Muted BG w/ Text

In this Tutorial we will learn how to make a muted background with text similar to the one you see here.

You will need the simple filters available at http://www.btinternet.com/~cateran/simple/ we will only be using the quick tile but go ahead and grab them all .... they are a must for creating tiled backgrounds.

Another filter needed is Eyecandy 4000 (this is a comercial filter if you don't have it or can not afford it contact me for alterative tutorial instructions)

You will also need a program called 20/20 available at Hotfreeware.com

Create a new image 250x250

Flood fill with patten of your choice I used a gold fill pattern
Go to Effects/Plugin filters/Simple/Quick tile	Now open the tube or .psp file you wish to use on your BG Shift+D to duplicate then close the original
Image/Resize Resize the tube to so the hight and width is less than 200pixels
Copy Make your other image active and paste as new layer Ctrl+L	Now go to Layers on the menu bar and Merge/Merge Visible
Now go to your layer palet and slide the Opacity down to appoximately 55%
Creat new Rastar layer use all the default settings	chose the text tool and center your cursor to the absolute center of your graphic then left click.
Make sure your text is centered and Floating and Antialias is checked
Now Go to Effects/Plugin filters / Eye Candy 4000/ Cutout (If you do not have Eye Candy email me for alternate instructions) You can use the same setting I have here depending of the size and boldness of your font. For Thinner or smaller font lower the distance by 1 and the blur by aprx 1 For larger or fatter fonts increase the Blur by 1 and the opacity by 3
Selection/Select None	Now merge all layers Layers/ Merge/ Merge all (flatten)
This should be what your tile looks like before muting.
Now Copy	then Open up 20/20 and Paste or Ctrl+V
Go to Image/Muted Background Slide the opacity bar until you like the way it looks then hit the preview button to see it tiled ... when the muted tile Looks right hit apply.
Now go to File/Save as Under file type chose JPEG Click on Options and slide the bar all the way to Best.

You did it .... If you want to show off and send your results into the group
please put "Muted Background tutorial" in the subject line.

If you wish to link to this tutorial please link to it through the tutorial index page
At http:stngtutpages.50g.com/indexD.htm