SD Berrylicious Forum Tag Tutorial

SD Berrylicious Forum Tutorial

This is the tag we will be making:

Easy level - Basic knowledge of PSP is needed.

Materials Needed

Paint Shop Pro  (used Version 9, but can be done on any version)

Scraps -- None

Tube of Choice - I am using a tube by FTU artist "Snickers Doodles" - tubes can be found in most © compliant tube share groups.

You could also use an element from a kit, or accent/embellishment - the sky is the limit!

"Berrylicious" Wordart made by me - can be downloaded HERE.

Filters Needed 

Reflections/Pattern - comes with PSP

Blinds - comes with PSP

Inner Bevel - comes with PSP

Drop Shadow - comes with PSP

Optional Filters (for Name/Text)

Eye Candy 4000 - HSB Noise

Eye Candy 5 Impact - Gradient Glow

Fonts used

Miss LeGatees (for name/text), 

Grixel Kyrou 9 Regular (for copyright info)

Please note that I typically add my drop shadows last.  I will give the drop shadow settings that I have used at the end of the tutorial HOWEVER feel free to use your own settings if/when you would like.

1.  Install the font(s).  (Alternative:  You can open and minimize the font; it should show in PSP.  I use a font program called Cfont Pro (http://www.veign.com/application.php?appid=101) - it temporarily installs the font and will uninstall it when you shut down your computer.)

2.  Open a new file, 650 pixels x 250 pixels, 72 ppi, transparent.  At this time, also Shift+D on your image (this will make a copy of your image) - then close out the original, then minimize it for the time being.

3.  Go to your materials palette and choose a medium-to-dark color from your tube for the foreground color and a medium-to-light color from your tube as your background color.  (I used #88343c for my foreground and #bfcebe for my background.... you could also go with complemetary or even contrasting colors of the tube colors, if you desire.)  Add new raster layer (Layer - New Raster Layer) and flood fill it with your background color, rename this "background color".  Go to your tube and copy and paste it as a new layer.  You should now have something like this:

4.  Go to Effects - Reflection Effects - Pattern and apply the folowing settings:

5.  Activate "Selection" in your "Selection Tool":

and then click on the "Custom Selection":

and apply the following settings:

Top:  0    /    Left:  0     /  Right:  650     /    Bottom:  125

Add new raster layer (Layer - New Raster Layer) and flood fill it with your foreground color, and rename it "foreground color".   With the selection still activated (showing the 'marching ants'), go to Effects - Texture Effects - Blinds and apply the following settings:

While still active, Adjust - Add/Remove Noise - Add Noise and use the following settings:  

Gaussian, 15, Monochrome checked

You may then de-select your layer (Selections - Select None).

You should now have something like this:

6.  Go to your tube and copy and paste as new layer to your tag (file).  Using Mura's Meister-Copies filter, apply these settings:

Rename it "Copies", then move this layer below your background color layer, and change the layer properties to Multiply, Opacity: 85%.  Go to your background color layer and change the layer properties to Overlay, Opacity 70%.

7.  Go to your tube again, and copy and paste as new layer to your tag (file).  Place it to the left side of the tag (see mine for idea), rename this "tube".  Feel free to resize it if necessary (I did with mine, to 95%).

8.  Take the "Berrylicious" wordart, copy and past as new layer to your tag (file), rename it 'wordart'.  Resize it by 80%, then move it straight up to the top (see my tag for idea).  Move it below your tube layer.  Go to Adjust - Color Balance - Manual Color Correction and change it to a color that goes along with the colors you are using (I used my background color).  Apply the following drop shadow to the wordart:

Vertical and Horizontal:  0

Opacity:  100

Blur:  2.00

Color:  black

Change layer properties to Overlay, Opacity 100%.

9.  Go to your materials palette and go to the Gradient tab and choose the following:

Foreground/Background (in drop down menu)

Angle:  315

Repeats:  2

Style:  Linear (the first box)

Add new raster layer (Layer - New Raster Layer) and flood fill it with your gradient 'color', rename this "frame".  Selections - Select All, Selections - Modify - Contract ... by 5 pixels.  Click on my "delete" button.  Selections - Select All ... Selections - Float ... Selections - Defloat.  You should now have marching ants around what is left of the gradient layer.  Go to Adjust - Add/Remove Noise - Add Noise and use the following settings:  

Gaussian, 50, Monochrome checked

Then go to Effects - 3D Effects - Inner Bevel and use these settings:

Selections - Select None.  I applied the following drop shadow to this layer:

Vertical and Horizontal:  0

Opacity:  35

Blur:  15.00

Color:  black

I then applied the following drop shadow to my tube layer:

Vertical:  5

Horizontal:  -5

Opacity:  45

Blur:  10.00

Color:  black

Activate your crop tool, and click on the "merged opaque" button in the upper toolbar, and then click on the check mark to crop the tag.

