Adobe Photoshop 7 Tutorials
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.....Text FX1

General
You may use adobe Painter techniques to create unusual effects.  This is one among many.

1. Select a Photo.
The original photo I took needed to be adjusted for the tonal Range. You could use photoshop's auto button (image> adjust > auto levels) to automatically equalize the levels. In painter correcting the tonal range of an under or overexposed photo can be accomplished using effects, tonal control, equalize. Additional if necessary you can adjust the brightness and contrast under effects > tonal control as I did with the photo.  Adjustments can be played around with to suit you needs. I wanted a slightly hazed appearance to with with not a crisp, sharp image as it helps to create the illusion in the final image.

2. Clone Source.
I started by opening the original photograph in Painter, and created a new file of the same size. Create a clone File Menu, I selected "clone source" and chose the original photo. I selected (select all) the clone images and deleted the image. 

3. Soft Cloner.
I utilized Painters very comprehensive cloning tools to create the image that was in the back of my mind. Using cloning I can paint and draw into my new file taking the image from the original source .

I started with the a soft cloner (a cloner tool variant ) over the central portion of the image to out the main focus and some of the surrounding stone background from the photo. The soft cloner keeps the image nice and soft it makes a good foundation for the rest of the image. I left some of the whitish background exposed in the image. A light cloud effect which will enhance the image even more as I progress.

4. Pencil Sketch Cloner.
Then, using the pencil sketch cloner, I'll add some small crosshatching on top of  the soft cloner, which makes things a little hardy and starts to add some grain. The straight cloner paints with the image exactly as it is in the original. Use it with small brushes size to select some of the details from the image.

5. Add Depth.
Add some depth to the portrait. I use the effects menu, glass distortion and selected original luminance with a high variance at about 15, amount 0.64 and direction of 160 degrees. This results is a partial glass carving of the image. The effect can be quite strong; so, I used the straight cloner with a small brush size to bring back some of the original image. I used a small distorto brush to to soften selected area on the image.

6. Enhancing Composition.
In order to slightly bring out the vase I selected it and under tonal control applied equalize. This effect betters contrast, adjusting black and white points and distributing the brightness levels over the entire range of available levels.

7. Additional Enhancements.
Now I used a combination of distorto and just and water to blend the image with white and black to produce a flowing melded border. The image on the left is a variation of the image at the top. Here I applied a paper over the total surface. Selected a paper that is subtle as not overwhelming the final image. Play around with the setting under surface control; apply surface texture options after you select a paper. Good luck.