Urban Mansion PSP Tutorial

This tutorial can be done with most versions of PSP. Directions are given for PSP 7, 8 & 9.

All that you will need is the Urban Mansion 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.


How to Get The Alpha Selections
Selections - Load/Save Selections - Load Selection from Alpha Channel
Click on the selection you want and then on Load


1. Chimneys - Flood-fill with the brick pattern, Brick 02, Scale 25%. If your PSP version doesn't have this pattern, you can download this image:


     Just leave it open on your desktop and flood-fill with the pattern.


2. Facade & Caps - Flood-fill with #C1B6B6. (This selection is the last one.)

Effects - Texture Effects - Textures - Grainy bumps.bmp (or Asphalt.bmp) preset
PSP 7 - Effects - Blur - Blur
Effects - Sharpen - Sharpen.

PSP 8 & on - Adjust - Blur - Blur
Adjust - Sharpeness - Sharpen

Now for the Window Shadows:
Holding down the SHIFT key,
use the Magic Wand , and click in each window opening and the door opening
Selections - Invert
Effects - 3D Effects - Drop Shadow
V&H 8, Opacity 75, Blur 8, Colour black.


3. Foundation - Flood-fill with #808080.

Effects - Texture Effects - Textures - Grainy bumps.bmp (or Asphalt.bmp) preset


4. Stone Strips - Flood-fill with #A78D8D.

5. Facing - Flood-fill with #A78D8D.

Effects - 3D Effects - Drop Shadow
V 3, H 0, Opacity 43, Blur 3, Colour black.


6. Window Facings - Flood-fill with #A78D8D.

Effects - 3D Effects - Inner Bevel - Groove preset
(If your PSP version doesn't have this preset, the settings are here.)
PSP 7 - Colours - Adjust - Brightness/Contrast - Brightness minus 50, Contrast 0
PSP 8 and on - Press CTRL-B - Brightness minus 50, Contrast 0.


7. Rectangles - Flood-fill with #A78D8D.

Effects - 3D Effects - Inner Bevel - Frame preset.
(If your PSP version doesn't have this preset, the settings are here.)


8. Side Stones & Stone Lines - Flood-fill with black. Then lower the Opacity of the layer, using the slider in the Layer Palette, to around 33.

9. Roof - Flood-fill with #7D6161.

Use the Magic Wand to click on an empty part of the image
Selections - Invert
Effects - 3D Effects - Drop Shadow
V 8, H 0, Opacity 43, Blur 8, Colour black.

(We selected the roof this way to avoid getting stray Drop Shadows in the window openings.)

Now for the rest of the Window Shadows:
Deselect (CTRL-D)
Holding down the SHIFT key, and using the Magic Wand,
Click in each dormer window opening
Selections - Invert
Effects - 3D Effects - Drop Shadow
V&H 8, Opacity 75, Blur 8, Colour black.


10. Middle Facings - Flood-fill with #A78D8D.

Effects - 3D Effects - Inner Bevel - Groove preset.
PSP 7 - Colours - Adjust - Brightness/Contrast - Brightness minus 40, Contrast 0
PSP 8 and on - Press CTRL-B - Brightness minus 40, Contrast 0.


11. Front Fencing - Flood-fill with #5E5F1F.

12. Stairs Back - Flood-fill with #A78D8D.

13. Stairs - Flood-fill with black.

14. Step Railings - Flood-fill with #5E5F1F.

15. Stair Fronts - Flood-fill with #6B4B4B. (This selection is out of order, too.)

Effects - Textures - Texture - Bumps.bmp (or Asphalt) preset


16. Dormer Shadows - Flood-fill with black and lower the Opacity of the layer to about 30.

17. Dormer Facings - Flood-fill with #A78D8D.

18. Dormer Caps - Flood-fill with #A78D8D.

Effects - 3D Effects - Drop Shadow
V 5, H 0, Opacity 100, Blur 8, colour black.

19. Stair Front Tops - Flood-fill with #7E7C7D.

20. Side Roofs & Strips - Flood-fill with black.

21. Door & Windows - Flood-fill with #656262.

22. You can fill in the windows by going down and clicking on the facade layer. With the Magic Wand, click in any of the window openings.

Selections - Modify - Expand - 1 Pixel
Click on the Inside layer

Now you can Flood-fill with a colour and use the Blinds Effect (Effects - Textures - Blinds, or use a metallic gradient to simulate the grey when the sun is shining toward the house, or put in anything you like.

All finished! I hope you like your mansion.


If you have any questions or comments, our email address is here