Crabby Graphics
Author: Marlene LaVarta
Title: Butterfly Mask Tutorial
Skill Level: Intermediate
Additional Files: A butterfly object.
PI Version:  10 - but can be done is earlier versions if you know where the tools are.
Terms of Service: TOS

 

 

Butterfly Mask Tutorial

 

  1. Go here and get one of the butterfly files.  I'm using the first one here.  These are png files, so they should open with the object already made.  Open the file in PI.

  2. Ctrl-D to Duplicate the File
  3. Working with the duplicated file:
  4. Delete the butterfly object.
  5. On the Adjust Menu, choose Convert Data Type, then Grayscale (8 bit).
  6. With the Pick Tool, drag the colored butterfly object for the original file to the duplicated, grayscale document.  The butterfly is now grayscale, too.

  7. With the grayscale butterfly still selected, On the Adjust Menu, choose Invert.

  8. Decide where in you Easy Palette Library you want to put your grayscale mask.  If you need help in understanding and managing your easy Palette, see this tutorial: Managing Your Easy Palette.
  9. Select the group in the easy palette you want to store the mask in.  With your grayscale document active,   Right click in the easy palette thumbnail area and make sure that "Store Image as Selection" is checked.  This option only works if the active document is a grayscale data type (step 5 above).
  10. Drag the grayscale butterfly to the Easy Palette.  A dialog box appears:  Make sure the Sample name starts with Selection.  If it doesn't then you've missed a step somewhere.  Make sure the Gallery/Library and Tab group are where you want to store the mask.  Press "OK".

  11. Activate your original document.  Make sure the background is visible and that it has no objects on it.  For the purposes of this tutorial, make sure the background color is white.
  12. In your easy palette, right click on the mask object we just made.  Checkmark the option that says "keep original size".  (If you wanted to make a specific size, you'd checkmark the option that says "Fit mask and keep aspect ratio".)
  13. Double click on the mask.
  14. Press ctrl+shift+o to convert the selection to an object.  (Or selection menu, convert to object).  Don't panic - you can't see anything yet because the object is the same color as the background.
  15. Press ctrl-f (or edit menu, fill) to bring up the fill dialog.  Choose the color tab, and pick a color and press ok.  Aha, there it is!

  16. Let's add a shadow. Shift+S or right click and choose shadow.  These are the settings I used:



  17. Note that the shadow falls outside of the document area now, so just drag the butterfly to a blank area of your workspace to get the correct document size.
  18. Now, have fun playing with various fills on your butterfly.  Below are some samples.


I used one of my stained glass fills on this one.