Christmas Sparkle

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[Click image above to go to full sized image.]

This tutorial was written on November 10, 2009, using Paint Shop Pro, version X.03. It should be okay to do with other versions as well. I just find X.03 more comfortable for me. You may download a free trial of Paint Shop Pro, version X2, from Corel. Any similarities between this tut and any others you may see are purely coincidental.

You will also need:

Animation Shop. This is from CNET, so it's a safe download. However, it costs. That changed pretty recently. I don't know why!!

HOWEVER ..... a LOVELY person named solshne (and another named Chris) wrote to let me know that one might find Animation Shop for free at this location. This is an FTP link and I have no idea if it's safe or not. So keep your antivirus handy to scan it after download!

A tube of your choice. I'm using the cute artwork of Gene Gonzales. You must have a license to use his artwork. You can get that license and art at C.I.L.M.

The scrap kit is by Heza, of HezaScraps & Tags. This is a PTU kit, available at Treasured Scraps and is called Holly Jolly. This is the second tutorial I've done with this kit. The other is called A Swingin' Christmas. I'm doing a second, because that first one uses a tube not everyone has nor can buy. I hope you like this one!

Filters: Eye Candy 4000 > Gradient Glow -=- Mura's Meister > Copies -=- Eye Candy 4000 > HSB Noise

Font: I used Anglia Script Enhancer.

Supplies: You may find here. This includes the mask, by Becky, and the gradient used for the name. The gradient is in the newer file format, so I don't think it will work for PSP versions below X. Not sure how to change it to a .jgd file, so I'm sorry about that. If someone knows how to do that, can you let me know, or do it and send me the file? Thanks so much!

Also, please... if you have problems with any download link for supplies, drop me a line via e-mail. Leaving a comment without a way for me to contact you back doesn't help. If you e-mail me, I'll do my best to send you the supplies.

Okay, so let's begin!

Open your supplies in PSP and minimize. Alternatively, you can file them away to your mask and gradient files for future use!

Open a new canvas, 750 x 700, white.

Open Frame2. Copy and paste as a new layer. Rotate 90° either direction.

Add your tube. Resize, position, and drop shadow to your taste.

Highlight your frame layer. Grab your magic wand and click inside the frame.

Selections > Modify > Expand by 1. Selections > Invert.

Highlight your tube layer. Get your eraser brush and erase whatever part of your tube you don't want showing on the bottom or sides of your frame.

Selections > Select None.

Highlight your white background layer.

Open Paper-13. Resize to 750x750 pixels. Copy and paste as a new layer.

Apply your mask. Delete the mask layer, answer "yes" to the pop-up question, and merge group.

Open Flower 8. Resize 50%. Copy and paste as a new layer. Place on the left bottom corner of the frame. Drop shadow. Duplicate this layer and Image > Mirror.

Open Frame 7. Resize 20%. Copy and paste as a new layer.

Effects > Mura's Meister > Copies with the following settings:



Hit okay.

In your layer palette, drag this layer down below your mask layer.

Go back to the top layer and add your name. I used the gradient supplied, style set at radial, angle at 45 and repeat set at 1.



Eye Candy 4000 > Gradient Glow of 3-0-100, color black.

Apply another Gradient Glow of 5-25-100, color #dacab5.

Drop shadow your name.

Resize your canvas to a size with which you are comfortable.

Add your copyright, license information if applicable, and taggers'/watermark.

If you choose not to animate, you're now done, and you can merge your layers and save!


A N I M A T I O N


Highlight your frame 7 layer. Duplicate three times, for a total of four frame 7 layers.

Highlight your bottom frame 7 layer.

Effects > Eye Candy 4000 > HSB Noise set on the following:



Use default number settings.

Hit okay.

Highlight the next frame 7 layer up.

Add HSB Noise again, this time hitting "Random Seed."

Hit okay.

Now, highlight the third frame 7 layer. Again, add HSB Noise, again hitting "Random Seed."

Hit okay.

And finally, the top frame 7 layer. Add HSB Noise, again hitting "Random Seed."

Hit okay.

Close out the top three frame 7 layers, leaving the bottom frame 7 layer open.

Edit > Copy Merged.

Open Animation Shop. Right-click on the desktop area and paste as a new animation.

Return to PSP. Close out the bottom frame 7 layer and open the next frame 7 layer.

Edit > Copy merged.

Back to Animation Shop. Edit > Paste > After Current Frame.

Return again to PSP. Close out the open frame 7 layer and open the next frame 7 layer up.

Edit > Copy merged.

Again, back to Animation Shop. Edit > Paste > After Current Frame.

One last time, back to PSP. Close out the open frame 7 layer, opening the top frame 7 layer.

Edit > Copy Merged.

Back to Animation Shop. Edit > Paste > After Current Frame.

Still in Animation Shop, Edit > Select All.

Right-click on the top bar of your animation. Select "Frame Properties" and change that number to 35.

View > Animation.

We've finished! Thanks for being here! I'm happy that you chose my tut!!

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