Spring Fever

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 X3. You can get it from COREL. Tube of choice. I used one by Thom Brommerich, FTU General Permission. You may use your own color, gradient or pattern, I used Leaves BG. Font of choice or use mine NovakSpring. Notes: Open images in PSP. Open font and minimize to task bar. SAVE OFTEN.

STEP 1  Open new canvas 500 X 500, Resolution 72.0. Flood Fill with color, gradient or pattern of choice. I used #E0E0E0. Name this layer BG.

STEP 2  Add a New Layer. Flood Fill with pattern of choice. I used Leaves BG. Apply Bordermania / Round Button #3: 30, 0, 100, 0, 2, OK.
On button layer Select All. Float, Defloat. Selections / Modify / Contract by 30.
Apply FM Tile Tools / Blend Emboss.
Add New Layer and apply Cutout: 0, 0, 100, 30, Black. Deselect. Name layer button.

STEP 3  Copy and Paste tube of choice. Resize to fit inside button. Drop Shadow of choice, mine was 3, 3, 65, 8, Black. Name this layer tube.

STEP 4  Add any elements of choice.

STEP 5  Grab your Text Tool with font and size of choice. I used NovakSpring, Vector, Size 50, Bold, Stroke of choice, for fill I used same pattern used for button. Type your text. Add Inner Bevel of choice. Add Drop Shadow of choice. Name this layer text.

STEP 6 Resize tag for group requirements.
Add your watermark And artist’s copyrights.

STEP 7  Save as .pspimage to retain layers for future changes. Save as .jpg using Jpeg Optimizer to send thru group. If you wish to animate continue.

TO ANIMATE

STEP 1  Activate the Button layer. Duplicate 3 times for a total of 4 layers.
Select All. Float, Defloat. Selections / Modify / Contract by 30.

STEP 2  Activate copy of button layer and go to VM Natural / Sparkle: 20, 255, 255, 255, 255, 142. Move up to copy (2) of button layer and repeat Sparkle changing first # to 20 and last # to 152. Do the same to copy (3) of button layer, repeat Sparkle changing first # to 20 and last # to 162.

STEP 3  Hide copy (2) and copy (3) of button layer. Copy Merged, go to Animation Shop and Paste as New Animation.

STEP 4  Hide copy of button layer, unhide copy (2). Copy Merged, go back to Animation Shop and Paste after Current Frame. Do the same with copy (3) of button layer.

STEP 5  View Animation and if happy with the speed of Sparkles, 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 5/31/10 by Kaye'z Designz.