Downloading and installing plug-ins in PSE 3

[raffy]

I would like to download and install a kaleidoscope filter in PSE,but have never done this before.Could someone help me out with this?

[MikeH]

Hi raffy,

There is a free kaleidoscope filter at www.mehdiplugins.com, the kaleidoscope link is http://www.mehdiplugins.com/english/kaleidoscope.htm

Download the zip file and then extract it to C:\Program Files\Adobe\Photoshop Elements 3.0\Plug-Ins\Filters.

Restart Elements and the plug-in will appear in Editor under Filter > Mehdi > Kaleidoscope 2.1

I have this plug-in so if you have any questions please let me know .

Mike

[Wendy]

They should work OK if you are a windows user but they don't work on a Mac :(


Wendy

[MikeH]

Wendy,

Oh yes... I should have mentioned that...

Mike

[Wendy]

Mike,

I can't find a good one that works on the Mac :( ... and that one looks great.


Wendy

[raffy]

Dear Mike,
Thanks for the help.I downloaded it,and extracted it to where you said,but when I reopened PSE,I couldn't find it anywhere.When you say "open it",do you mean to just click on the desktop icon for the program,or is there something else I should do?Thanks for your help!(I reopened the file to the desktop,as per the default setting in the wizard,but no luck.)

[raffy]

Dear Mike,
I got it!I hadn't copied the path right the first time,but I finally did it correctly.Many thanks!I do have another question.When doing a vignette,how do I replace the solid coloured background with a different background,such as one done with the kaleidoscope effect?I've seen it done in my Flickr group,"Cat Lovers",by "Blogeratti Star",but I'm having trouble doing something like it.Can anyone help?(I'm really new at this.Even tho' I joined in March,it's only now that I've had the time to play with PSE 3.)I can texturise the solid background,but not replace it.

[MikeH]

Raffy,

Great that you have installed the plug-in ok... there are some cool ones on the Mehdi site.

To use a kaleidoscope effect as the background:

:arrow: Start a new file and open the image you want to use to create the kaleidoscope effect (call this Image A).

:arrow: Double click on the background layer in Image A and when the window comes up just click ok. This has made the background an editable layer (Layer 0 in the layers palette).

:arrow: Apply the kaleidoscope filter to Layer 0.

:arrow: Open the image that you want to apply the vignette to (call this Image B) and add it to the kaleidoscope image. To do this click on Image B in the Photo Bin to make it active, select the Move tool then left click and hold on Image B and drag it to Image A in the Photo Bin.

:arrow: Image B will be added as a new layer (Layer 1) in Image A.

:arrow: Apply the vignette to Layer 1.

:arrow: Note: if you want to use the same image for the kaleidoscope and the vignette then (instead of opening the second image) copy Layer 0 before you apply the kaleidoscope filter to Image A.

Hope this helps. Let me know how you get on.

Mike

[raffy]

Hi,Mike! Thanks for the help!I'm having trouble with getting image B to become a 2nd layer.After I applied the K filter to A,and opened B,I tried to move B to A,but instead of getting B on a 2nd layer,B becomes the background layer,and when I press Select-Inverse,and then ctrl-backspace,I get a white background,instead of the K effect in image A.What am I doing wrong?Help!

[MikeH]

Raffy,

Are you moving the right image?

Let's just check the procedure... If you have both images open in the Photo Bin, click Image B in the Photo Bin so that it is active in the work area, select the Move tool and left-click-and-hold on Image B in the work area and then drag in to Image A in the Photo Bin... then Image B will be added a new layer to Image A.

In the Layers Palette on Image A you should now have Layer 0 (the kaleidoscope effect) and Layer 1 (Image B).

When you do Select > Inverse just press Backspace (not ctrl-backspace, which fills the selection with your background colour).

Let me know how you get on...

Mike

[raffy]

Hi,Again! Well,I'm getting there!I was dragging between photos in the bin.I reread your note,and dragged the top foto to the one in the bin.New problem-when I hit backspace,I get the effect,but the image that is revealed is only a part of it,"blown up"-that is,it's like the image has been cropped,and fills the screen.I resized the top image to e-mail size,but that didn't work.I'm trying to put a picture of my kitty walking in the snow on top of a kal. background,but instead of getting the whole cat,only a portion of his face shows,and it covers the entire background picture when I drag it from the workspace to the kal.picture.Please advise.Sorry to be such a bother!

[MikeH]

Hi Raffy,

It's no bother... I'm glad that you are working through this.

When you add the image of your cat to the kal picture, click on the layer that contains the picture of your cat and then choose View > Fit On Screen. You should now see the where the border of the cat photo lies outside the canvas.

Then select the Move tool, hold SHIFT and drag a corner of the cat picture to resize it. Holding the SHIFT key keeps the proportions of the photo.

Mike

[raffy]

Hi,Mike! Eureka! I did it!I'm gong to have to read my how-to book from the beginning,but it's so much more fun to do it the hard way!Many,many thanks!ttfn,Raffy

[MikeH]

Raffy,

That's great news...!!! :) Sometimes you learn more doing it the hard way...

If we can be of any more help just post... :)

Mike