MIS Snowtime Tutorial

Snowtime Tutorial

This is the tag we will be making:

Easy to Medium level - Basic knowledge of PSP is needed.

Materials Needed

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

Image/Photo of Choice - I used "Below Freezing" by Mis - I have her Unlimited License to use this.  If you would like to use it too, you can get this amazing image at Indie-Zine

Postage Stamp Template and Blue Snowflake "Dangle" by Me , in zipfile, HERE 

Filters Needed 

Blinds - comes with PSP

DSB Flux - Bright Noise   (or the noise filter in PSP if you don't have this filter -- settings for this filter will be in parenthesis in the area that calls for the DSB Flux filter)

VM Natural - Lightburst -- shareware, found HERE

Optional Filters (for Name/Text)

Eye Candy 4000 - HSB Noise

Eye Candy 5 Impact - Gradient Glow

Fonts used

KR Kinda Flakey (for shape)

Ambitsek (for copyright info)

Signboard Font (for name/text), (free for personal usage) 

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.  (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, 600 pixels x 700 pixels, 72 ppi, transparent.  Flood fill with white.  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 complementary dark color as your foreground and a lighter version of that color as your background.  (I used #215475 for my foreground and #e0eff8 for my background.)  Activate your text tool with these settings:

Create as:  Vector

Direction:  Arrow Pointing Down (1st option)

Font:  KR Kinda Flakey

Size:  450

Stroke:  4.0

Alightment:  Center

Anti-Alias:  Smooth

Line Style:  Solid

(the rest of the settings don't matter for this particular part of the tutorial)

Choosing a snowflake that you like, type it out (I used Shift + F).  When happy, go to Objects - Align - Center of Canvas.  While its still in vector format, do any moving around that you might need if it doesn't fit the canvas or you wish to make any adjustments.  Once happy, convert it to raster.

4.  Go to the stamp template, and copy and paste the following layer to your snowflake file:  white stamp cutout (should be the layer directly under "black insert").  If not already, move it to the layer above your snowflake.  Close out the snowflake layer, then go back to the stamp template layer.  Using your magic wand tool, click on the inside of the stamp.  Go to Selections - Modify - Expand .. by 6.0 pixels.  Go to your image and resize if needed (I ended up having to size mine down to 425 pixels x 637 pixels so that it would fit decently in the stamp frame.)  Move the image around so that the part you want in the frame is within the marching ants.  Once satisfied, go to Selections - Invert then click on your "Delete" button.  Selections - Select None.  Move image just under the stamp layer.  In your layer palette, you will want to lock the stamp layer and the image layer together:

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That way when/if we need to move them, they will move together and you won't need to keep matching it up.

5.  Take your snowflake layer and duplicate it 3 times (so you will have a total of 4 layers).  On the very bottom snowflake layer, go to Image - Rotate and use the following settings:

Then resize it by 85%.  Adjust - Blur - Gaussian Blur ... by 10.0 pixels.  Effects - Texture Effects - Blinds with these settings:

Go to the bottom snowflake layer and apply the DSB Flux - Bright Noise filter with the following settings:

Intensity:  50

Direction:  Mix

Apply the same filter on the other 2 layers EXCEPT when you do each layer, click on "Mix" twice before clicking "OK".

(**IF you are using the Noise filter that comes with PSP, go to Adjust - Add/Remove Noise - Add Noise and use the following settings:  Uniform, Monochrome checked ... on bottom snowflake layer use noise of 40%, middle layer use noise of 50%, on top layer use noise of 45%)

6.  Go to your stamp layer and go to Adjust - Color Balance - Manual Color Correction   ... and color it to complement the colors you are using with your snowflake and image (I am using a icy blue color).  When using this, be sure your source color is the color you are starting with (white, in this case) and the target color is the one you want your frame to be.  Then apply the VM Natural - Lightburst filter with the following settings:

(I'm using mine through Filter Unlimited 2.0 however the settings will be the same regardless of whether you run it through a filter program or directly.)

7.  Copy and paste the snowflake dangle to your tag file.... arrange to top layer and resize as needed.  (I resized mine to 55%.)  Arrange on right side of tag (see mine for idea).

