~~ CT Tutorial Autumn Beauties and Cluster Frame ~~ Featuring Scrappin Krazy Designs Autumn Mist Kit

This tutorial was written by me, Mary Oakes aka Ariez Moon, on September 4, 2014. Any similarity to any other tutorial is purely coincidental. Please abide my TOU.

Supplies:

Photoshop or program of choice.

Scraps: I am using the gorgeous PTU kit called “Autumn Mist” by Scrappin Krazy Designs.

Elements from kit used:

P14 for the mask P17 for inside frame

ele 03, 06, 09, 14, 16, 35, 48, 57, 58, 66, 68, and 70.

Fonts of choice: I am using PF Rhonda Seven for the credits and Aquarelle for the name/text.

Tubes or Images of choice: I used the beautiful artwork of Jennifer Janesko. I purchased these tubes through CILM, but since they have closed you can now purchase her lovelies at

Mask of choice: I am using Mask 113 by Vaybs HERE.

Filters: Eye Candy 5 Impact Gradient Glow.

Grab a munchie and something to wet your whistle. Are ya comfy??

OK, let's begin!!

Remember to save your work often! If you feel that you have messed up, UNDO is your bestest friend!!

Create a New Image FILE > NEW. 900 x 900px, Transparent background, 72ppi, and name the file whatever you would like to call it.

Open ele48 and from the Layer Palette, drag the thumbnail of the element while holding shift, to apply it to the center of your working canvas.. This element will be used as a frame.

Open P17 and again apply it to the center of your working canvas using the same steps as you did for the frame. In the Layer Palette, drag the paper below your frame.

Open your tubes or images that you will be using. Apply them to the center of your canvas, inside your frame. Don't worry if some is hanging out we will fix it. Make sure that your images are sitting under your frame in the Layer Palette, but above your paper. Close off your frame and paper layer, in the Layer Palette and right click on one of the image layers. Merge Visible. Open your closed layers.

Click on your frame layer in the Layer Palette.

Grab your Lasso Tool, Feather at O, draw a selection around your frame, just inside of the outer edge. It doesn't have to be perfect. You just don't want to be able to see any part of the paper or the tubes outside of the frame.

STOP!! HIT SAVE!!

Go to SELECT > INVERSE. Click on your merged layer and hit Delete on your keyboard. Click on your paper layer and hit Delete. Then go to SELECT > DESELECT. Zoom in and check to see that there is nothing outside of your frame. If there is, use your Eraser Tool, with a small hard brush and erase the little bits.

Click on your merged image layer, and set the Blending Mode to Darker. Lower the layers Opacity to 50%. Right click and Duplicate. Set the Blending Mode of this Layer to Luminosity and lower the opacity to 30%.

Click on your top layer in the Layer Palette, open ele68, and apply it to the center of your canvas. With your Move Tool, position it so that the ribbon sits a little higher up on your frame. Colorize the ribbon to your liking. IMAGE > IMAGE ADJUSTMENTS > HUE/SATURATION. Make sure the colorize box is ticked, and play with the sliders until you get the color that you like.

Open ele09, and drag it onto your working canvas, Re-size if you wish. Position the heart so that it sits above the lower right side of the frame. Grab your Burn Brush with a soft setting and stroke around the outside of the heart element. This will help to define it because it is surrounded by similar colors..

Open ele03. Drag it onto your working canvas and re-size if needed. Place at the lower section of the heart. Duplicate and drag the duplicated leaf's layer under the heart layer, in the Layer Palette. Position that leaf so it is at the bottom and to the left behind the heart. Click on the original leaf and rotate it to your liking. To do this use your Move Tool, and make sure “Show Transform Controls” is ticked. Move your cursor to a corner and your cursor should to rounded double arrow. Click and drag to rotate your image.

Now we are going to adjust the color of this leaf a bit. Go to IMAGE>ADJUSTMENTS>COLOR BALANCE. I won't give you my settings (This is a learning experience, LOL). Play with the sliders until you are happy with the way your leaf looks. I will say, however, make sure you keep “Preserve Luminosity” ticked, or it will flatten out your leaf.