10.  At this point, add your artist information (including license, if applicable), and tagger's watermark, if desired.  You can also add your name to the tag and you are done!  (If you would like to do your name the same as me, directions are below.)

To make the avatar:

1a.  Open new file - 150 pixels x 150 pixels, 72 ppi, transparent.

2a.  Go to your tag (file) and close out the following layers:  "frame", "wordart", "tube" and any crediting layers.  Go to Edit - Copy Merged.  Go to your avatar file (the 150 pixel file) and go to Edit - Paste as New Layer.  It should be centered (or pretty close to it)... feel free to move it around if it isn't centered.  Activate your crop tool, and click on the "merged opaque" button in the upper toolbar, and then click on the check mark to crop the tag.

3a.  Activate your crop tool, and click on the "merged opaque" button in the upper toolbar, and then click on the check mark to crop the tag.

4a.  follow step #9 (above).  

5a.  With your tube:  copy/paste as new layer, feel free to resize the image if needed (I resized mine to 40%).  Sharpen if needed and apply the previous drop shadow used for the tube.

6a. Add your artist information (including license, if applicable), and tagger's watermark, if desired.  You can also add your name/initials to the avatar/icon and you are done!  

~NOTE~  For name/text:

I did the text at size 56, stroke 2.0 .. foreground and background colors the same as used in tutorial... kern: 0.0

I applied Eye Candy 4000 - HSB Noise with the following settings:

And then I used Eye Candy 5 Impact - Gradient Glow with the following settings:

And then used the following drop shadow

Vertical :  3

Horizontal:  -2

Opacity:  45

Blur:  8.00

Color:  black 

Shadow on new layer: unchecked

Change layer properties to Luminance (Legacy), Opacity 100%

and you are done!

If you make anything with this - or any of my - tutorials, please share?  I'd love to see it, and post it to the blog!

Thanks so much for checking out my tutorials!

CT Creamsicle Tutorial

CT Creamsicle Tutorial

This is the tag we will be making:

Moderate level - Some knowledge of PSP is needed.

Materials Needed

Paint Shop Pro  (used Version 9, but can be done on any version)

PTU kit "Tangerine Dream - Tagger Size" by Purple Dragonfly Creations which can be found HERE  

Tube is "Creamsicle" by Cliff Thomas - you can get this amazing tube at Indie-Zine, HERE

Tag Template #33 by Babes Designz - At the moment, Babe's blog is down, so until such time as her blog is back up and running, I have provided the tag template, HERE

Mask of choice ... I used MelissazCreationz #10, found HERE

Floral Deco Brushes by ro-stock found HERE.  Keep in mind that these are photoshop brushes, which come in .abr format.  You can convert them to .png for PSP usage with an ABR viewer, found HERE.  Once in png format, they can be imported in to your PSP brushes (File - Import - Custom Brush) -- or just use them in png format.  I have also provided the .png in the zipfile with the tag template.

Filters Needed 

Blinds - comes with PSP

Weave - comes with PSP

Fonts used

Ambitsek (for copyright info)

Whoop Ass Font by Blambot Fonts (for name/text), free for personal use 

Please note that I typically add my drop shadows last.  I will give the drop shadow settings that I have used (end of tutorial) HOWEVER feel free to use your own settings if you would like.

1.  Open Tag Template.  Shift+D to duplicate template, then close original, then delete the "copyright", "stitch" and "circle" layers.  At this time, also open your mask and minimize in PSP.

2.  Open paper2... copy & paste it as new layer just above the frame layer.  Resize 85%, be sure all layers is UNchecked.  Click on the circle layer then go to Selections - Select All ... Selections - Float .... Selections - Defloat, then Selections - Invert.  Go to the paper layer and click your Delete button.  Selections - Select None.  Close out the Frame layer.  Duplicate the paper layer, then on the bottom one, go to Adjust - Blur - Gaussian Blur ... by 4 pixels ... click OK.  On the top paper layer, change the layer properties to Luminance (Legacy) at 100% opacity.