8.  Resize to 500 pixels x 500 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.

8.  Apply any desired drop shadows to the layers ... I used the following with the Drop Shadow settings:

On stamp frame and dangle:

Vertical and Horizontal:  0

Opacity:  45

Blur:  8.00

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

On the noised snowflake layers:

Vertical :  0

Horizontal:  0

Opacity:  55

Blur:  11.00

Color:  #244d64  (I used the dark foreground color I used earlier) 

Shadow on new layer: unchecked

I did not apply any drop shadow to the image or the very bottom snowflake layer (with the gaussian blur and blinds filter).

10.  Apply crediting information and watermark.  If you wish to make this a non-animated tag, close out 2 of the noised snowflake layers, then merge visible.  Apply name text and then you are done!

(If you want to animated the tag, see below)

~Animation Shop Directions ~

If you are wanting to animate your tag, after you apply your crediting information and watermark, do the following.

1.  Close out the top and middle noised snowflake layers.  Go to Edit - Copy Merged  ... Edit - Paste as New Image.   Then close out the bottom noised snowflake layer and unhide the middle one.  Go to Edit - Copy Merged.... Edit - Paste as New Layer ... do the same thing for the last noised snowflake layer.  You should now have 3 layers.  When you save, save as "Animation Shop .psp":

Open Animation Shop ....

File - Animation Wizard ... using these settings:

1st window:   Same size as the first image frame (ticked)   (next)

2nd window:  Tranparent (ticked)   (next)

3rd window:   Upper left corner of the frame (ticked) / With the canvas color (ticked)   (next)

4th window:   Yes, repeat the animation indefinitely (ticked) / How long ... : 30   (next)

5th window:   click "Add Image", browse to location of your file then click "open", then "next"

6th window:  Finish

Your animation will now show up in Animation Shop.  

2.  Go to View - Animation to check if it is running at a desired speed.  Feel free to modify the speed if you would like.  (To do that, go to Edit - Select All  (or CTRL + A) and then right click on the first frame and go to Frame Properties and change the number... a smaller number will make it run faster, a larger number will make it run slower. ... when happy with settings, click OK.  You can check them by going to View - Animation.) ... I ended up changing mine to 15.

3.  Now, I always save a blank of my tag on my computer so that I can tag it for people later on.  So I will save the tag with the default settings (what AS installed with) ... usually these settings work ok (however red tones are pretty iffy) ... here is what I used:

Click on the CUSTOMIZE button and use these settings:

click OK ... all the way until it saves your tag.

Now all you need to do is put the name on it!  Go to PSP and, using your text tool, make up your name.  (I'll give you my settings at the end) ... Once you have your text the way you like, copy it, and then bring it over to Animation Shop and paste it. The click on CTRL + L twice (this will put 2 more layers of your name after the current animation frame, which is your first name frame).

You should now have 3 name frames.  While you have your names active, go to Edit - Select All (or CTRL + A), then Edit Copy (or CTRL + C) .... then go to your tag, click inside the 1st frame, then go to Edit - Select All (or CTRL + A) and then Edit - Paste - Into Selected Frame (or CTRL + E) .... place name where you want ... when happy, left click your mouse... name will place in the frame your own AND the other frames.  Feel free to go to View - Animation to see the tag with name on it.  When happy, save tag with previous settings, being sure to change saved name so that you don't save over your blank template.  (For example, my blank tag is name MIS-Snowtime_ani-blk.gif ... so my tagged tag would be something like MISSnowtimeMisbyWR.gif.)

And you're 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 :  2

Horizontal:  -2

Opacity:  30

Blur:  14.00

Color:  black 

Shadow on new layer: unchecked

and done!

I'd love to see what you come up with and thanks for checking out my tutorial!

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!