Now click on your duplicated leaf to make it active. We are going to change the vibrance of this leaf. IMAGE>ADJUSTMENTS>VIBRANCE. Once again, no settings from me. Play around with the sliders and tones until you like the way the leaf looks.

STOP!! HIT SAVE!!

Open and drag onto your canvas ele66. Re-size if needed and position it between your first leaf and your heart. Use your Eraser Tool and erase any stem that may be sticking out..

Open and drag onto your working canvas ele14. Re-size to your liking and place it above but so that it looks as if it sits in between both of your leafs.

Open and drag onto your canvas ele58. Re-size and position to the lower left of your frame. Duplicate then hide your duplicated leaf layer in your Layer Palette. On your first leaf go to IMAGE>ADJUSTMENTS>VIBRANCE and play with the sliders until you are happy with what your leaf looks like.

Unhide your duplicated leaf. Go to EDIT>TRANSFORM>FLIP HORIZONTALLY. Slightly position this leaf so that it sits half the distance down from the original leaf. If you wish, use one of the options you have already used in this tutorial to change or modify the color of your leaf.

Now we are going to transform the leaf so that it flows with the frame. To do this we are going to use the Liquify Filter. ( Yep! I have to play with something I never used before, LOL!! ) Go to FILTER>LIQUIFY.

Now don't get all testy cuz it is easier than it looks, I promise!!

On the left hand side, you have your tools. Click on the very first tool Button. It should be the Forward Warp Tool. On the right had side is your settings for your tool. Follow my settings below, or experiment and use your own. Your Warp Brush is the large circle with the cross hairs in the middle. Use your brush to push up and over the tail end of your leaf to mold it into shape. Do little sections at a time so you do not over do it. When you like what you see, hit OK. See how easy that was? And it looks a lot better than erasing the bottom half of the leaf. Now the leaf just flows........

STOP!! HIT SAVE!!

Open ele16. Drag it onto your canvas, re-size it and position it to the right above the frame and leaves.

Open ele06. Drag it onto your working canvas. Re-size to your liking and perch the wood pecker onto the rocking chair, near or on the arm.

Open ele35. Drag onto your working canvas and re-size to your liking. Position it on top of the frame at the very bottom middle. Duplicate and flip the duplicated layer horizontally using the same steps as above. If you wish to bring out more color, you can, using the same methods as listed above.

Open and drag onto your working canvas ele70. Re-size and position at the bottom on top of the sprig of leaves.

Take a last look at your tag. Click and add a soft drop shadow to all the layers that you think will look best. To add a drop shadow to a layer, double click on that layer in the Layer Palette and click on Drop Shadow. Adjust the settings to what you desire and then hit OK.

Open up Mask 113 by Vaybs and prepare it for use. Click on the very top layer of your working canvas, then drag your mask onto it. You can learn how to prepare your mask in the forum at Rebel-Dezigns. In the mean time I will ask permission to post her tutorial on my blog.

Open p14 and drag it onto your working canvas above your mask layer. Hold the Alt key and place your cursor between the mask and paper thumbnails. When you see the cursor change into a half square with an arrow at the end Left Click to create a clipping mask. Right click on your paper layer in the Layer Palette and choose Merge Down. Drag this layer all the way down to the bottom of the layer Palette. If your mask isn't in a position that you are happy with, re-position it to your liking. Add A drop shadow to the mask layer, but use a dark green for the shadow color.

STOP!! HIT SAVE!!

Final steps! Now let's make our tag a more suitable size. Go to IMAGE>TRIM with these settings:

Then go to IMAGE>IMAGE SIZE with these settings:

Now Grab your Text Tool and select your font for your credits. Size 8 anti-alias Off and Left Alignment chosen with whatever color you desire. Add your ©..

Now change your font to what ever you are going to use for your Name/Text. Size 72pts, Anti-Alias set to Smooth, and the color White. Type out your name/text.

 Rotate it slightly and position it to the upper right so that it just sits somewhat on the frame. Right click on the text layer in the Layer Palette and choose Rasterize Type.

 Right click again and grab your Blending Options and click on Stroke. Type in 2 for the size and use #e17124 for the color. Right click on the layer and choose Rasterize Layer Style.

 Go to FILTER>ALIEN SKIN EYE CANDY 5 IMPACT>GRADIENT GLOW with the following settings:

STOP!! HIT SAVE!!

