Back to School

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This tutorial is dedicated to all the teachers and students who will soon be heading back to school!

This tutorial will be utilizing the following PSP Components:

Colorize
Magic Wand
Foreground/Background Gradient
Flood Fill
Copy and Paste
Drop Shadow
Layers
Resizing

Needed:
Tube of Choice - For this tutorial, I used a delightful image created by Suzanne Woolcott.

Supplies: Can be downloaded here and contain the following:

The crayon tubes, back to school tube, school house tube, and reading, writing and arithmetic tubes were downloaded from Karren's Kountry and CCD Tube Haven

The pencil was downloaded from Back to School Clipart and tubed by me

The Back to School font was downloaded from House of Lime

The back to school template was created by me.

Optional - Any additional elements or scraps you wish to add or change. I add this because you may want to substitute and use your own elements. Remember, tuts are just guides - the finished product with your creativity, is yours.

Drop Shadow
Setting:Vertical Offset 2, Horizontal Offset 2, Opacity 80, Blur 5, Color Black

Magic Wand :
Mode: Add/Shift, Match Mode: RGB Value, Tolerance 0, Contiguous checked, Feather: 0, Anti-Alias checked and outside selected.

Step 1
Open up the back to school template and your tube graphic. Make your back to school template active and open up the layer palette. Go to the raster layer 1. Go to Adjust/Hue and Saturation/Colorize and colorize to a color that works with your tube graphic.

Step 2
At the Material, Palette in the top color box, select a deep color ( I used red). In the bottom color box, select a lighter color (pink was my choice).

Left click the top color box and when the color selection window opens, select gradient, foreground/background with angle and repeats set to 0.

Step 3
Left click the magic wand using the settings from above and left click the magic wand inside the light gray circle on Raster Layer 2. Flood fill with the foreground-background gradient and go to Selections/Select None.

Step 4
Go to the topper layer. Go to Adjust/Hue and Saturation/Colorize and colorize with the same color as you did for Raster Layer 1.

Step 5
Open up the crayon tube and copy and paste it to your tag. Go to Layers/Duplicate. Move the crayons over so that they are going across the inside circular portion of the tag. You can go ahead and place the pink crayon from the layer above to overlap so all the crayons fit across.

Step 6
Open up the school house and copy and paste it over the crayons.

Step 7
Open up the Back to School banner. Copy and paste it to the top of your tag.

Step 8
Go to Effects/3D Effects/Drop Shadow and use the settings from above.

Step 9
Copy and paste the Reading, Writing, Arithmetic graphic on the tag.

Step 10
Copy and Paste your main tube graphic. If it is too large, go to Image/Resize using the percent option, bicubic and resize all layers Not checked.

Step 11
Repeat Step 8 applying the drop shadow.

Step 12
Open up your pencil and copy and paste on the bottom of the tag. Go to Layers/Duplicate and Image/Mirror and move the pencil so that you have a space in between the two pencils to add your text.

Step 13
Add your copyright and save your file as a psp file (do not merge the layers).

Step 14
When you are ready to add text, open up the Back to School font and minimize. Locate this font at your font ribbon's menu with a size of about 48 and stroke of 1.

At the Material Palette, in the top color box, make it black. For the bottom color box, make it the same color orange as your pencil.

Add your text and apply a drop shadow.

Step 15
Go to Layers/Merge/Merge Visible and save as a png which will work with any color background.

You still have your template intact so that you can make more tags for friends and forum members.

Comments and Sharing Your Results
Please do let me know how this tutorial worked for you. You can post your comments at the Blog and do email me your results so I can see!

Wild and Free

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This tutorial will be utilizing the following PSP Components:

Magic Wand

Layers

Resizing
Copy and Paste into Selection

Copy and Pasting Images
Animation
Duplicate Selecting Frames
Changing Frame Properties (Speed)

Propagate Paste for Adding Text

Needed:

Tubes of Choice - I used a few delightful animal images created by Suzanne Woolcott.

You can use any wild animal type images you have for this tutorial or if you need to download some wild animal elements, a very cute scrap kit, called Wildlife Safari, by Pips, can be downloaded here.

Included in the supplies are the Wild and Free Template and leopard fill created by me, the Jungle picture which was downloaded from Microsoft Clipart Media, and the animated tiger (Catty). You can download the supplies, here.