Happy Easter Tutorial

Happy Easter Tutorial

Easy to Moderate level - Some basic knowledge of PSP is needed

Materials Needed

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

FTU kit by Purple Dragonfly Creations called "Hippity Hoppity Blog Train"(usually this is available via my scrap blog, however it needs serious updating, so until that is completed, the scrap kit is available via this link)

Image/Tube from Les Toil (FTU) "Sally" found HERE in supplies zipfile (there are tubes of her with 4 different colored dresses)

Happy Easter Text - also in supplies zipfile

Diana Todd's Mask #0028

Tag Template by Soaring Hawk's Nest, found HERE - you want the floral one

Filters Needed

Xero Fritilliary -- provide link

Eye Candy 5 Impact Gradient Glow -- provide link

Blinds (comes with PSP)

Fonts Used

PIXgothic7 (for copyright info)

Bistro Script (for name/text)

1. Open PSP

2. Open New Image, 600x600 pixels, resolution 72.000 pixels/inch, transparent checked

3. Open tag template - Shift+D to copy it, close the original template. Delete the top layer that has the designer's information. Resize to 525 pixels x 525 pixels, 72.000 ppi (template is made at 200.000 ppi).

4. Click on layer #2 to make active, then go to Selections - Select All.... Selections - Float .... Selections - Defloat. Copy Paper 5 and paste as new layer right above layer #2. Selections - Invert then click on the Delete button. Selections - None. Then close out layer #2 (keeping Paper 5 layer visible, rename it "flower petal"). Do the same thing with layer #3 and #4 with papers of your choice (I chose Papers 1 and 4, respectively). Feel free to resize the papers before pasting as new layer, if you would like.

5. Go to your tube and, using the freehand tool:

Go around the image so that you end up with marching ants around it. Then copy and paste as new layer to your template (make sure it is the top layer). Center tube, and resize by 85%. Sharpen as needed.

6. Go to the smallest circle (inner circle) and then go to Selections - Select All.... Selections - Float .... Selections - Defloat. Apply your Xero-Fritilliary filter with the following settings:

DO not deselect yet.

7. Go to the "Happy Easter" text that I provided in the zipfile. Copy and paste as new layer right above the circle you applied the filter to. Go to Selections - Invert then click on the Delete button. Selections - Select None.

8. Recolor the text to something other than the black color it is (I changed it to the blue that matches the paper in the kit.) Go to your layer palette, right click on the text layer, then go to Properties:

And when the Properties window opens, apply these settings:

9. Open on of the papers in the kit (choose one that doesn't have a lot of obvious design - I chose paper 2.) Copy & paste as new layer, move to bottom. Resize by 75%, "resize all layers" UNchecked. Open mask in PSP then minimize. Go to Layers - New Mask Layer - From Image and use these settings:

Go to your layer palette, right click on the background paper layer, then go to Merge - Merge Group.

You should now have something like this:

11. Duplicate the mask layer and move it under the mask layer. Go to Adjust-Blur-Gaussian Blur and apply these settings: Radius: 2.00. Go to original mask layer and go to Effects - Texture Effects - Blinds and apply these settings:

Width: 3

Opacity: 30

Color: black

Horizontal: unchecked

Light from left/top: checked

While you are on this layer, go to your layer palette, right click on the layer and go to Properties and when the window opens, apply these settings:

12. At this point, add elements as desired. I used flowers and eggs to give it an Easter feel. The flowers were resized at different sizes between 15-20%, the eggs were done at 10-15%. The swirly flowers (elements 5 and 6) were resized at 25% and then moved just above the flower petal layer. I rotated the slightly larger egg to the left by 5.00. Remember to sharpen anything that you resize and/or rotate.

13. When satisfied, make sure all layers are sharpened (if necessary). Then on the 3 paper layers, apply Eye Candy 5 Impact Gradient Glow with the following settings (feel free to use a different color than the blue):

14. Apply desired drop shadow to all layers. I used the following for all layers except the tube layer:

Vertical: 2

Horizontal: 1

Opacity: 75

Blur: 10.00

Color: black

shadow on new layer: unchecked

and used the following for the tube layer:

Vertical: 0

Horizontal: 0

Opacity: 65

Blur: 15.00

Color: black

shadow on new layer: unchecked

I did not do a drop shadow on the text layer or the mask layers.

15. Add copyright information, scrap designer information, tagger watermark.

20. Merge - Merge All Visible. Save as .jpg or .png (jpg will have a white background, .png will have a transparent background). I saved mine as a png to help retain background transparency.

For name/text

1. Using Bistro Script, size 72, stroke width 2.0 ...foreground #4699f1, background #47295f, write your name and place it where you would like it. I am placed mine in the center.