Now let's save it so we can share it. Go to FILE>SAVE FOR WEB. Use the following settings:

That is it! You are finished! Oooo la la! Gorgeousness!!

I hope you all enjoyed this tutorial, and I hope that I did not do too bad of a job writing it. If you have any problems, questions. or comments just give me a hollar and I will try to help you as fast and as best as I can.

As always, Happy PSPing...... and Photoshop too!!

Ah YES!! Here is the cluster frame for you to enjoy creating with also!! Please make sure you follow the TOU included with the download :) Just click on the Preview to download!!

Beauty Framed ~ Old tutorial

This tutorial was written by me, Mary Oakes on November 6, 2008 and revised and edited on June 17, 2014. Any resemblance to any other tutorial is purely coincidental. Please be sure to abide by my TOU.

Before we begin, I just want to say that although animation might seem confusing, please do not get discouraged. If you find that a tutorial may be too confusing for you, just do an easier tutorial until you get the hang of the programs and functions that the programs can do. All good things come to those who do not give up!! I assure you it gets easier and it is very rewarding!!

This is written for PSP 9 and re visioned with X2 . I am sure that it will work in other versions, and was also written to help beginners and pros alike. For you pros out there, I am sorry if my tuts seem a bit lengthy and long winded BUT …. we all had to start somewhere, right?

Tools we will be using:

Move Tool, Flood Fill Tool, Deformation Tool, Magic Wand (Selection Tool), Lasso (Selection Tool), Eraser Tool

Abbreviations that I use:

PSP = Paint Shop Pro

AS = Animation Shop

Supplies Needed:

Paint Shop Pro

Animation Shop 3

or another animation program that you are familiar with. Animation Shop is no longer supported by Corel and is no longer bundled with Paint Shop Pro. There used to be a website that offered a free legal copy of it, but I no longer know what that link is.

A Tube AND an Image of choice from the same artist. I am using the gorgeous work of Jennifer Janesko. You must purchase a license to use her wonderful tubes and you can get them at 

 This particular tube was Purchased at CILM while they were still open so that is why my CILM license # is on the tag.

Font of choice. I used Aquarelle.

Scrap kit or elements of choice. The kit that I have used, is used with general permission and is called Romantic Charm by Bluey of BlueDreamDesigns . The kit was a freebie kit but is no longer offered for download. If you do have her kit or any other kit please abide by her TOU. Please DO NOT change any file names. You don't have to use this kit if you don't want to.. Be creative and use whatever you like, after all tutorials are a learning guide. They are not set in stone.

Plug-ins:

Alien Skin Xenofex 2 Constellation. You can download a demo version HERE.

PhotoEffex Scanlines. This is a freeware plug-in. Just Google it and you should be able to find a download.

Xero Porcelain HERE.

Click on the right were it says freeware filters.

Alien Skin Eye Candy 5 Impact- Gradient Glow Demo Version HERE.

Open up your supplies and put them in their proper places, wherever you keep your tubes, plug-ins, kits, and fonts. Don't know where your filters and plugins go?? I have a tut for that!!

Please remember to save you work often and remember that UNDO can be your bestest friend!! 8o)

Are you ready? Let's begin!! 8o)

Create a new transparent image 600 x 600 pixels. Flood fill white. In your Layer Palette, double click on it and when a pop up box comes up you will see a field box that says Name. This will rename your layer. Where it says Name type in “BG” or “Background” click OK or hit Enter on your keyboard. HIT SAVE!!

And Name your file!

Open up your scrap kit of choice or the one I am using. Copy and paste as New Layer the diamond frame and center in canvas, Image>Resize>Resize 95%. Go to Adjust>Sharpen. On your Layer Palette double click and rename. Name this layer Diamond Frame. 

Copy and paste as new layer frame 3. Image>Resize>Resize 95%. Click on your Raster Deform Tool  in your tool palette.

 Use the nodes to squeeze the left, right, and upper sides in until it fits into your diamond frame. If you can't see the left node for the deform tool, use your cursor and click and drag to stretch out your canvas window.

