IMAGE GLOW

Want to learn how to make a PNG image have this white glow/outline? You've seen it done in layouts before. For the purpose of this tutorial, I'm using very simple (*ahem* ugly) graphics. There's actually two ways to do it.

[1] First way to do this:

First, take an image. Cut out the background, so that the background is one color, like of a .png.
I'm going to use this .png that I made. I resized it so that it will load faster. The image you're using could be bigger.
Next, copy and paste it into the layout image. (NOTE: If you're making a wallpaper, just copy and paste it over the (abstract) background)
Then use the selection tool [] and click on the background of the png. For example, in my png, I would click on the purple area. Then hit the "delete" key on your keyboard. Keep deleting all the background (as best as you can), until it looks something like this:
Click on layer -> Duplicate. Then click on layer again and go down one layer. Meaning, click on the layer UNDER the "Copy of Layer (whatever the #/name is)."
Effects -> Blur -> Guassian Blur -> Set to 3.00. Then set the Layer Palette to "Overlay" (this part is optional and depends on how well & big the image is. If used, it could make the image look too bright or it could make it look good.) -> Click here for image (Notice how I circled it.)
Sometimes you can stop here if the image looks nice to you. Notice that the glow is not white. Here is mine:
Make sure that you are not on the Copy layer, but the one under it. Effects -> 3D Effects -> Drop shadow -> Should look like this for the setting. Do it 2x.
Ta-Da! You have made the glow and the ugly png cut is nice and smooth.

[2] Second way to do this:

Take a .png with the background already cut out.
Next, copy and paste it into the layout image. (NOTE: If you're making a wallpaper, just copy and paste it over the (abstract) background) Make sure that it is a new layer though.
Then use the selection tool [] and click on the background of the png. For example, in my png, I would click on the purple area. Then hit the "delete" key on your keyboard. Keep deleting all the background (as best as you can), until it looks something like this:
Selections -> Select All, Then Selections -> float. Now it should select/outline around the image, right?
Now go to Selections -> Modify -> feather or expand. Feather will make it have this glow, and expand will still have the outline, but it won't be a soft glow. Give it a try and see. ^_^
Go one layer down. So whatever layer you are on, click the one below it.
Then pick the color you want the outline to be and use the fill tool [] and click the space between the selected outline and the image. Click it as many times as you want. The more you do it, the darker it will be.
Your end results should look something like this (feather effect):

The background color is different because I used a different color than the orginal one. Don't worry about that.

Confused? Questions? Go here
This tutorial was written by Lingling. Don't take my images or copy my tutorial and put them on your site. Thank you!
WRITTEN ON: AUGUST 5, 2005