Snowy Christmas ~ FTU Old School Forum Tag

 In this forum tag PSP tutorial, I used the artwork of Very Many

a tube called Christmas Mood 8

You must have a proper license for use of her images.

No filters, no scraps

Bokeh Bubbles Brushes

by Vadimfrolov HERE

You must be a member of DeviantArt to download.

Dingbat Font: Farm Doodles HERE

Download TTF

Credits HERE

Fonts used: Christmas Wish, Pharmacy

Snow Animation HERE

Dropshadow 2, -2, 35, 5 Black or one of choice

*~ Let's get started ~*

1.  Open a new transparent image 650 x 300 px

Flood fill white.

Open tube of choice

C/P over center of working image.

Select white bg

Selections ~ select all

Back to tube layer ~ Image Crop to Selection.

Deselect.

Duplicate tube, mirror, move copy of tube to left edge.

Objects ~ align ~ Vertical center in Canvas

Duplicate this tube, mirror

Select center tube, move to top layer in layers palette

Adjust position of center tube so no white background shows

between center tube and the outer tubes.

Objects ~ align ~ Vertical center in Canvas once again.

Duplicate center tube, close duplicate for  now.

Merge down the original center tube to the

two outer tubes. 

Effects ~Edge effect ~ Enhance

Duplicate this layer

Effects ~ Artistic Effects ~ Halftone:  default settings

change blend mode to Color (L)

2.  New raster layer ~ rename 'brushes'

Select a foreground color from your tube

I chose #3a3a50

(a purple from her lips)

Select the brush tool, choose bokeh bubbles from drop down menu.

Settings:  sz 50, step 27, density 100, opacity 100

Tap the brush in several areas on working image.

I tapped 5 different areas. Each tap results in varied

brush sizes. This is the desired effect.

Change blend mode to 'screen'

3.  Open the center tube we closed earlier.

Duplicate

On original tube layer, adjust Blur ~ Gaussian blur ~ 1

Select top copy of tube, duplicate again

Photo Effects ~ Vignette

settings:  -4, 52, 62, 15

Photo Effects ~ Black & White Film:  -17, -92

Change blend mode to soft light

& drop opacity to 56

4. Make your brush layer the topmost layer by moving above all tube layers

Using dingbat font ~ Farm Doodle ~ sz 100

close foreground, bg colour white, anti-alias: sharp

Type 'E' ~ convert to raster layer, duplicate

Retype 'E' in size 75

Make a tree-line of trees along bottom of tag.

I grouped several trees, arranged in different heights. Merge them down together.

Add a slight drop shadow 1, -1, 45, 3, black if desired.

See reference tag.

5.  Add a new raster layer above all other layers.

Change foreground colour to white

Flood fill this layer white

Selections ~ Select All

Selections ~ contract by 4, delete. 

Selections ~ Modify Expand by 4, add a new raster layer

Flood fill with foreground colour #3a3a50

Selections ~ Modify contract by 2, delete. Deselect.

Rename this layer ~ Purple border

Rename layer below ~ White border

Be sure you are on Purple border layer,

Effects ~ Texture Effects ~ Weave

settings:  1, 2, 25, fill gaps checked, white, white.

Image ~ flip ~ flip vertical,

reapply same Weave setting.

Image ~ flip ~ flip vertical.

If you wish to add a dropshadow,

do so on the white border only

2, -2, 35, blur 5, black

5.  Using Pharmacy font, sz 48, bg colour white

Type CHRISTMAS

Convert to raster layer, 

rotate left 90 deg. Place along left border

Object ~ Align ~ Vertical center in Canvas.

Add a faint dropshadow, 1, -1, 55, 5, black.

Drop opacity to 45.

Add copyright information & license.

6.  If you wish to animate, 

close purple border & white border.

Add a new raster layer above the white

background layer. Rename it 'blank'.

Copy Merge all the layers.

Open Animation Shop

Paste as a New Animation

Duplicate frames by clicking on Duplicate icon

until you have 5 frames.

Edit select all, 

Edit ~ Propagate Paste

Open animation supplied, it too has 5 frames.

Edit ~ select all

Change frame properties from 1 to 10.

