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This tutorial was created in PSP9. A working knowledge of PSP is assumed.

Supplies Needed

Tube and Background image of choice.(Naturally you will want a mermaid and a beach scene)
I am using the amazing art of Jeff Wilkie and Edward Reed, which can be purchased from PTE.
BP_template112 Made by me.
Animation Shop3
PlugIn Xenofex 2- Constellation
My background paper Stars on Black
Font used is 101 Star Lit Nght

NOTE: This tutorial is written for the materials I used. If you are using something different you may have to adjust some instructions.

* IPL = In Palette Layers

Let's Begin

Open template in PSP. Type Shift and d to duplicate. Delete the original template. In Palette layers, right click the info layer and delete.

 Go to Image - Canvas Size. Width = 725, Height = 550, Pixels.(I like to have a little more space. You can resize later.) Click on the white background and flood fill with white.

In your Color Palette create a gradient color. In the foreground make the color c3e1f2. Make the background color 7eafdf. Back in the foreground color palette click the gradient tab. Style is Linear. Angle = 45. Repeats = 3. Invert box is unchecked.

These steps are for all the background layers.

Click the split square background layer. Selections - Select All - Float - Defloat. Layers - New Raster Layer. Flood fill with your gradient color. Selections - Select None. IPL delete the original background layer. Still in palette layers, right click your gradient and duplicate. Click on the original gradient layer and go to Adjust - Blur - Gaussian Blur, set to 8.
Repeat for the other background layers.

Click the split square. Selections - Select All - Float - Defloat. Layers - New Raster Layer. Copy your beach image and paste into selection. Selections - Select None. Delete the original split square.

Click the recatangle and repeat the same steps used for the split square.

Click on your beach image. Increase the size by 115%. Copy. Back at your tag, click the large circle. Selections - Select All - Float - Defloat. Paste as a new layer. Move your image so that the planets are not showing within the circle. (See my tag.) Selections - Invert. Delete. Selections - Select None.

Click on the small circle. Selections - Select All - Float - Defloat. As before, paste as a new layer, the beach image. Selections - Invert. Delete. Selections - Select None. IPL, delete the original small circle layer.

Paste, as a new layer, your tube. Mirror. Resize down to 70%. Position it on the small circle. (See My Tag) IPL, right click your tube, and duplicate. Click on the original layer and go to Adjust - Blur - Gaussion blur, set to 6. Click on the duplicate tube. Add a drop shadow. H = 1, V = 0. Opacity = 40, blur = 4. Color is black.

Click on the white background layer. Copy and paste, as a new layer, the black star paper. Center it evenly behind your tag. (See my tag). With your magic wand, click just outside of the star paper. Selections - Modify - Inside/Outside Feather. Set to 14. Hit your delete key 8 to 10 times.
Selections - Select All - Float - Defloat. Layers - New Raster Layer. Fill with this color 6a4276. IPL, move this layer below the star paper layer. Go to Adjust - Blur - Gaussian Blur - set to 8.

IPL, hide the white background layer. Right click any layer and merge visible. Image - Resize - 85%. Put check in Lock aspect ratio. Do Not check resize all layers. IPL, unhide the white background layer.  Right click and merge visible. Use your crop tool to cut off any excess edges.

Add your copyright info. Remember, if you are using the art of two different artists, they need to be from the same tube store, be sure to include both copyrights. Unless otherwise stated in the tou.

If you are not going to add the sparkles, make your name text.

I used the font 101 Star Lit Nght, size 60. Foreground color is null. Background is either black, or the star paper. Place the name to the lower left of your tube. (see my tag) Selections - Select All - Float - Defloat - Modify - Expand by 1. Layers - New Raster Layer. Fill with the gradient color you used for the backgrounds. Selections - Select none. Move the gradient layer below the black layer. Right click the gradient and duplicate. Click the original and go to Adjust - Blur - Gaussian Blur, set to 4. IPL, right click any layer and merge visible.
Save your tag as a png or jpeg file.

Animation/Sparkles

If you want to add the sparkles, hold off adding the name text.
Using the magic wand, or the rectangle selection tool, randomly select dots or stars on your tag. Select as many or as few as you like. I selected quite a few. If you're using your magic wand, you may want to set the tolerence to 10.
Go to Effects - PlugIns - Xenofex - Constellation. Settings: Star size = 2.00. Size variation = 3. Edge star density = 1. Overall star density = 1. Overdrive = 50. Twinkle amount = 50. Rotation = 45. Tick circle for Keep Original Image.
Selections - Select None.
Right click and save. Paste your tag as a new image in animation shop.

Back in PSP, click your tag, go to Edit - Undo Select none. Undo Constellation. Go back to Xenofex and constellation, keep the settings the same, but click random seed. Selections - Select None. Copy and in animation shop right click the tag already there and paste after currant frame.

Go back to PSP and repeat the same steps once more.

In animation shop, your tag should now have three frames. Go up to View - Animation. If you are happy with the results, save your tag as a mng file, for future use.

To add your name. After making it in psp, copy and paste, as a new image in animation shop. On your tool bar, click propagate paste. Click on your name and type Ctrl  a, and Ctrl c. Now click on your tag and type Ctrl a and Ctrl e. Position the name to the lower left of the tag.
Save as a gif. file, and you are finished.
I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and found it easy to follow.
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This tutorial was created on April 23, 2011
All the ideas of this tutorial are copyrighted to Becky P
Any resemblance to any another tutorial is purely a coincidence
You are welcome to link to this tutorial and/or print it out for your own personal use.
However please do not copy this tutorial to place online, re-write, pass out or claim as your own.
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