Victorian Row House

Victorian Row House

Painted Ladies

These Victorian houses are everywhere, especially the ones in San Francisco, which are called Painted Ladies. This tutorial was done with PSP 8, but you should be able to do it with any earlier versions that take Alpha Channels.

You will need:

Row House Selections
Entry File and Garage File

The terms of use are here

If you aren't familiar with using the Colour Pallette for patterns, there is a short explanation here

There is a short tutorial for the Materials Pallette in PSP 8 here.

Customising the Entry

1. Open the entry.psp file you downloaded and if you think you might use it again, make a copy by pressing SHIFT-D and close the original. If you want the pink stones, just right-click on any of the layers, and Merge - Merge Visible and go to Step 3.

2. If you want a different colour for the posts and stair sides, click on the post or stair sides layer. Then

Press CTRL-A, CTRL-F, SHIFT-CTRL-F to select
Flood-fill

with the colour of your choice. Then go to:

Selections - Invert
Effects - 3D Effects - Drop Shadow
V & H 0, Opacity 35, Blur 10, Colour black.
Repeat these steps with the other layer you want to change.

If you want to change the Porch Floor colour or pattern, use the same technique, but don't add the Drop Shadow.

3. Right-click on any layer in the Layer Pallette, and Merge - Merge Visible.

4. Copy the image (CTRL-C).

5. Open the paintedladyalpha.psp file you downloaded. If you think you might want to make more than one house, just copy the image by pressing SHIFT-D and close the original.

6. Click on the Entry layer in this image, and get the Entry selection by going to:

Selections - Load/Save Selections - Load Selection from Alpha Channel
Click on the Entry selection (it's the last one) and then click on Load
(PSP 7 - Selections - Load from Alpha Channel)
Paste the Entry image into the selection by pressing SHIFT-CTRL-L

Now for the Rest of the House

1. Click on the Facade layer and get the Facade selection the same way you got the Entry selection. Flood-fill with #BDD7E4, or any colour you'd like better. Then go to:

Effects - Texture Effects - Blinds
Width 5, Opacity 10, Colour Black, Horizontal checked.

2. Facade Trim layer - get the selections and Flood-fill with white, or any contrasting colour.

3. Door Steps layer - We'll come back to this layer, later.

4. Inside layer - Flood-fill with #797F7C.

5. Curtains layer - Flood-fill with the blue colour, a pattern, or any colour you like. Then apply the same Blinds Effect, unchecking Horizontal.

6. Garage Door layer - Open the garagedoor.psp file you downloaded, and copy the door (CTRL-C). Then go back to your house image and paste (CTRL-E) the garage door in place.

7. Window Strips layer - Flood-fill with white or your contrasting colour.

8. Bay Frames layer - Flood-fill with white.

9. Bay Ledge layer - Flood-fill with white.

10. Window columns - Flood-fill with white, then go to

Effects - Texture Effects - Blinds
Width 3, Opacity 40, Horizontal unchecked, Colour Black.

11. Bay Support layer - Flood-fill with white.

Effects - 3D Effects - Drop Shadow
V 5, H 0, Opacity 40, Blur 5, Colour black.

12. Coloured Bits layer - Flood-fill with #D7AEAC, or the colour of your choice.

13. Windows Outlines layer - Flood-fill with white.

Selections - Invert Effects - 3D Effects - Drop Shadow
V & H 0, Opacity 43, Blur 2, Colour Black.

14. Doodads layer - Flood-fill with white.

Effects - 3D Effects - Drop Shadow
V 5, H 0, Opacity 67, Blur 5, Colour Black.

15. Lower Roof layer - Flood-fill with #E5E5E5.

Effects - Texture Effects - Blinds
Width 3, Opacity 25, Colour Black, Horizontal checked
Effects - 3D Effects - Drop Shadow
V 8, H 0, Opacity 53, Blur 5, Colour Black.

16. Window Ledges layer - Flood-fill with white.

Effects - 3D Effects - Drop Shadow
V 3, H 0, Opacity 5, Blur 5, Colour Black

17. Etching layer - just open the layer by clicking on the eye in the Layer Pallette. (It's glasses in PSP 7)

18. Attic Window Top layer - Flood-fill with white.

Effects - 3D Effects - Inner Bevel - Metallic preset
Copy (CTRL-C)
Paste (CTRL-E) just above the first piece.

19. Roof Back layer - Flood-fill with your blue colour, or the building colour you're using.

20. Bottom Attic - Flood-fill with white.

21. Line Layer - Flood-fill with black.

22. Inside Triangle layer - Flood-fill with white.

23. Outer Triangle layer - Flood-fill with white. Then, using the Magic Wand

, click inside the Triangle. Then go to:

Selections - Invert
Effects - 3D Effects - Drop Shadow
V 25, H 0, Opacity 35, Blur 25, Colour Black

Using the Magic Wand again, click anywhere outside the triangle and then go to:

Selections - Invert
Effects - 3D Effects - Drop Shadow
V 10, H 0, Opacity 73, Blur 30, Colour Black.

24. Roof layer - Flood-fill the selection with white. Go to:

Effects - 3D Effects - Inner Bevel - Metallic preset
Layers - Duplicate
Image Mirror

25. Circles layer - Flood-fill with white, and give them an Inner Bevel with the Round preset. If you wish you can use a preset shape, such as one of the flowers, or diamonds, or whatever, instead of the circles.

26. Top Piece - Flood-fill with white. Float the selection by pressing CTRL-F, and then go to:

Effects - 3D Effects - Cutout
V & H 2, Opacity 53, Blur 3, Colour Black, Fill Interior not checked
Repeat the Cutout, changing the V & H to minus 2.

You're all finished! I hope you like your house.

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