Tutorial: Creating Water Tiles

This may seem a bit complicated to do but is actually fun to learn


Enjoy learning!

In this tutorial, I will teach you how to turn regular silk or satin tiled backgrounds into water-like tiles while at the same time giving a detailed, step-by-step of how to use different approaches in using various other techniques to changer- alter the tile. In addition, add subtle textures while maintaining the original shape of the newly formed tile.

The programs you will need:
sTile (to make sure tile is seamless)
Adobe ImageReady CS (version 8.0 or higher)
Adobe Photoshop CS (version 8.0 or higher)

Note: If you do not have either, they can be downloaded from the sites below:
sTile: http://www.harmware.net/stile.htm
Adobe graphic programs from the official adobe web site


To make sure that your chosen background is seamless, first open up sTile
FILE  OPEN  CHOOSE THE BACKGROUND OF YOUR CHOICE
(OR THE BUTTON WITH THE TURNED DOWN PAPER)





Once the image as appeared, click on TEST TILES or the button that looks like a four-paned window.

At this point, your background test should appear like this:





If your image is NOT seamless try again with another image!


Once you have chosen the tile you wish to use, create yourself a border- meaning either with a picture on the left hand side, or without. But keep in mind that you will need to have the border/background already pre-made using MS Paint.


Now you can choose with Adobe program you want to use but in this instance, I am using Adobe Photoshop. Now take your newly made border or background and follow these steps:

For
1. Open Photoshop; Open up folder
2. Find created border/tile



Notice how I simply made a left-sided border using the water silk as a ‘lining’….

FOR BORDERS:






.
.
.
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Now this is where it might get a bit complicated. Once you have your border/tile, you will need to find a contrasting image- preferably a contrasting, complimentary color- to use. Repeat the same steps when opening the second image onto Photoshop (don’t worry; the images are opened separately…as separate windows). Clicking on the dotted square next to the arrow, trace out a path next to the image of where you want the sideline border to go (Keep in mind to not make it no larger than two inches across).

Next, click on the complimentary satin and/or silk background image, then repeat OR you could just press Ctrl+A—this selects the entire image. After that has been completed, RIGHT CLICK on the selected image and COPY. From there, return back to the first image, the paste(s) the image into the moving selected area of the border however DO NOT UNCLICK THE MOVING RECTANGLE! That will serve you as you go later on in the tutorial.

You will then follow these steps exactly: Filter  Artistic  Dry Brush. Once you have the Dry Brush effect, count three times to the right on the TEXTURE scale while moving the bar over slightly. You will then click on the pull down window of texture and click on satin.

Once all of that is done, simply click okay. Afterwards, go to layers, where you will merge the images together. Unclick off of the moving rectangle area and there you have it.

This is what the finished (before and after) looks like once it’s done.

BEFORE:




AFTER:



(DO NOT COPY OR TAKE THE BORDERS!



But one final step then you totally finished…

Using your rectangle button again, ‘draw’ a line over the border sideline you created, click on LIQUIFY, choose a form/shape you wish to liquify with, then move your mouse throughout and over the area. From there, unclick and you are completed!

Congratulations you have made your first water silk tile!