When satisfied, convert to raster. Use Eye Candy 5 Impact Gradient Glow with the previous settings. I moved around the blue and white around a little to something I liked. Then apply a drop shadow with the following settings:

Vertical: 2

Horizontal: 2

Opacity: 75

Blur: 6.00

Color: black

shadow on new layer: unchecked

Repeat drop shadow.

And you are done!!

I would love to see your results!!!

URW Learn Forum Set Tutorial

URW Learn 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 by UnrulyWitch, who is an FTU licensed artist at Mistaken Art (MTA) HERE

Filters Needed:

Mosaic Glass (comes with PSP)

Distort - Radial Zig Zag (freeware, HERE)

Mura Meister - Copies (freeware, HERE)

AAA Foto Frame (freebie)

Eye Candy 5 Impact - Gradient Glow

Fonts used:

FFF Fuego (for copyright info)

Quasart (for name - freeware)

Additional supplies: HERE

(wordart from Scrappy Expressions - Melissa, now known as Sentimental Style, and cross hatch texture - put in your texture folder in PSP)

Directions

1. Open PSP. Open New File, 600 pixels x 250 pixels, 72 pixels/inch resolution, transparent. Open your tube, duplicate, close the original.

2. Chose a dark color from the tube for your foreground, a light color for your background. Using those colors, chose gradient from the materials palette, and the cross-hatch texture. You want to use the following settings for your gradient:

Style: radial

Angle: 45

Radial: 5

Invert: checked

Horizontal: 50

Vertical: 50

Texture: checked

have the Hatch Fine showing in your drop down menu

click OK

Flood fill your layer with the gradient. Right click on the layer in the layer palette - go to Merge - Merge All - Flatten.

3. Go to Effects - Texture Effects - Mosaic Glass and use the following settings:

4. Go to Distort - Radial Zig Zag and use the following settings:

Roughness: 0

Amplitude: 118

Frequency: 155

5. Copy and paste your tube, then move to the left side of the layer. Duplicate, and move that to the right side. Merge Down, then duplicate it twice (so you will have 3 - the original and 2 copies). Close out the top of them - you will work on the middle and bottom. Resize the middle one (the top of the unhidden) by 85% (all layers UNchecked). Go to Adjust - Blur - Gaussian Blur and use the following setting: Radius: 2.00. Go to the original and go to Adjust - Blur - Gaussian Blur and use the following setting: Radius 6.00. Then, for each, go to the layer palette, right click on it, and apply the following settings:

Blend Mode: Luminance (Legacy)

Opacity: 50

Link Set: 0

6. Go to the hidden duplicated layer and unhide it. Apply the Mura Meister - Copies filter with the following settings:

Random

Wraparound

Blend Mode

*Wallpaper

Number: 20

Shift X / Shift Y: 50

Angle / Rotation / Phase: 0

Cycle: 100

Attenuation: 0

Scale: 100

Tile Gap / Thru BG Range: 0

Thru BG Smooth: 30

Fade Out: 0

Fade Out to BG: unchecked

Click OK. Go to the layer palette, right click on it, and apply the following settings:

Blend Mode: Luminance (Legacy)

Opacity: 20

Link Set: 0

7. Apply tube, move it to the right side of the tag (or place as desired). Apply favorite drop shadow setting.

8. Copy and paste wordart, place on the left side of the tag. Apply Eye Candy 5 Impact - Gradient Glow with the following settings:

Glow Type: Outside Glow

Mask Selection: checked

Glow Radius: 11.00

Soften Corners: 35

Overall Opacity: 100

Distortion Amount: 0

Distortion Lump Size: 100

Gradient Smoothness: 92

move the slider to where you like it - try not to make it too 'fat'.

I used a very very pale shade of the light color I used for my gradient.

Then apply the following drop shadow to the wordart:

Vertical: 1

Horizontal: 0

Opacity: 50

Blur: 2.00

Color: very very dark shade of the dark color you used for your gradient.

Apply drop shadow AGAIN.

9. Duplicate the wordart. Go to the lower layer of the word art, then go to Adjust - Blur - Gaussian Blur and use the following setting: Radius 3.00. Then go to the layer palette, right click on it, and apply the following settings:

Blend Mode: Multiply

Opacity: 100

Link Set: 0

10. Go to Edit - Copy Merged - Paste as New Image. Apply the AAA Frames - Foto Frame and use the following settings:

Width: 4

Brightness: -48

Stroke: 0

Matte: 1

Red: 18 (*)

Green: 11 (*)

Blue: 2 (*)

Opacity: 98

Negative: unchecked

More Shadow: checked

(*) keep in mind that these will be flexible, depending on the colors you are using...these are what I used for mine.