Creating the Tag

Step 1
Open up the Wild and Free template. You will be creating your tag directly on the template. If you wish to save the template, click the shift and D keys to duplicate the file. Close the original file and work with the dupicate.

Step 2
Open up the layer palette and go to the white layer. Left click the magic wand with these settings:

Mode Add/Shift, RGB Value, Tolerance 24, Feather o.

Left click the magic wand on the white circle.

Step 3

Open up the jungle picture and go to Edit/Copy. Make the tag image active and go to Edit/Paste Into Selection. Go to Selections/Select None.

Step 4
Open up the tube images you will be using. Copy and Paste your tube images to the tag but do leave the area at the back of the tag free to add your tiger. Copy and paste each of your images on different layers. If you need to resize your tube images, go to Image/Resize, using the percent option, smart size and resize all layers NOT checked.

Step 5
Add your copyright information to the tag and go to Layers/Merge/Merge Visible. Save this file as a psp or psd file.

Open up Animation Shop to add the Animation.

Step 1
At Animation Shop, go to File/Open and locate the psp or psd tag file.
With the mouse, right click on this file and go to Duplicate Selected. Once you do, you should see F:2 which means 2 frames. Repeat the duplicated selected again and you will now see F:3 which means 3 frames. Repeat again, and you will now have F:5 - meaning 5 frames. And once more go to Duplicate Selected and you should have 9 frames.

Step 2
Go to View/Normal Viewing. Left click on the 9th frame to activate it. Right click on this frame and go to delete and left click. You should now have 8 frames.

Step 3

Holding down the control key, left click the A key to activate all the frames. All your frames of your tag file should now have blue around them.

Step 4

Open up the catty gif file (tiger). You will see this file also has 8 frames. Holding down the control key, left click the A key to activate all the frames. Go to Edit/Copy. Make the tag image active, making sure all the frames are activated (left clicking the control and A Keys). Go to the very first frame and go to Edit/Paste into selected frame. Holding down the left mouse button, place the tiger gif file where you see mine. Once you have the animation placed, release the left mouse button.

Step 5

Make sure all the frames are still activated (blue around all of them). Right click the very first frame, go down to frame properties and left click. Type in 132, which will decrease the frame speed quite a bit. The default speed is 10.

Step 6
Before we continue to save the animation, click the Customize button to make sure you have all the correct settings for this animation. You should see three tabs: Colors, Optimizations and Partial Transparency.

Here is what each setting should be under the separate tabs:

Colors
255 Colors, Optimized Octree and Error Diffusion should be checked.

Optimizations
The middle three selections should be checked.
The top and bottom selections - unchecked.

Partial Transparency
Convert pixels less than 40 should be checked.
Yes blend with this color and make sure that the color in the color box is WHITE

After customizing all the animation settings, click Ok and click Next and you will get the following screens:

Screen 1 Animation versus output Size - just click next.

Screen 2 Optimization process - just click next.

Screen 3 Optimization preview - just click next.

Screen 4 Optimization results - click finish.

Step 7

Save the file as a gif file (without text). You can later add text and resave so you can make additional tags for friends and forum/group members.

Adding Text in Paint Shop Pro and Copying into Animation Shop

Step 1

Have your original psp or psd file open in Paint Shop Pro. Open up the leopard fill.

Left click the bottom color box. When the Color Selection Window opens up, click on pattern and locate the leopard pattern. Set the angle to 0 and the scale to 105.

Left click the top color box and set it to black.

When adding your text, make sure to have the stroke set somewhere from .5 to 1. Type in your text on a new layer. Go to Edit/Copy.

Step 2

Open up animation shop and go to Edit/Paste as new animation.

Step 3

Have your Wild and Free animation open and make sure all the frames are activated (they will be surrounded by blue). If they are not, click the control and A Keys.

Step 4

Make your text file active and go to Edit/Copy. Now go to Edit/Propagate Paste.

Step 5

Make your animation file active and go to Edit/Paste into selected frame. Holding down the left mouse button, place the text exactly where you want it in the very first frame of the animation. Release the mouse button and the text should now be in all the frames. Resave your animation with a new name.

