Supplies
No scraps for this one :)
Image of choice – Artwork used in this tutorial is ©Tom Hoover, www.tomhooverart.com To use his work, you must first purchase a license from MPT. I am using an image, you can use a tube if you want. If you use a tube, you will need to have a background of some sort on it.
Filter – Mura’s Filter Meister: Copies (Free)
Penta: Color dot (Free)
Eye Candy 5 Impact (PTU) OR Eye Candy 3.1 (Free)
Font of choice – I used “Vivian”
All links and supplies shared with permission.
You will need a good working knowledge of PSP to complete this tutorial. This tutorial was written using version X2.
Let's go!
Open a new canvas – 625 x 250, transparent.
Resize your image so that it is 220 pixels high.
Copy and paste the image as a new layer.
Duplicate your image layer. Save your progress.
Hide the original (bottom-most) image layer.
On the top image layer – Selections>Select All, Selections>Float, Selections>Defloat
*Shortcut – these 3 tasks can be done by using hotkeys - CTRL+A, CTRL+F, CTRL+Shift+F
Selections>Modify>Expand by 10
Add a new raster layer above the top image layer, and flood fill the selection on that layer with a color that matches your image. I used black.
Selections>Modify>Contract by 12. Hit the delete key.
Still on the flood filled layer - Selections>Select All, Selections>Float, Selections>Defloat (CTRL+A, CTRL+F, CTRL+Shift+F)
Apply Eye Candy 5 Impact Glass or Chrome – I used Chrome, with the preset “Black Latex” – it will depend on your tastes and colors.
*If you are using the FTU Eye Candy 3.1, apply Glass with the preset “Illuminated Lumps”, or play with the settings to suit your tastes and colors.
Selections>Select None (or CTRL+D)
Merge your frame down onto your image (Right click on layer, Merge>Merge Down). Save.
Resize the merged layer 90%. (Be sure that “Resize all layers is Unchecked”)
Apply a drop shadow – I used 5, 5, 75, 8, color: black.
Move the merged framed image to the very far right or left of your canvas.
Duplicate it (Layers>Duplicate) and then mirror the duplicate (Image>Mirror). Save.
Copy one of your frame layers – paste it as a new image. Minimize the new image, we will use this later for our avatar.
Merge the two frame layers together.
Unhide and activate your bottom image layer.
Duplicate it.
On the bottom-most image layer, apply Mura’s Meister: Copies with the preset “Tiling (feedback)”
On the image layer above that one, apply Mura’s Meister: Copies with the preset “Wall Paper(shrink)”. Play with the “Number” setting until you get an arrangement you like (I used 21 for the Tom Hoover tag, but other numbers for other tags). Save.
Merge the two Mura’s layers together.
To this merged layer, apply Penta: Color Dot using settings 100, 2, 255, 255, 255. (For lighter tags, you may want to use 60 instead of 100) Save.
You should now have 2 layers – your frames layer and your background layer.
Lower the opacity of your background layer to 50% (Right click on the layer, then choose Properties).
Below your background layer, add a new raster layer and flood fill it white or black, depending on your preferences (white = lighter tag, black = darker).
Merge the background layer down onto the flood filled layer. Save.
Activate your Preset Shape tool, and select Rectangle. Mode will be Rectangle, Line Style: Solid, Line Width 5. Your foreground and background colors should complement your image – play with different colors to see what you like best! I used black and #8f050b.
Draw out a rectangle that runs the length of your tag – see my tag for an example. Stretch it out so that it goes past the edges of your tag.
Objects>Align>Vertical Center in Canvas. Convert to Raster Layer. Lower the opacity of the rectangle to 65. Save.
Your rectangle should be below your frames layer and above your background layer.
Now, add your copyright info, license # (if applicable), and tagger’s mark (if you use one). Every tag needs copyright info ;)
Finally, add your name. I used font “Vivian” and then I stretched it up a little, so it took up more of the rectangle area. I used stroke width 1, color black, and the fill color was white. I then changed the blend mode of the layer to “Soft Light” (right click the layer, then choose Properties).
Objects>Align>Center in Canvas, or position how you like it.
Save as .png file and you are done with the tag.
For the avatar -
Now, go to your canvas with the one framed image you copied and pasted as a new image earlier…
Selections>Select All, Selections>Float, Selections>Defloat (CTRL+A, CTRL+F, CTRL+Shift+F)
Image>Crop to Selection
Image>Resize – Resize so that your longest side is 150 pixels (Be sure that “Resize all layers” and “Lock aspect ratio” are both CHECKED.
Image>Canvas Size – Enter new dimensions of 150x150 pixels and placement to far left (you should see a set of 9 buttons, you push the one with ß-
Now, add your copyright info and your name or initial.
Save as .png and you’re done!
I would love to see your results! Email them to tutsbyj0eswife@gmail.com
This tutorial was created on May 10, 2009. Tutorial is © tutsbyj0eswife and is registered with
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