Edit ~ Copy

Place the two animations side by side in A/S 

Drag the first frame of snow ani on top of first frame of working image

placing it on left.

Back to snow animation, edit ~ undo drag

Copy snow ani again, place on right of working image.

Repeat undo, & place on center.

View animation.

Back to PSP, close off all layers except purple border, white border & blank layer.

Copy Merged

Back to A/S, paste as new animation. Duplicate to equal 5 frames.

Edit ~ Select all

Edit ~ Copy

Drag first frame of border onto first frame of working image.

Review animation.

If any errors in placement, simply undo drag from working image.

Save animation as a MNG without a Name on it

to be used as your blank.

Back to PSP, add name in colour white. Dropshadow. Copy

Back to A/S, paste as new animation.

duplicate to 5 frames. Edit ~ select all

Edit ~ select copy. 

Drag first frame onto first frame of working image.

View animation again.

Save using Optimization Wizard

setting:  optimized Octree

Save as a Gif.

Enjoy your forum tag!

*~* Merry Christmas *~*

 

Vampire Queen ~ CT Tag

 *click on image to see full size*

  CT Tag for 

Curious Creative Dreams

 AI Scrapkit  ~ 'Vampire Queen' available

at CCD HERE

Tube by Goldwasser available for purchase HERE

Word Art by myself 

Animation by Simone of Scrappy Bit of Fun HERE

A brilliant, Vampirish Scrap kit that includes:

104 Elements including AI, 10 frames

and 20 papers. All kits 'on sale' this month.

Nightmare Alley Girl ~ CT Tag

 *click on image to see full size*

  CT Tag for 

Curious Creative Dreams

 AI Halloween Scrapkit  ~ 'Nightmare Alley' available

at CCD HERE

*animations not included

What an amazing scrapkit to work with and just in time for Halloween!

88 Elements including AI Generated elements/tubes, 8 frames

and 15 papers.

CT Tag ~ Mechanical Steam

 *click on image to see full size*

  CT Tag for Curious Creative Dreams

Artist Tube ~ Very Many

available for purchase HERE

 AI Steampunk Scrapkit  ~ 'Mechanical Steam' available

HERE

Steam animation by Scrappy Bit of Fun

Love, love this Steampunk scrap kit which includes

90 Elements including one AI Generated Tube, 8 frames

and 16 papers. A unique steampunk kit for your collection.

American Festival CT Tag

*click on image to see full size*

  CT Tag for Curious Creative Dreams

Artist Tube ~ Trinita available at Pics For Design

 Fabulous Scrapkit ~ 'American Festival' available at

Digital-Obsession Shop

This Patriotic Scrap kit has 121 Elements including AI elements,

10 Frames & 20 Papers

Sassy Steampunk CT Tag

*click on image to see full size* 

CT Tag for Curious Creative Dreams ~ Sassy Steampunk

Artist Tube ~ Very Many HERE

Scrapkit available for purchase at

Digital-Obsession

A stunning, beauteous scrapkit 

featuring 100 Elements, 15 AI elements, 22 Papers & 10 frames

*Note: animation is not part of the scrapkit*

 

Valentine Mishka

Artist Tube by Lady Mishka available at PicsForDesign 

FTU Scrap kit by Lynx The Minx

called 'Valentine Love'

Thank you ♥

Animation 253 by Simone of Scrappy Bit of Fun

SC_Mask04 by Sylvie of SyllyCreations

Christmas Gradient by Tonya's Temptations

I believe I used TBT Christmas Bells 16

but any pinkish hue gradient will do.

Plugin: Tronds ~ Checker 1

Font Baiskey

Let's go...

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 px

C/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.

♥

Witchy Woman

 In this PSP tutorial I'm using the amazing artwork of Lorri Kajenna

 purchased at PicsForDesign

A FTU scrapkit by Addictive Pleasures

called I Love Halloween ~ third kit down

♥ Thank you tamie ♥

Please check out her entire blog & leave some love.