Comments and Sharing Your Results
Please do let me know how this tutorial worked for you. You can post your comments at the Blog and do email me your results so I can see!

Gorgeous Love

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This tutorial will be utilizing the following PSP Components:

Colorizing
Magic Wand
Brightness and Contrast
Drop Shadow
Copy and Paste
Layers
Resizing

This tutorial is dedicated to Mz Kathy, who came up with the Word Art challenge, Gorgeous Love!

Needed:
Tube of Choice. I used a delightful image created by Suzanne Woolcott.

Supplies: My Gorgeous Love template and the beautiful scrap kit, Pretty in Pink, Created by Caitlin. Because this scrap kit is no longer on her blog, Cupcake Sprinkles by Caitlin, Caitlin has given me permission and her consent to add the scrap kit as part of my tutorial supplies. Thank you so much, Caitlin! You can download the supplies here.

Drop Shadow Setting:Vertical Offset 0, Horizontal Offset 0, Opacity 50, Blur 10, Color Medium Gray, #808080

Step 1
Open up Gorgeous Love template. You will be using the template to create your tag. Go to the Word Art Layer and Colorize with your favorite color. To colorize, go to Adjust/Hue and Saturation/Colorize and move the slider until you get a color you like. I used the color pink with Hue 242 and Saturation 174. You will notice that the darker gray and lighter gray pick up different shades of the color you selected when colorizing.

Step 2
Left click the Magic wand and set to Mode: Add (Shift), RGB Value, Tolerance 14. Left click on all the lighter letters. Go to Selections/Modify/Contract 1.

Step 3
Go to Effects/3D Effects/Drop Shadow and use the setting from above. You will be only using the drop shadow effect on the light color letters.

Step 4
Go the the Heart layer and colorize with the same color as you did in Step 1.

Step 5
Go to the Transparent layer. Open up the Pretty in Pink Scrap Kit and select the Sequins. Go to Image/Resize using the percent option at 90%, smart size and resize all layers not checked. Copy and paste the sequins as a new layer over the transparent layer.
Left click the mover tool and move the sequins to the left side of the heart.

Step 6
Go to Layers/Duplicate and move the duplicate sequin layer to the right side of the heart. If you have too many graphic sequins, you can carefully erase some from each layer.

Step 7
Open up the Flower Daisy 2 and resize it 60%. Copy and paste it as a new layer and place it beneath the heart. Add the same drop shadow as you did before.

Step 8
Go to Layers Duplicate and move the daisy to the other side of the heart.

Step 9
Go to Layers/Duplicate once more. Move the flower next to the flower on the left side. Go to Image/Resize and resize the daisy 80%.

Now what we will do is lighten the daisy up somewhat so it contrasts with the other two flowers. Go to Adjust/Brightness and Contrast/Brightness and Contrast. Move the Brightness to around 18 and the Contrast to 41. You can experiment and find the shade you like best.

Step 10
Using the Pretty in Pink Scrap Kit - go ahead and decorate your heart adding whatever elements you like, resizing as necessary. Do place each element on a different layer.

Step 11
Add your tube graphic, resize as necessary, and add your copyright and licensing Information.

Step 12
Let's brighten up the Gorgeous Love word art. Go to Adjust/Brightenss and Contrast/Brightness and Contrast and Change the Brightness to around -53 (yes, that's minus) and Contrast to +41. Experiment with the settings - You will be amazed at the results you can get

Step 13
Open up the layer palette, making sure you are on the White layer. Go to Layers/Delete. By deleting the white layer, your graphic will blend with any color forum background.

Step 14
Go to Layers/Merge/Merge Visible and save you file as a png. You now have a tag without the text. This way you can add the text and resave your file with a different name, allowing you to make multiple tags for your friends and forum members.

Comments and Sharing Your Results
Please do let me know how this tutorial worked for you. You can post your comments here at the Blog and do email me your results so I can see!

Magic Garden

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This tutorial will be utilizing the following PSP Components:

Resizing
Copy and Paste
Animation
Duplicate Selecting Frames
Changing Frame Properties (Speed)

Propagate Paste for Adding Text

Needed:

Tube of Choice - I used a delightful image created by Suzanne Woolcott.
Garden Trellis Tube (created by Rainbow Coffi), Animated Rose and Butterflies, you can download here.