3.  Go to you tube and, with your eyedropper tool, pick 2 colors, making the foreground color darker than the background color.  I used two orange shades from her hair to go along with the color palette in the kit.  When done, go to your materials palette, and go to Gradient and choose the following:

Foreground/Background

Style:  Sunburst

Repeats:  8

Invert: not checked

Horizontal:  50

Vertical:  50

Link center and focal points:  checked

Activate the "masked" layer on the template.  Selections - Select All ... Selections - Float .... Selections - Defloat.  Add new raster layer and then flood fill this new layer.  You will actually have to do it several times before you start seeing color showing up (I had to click on it 10 times!).  When satisfied, Selections - Select None.  Change the layer properties to Overlay at 100% opacity.  Duplicate this layer, and then change the layer property on this layer to Burn, 100% opacity.  (So, in all you will have 2 layers of the flood filled layer, plus the original "masked" layer.)  Apply the following drop shadow to the "burn" layer:

Vertical: 2

Horizontal:  -2

Opacity:  65

Blur:  2.00

Color:  Darkish Orange (#9a4202) ... you will want a darker shade of what you used for this layer

Shadow on new layer: unchecked

While still on the "burn" layer, go to the Blinds filter that comes with PSP and apply the following settings:

Width:  4

Opacity:  50

Color:   Darkish Orange (use the same that you did for the drop shadow)

Horizontal:  checked

Light from left/top:  unchecked

Click OK, then apply again.

4.  Copy/Paste your tube to your template, move to the top.  Resize by 77% and place in the middle as best you can.  It should now look something like this:

5.  Copy and paste Paper12 as a new layer and then, in the layer palette, go to Arrange - Send to bottom.  Go to Layers - New Mask Layer  - From Image and use the following settings:

Merge - Merge Group.  Apply Penta.com - Color Dot filter with the following settings:

(I use mine through Filters Unlimited so my filter 'screen' may look different than yours. ...just apply the same settings and you should be fine.)

Duplicate mask layer, move duplicate under the original mask layer.  With the duplicate layer, go to Adjust - Blur - Gaussian Blur  ... by 2 pixels - click OK.  On the top layer, change the layer properties to Darken, 100% opacity.

6.  Copy and paste element #7 to template, move to top.  Apply Mura's Meister Copies with the following settings:

move the circle of 'brads' under your tube.

7.  Open your Deco Floral Brush by Ro-Stock.  Keep in mind that these are photoshop brushes, which come in .abr format.  You can convert them to .png for PSP usage with an ABR viewer, found here:  http://www.g1ga.it/abrviewer/ .  Once in png format, they can be imported in to your PSP brushes (File - Import - Custom Brush) -- or just use them in the png format.  I converted the .abr quite a ways back and did not import them as brushes, so I am just using the .png file.  Given that information, take the floral deco and copy and paste as new layer to your template - move to top layer, then move the deco to the upper right corner, like this:

Duplicate, then flip, then mirror, so you will have it going from the bottom left to the upper right.  Merge - Merge Down.  Adjust - Color Balance - Manual Color Correction - change it to a color that complement the colors you are using (make it a medium to dark shade).  Using the Weave filter that comes with PSP, apply the following settings:

Then move them just below the [closed out] frame layer.

8.  At this point, continue to decorate the tag as desired with supplied elements.  Because of the theme of the kit and the tube, I was sure to use the Creamsicle Ice Cream in the kit.  When you are satisfied, resize to 525 pixels x 438 pixels ... 72.000 ppi.... Weighted Average ... "all layers" CHECKED.  Feel free to use the crop tool to crop out any additional edges from the tag.  Use the Sharpen option (Adjust - Sharpness - Sharpen) if needed to clarify your layers.

9.  Apply any desired drop shadows to the layers ... I used the following with the Drop Shadow filter that comes with PSP on all layers EXCEPT my tube layer, the "masked" layers, the frame layer and the actual mask layers:

Vertical and Horizontal:  0

Opacity:  70

Blur:  7.00

Color:  #9a4202  (or a dark shade of what you are using -- not black unless black is a major color on your tag)

On the top "Frame" and "floral deco" layers, I used the following drop shadow settings:

Vertical :  3

Horizontal:  -3

Opacity:  50

Blur:  4.00

Color:  #9a4202  (same that I used, above) 

Shadow on new layer: unchecked

On the tube layer, I applied the following:

Vertical :  3

Horizontal:  -3

Opacity:  50

Blur:  18.00

Color:  black 

Shadow on new layer: unchecked

I did not apply any drop shadow to the very bottom mask layers.