11. Crop tag to 600 pixels wide, 250 pixels high. Apply © information and place where desired. (I used the previous gradient glow setting on my © info, then used Luminance Legacy with Opacity of 85 on it.)

And that is it for the forum tag. For the icon tag, simply take your selection tool, and mark out a large square around the area of the forum tag that you desire (I used the angel/tube, put it kind of to the right of the square.) Make sure the box is nice and big. Copy Merged then Paste as new image. Apply the AAA Frames - Foto Frame filter with the previous settings, then put the proper © information on it.

For the name and the initial for the icon, I used the font Quasart, with the dark shade of the dark color used for the gradient. I then applied Eye Candy 5 Impact Gradient Glow with the following settings:

(I used the lighter shade of my gradient for the first color, and the darker shade of my gradient for the second color)

And then the following drop shadow:

Vertical: 1

Horizontal: 0

Opacity: 50

Blur: 4.00

color: black

And then applied it AGAIN.

I saved my final tag/icon as jpg.

And that is it!!

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

County Fair Tutorial

County Fair 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 called County Fair by Designs by Tishia which can be bought at TKO Scraps (*I used a full size kit - not available in tagger size - so the resizing will be a bit large*)  

"Orange Juice" Tube by Popeye Wong which is Free To Use and can be found here (thanks Popeye!)  

Box courtesy Free Images (formerly known as Stock Exchange) - General Permission Usage

 Mask - Kirsty07_MaskNewDec-9.jpg  

 

You can download the box tube and the mask HERE  

 

Filters Needed: Blinds (comes with PSP) Filters Unlimited 2 - Paper Textures 

 

 Fonts used: FFF Fuego (for copyright info)  

Cartoon Bold (for name/text)  

 

 

 

DIRECTIONS 

 

 

1. Open PSP. Also open your mask and minimize it in PSP.  

 

2. Open Paper 5 and resize to 600 pixels x 600 pixels (resize all layers checked be sure to change the resolution from 300 ppi to 72 ppi). Go to Filters Unlimited 2 - Paper Textures - Fibrous Paper, Fine and use the following settings: 

 

 

 Intensity: 92  

Lightness: 128 

 

 

 3. Open Paper 10 - copy and paste as new layer then resize it by 20% (be sure 'all layers' is UNchecked). Feel free to close out the original.  

 

 

4. Go to Layers - New Mask Layer - From Image and use the following settings:

 

 

 

 

Right click on the layer in the layer palette, go to Merge - Merge Group. Rename this layer "Mask". Resize by 105% (be sure 'all layers' is UNchecked). Go to Effects - Texture Effects - Blinds and apply the following settings:  

 

 

Width: 5  

Opacity: 85  

Color: #db9425  

Horizontal: not checked  

Light from left/top: not checked  

 

 

Right click on the mask layer, go to Properties and apply the following settings:  

 

Blend Mode: Screen  

Opacity: 90  

Link set: 0  

Layer is visible: checked  

Lock transparency: not checked 

Highlight in layers palette: not checked  

 

 

5. Copy and paste frame 1. Resize by 17% (be sure 'all layers' is UNchecked) and then resize it again by 80%. (Do not apply drop shadow to frame at this time - it can be applied later. Putting it on now will affect the look of step #5.).  

 

6. Copy and paste flags, resize by 17% (be sure 'all layers' is UNchecked), then rotate going to Image - Rotate - Free Rotate with the following settings:  

 

Direction: Left  

Degrees: Free - 20.00  

All Layers: not checked  

Rotate Single Layer Around Canvas 

Center: not checked  

 

Position it like I have on my tag, then move to top and close out layer. Go back to the frame layer, make it active, then click on the OUTSIDE of the frame with your magic wand. You should now have marching ants. Go back to the flags layer, make it active and unhide it, then hit your delete button. Go to Selections - Select None. Copy and paste one of the flowers (I used flower 1) and resize it by 35% (be sure "resize all layers" is UNchecked), and then move it to just above the frame layer. Apply the following drop shadow:  