Fecnikek's Halloween Mask HERE

I used 4hwmask2.fecnikek

Fire Animation by Scrappy Bit of Fun

 Grab the Simone Ani 301 HERE

Font Coraline's Cat

Drop Shadow of choice as you go

Be sure to sharpen elements if resizing

*~ Let's get started ~*

1. Open new Image 725 x 700 px transparent

Flood fill white

Add layer ~ select all

Open Paper 3, C/Paste into the selection d/s

Open fecnikek mask 2, merge All Flatten

Go to Image ~ Negative Image. Minimize

Back to working image, apply the mask to the paper. Merge Group.

R/S 98% 

2.  Open leaves 3, C/P, duplicate mirror, arrange

tree ~ mirror

window ~ 85% duplicate ~ blend mode multiply, merge down

Draw a selection inside of window,

add a new layer, flood fill black, d/s

Keep selection, open tube resize 85%

Mirror tube, rotate 12 deg to left, sharpen C/P & arrange

invert selection and press delete. d/s

Duplicate tube ~ Gaussian blur of 5, Hard Light blend mode

D/S Window

3.  Add main tube, R/S 35%, mirror C/P

duplicate ~ gaussian blur 5, blend mode soft light. opacity 42

Ivy 3 C/P

using deform/pick tool, press Control on keyboard

grab top left node and drag inwards to distort the ivy frame.

Sharpen. Sharpen more.  Open Paper 5, mirror.

C/P beneath ivy frame. Draw a point to point selection around ivy, invert

Select paper layer & delete. d/s

Add web ~ 50% on top of paper

Decorate your tag to your liking

barrel ~ 75%

book ~ 25%

couldron2 ~ 75%

mouse ~ 45%

ivy ~ 50%

pumpkin 2 ~ 75%, duplicate ~ mirror, resize 75%

spider 2 ~ 45%

4.  Resize working image if desired, all layers checked

Add copyright, url, license & Name

Close white bg layer. Merge visible Save as a PNG

To Animate:

Open Simone Fire Animation 301 Mng in Animation Shop

Rezize Smart size 50%

Back to PSP, On working image copy 'merged visible'

and Paste in A/S as a New Animation

The fire animation has 21 frames therefore

duplicate your main image to equal 21 frames. Edit select All & edit Propogate Paste

On Fire animation, Edit select All & Copy

Drag first frame of fire animation

on to the first frame of working image

Place the animation on top of  couldron, slightly to right

Return to Fire animation, select UNDO, animation ~Mirror ~ select All

Copy first frame and place on couldron in middle

Return to Fire ani, select UNDO, Animation mirror

select all, copy first frame 

and paste left side of couldron

If placement error is made, simply UNDO your animation & try again.

Essentially I copied 3 fire animations to cover bottom of couldron

Check your image animation by selecting VIEW animation.

If happy, use optimization Wizard

Customize settings:  255 colors, opt median cut, error diffusion

Partial transparency set at 85%, select Yes match with this color 'white'

Ok, next, next, finish. 

Voila!

CT Tag for Kathy's PSP Designs

 

A CT tag I wanted to share with you.

The tube is by Andreea Cernestean 33-3

found at CDO estore  One of my favourite tubes and stores.

The PTU kit is by Kathy's PSP Designs

called "BeWitched"

What a brilliant kit!  Some unique elements and of course 

Halloween kits are my favourite to work with. :+)

Thank you Kathy ♥

The animation was purchased at CDO estore

created by Rebel Dezigns

Package 140 ~ animation 420

Writing a tutorial for this tag

would be long-winded as I colourized

the animation to match the mist on the witch's cauldron

and tweaked the cauldron itself.

My goal was to make the tube appear ghost-like.

Love the result.

♥

Seasons Change

In this PSP tutorial I am using the artwork of Amber

sold at VM Artists.  The tube is called Autumn Fairy

You must have a license to use their artwork.

FTU Tagger kit called ''Gather Here" by Kathy's PSP Designs

♥ Thank you Kathy! Always love your kits ♥

Two masks: DD_FallMask_7 by Dee Here (Mask set 2)

& a standard circle mask Here

Plugins: Mura's Meister Copies

Font Caramel Crunch

Drop shadow of choice

Sharpen any resized or rotated elements using unsharp mask

1, 55, 1, luminance checked.

