A couple of people asked me how I make the boxed-styled wallpapers. The steps in this tutorial to this type of style is very similiar but with different stocks, gradients and textures.

When I do the boxed-style, I don't always follow the rules of composition or balance because I think you can get away with it using this style. I like to use close ups and cropped images as the base and then the rest of the scenes/screecaps on top but in smaller sizes. Next, I like to flatten it. Which is what I've done here.

Next I go to Image > Curves. The caps were dark so I use this to brighten it. You need to drag the line towards you.

Then I duplicate the image. Set it on curves- to brighten it even more. Then I go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur. I find the highest radius setting works best. I put the duplicated layer on screen or hard light in the layer panel. This result varies because all screencaps have different colors in them. So it's good to experiment.

Next I play with some texture- I use a scrapbook paper that I got at JoAnne's Fabrics. It's available on my site. I put the scrapbook paper on hard light.

I go to the tool box and click on the marquee tool. You want the lasso/rope tool. to clean up the image.

Circle the area you want to 'clean' up. I like it when there aren't textures on the faces but this step is your choice.

To clean it up- go to Gaussian blur. You can choose the setting you want.

This is what it looks like when it's cleaned up (just their faces/skin).

Next, you want to select your graidents. Just go to the icon on your layer bar- there is a square with a white dot in the middle of it. A window will pop up. You can pick the colors you'd like to use.

So far I've used three gradients. I also brighten it up a bit with using curves again. Here is what it looks like so far.

I picked another texture (also available on my site) and use the same steps with the lasso tool and Gaussian blur filter.

I added a stock image- this one is from Nikki's site- Misplaced. I gaussian blurred it and put it on hard light. But it's under curves- over the gradients. It just turned out it looked better with this step.

Now, I want to outline the pictures. I went back to the marquee tool but this time I use the square and dragged it across my canvas on a new layer but underneath all of the textures and gradients. I clicked on the paint bucket and filled it with black. I basically created a line and use this line as borders around the images. It's all a matter of cutting and cropping. You could just use the shape tool (square) but then the lines wouldn't be even (at least in my experience). Though you can use the line shape tool as well. I just find this step easier on me.

This is what I came up with.

Now you can see the lines as some of the textures appears on it giving it a nice effect.

Then I put my flatten layer of Wes/Fred on paint daubs- the settings are your choice.

Last I added the text. This is what the final result looks like. I created two wallpaper sizes- you can check them out in the AtS Combinded Season Gallery.