Beginner Forum Set Tutorial

Supplies Needed

Image of Choice – I'm using a wonderful image by Darriel Jenkins, http://www.renderosity.com/mod/gallery/browse.php?username=ryo80
*Used with permission granted to Shewolfs Domain yahoo group 

Font of Choice – I'm using Dynomite Spark Thin

Optional – Animation Shop, Eye Candy

Let's Get Started!

Open image of choice. If image is larger than 500 pixels in width, resize to width of 500. If smaller than that, don't resize to make it larger, just work with it as is. Duplicate it, we will use one for the tag & one for the avatar.

Activate your Crop tool. Set it to a width of 500 (or the width of your image) and a height of 250. Move the crop box around until you get the area you want to use for your tag. Hit the check mark to apply crop.

Activate your Preset Shape tool. Choose the rectangle tool.

Set your stroke/foreground color to null & your background/fill color to a color from your image. I used #bf4b01.

Draw a long thin rectangle out on your canvas. Convert to raster layer.

Rotate your shape so it cuts across the canvas. I rotated mine 55 degrees to the left, but the exact angle will depend on the image you choose.

Apply a texture effect to your shape. I used Blinds, 3, 25, Light from the top, color #482d1a.

Save.

Add a new raster layer, should be your top layer.

Selections>Select All

Flood fill with the same color your used for your rectangle.

Selections>Modify>Contract by 5 pixels.

With your flood filled layer still active, hit the Delete key.

Selections>Select None.

Save.

Add a drop shadow to your border & your rectangle. I used 0, 0, 55, 10, black. Save.

Add your copyright info.

Add your name/text. Rotate it the same amount you rotated your rectangle & place it over the rectangle on your canvas.

Add a gradient glow (optional, use Eye Candy: Gradient Glow) and drop shadow to your name.

If you'd like to add simple animation to the rectangle/border, follow the instructions below, otherwise – you're done with your tag!

For your avatar – 

Crop a 150 x 150 portion from your original image. Repeat the steps you used to create the border. Add your name & copyright info.

For animation -

Activate your rectangle or border layer – whichever you want to animate.

Go to Adjust>Add/Remove Noise>Add Noise. Choose settings “Uniform” and 60%, Monochrome should be CHECKED.

Edit>Copy Special>Copy Merged

Go to Animation Shop and Edit>Paste>As New Animation (or CTRL+V)

Back in PSP, Edit>Undo (or CTRL+Z)

Go to Adjust>Add/Remove Noise>Add Noise. Choose settings “Uniform” and 61%, Monochrome should be CHECKED.

Edit>Copy Special>Copy Merged

Go to Animation Shop and Edit>Paste>After Current Frame (or CTRL+Shift+L)

Back in PSP, Edit>Undo (or CTRL+Z)

Go to Adjust>Add/Remove Noise>Add Noise. Choose settings “Uniform” and 62%, Monochrome should be CHECKED.

Go to Animation Shop and Edit>Paste>After Current Frame (or CTRL+Shift+L)

Still in Animation Shop – Edit>Select All (or CTRL+A)

Animation>Frame Properties – Change the display time to 15

View>Animation – You can speed up the “twinkling” by changing the display time to a number lower than 15, or slow it down by using a higher number.

When you are happy with it, save as GIF and you are done.

Here's another example of the tut, using artwork by ©Khaosdog, www.khaosdog.de (Used with permission of the artist)