Creating the Tag

Step 1
Open up a new image 600 width by 520 height. Also open the Rainbow Coffi Trellis tube. Resize the tube by 70%. (Go to Image/Resize using the percent option, smart size and resize all layers NOT checked).

Step 2
Go to Edit/Copy. Make the transparent image active and go to Edit/Paste as New Layer. Place the trellis image in the same area as you see on my tag.

Step 3
Open up the tube image you will be using. Resize as necessary and copy and paste the tube image on the tag.

Step 4

Add your copyright information to the tag and go to Layers/Merge/Merge Visible. Save this file as a psp or psd file.

The rest of the tag will be completed in animation shop.

Animation Shop Steps to Complete the tag

Step 1
At Animation Shop, go to File/Open and locate the psp or psd file.
With the mouse, right click on this file and go to Duplicate Selected. Once you do, you should see F:2 which means 2 frames. Repeat the duplicated selected again and you will now see F:3 which means 3 frames. Repeat again, and you will now have F:5 - meaning 5 frames. And once more go to Duplicate Selected.

Step 2
Go to View/Normal Viewing. Left click on the 9th frame to activate it. Right click on the last frame and go to duplicate selected. And once more, left click on the very last frame and go to duplicate selected. You should now have 11 frames.

Step 3

Holding down the control key, left click the A key to activate all the frames. All your frames of your tag file should now have blue around them.

Step 4

Open up the rose gif file (flower 4). Holding down the control key, left click the A key to activate all the frames. Go to Edit/Copy. Make the tag image active, making sure all the frames are activated (left clicking the control and A Keys). Go to the very first frame and go to Edit/Paste into selected frame. Holding down the left mouse button, place the rose gif file where you see mine. Once you have the animation placed, release the left mouse button. Go to Edit/Paste once more and again place the rose gif file on the tag at the very first frame (look at mine for placement).

Step 5

Open up one of the butterfly gif files and repeat Step 4 (activating all the frames) and Copying and Pasting into the selected frame (having the paste start at the very first frame of the tag).

Step 6

Open up one of the other butterfly gif file and repeat Step 5.

Step 7

Make sure all the frames are activated (blue around them) and right click the very first frame, go down to frame properties and left click. Type in 15, which will decrease the frame speed a little bit. The default speed is 10.

Step 8
Before we continue to save the animation, click the Customize button to make sure you have all the correct settings for this animation. You should see three tabs: Colors, Optimizations and Partial Transparency.

Here is what each setting should be under the separate tabs:

Colors
255 Colors, Optimized Median Cut and Error Diffusion should be checked.

Optimizations
The middle three selections should be checked.
The top and bottom selections - unchecked.

Partial Transparency
Convert pixels less than 40 should be checked.
Yes blend with this color and make sure that the color in the color box is WHITE

After customizing all the animation settings, click Ok and click Next and you will get the following screens:

Screen 1 Animation versus output Size - just click next.

Screen 2 Optimization process - just click next.

Screen 3 Optimization preview - just click next.

Screen 4 Optimization results - click finish.

Step 9

Save the file as a gif file (without text). You can later add text and resave so you can make additional tags for friends and forum/group members.

Adding Text from Animation Shop

Step 1

Have your animation open and make sure all the frames are activated (they will be surrounded by blue). If they are not, click the control and A Keys.

Step 2

Open up a new transparent animation and type in your text. Go to Edit/Copy. Then go to Edit/Propagate Paste.

Step 3

Make your animation file active and go to Edit/Paste into selected frame. Holding down the left mouse button, place the text exactly where you want it in the very first frame of the animation. Release the mouse button and the text should now be in all the frames. Resave your animation with a new name.

Comments and Sharing Your Results
Please do let me know how this tutorial worked for you. You can post your comments at the Blog and do email me your results so I can see!

Make a Pocket Pal Tag from Scratch

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This tutorial will be utilizing the following PSP Components:

Layers
Selection Tool - Set to Rectangle
Deleting (Cutting) Portions of Images
Preset Shape Tool - Set to Rectangle
Raster Deform Tool
Inner Bevel
Colorizing
Magic Wand
Flood Filling Paper Selections
Copy and Paste
Resizing

Needed:
Tubes of Choice - For this tutorial, I used the delightful images created by Suzanne Woolcott.