10.  Apply crediting information and watermark.  When satisfied, merge visible.  (If you wish to make this a tag with a transparent background, be sure to close out the white 'background' layer before merging.)  Apply name text and then you are done!

~NOTE~  For name/text:

I did the text at size 48, stroke 3.0 .. foreground color:  #b45000 ... background color was Paper7 from kit at 50% (size) .... kern:  0

Then I duplicated the name/text and then, on the bottom one I applied the following gaussian blur:  by 4.00 pixels

and then on the top name/text I applied the following drop shadow:

Vertical :  2

Horizontal:  -2

Opacity:  60

Blur:  4.00

Color:  black 

Shadow on new layer: unchecked

and done!

If you try my tutorial, I would love to see what you come up with!

AKY Take Me Out to the Ballgame Tutorial

Take Me Out to the Ballgame Tutorial

This is what we will be making 

Moderate level - Some knowledge of PSP is needed.

Materials Needed:

Paint Shop Pro  (used Version 9, but can be done on any version) 

Tube "Derek Jeter" by Akyanyme, which is an FTU licensed image at Indie-Zine, found here. Even though it is free, you must still have a license to use work from this artist.  License is also free by contacting customer service

Mask from Butterfly Flutterby #73  

Baseball Fever" Word-Art (Freebie!) from Bekah & Designs, found here at bottom of post

Dingbat baseball elements and grass pattern in zipfile, HERE

Filters Needed:  

Blinds (comes with PSP)

Mosaic - Antique (comes with PSP)

Drop Shadow (comes with PSP)

Xenofex 2 - Little Fluffy Clouds

Eye Candy 5 Impact - Gradient Glow

Fonts used:

FFF Executive for copyright info

Baseball and KR All Sports for the dingbat images

Brannboll Fet for the name/text

Please note:  I tend to make the whole tag first, and then apply drop shadows to the items I wish to drop shadow.  If you wish to apply them as you go along, that is fine, too!  My drop shadow settings are towards the bottom of the tutorial if you would like to use what I have used.

Directions

1.  From my zipfile, put the "Grass" jpg in your patterns folder.  Open PSP.  Open New File, 800 pixels x 800 pixels, 72 pixels/inch resolution, transparent.  (Don't worry, we will be resizing it later on.)  Open your mask, and minimize in PSP.  Also open up word art and minimize that in PSP.

2.  In your materials palette, make black your foreground and medium gray your background, then activate your preset tool and click on square with the following settings:

While still in vector format, go to Objects - Align - Center in Canvas.  Then go to Image - Rotate - Free Rotate 45 degrees, left .. all layers UNCHECKED.  Convert layer to raster.  Name this layer "template".

3.  With your magic wand, click on the medium gray center.  Selections - Modify - Expand: 2.00.  Layers - New Raster Layer.  Go to your materials palette and in one of them (doesn't matter which), choose the grass pattern with the following settings:

Angle:  0

Scale:  50

Texture:  unchecked

flood fill the area with the grass pattern.  Select - Select none.  Rename this layer "grass".

4.  Go back to your original square, click on the black outline with your magic wand.  Layers, new Raster Layer twice.  On one of the new layers go to Selection - Modify - Expand, by 2.00 pixels, and then go to Xenofex 2 - Little Fluffy Clouds and apply the following settings:

 

Select - Select none.  Rename this layer "clouds".  On the second new layer, go to Selection - Modify - Contract:  3.00 pixels.  Flood fill with darker blue color (I used #220eb8).  Selections - Select None.  Move this layer above the "clouds" layer and rename the dark blue layer "border".

5.  In your materials palette, make your background color #2138c5 and your foreground color white  (If you are using the element I gave you - AKY_KR-BaseballDiamond.psd - go to the * areas in parenthesis and disregard how to create it).  Using the "KR All Sport" font (* or using the baseball diamond element I enclosed in the zipfile) - create as vector (using the capital "B"") with the following settings:

Objects - Align - Center in Canvas.  (* if you are using the element I gave you, just center it as best as you can over the grass area.)  Convert to Raster (if creating your own).  In your layer palette, change properties to:

Blend Mode:  Luminance  (Luminance Legacy also works well)

