**Program Tutorials** : Digital Image Pro : *Element

Either open a new canvas or work directly on your layout.

Insert> Shape> and choose the rounded corner shape

Fill the shape with solid black by choosing the Paint bucket icon and selecting black.

Elongate the shape by clicking and dragging the right side resize handle. My staple is about 1.5inches long.

Choose the top or bottom resize handle and narrow the shape.

It will look something like this.

To achieve a metallic look using only Digital Image Pro, select the shape and choose the paint bucket icon to fill the shape with the light medium grey shade as shown.

Change the color of the line by choosing the line color icon and select the dark medium grey shade as shown.

Select Effects> Filters > All Filters and choose Boiling Bubbles.

Select Change Advanced Options and make the following adjustments.

Transparency: 50

Brush Size: 305

Coverage: 100

Your staple should look something like this.

Add shadow for realism.

You can increase or decrease the shine of the staple by choosing TouchUp> Exposure and lighting and making adjustments as desired.

You can also create color tinted staples by choosing TouchUp> Color and Saturation and adjusting the color sliders.

If you have the plug in filter Eye Candy (www.alienskin.com) or another filter capable of creating metallic effects you can apply those to the shape instead.