 

Vertical: 0  

Horizontal: 0 

Opacity: 100 

Blur: 10.00  

Color: #513407 (*this is a darker shade of my frame - if you use the other frame, choose a very dark shade blue that complements the frame) 

Shadow on New Layer: not checked (I applied this drop shadow twice)  

 

 

7. Copy and paste the box, resize it by 25% (be sure 'all layers' is UNchecked) and place it to the right, inside of the frame, but above the flag layer. Copy and paste your tube, resize it by 75% (be sure 'all layers' is UNchecked) and place her on the right so she is sitting on the box. Sharpen, if needed. Feel free to apply your favorite drop shadow to the flags, box and tube.  

 

8. At this point, apply the following drop shadow to the frame: Vertical: 0 Horizontal: 0 Opacity: 90 Blur: 10.00 Color: #5e1504 *this is a darker shade of my flower - if you use a different flower, choose a very dark shade of the flower petals Shadow on New Layer: not checked And then apply the drop shadow AGAIN (so you will be using the drop shadow twice on the flower). 

 

 9. Copy and Paste the sun, resize by 8% (be sure 'resize all layers' is UNchecked). Move to upper left side of area, inside frame (see my tag for idea). Move it just under the flag layer then apply your favorite drop shadow.  

 

10. Take one of the bows (I used bow 1) and copy and paste as new layer, resize by 10% (be sure 'resize all layers' is UNchecked), and move it to the top right area of flags, behind her head, moving the layer just above the flags layer. Again, feel free to apply your favorite drop shadow on this. Do the same thing for the Carnival Fair sign (I resized by 8%) and place it like I have on my tag.  

 

11. Copy and paste the single green "admit one" ticket, resize by 5% (be sure 'resize all layers' is UNchecked), duplicate, and then rotate (Image - Rotate - Free Rotate) the bottom one with the following settings: Direction: Right Degrees: 90.00 All Layers: not checked Rotate Single Layer Around Canvas Center: not checked And then rotate the other ticket with the following settings:  

 

Direction: Right Degrees: 

 Free - 35.00  

All Layers: not checked  

Rotate Single Layer Around Canvas 

Center: not checked  

 

 

 Apply favorite drop shadow then click on the top ticket in the layer palette. Right click on it then go to Merge - Merge Down, then apply a slight drop shadow on the merged tickets. Move it to just under the Carnival Fair sign (see my tag for idea).  

 

12. Copy and paste one of the lollipops (I used the green one), resize by 10% (all layers UNchecked). Then rotate using these settings:  

 

Direction: Right  

Degrees: Free - 15.00  

All Layers: not checked  

Rotate Single Layer Around Canvas Center: not checked

   

 

Apply your favorite drop shadow then move under the Carnival sign with the tickets. Copy and paste the Cotton Candy, resize by 6% (all layers UNchecked) and then rotate it with the following settings:  

 

Direction: Right  

Degrees: Free - 25.00  

All Layers: not checked  

Rotate Single Layer Around Canvas Center: not checked

  

 

Apply your favorite drop shadow then move under the Carnival sign below the lollipop layer. 

 

 

13. Copy and paste the Ferris Wheel, resize by 10% (all layers UNchecked) and then by 50%, and move it to the left side, just over the Carnival Fair sign layer. Copy and paste one of the boys (I used boy 2) and resize by 10% (all layers UNchecked), moving it to the left, just above the ferris wheel layer. Do the same thing with one of the girls (I used the brown haired girl). Apply your favorite drop shadow or use the one I've been using which are these settings:  

 

Vertical: 0  

Horizontal: 0  

Opacity: 75  

Blur: 12.00  

Color: black  

Shadow on New Layer: not checked 

 

 

14. At this point, if you would like to add any additional elements, feel free to do so. When satisfied, Merge Visible, and resize it to 485 pixels x 485 pixels ("resize all layers" should be checked). Sharpen if needed. 

 

 15. Add your copyright information, scrapper's information, your watermark and anything else you need. 16. Add name, placing it in the center of the bottom area of the frame (see my tag for idea). And you are done!! I would love to see what you make if you try this tutorial!!

 

 

  Thanks for looking!