FTU TUTORIAL - MERRY LITTLE CHRISTMAS

I wrote this tutorial for those with a working knowledge of PSP

Any resemblance to another tutorial is purely coincidental

Supplies:

Template by Vaybs, which you can download HERE

Gorgeous Freebie Scrap Kit, Holly Jolly Xmas , by Vaybs, which you can download HERE

Close Up tube of choice, I am using the work of Ismael Rac

His artwork requires a license to use, you can get the tube and license HERE

Font of Choice, I am using Honey Script

Mask of choice

Effects:

Eye Candy, Gradient Glow

Eye Candy, HSB Noise

Eye Candy 5, Nature, Fire

Zero, Constellation

Okay, Let's Get Started

Open Vaybs's template in PSP, delete the credits layer

Image, Canvas Size, 800 X 700 (we can crop and resize later)

Activate bottom background layer and floodfill white to fill in

Copy and paste a paper of choice from the kit

Layers, Load/Save Mask, Apply Mask of choice

Adjust, Blur, Gaussian Blur, 10

Effects, Eye Candy, HSB Noise, move both bottom slider 3/4 the way up to marker, Apply

Layers, Duplicate and merge down

Effects, Texture Effects, Blinds, default, color white

(Note, I colorized part of my template to match my tube)

Activate the circle layer, Selections, Select All, Float, Defloat

Copy and paste your close up tube of choice, position, Selections, Invert

Hit delete on your keyboard, Add a subtle drop shadow to your tube

Activate your tag layer under the wordart

Effects, Eye Candy, HSB Noise, same settings as before

You can use the wordart as is, colorize it, or delete it and make your own

(I chose to make my own using the Honey Script font, size 28)

If you do your own text, add Effects, Gradient Glow, Color, Medium, White

Add a subtle drop shadow to the text

Copy and paste bow of choice at the top of the picture bulb, see my tag for placement

Copy and paste a ribbon of choice and place at the bottom of your tag

Copy and paste the round candle of choice, postion over the ribbon left side of tag

Layers, Duplicate, Image, Mirror

Copy and paste taper candle of choice as a new layer, place in center at bottom of tag

See my tag as a reference

Copy and paste the holly as a new layer, (I colorized the berries to match my tag)

Position to the left of the center taper candle on ribbon, see my tag for placement

Layers, Duplicate, Image, Mirror

Drop shadow all elements with drop shadow of choice

Add your tag/copyright info

Hide your white background layer

Activate any other layer and Layers, Merge, Merge Visible

Layers, Duplicate

On the bottom layer, change the Layer Properties to Darken, Adjust, Blur, Gaussian Blur, 10

Unhide your white background layer

Layers, Merge, Merge Visible

If you do not wish to animate, you can save your file as a png file and you are done

Animation:

Layers, Duplicate for a total of 3 layers

Using your magic wand tool, click on the snowflakes on the bow and the round candles, carefully

Make sure you only have the white part selected

On your first layer, Effects, Xenofex 2, Constellation, 

Settings, Low Density Stars, 2.00, 85, 4, 4, 61, 35, Keep original image checked, apply

Repeat for the other two layers, making sure to hit random seed again on each layer, Deselect

Activate your first layer again, Using your magic wand tool again,

Click on the flame of each of your 3 candles, make sure to select all the flame

Effects, Eye Candy Nature, Fire, Settings, Small Candle, Direction 90, 30, 92, -2, 0, 25, 100, 20

Start from bottom checked, Apply

Repeat for the other 2 layers, making sure to hit random seed again on each layer

Activate your first layer, Edit, Copy and paste into Animation Shop as a new animation

Back in psp, Activate your second layer, Edit, Copy and paste into AS after current frame

Back in psp, Activate your third layer, Edit, Copy and paste into AS after current frame

Animation, View animation, if happy with your tag, save as a gif file and you are all done!!

I hope you enjoyed my tutorial and if you make a tag with it, please send it to me so I can show it off here!

Thanks for stopping by!!