11. We will now be making some posts, all vector shapes, each on their own layer. With the foreground still nulled, set the background #876B4E, preset shape tool stays the same. Create a new vector layer naming it post 1. Draw a rectangle as shown. Distort the top by holding shift, click on one of the top nodes and move to the right, then hold Ctrl and click on one of the outer tops nodes and widen the top.

Lock the transparency, effects/noise/add 10% uniform, activate the retouch tool smudge and sweep once down the post, change the retouch to lightness down at the previous settings. Darken considerably post 2 & 3, making the shading even darker at the top. Shade posts 1 & 4 at the top and to the left hand side.

This is for posts 1 & 4 only. Change the retouch tool to lightness up with the following settings, lighten the right side slightly to give a touch of highlight.

Duplicate this layer. In the layer palette, click the + sign next to copy of front, click on the rectangle to select. 

When you duplicate a vector layer the original shape and the duplicate will be selected.

Image/mirror. Move the duplicated image so that the edge marries up with the original. When you are happy with the placement, convert both the layers to raster. Make all the layers except front and copy of front invisible, merge visible. Rename the merged layer to table.

Bring all the other layers back in to view.

13. Create a new raster layer naming it table detail. Null the background and set the foreground to #5B4835. Activate the draw tool, set to freehand, width 1, #1 Solid, antialias checked. Draw in a couple of lines making it look like the joins in the wood. Don't worry about going over the edge, we will tidy this later. Effects/blur/gaussian blur radius 0.75.

In the layer palette, click the table layer to make active. With the magic wand, same settings as previously, click the table. Selections/invert. Make the table detail layer active, delete. Ctrl+D (select none).

14. Make the table layer active. Lock the transparency of the layer. Activate the paint brush at the following settings. Using the foreground as set, paint in some lines to look like the grain of the wood. You can lighten the foreground and paint in some contrasting grain.

Paint Brush Settings
Shape - round
Size - 3
Hardness - 95
Opacity - 28
Step - 1
Density - 30

Activate the retouch tool smudge, settings as shown, smudge the detail. Unlock the transparency of the layer.

15. Make all layers except table and table detail invisible, merge visible, rename the merged layer table. Bring all the other layers in to view.

16. Duplicate the table layer. Using the deformation tool, make the duplicated table narrower and bring it down a little. In the layer palette, drag the duplicated layer below the table layer. Make sure you are still working on the duplicated layer, colours/adjust/gamma correction, check the link box and slide the settings to 0.40.

17. Duplicate the copy of table, image/flip, move it down so that it looks like this top of the table. If one of the edge sticks out from behind the copy of table layer simply use the eraser to get rid of any excess. In the layer palette drag the copy of copy of table down so that it is below all the post layers.

18. Having done this the posts now need altering. Using the eraser I erased a rounded segment of post 2, then with the retouch tool lighting down, shaded the bottom of all the posts.

And there you have your thatched birdhouse. It may be an idea to save in PSP format, keeping the layers so that you can add some birds. If you keep the layers you can add them behind one of the posts but in front of another. Using the same method as for the posts you can add a stand or post for your birdhouse.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and that you still have some hair left *vbg*