Mura Pro Copies Filter

Supplies: In the zip file are: Circle psp file created by me and Rainbow Coffi ribbons.You can download the supplies here. You will be creating your entire Pocket Pal Tag on the template provided.

Optional - Your Own Scrap Kit elements as well as papers or textures and preset shapes - many choices available in decorating the pocket.

Magic Wand Setting:
Mode: Add/Shift, Match Mode: RGB Value, Tolerance 55, Contiguous checked, Feather: 0, Anti-Alias checked and outside selected.

Step 1
Open up the circle template. Go to Effects/Plugins/Mura Meister/Copies and select Line Rotate with these settings:

Step 2
Go to Layers/Duplicate. Left click the duplicate layer and place this layer directly next to the original layer. Carefully erase about 4 of the circles so that you have approximately 12 circles going across the template. You should have an image that looks like this:

Go to Layers/Merge/Merge Visible.

Step 3
Left click the selection tool and set it to rectangle with feather set to 0. Going across the circles, draw a rectangle just above the circles and a little below half way down.

Left click the delete key, go to Selections/Select None and you should have this:

Step 4
At the Material Palette, set the bottom color box to medium gray #808080. The top color box should be null.

Left click the preset shape tool and set it to rectangle. Do not have show nodes or create on vector checked.

Go to Layers/New Raster Layer and draw a rectangle the same length across as the cut pattern. If the rectangle is too short or too long, left click the Raster Deform Tool. You will see once you click it, your image will have a rectangle with various nodes, surrounding it.

If you need a longer rectangle: hold down the left mouse button and left click on the right side node. Holding down the left mouse button, pull the right side node to the right (or outward) to stretch it larger.

If you need a shorter rectangle, pull the right node to the left (or inward).

Step 5
When the rectangle and the cut pattern are exactly the same length - move the cut pattern up against the rectangle and go to Layers/Merge/Merge Visible. This will be the top portion of the pocket.

Left click on any of the tools on the tool bar to make the raster deform rectangle disappear.

Step 6
At the Material Palette, in the bottom color box, set it to dark gray #404040 and the top color box set to null (no color).

Go to Layers/New Raster Layer.

Left click the preset shape tool set to rounded rectangle. Draw a rectangle the same length across as the top portion. Again, if the rectangle length across is either too small or too large, use the Raster Deform tool to adjust its size. When done, left click on any of the tools at the tool bar to make the raster deform rectangle disappear.

Go to Layers/Arrange/Move Down. Your rounded rectangle will now be below the top portion of the pocket.

Go to Layers/Merge/Merge Visible.

Step 7
Go to Effects/3D Effects/Inner Bevel and use these settings:

Step 8
Open your tube images and select a main color from it that you want for your tag template. Go to Adjust/Hue and Saturation/Colorize and move the settings until you have a color that will work with your tube graphic.

Step 9
Select a paper from one of your scrap kits that will work well with your tag. Left click the magic wand and use the settings from above. Left click the magic wand on the top portion of the tag to select it.

Step 10
Go to Layers/New Raster Layer.
Open up the paper you will be using. At the Material Palette, in the top color box, left click. When the color selection window opens, select Pattern and locate the paper that is on the desk top with an angle set to 0 and scale 100. Flood fill the selection with the paper. Go to Selections/Select None.

Step 11
If you wish to colorize the paper, go to Adjust/Hue and Saturation/Colorize and move the settings until you find a color that works with your tag.

Step 12
Using your scrap kits, your own preset shapes, brushes or other elements, decorate your tag by copying and pasting or drawing the elements on different layers.

Step 13
Add your text and copyright.

Step 14
Copy and paste your tube graphics making sure they are placed below the pocket layer but that the tops of the graphics are seen over the top of the pocket. Add as many graphics as you like and resize as necessary going to Image/Resize using the percent option, smart size, and resize all layers NOT checked.

Step 15
Go to Layers/Merge/Merge Visible.

Go to Image/Resize using the percent option at 90%, smart size, and resize all layers checked.

Save your tag as a png file so that you can use it on any color background.

Comments and Sharing Your Results
Please do let me know how this tutorial worked for you. You can post your comments at the Blog and do email me your results so I can see!