Let's get started...

1. Open new Image 800 x 800 px transparent (we will resize later)

Flood fill white

Open Elem 91, C/P resize 75%

Plugin Mura's Meister Copies ~ Encircle ~ change # to 9

change Shift X = 60

change Shift Y = 60

all other settings stay the same

Layers ~ Load/Save Mask from Disk 

Find 20/20 Mask & apply. Merge group.

Adjust Blur ~ Gaussian Blur ~ 1

2.  Open elem 57, C/P

Open elem 67, duplicate, mirror & flip, merge together.

C/P on working image, resize 75%, move up & to left, duplicate, mirror

duplicate, flip, duplicate, mirror. You should have 4 clusters

in a square shape, relatively placed within the circle.

No need to be precise.

Merge the 4 clusters together using merge down.

Effects ~ distortion ~  Twirl: 180 deg

Open elem 100 ~ 90% C/P

Place in center but towards top

duplicate, move to bottom left, duplicate & mirror

These three sheaves of wheat should form a triangle.

3.  open elem 49, C/P placing on lower part of circle but above the words

Using Mura's Meister copies ~ setting ~ line rotate

default settings except change number to 8, apply.

Layers ~ Load/Save Mask from Disk

Find DD_FallMask_7 & apply to leaf layer. Merge group.

Resize this layer 85%

4. Open close-up of tube, C/P

below elem 49 but above the wheat sheaves

resize tube if needed. If tube extends beyond circle,

use magic wand, tolerance 10, select outside of the circle area on 'circle frame layer'

to make a selection

back to tube layer & erase undesired portion of tube. Deselect.

In my example above, I kept the hair bon extending upward

but erased the green leaf on the left side of the tube.

Duplicate tube layer, Change mode to soft light.

Effects blur ~ gaussian blur ~ radius 3.

5. Add elements of choice. 

Elem 72 50%

Elem 76 50%

These doodles were placed above the daisy masked layer

but below the twirled layer. I duplicated these doodles twice

for a total of 3 and rotated with pick tool to peer out edges.

*see reference tag.

6, Select the circle frame layer (elem 57)

Note the words are not touching the circle itself.

Using a point to point selection, draw an area around

the Words "As The Seasons Change"

press shift on keyboard and draw another selection

around the bottom words "So Do We"

Promote this selection to a New layer on your Layer palette.

Rename this layer 'wording'

Add a new raster layer above it, flood fill #fef83e

revert back to Wording layer, select all, float, defloat, modify selection, expand by 2 px

invert, back to yellow layer and press delete. Deselect.

Move yellow layer beneath original circle frame layer

7. Select original circle frame layer (elem 57)

& move Wording layer above it (if not already)

and merge down together.

Rename this layer 'animation"

duplicate this layer & change blend mode to overlay

Using crop tool, crop all layers using Merged opaque

then resize all layers bicubic to 675 px x 675 px approx.

8. Add copyright, URL, license, watermark

Delete white background layer.

To animate:

1.  Open Animation shop

in PSP, select 'animation layer' Copy Merged (all layers)

Paste in A/S as a new animation

Back to PSP

still on animation layer,

find the Lighten/Darken tool (left column toolbar)

select round, size 35

press and hold tool over the left circle part of frame  (below word 'AS')

move the tool along the circle counter clockwise

stopping at bottom wordart. Repeat this.

Copy Merged All Layers

Paste in A/S after current frame.

2.  Back to PSP

undo the lighten tool twice

Lighten the bottom Words only by tracing tool across

moving left to right across center, repeat lighten

Copy Merged

Paste in A/S after current frame

3. Back to PSP

undo, undo

Lighten right side of circle frame

by moving tool upward counter clockwise

stopping Top Wordart

Repeat lighten

Copy Merged

Paste in A/S after current frame

4. Back to PSP

undo, undo

Lighten Top word art only

moving right to left through center of words

following the counter clockwise flow

repeat Lighten

Copy Merged 

Paste in A/S after current frame.

