Week 4 started out as much more of a challenge than I anticipated. It must have been about the 27th Crash of DSPro that I was finally able to get the Gel Mixer to ADD a Gel *sigh* DS allowed me to add a Gel but it would not allow me to complete my task with the new Gel.
Once I realized that if I exited DS after each step I completed I was finally able to come up with This Image of The Sunflower.


Needless to say I did not go out and find a comparable image to Try this Effect again. Somewhere in my endless attempts of this last Gel Effect I missed something important (I think). Sara instructed us to change the Gel3 to an Orange Color, and for some strange reason mine appears to be White. However, at that point it looked absolutely Marvelous to me and I was completely satisfied with the results. :)

The next part of this weeks assignment was a lot of fun. Sara instructed us in making Web Buttons the Easy Way. This button was left at this large size because it was created from the infamous Sunflower and reducing it more would have caused it to lose all the effects that were added.

Quick Web Buttons with Gel Mixer

To start out I created a new image 150 pixels X 100 pixels with a transparent background. Added a Vector Shape to the canvas and converted it to a Raster layer and deleted the background layer.

Opening DreamSuite I navigated to the Gel Mixer and opened it without choosing a Preset. I changed Gel1 to a Bright Blue, Fill Volume slider set at 8. Gel2 I changed to a Dark Red and the Fill Volume slider at 15. The Ambient light changed to a bright red and set at 75. I turned off the Display Shadows in Dreamsuite and added a Drop Shadow in PSP using Black with a Blur of 3.7, Opacity at 35, Verticle set to 6 and Horizontal at 1.

My second button this week with less detail explained. This button is the one I used for my Graphics Courses Index Button for Auto Fx DreamSuite Gel Week 4. To create that button I took this button back to DreamSuite and used the Gel Mixer, No Preset and reversed the colors. I also added the Texture Parchment. To see that example you can click on this button and a new page will open. Close that page to return here.

You have no idea how many buttons I created that all wound up on the chopping block floor. This Red Button got it start from the Preset Shapes in Paint Shop Pro ~ Button 016. It then took that same adventure as the others have taken and I'm not certain that I can even begin to explain to you where all this Bad Boy traveled. I do believe it was this Red Button that experienced the 'Bevel' workout.
I have one other Button that I do have some information about This Blue Fellow ~~ While visiting DreamSuite he got the full adventure of the Gel Mixer Preset Blue Marble. Some Parchment Texture added with a Strength of 79, Surface Sheen ~ 100, Sheen Width ~ 40 and Imprint Size of 30.

But Wait!!

This Continuing Saga of the Gel Mixer was in full swing and with the Easter Bunny so close I took a preset shape of an easter egg over to DreamSuite This Egg took a bit more manipulation than the other Buttons.
Originally I ended up with only the Blue part that is showing because of it being only an outline preset shape. I added a second layer in PSP, selected the blank spaces, flood filled it with the pink color and returned only that layer to DreamSuite to complete the Texture Effect Extravagaza.

Awesome Assignment Sara, Thanks!!!