the png file into a custom brush). To install the PSPBrush file in Paint Shop Pro X, go to File>Import>Custom Brush. Click on open, then browse to find the folder where you unzipped the brush. Select the PSPBrush file named Kbalint_Crosshatch, click open. Then click “add all” in the dialogue box.
To use the brush, click on the eraser brush. Select the Kbalint_Crosshatch brush. Here are the settings I used. Size: 300; Step: 32; Density: 100; Rotation: 0; Opacity: 100. Making sure that you’re on the layer with the paint, stamp the eraser brush over each letter. This will leave a crosshatch imprint on your letters.
Let’s now go to the layers palette. Select the layer with the paint. Right click on that layer and select Duplicate. On this new layer, we’re going to add a slight bevel. Effects>3D
Effects>Inner Bevel. Once again, I used the triangle bevel. This time, I changed some of the settings. Width: 2; Smoothness: 28; Depth, 2; Ambience: 39; Angle: 315; Intensity: 35; Elevation: 30. Click OK.
The final step is to merge all of the visible layers. Layers>Merge>Merge Visible. Save your chipboard alphabet. Here is my final result.
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