You should have 4 frames in A/S

Edit ~ Select All ~ change frame properties to 17 

Edit ~ Propagate Paste

If you want a white background,

select Animation properties, 

change to Opaque White or #ffffff

Back to PSP,

Add Name in White with D/S

copy & paste in A/S as new animation

duplicate to equal 4 frames.

Edit ~ select all.

Edit ~ Copy

With both animations side by side, drag the first frame of the Name 

over top onto first frame of working image & release.

Check animation by selecting View

If error seen, simply undo animation. retry.

Using Optimization Wizard, optimize

to your specs.

* * * * *

I prefer to optimize transparent

with no background (if my tag has no heavy dropshadows)

Use settings below:

Colors tab: 255 colors

optimized octree

error diffusion

Optimizations tab:

there are 5 options, check 1 & 4

Partial Transparency Tab:

convert pixels to less than 90

select Yes blend with colour white

(or color the forum uses for post background).

Press ok, next, next, next, finish.

Run animation. Save As.

It's a very subtle animation for a very delicate tag. :+)

Voila! You did it

and I'd love to see your results!

xo

Steampunk Fan

This tutorial was written May 8th, 2021 for those with moderate knowledge of PSP

The tutorial was written for Artistic Tag Passions Blog HERE

and includes a link to an amazing kit available in the Forum only.

I am using the Exclusive artwork of Alehandra Vanhek purchased at PFD  HERE

Exclusive kit called Artistic Automaton by PPP available at Artistic Tag Passions Forum HERE

Mask by Basima - 2021-03 Spring Mask 4 found on Creative Misfits Blog HERE

Plugins: Mura's Meister - Copies
         Toadies - What Are You
*Remember to sharpen elements as you resize: I use unsharp mask: 1/50/5 luminance checked*

Open your version of Corel PSP:
New image 675 x 675 px transparent.
Flood fill white
Elem #135 - 34% C/P
Apply Mura's Meister copies Plugin - Encircle - number 12, Shift X - 65, Shift Y - 66
Apply Toadie's What Are You? Plugin - change values to 10/10.

Add new raster layer, select all, copy Paper 34 & paste into the selecton. Cntl D to deselect.
Apply mask. Merge group.
Elem 171 - 75% C/P
Frame 11 - 57% C/P, D/S
Elem 64 - 75% C/P - duplicate, mirror, place side by side & merge down to each other.
Resize this 72% & place in the top half of the frame.
Elem 181 - 75% C/P, place slightly to left, duplicate & mirror

We will work with Elem 75 separately. 
Open elem 75, using selection tool - eclipse, feather 0, draw a selection inside this cameo frame
Selections - Edit - use 'Pick tool' to adjust size of the selection. 
Selections Edit again to exit. Press delete. Do not deselect.
open main tube C/P as new layer below frame, adjust and resize as desired, invert selection, delete, Cntl D. 
Duplicate tube, change blend mode to soft light, dec opacity to 69%, merge down.
Merge frame layer to tube layer. C/P on working image.

On working image, resize this cameo frame to your liking. Duplicate & close copy.

Elem 68 - 67% C/P, move down 
Main tube - 65% C/P sitting inside trunk. Erase or use freehand selection tool to delete part of tube.
*Tip: decrease opacity of main tube for precise placement, then draw selection or erase to rid of excess tube*
Duplicate tube - change blend mode to soft light and dec opacity to 62%. Merge down.
D/S both trunk & main tube.

Elem 143 - 50%, C/P to left atop black netting
duplicate, mirror, D/S
Elem 60 - R/S to 60 x 72 px, flip horizontal, D/S
Elem 67 - R/S to 98 x 202 px, D/S
Elem 62 - 35%, D/S
Elem 88 - R/S 196 x 141 px, C/P D/S
Elem 137 - 25%, duplicate, R/S 65% - D/S both
Elem 74 - 25% D/S
Elem 154 - 25%, rotate left 90 Deg.
Elem 28 - 25% D/S
Elem 180 - 50% D/S
Open copy of cameo frame we created earlier, R/S 50%, place as desired.

Add copyright, name & url. Delete white background and save as a PNG.
Hope you enjoy your result!

I also created an animated version using a steam animation by Simone HERE
and fan animation by myself  HERE

I hope you enjoy this tutorial!