Opacity:  100  

Layer is visible:  checked

Rename the element layer "diamond"  and move it to just above the "grass" layer if its not already.  Change the properties of the "grass" layer as follows:

Blend Mode:  Multiply

Opacity:  100

Layer is visible:  unchecked

6. Go to Layers - New Raster Layer, then move to the bottom.  Go to Xenofex 2 - Little Fluffy Clouds and apply previous settings.  Adjust - Blur - Gaussian Blur:  10.00. Go to Layers - New Mask Layer - From Image and apply these settings:

  

Merge - Merge Group.  Duplicate.  On bottom one - Adjust - Blur - Gaussian Blur:  3.00. Rename layer "Mask 2". Then go to Mosaic - Antique (comes with PSP) and apply the following settings:

Lower the opacity to about 70.  On top mask clouds layer, use the Blinds effect (that comes with PSP) with the following settings:

Adjust - Sharpness - Sharpen.  Rename layer "Mask 1".

At this point you will probably have an empty raster...go ahead and drop that down to the very bottom and - if desired - flood fill it with white.  You should now have something like this:

You can also close out your black/gray square "template".

6.  Open your tube and copy it to your tag layers.  Name this layer "tube".  Resize it 90%, then center it.  Activate your eraser tool with the following settings:

Shape:  round

Size:  50

Hardness:  10

Step:  25

Density:  100

Thickness:  100

Rotation:  0

Opacity:  25

along the bottom of the tube soften the edges and the bottom 'line' so that it looks more blended with the rest of the tag:

7.  In your materials palette, choose black for foreground and #304c86 for background.  (If you are using the elements I provided in the zipfile, you can pass #7 - just copy and paste the silhouettes on to tag as desired.)  Use the following settings as well:

Use the Baseball font (has the silhouettes of baseball players) and choose 2 or 3 positions and place around the tag as desired.  Convert to raster when you are happy with look and placement.  Merge down all of them to 1 layer.  Then go to Eye Candy 5 Impact Gradient Glow and apply these settings:

At this point, resize your total tag to 525 x 525 pixels, 72.000 ppi ... all layers CHECKED.  Be sure to sharpen each layer as needed.  

8.  Maximize your word art.  Shift + D to make a copy, close original.  Resize it to 200 pixels x 101 pixels, and be sure to change the ppi to 72.000 - Resample using: Weighted Average  and all layers checked.  Go to Adjust - Color Balance - Manual Color Balance and use the following settings:

Source color:  black

Target color:  #304c86

(don't have to worry about other settings) .... click "OK".  Copy and paste as new layer to your tag.  Move to upper right (see my tag for idea) ... then apply Eye Candy 5 Impact Gradient Glow using the previous settings.  Also apply the gradient glow to the blue line border layer and set the property for that layer to Luminance (Legacy), Opacity: 50 .

9.  At this point, you are pretty much done with the tag itself.  Feel free to apply desired drop shadows to layers - I used the following:

for all layers except tube layer, word art layer and mask 1 layer (no drop shadow at all on mask 2 layer):

Vertical:  1

Horizontal: 0

Opacity:  75

Blur:  7.00

Color:  black

Shadow on new layer: unchecked

for tube layer:

Vertical:  0

Horizontal: 0

Opacity:  75

Blur:  22.00

Color:  #0f1625  (very dark blue)

Shadow on new layer: unchecked

for word art layer and mask 1 layer:

Vertical:  2

Horizontal: 1

Opacity:  70

Blur:  2.00

Color:  #304c86  (medium to dark blue)

Shadow on new layer: unchecked

10.  Add your copyright information to your tag.

11.  For text on tag, I used Brannboll Fet at size 36, 2.0 stroke, color #0f1625 for foreground and #aab8d6 for background.  (To get the little 'swish' under the name, type in one of the numbers above the alpha pad - each number makes a different 'swish'...don't put a space between the last letter and the 'swish' number.)  Placed it as desired, then did Object - Align - Horizontal Center in Canvas.  Convert to Raster.  Then I used Eye Candy 5 Impact - Gradient Glow with the previous settings, then applied the following drop shadow settings:

Vertical:  2

Horizontal: 1

Opacity:  50

Blur:  8.00

Color:  black

Shadow on new layer: unchecked

Go to Edit - Copy Merged and then save that as jpg. *or* close out white background and save as a .png with a transparent background.

And here it is with transparent background (jpg background at top of tutorial):

And that is it!!  

I hope you enjoyed the tutorial and would love to see your results!