1. Open new transparent image 725 x 700 px
Flood Fill white
Add new raster layer, make your own gradient with two pink colours
or use #d8365f Fg /#effcfd8 Bg
select gradient 45 degrees, no repeats
Flood fill the layer & apply the mask.
Resize the masked layer 95%.
Duplicate ~ change blend mode of copy to 'screen'
Select original mask layer
Select All ~ float, defloat
Apply Fronds plugin ~ Checker 1
Deselect.
*If you don't have the plugin,
I enclosed the checkered mask for you.
Just click on it, then save.
2. Open frame04, resize to 600 pxC/P above masked layers
Duplicate ~ change top copy to 'screen'
D/S original frame 2/2/25/7 black
Open elem 12, C/P above all layers
Using magic wand, add mode, RGB value, tolerance 10, feather 0
click on left black area of frame
add a new raster layer
I filled this layer with one of Tonya's gradients.
d/s
Click with magic wand on right black area, add new raster layer
and fill with the same gradient. d/s
Resize both of these gradient layers 101%
to eliminate any black showing on edges.
Open elem 11 and C/P over Right Gradient layer we just created.
Note: This element has a stray rectangular pixel border.
Erase this border with your eraser tool before proceeding further.
Duplicate this cupid, change blend mode to top copy as 'screen'
Repeat cupid for Left side of gradient, mirroring the cupid.
Duplicate ~ set mode to 'screen'
Open elem 21 ~ 50%
C/P behind cupid on left and duplicate
Place beneath cupid on right.
3. Open main tube, resize to 360 px wide C/P
Duplicate ~ on original tube, add gaussian blur of 2
Merge these two tube layers
Sharpen with unsharp mask 1, 40, 4, luminance checked.
4. Add other elements of choice:
Elem 3 ~ 40%
Elem 44 ~ 35%
Elem 19 ~ 25%
Elem 17 ~ 38%
I added a 3 px white border around the XOXO
selection float, defloat, expand by 3 px, add new raster layer,
fill with white, move below XOXO, d/s
Merge both XOXO and white layer together. D/S
Elem 14 ~ 35%, duplicate & arrange
Elem 27 ~ 40%
Elem 42 ~ 75%
Dropshadow elements of choice
Note: any elements on outer edge of tag
should have a minimal or no dropshadow
This should help to minimize the graininess of the animation in A/S.
4. Resize image if you wish
Add copyright, URL, watermark & name
Delete white bg layer, merge visible, crop ~ merged opaque
and save as a PNG.
To Animate:
Unmerge the layers in PSP
Open animation 253 by Simone in A/S
Note: it has 16 frames. Select all ~ resize animation 75%
Back to PSP
close white bg layer on bottom
add a blank raster layer above it (leave blank)
Beginning on very top layer of layers palette,
close the following layers:
copyright,
sparkles,
teddybear,
main tube
cupcake
& two racoons.
Select the blank raster layer we created earlier
Edit copy special ~ copy merged
Paste as new animation in A/S
Duplicate this frame to a total of 16 frames.
Edit select all ~ propagate paste
Open 253 heart animation, select first frame ~ select all, select copy
Drag first frame of heart animation
on first frame of working PSP image.
Placing the animation on left side overtop cupid.
View animation to check placement.
If not desirable, undo and try again.
On 253 Animation, select all ~ mirror the animation
Select copy
Drag first frame of heart animation overtop
main tag, on top of cupid seen on right
View animation. Undo if needed.
Back to PSP
unhide all the top layers that were hidden.
Hide the bottom layers below the cupcake & two racoons
Do not hide the blank raster layer on the very bottom
Select the blank raster layer
Edit Special ~ copy merged
Paste in A/S as a new animation.
Duplicate to equal 16 frames. Select all. Copy
Drag first frame of this animation
over top first frame of main tag
animation, placing main tube in center of tag.
View animation, if happy
save this as a MNG file into your blank PSP folder
Doing so does not optomize the animation
and works great for adding names in future.
You may add a white bg in A/S using animation properties.
Select colour white to match most forum backgrounds.
Then optomize.
If you wish to animate without a white bg,
use optomize median cut, 255 colours,
Partial transparency set to 90, and select 'yes' colour to blend with 'white'
View animation for graininess.
If too grainy, try selecting optomized octree instead.
Always view your animation before saving as a gif.
Don't forget to add your name before saving in A/S
I hope you enjoy your animated creation.
I'd love to see your results.
♥
