Ismael Rac's Zodiac Girls

Click HERE for Animated Version.
This tutorial is copyrighted to Kaye @ Kaye'z Designz. You may print out for personal use but do not post to any site or distribute as your own. Any resemblance to others online is purely coincidental. Supplies Needed: Paint Shop Pro any version, I used X2. You can get it from COREL. Tube(s) of choice. I used ones by Ismael Rac, it can be purchased at Artistic Minds Inc. If you don’t have Ismael Rac’s Zodiac Girls you can go HERE to download Creddy’s Zodiac Tubes. Or you can search for other free tubes to use. If you use the Creddy tubes you need to add this copyright: © Creddyworld / http://www.creddy.at/. You may use your own color, gradient or pattern. I used Colorful Fae.jpg pattern. Font of choice or use mine 0 Bills Holiday DNA.ttf. Zodiacs ftfs63.png to use as guide. Plugin Needed - Xenofex 2 / Constellation (for Animation). Notes: Open Supplies in PSP. Open font and minimize to task bar. Save Often.

Step 1 Open new canvas 650 X 650. We will resize later. Flood Fill with color, gradient or pattern of choice. I used Colorful Fae.jpg pattern. Name this layer BG.
Step 2 Copy and Paste Zodiacs ftfs63.png as New Layer. Stretch out to almost same size as canvas. Don’t worry if it’s blurry, it will be deleted later. Name this layer zodiac guide.
Step 3 In Material Palette set Background to black, Foreground to Null. Take your Preset Shapes Tool, Ellipse, Line Width 2. Draw out a circle sized 125 X 125. Convert to Raster Layer. Name this layer circle. Duplicate circle 11 times for total of 12.
Step 4 Arrange the 12 circles like in header image. When satisfied with arrangement close background layer and zodiac guide layer. Merge Visible the circles, name layer circles. Center in Canvas. With Magic Wand select inside all circles. Selections / Modify / Expand by 1. Add New Layer below the circles and Fill with color, gradient or pattern of choice. Name this layer circles fill.
Step 5 Copy and Paste first zodiac tube above circles fill but below circle. Be sure to match each tube with name on zodiac guide. Give it a Drop Shadow: 3, 3, 65, 8, Black. Resize so that head fits in circle.
Step 6 Move each head under a circle. With Magic Wand click inside matching circle. Selections / Modify / Expand by 1. Selections / Invert. Go to tube layer and hit Delete. Deselect. Name your layer whichever zodiac you are doing, i.e. Capricorn, Sagittarius, etc. Continue this step until you have all 12 tubes under proper circle.
Step 7 Take your Preset Shapes Tool same settings as Step 3. Draw out a circle about 5 pixels larger than your 12 circles.
Step 8 Switch to your Text Tool, Foreground Null, Background Black, Size 18 to 20 depending on font used. Set Alignment to Left. Type out Zodiac name starting at top with Capricorn. Continue typing until you have all of them listed. You will need to add spaces between the names to get them to line up with the circles. Use header image as guide. Once names are lined up with circles go to Layer Palette. Click on plus (+) sign to open it, click on circle to hide it. Convert to Raster Layer. Delete the zodiacsftfs63 layer.
Step 9 Using Text Tool again same font but size 40 or 50, foreground black stroke 1, background Colorful Fae pattern or your choice. Type in your text and Center in Layer. Add Inner Bevel and Drop Shadow of choice.
Step 10 Text Tool one more time. Same settings as Step 9. Type your name, Add Inner Bevel and Drop Shadow of choice. Place where you like.
Step 11 Resize your canvas to 500 X 500.
Step 12 Add your copyright / watermark.
Step 13 Save as .pspimage with layers intact so you can make changes if desired. Save again using Jpeg Optimizer to send thru your group. Or you can Animate as I did.
IF YOU WANT TO ANIMATE FOLLOW THESE STEPS
Step 14 Open Animation Shop. Back in PSP activate the Background layer. Apply FM Tile Tools / Blend Emboss then Duplicate 2 times for a total of 3 layers.
Step 15 On bottom BG layer apply Xenofex 2 / Constellation: 2.98, 50, 50, 25, 50, 75, 45, Keep Original Image checked, Random Seed - whatever is there.
Step 16 Move up one layer using same Constellation settings except click on Random Seed once. Repeat for top BG layer.
Step 17 Close top 2 BG layers and Edit / Copy Merged. Go to AS and Paste as New Animation.
Step 18 Close bottom BG layer and open next layer. Edit / Copy Merged. Go to AS and Paste after Current Frame. Repeat for top BG layer.
Step 19 View Animation, if happy save as .gif file with these settings: Slider all the way at top for Better Quality. Under Colors Tab: 255 colors, Optimized Octree, Error Diffusion. Under Optimizations tab: Check Write minimal frames and Map Identical Pixels other boxes should be unchecked.

All done! I hope you have enjoyed my tutorial. Remember this is just a guide. Experiment using different colors, gradients or patterns, images and settings. Any questions you can reach me at kayewinters@zoomtown.com. Tutorial written 9/2/09 by Kaye'z Designz.