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 of choice. I used Suzanne Richards “Kiss Me I’m Funny, it can be purchased at CILM. You may use your own color, gradient or pattern. Font of choice or use mine Kingthings Slipperylip this is a FTU font. You can view others at Kingthings site. Mask of choice or use mine Vix_Mask073. FTU kit by Scraps Dimensions “Mardi Gras”. Notes: Open tube in PSP. Open font and minimize to task bar I’ve included the Font and mask in Supplies for people on dial-up but please check out the sites if you can. SAVE OFTEN.
Step 1 Open new canvas 550 X 550. Flood Fill with color, gradient or pattern of choice. I used black. Name this layer BG.
Step 2 Add a New Layer. Selections / Select All. Open SD MG Preview.jpg from kit and Copy & Paste into Selection. Deselect. Apply Gaussian Blur of 10.
Step 3 Apply mask of choice. I used Vix_Mask073 with Invert Mask Data unchecked. Merge / Merge Group. I Duplicated mask layer and then Merged Down to make it darker. I added Drop Shadow of 1, -1, 100, 1, #FF00FF. Name this layer mask.
Step 4 Copy and Paste tube of choice. Resize if needed. Drop Shadow of choice, mine was 3, 3, 65, 8, Black. Move toward lower left of tag. Name this layer tube.
Step 5 Add Fireworks 1 from kit just above background layer (BG). Resize 60% and place in upper left of tag.
Step 6 Grab your Text Tool with font and size of choice. I used Kingthings Slipperylip, Vector, Size 55, Bold, Stroke 2 #FF00FF, for fill I used #00FA03. Type “Happy April Fool’s Day or saying of choice. Position in top right area of tag. Drop Shadow 1, -1, 100, 1, Black. Name this layer text.
Step 7 Resize your tag to size required by your group or size of choice. Add copyrights and your watermark on separate layers. Name layers accordingly.
NOTE: If you use a black or dark background you may need to create a “backscreen” under your copyright layer so it remains readable. See my tutorial Creating Backscreen for CRs or WMs HERE. I included tile I used for the backscreen in supplies.
Step 8 Add your name. I used same settings as Step 5 but changed size to 65. Rotate Left 25 Degrees. Place in lower right side of tag.
Step 9 Layer Palette should look like this from top to bottom: Copyright (CR), your name, text, tube, mask, fireworks, background (BG).
Step 10 Save as .pspimage to retain layers for future changes. Save as .jpg using Jpeg Optimizer to send thru group.
IF YOU CHOOSE TO ANIMATE FOLLOW BELOW STEPS
Step 1 Activate the fireworks layer and Duplicate 2 times for total of 3 layers.
Step 2 Activate bottom fireworks layer and go to Alien Skin / Xenofex 2 / Constellation: 2, 20, 19, 0, 100, 75, 45, Keep Original Image, Random Seed 1. Move up to copy of fireworks layer and repeat Constellation same settings but hit Random Seed once. Do the same to copy (2) of fireworks layer, repeat Constellation same settings but hit Random Seed once again.
Step 3 Hide copy and copy (2) of fireworks layer. Copy Merged, go to Animation Shop and Paste as New Animation.
Step 4 Hide original fireworks layer, unhide copy of fireworks layer. Copy Merged, go back to Animation Shop and Paste after Current Frame. Do the same with copy (2) of fireworks layer.
Step 5 View Animation and 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. This tutorial was written 2/4/2010 by Kaye'z Designz.