Copy and paste as a new layer frame 2. Image> Resize>Resize 95% and sharpen, again grab your deform tool and stretch the frame so it sits in the middle of frame 3, sharpen once again.

Click on your Eraser Tool

 on your Tool Palette. Using your eraser at a small size to erase the part of frame 2 that sits on the bow of frame 3.

HIT SAVE!!

In your layer palette click on the eyes

 of your diamond frame and the white background layers to hide them. Make sure your top frame layer is active (Highlighted), right click and choose Merge>Merge visible. Rename this layer Merged Frame.

Now make sure your Merged Frame layer is active. On your Tool Palette grab your magic wand

 tolerance and feather set at 0 and click inside the frame making sure that all the white areas inside it is selected (You will see “marching ants”). Go to Selections>Modify> Expand>Expand by 6.

Copy and paste as new layer your image tube, placing it wherever you like and resizing as needed. Go to Selections>Invert then hit delete on your keyboard. This will get rid of anything out side of the selection. On your Layer Palette move this layer under your Merged Frame layer. You can do this by left clicking on the layer, hold and drag that layer box under the specific layer. Rename this layer Image.

Go to Effects>Plug-ins>Xero>Porcelain at the default settings. If you unsure of the setting just choose the reset button within the plug-in and then click OK. Next go to PhotoEffex>Scanlines and apply the following settings:

 Apply Scanlines once more with the same settings, only put a tic in the Vertical Toggle box. 

On your layer pallet lower the visibility of this layer to 70.

Now click on the eye for this layer on the layer palette and hide this layer for the time being. HIT SAVE!!

Activate your Merged Frame layer, right click on it and choose Duplicate. Keeping the original Merged Frame layer activated, copy and paste as a new layer your regular tube that you had chosen.
Make your duplicate frame layer active, zoom in on your image, from the Tool Palette, grab your Lasso Tool.

 Settings: Freehand, Mode: add/shift Feather 0 and Smoothing at 2. Carefully draw (click and hold left mouse button while dragging your mouse) around the part of the ribbon on the frame, and even some of the frame itself where you want your tube to look as though it is popping out of the frame.




 It is easier if you do small selections at a time. Hit delete on your key board. Then Selections>Select None. Once you get closer to her arms and face it gets a little more trickier. Since I am not really any good with the Lasso Tool this is where I decided to use my Eraser Tool instead. If any part of the tube is sticking out of the frame, that shouldn't be visible, click on the tube layer and use your Eraser Tool to erase that part of your tube. 



 HIT SAVE!!
Keep your tube layer active and go to Effects>Xero>Porcelain and choose the default settings. Go to Effects>3D Effects>Drop Shadow and play with the settings until you find something that you like. I chose to use a softer shadow.
Now add any other embellishments that you wish, resize to your liking. I added some ivy, jewels, and some charms. I added a drop shadow to my ivy and the jewels, and I used Eye Candy 5 Impact Gradient Glow on the charms with the following settings. 



I am leaving this open for you because it will give you a chance to play with other setting options like rotating, mirroring, plug-in effects, etc.

Add your name as a new layer using a drop shadow or glow of your choice, play around with the settings. You will be amazed with what you can do with fonts!!

Now unhide your Image layer and your BG (background). Merge all visible, resize and sharpen if you so choose to. If you choose to resize do it before you add your artist credits. If you choose not to animate then stop here. Add subtle drop shadows to some of your layers. Save copy as .jpg or .png.

Continue on if you plan to animate.

Open Animation Shop, then minimize it for now.

PSP versions X - X6 follow along until step 6 then Scroll down and See where it says NOTE ~ 

1) In PSP on your Layer Palette, hide ALL layers that sit BELOW your MERGED FRAME LAYER. Here is my example: The first image shows all my layers before I hide the correct layers.

 The second image shows the layers I need to hide, they are marked with a red X.

2) After you hide the correct layers, activate the very top layer in your Layer Palette, right click and choose Merge>Merge Visible.

4) Unhide your Diamond Frame layer and make it active. Since the sparkles look better on a darker background we are going to add a drop shadow to the frame. Go to Effects>3D Effects>Drop Shadow with these settings and making sure that “On a separate layer” has a tic in it's box before hitting OK:  

5) Once again make your Diamond frame layer active and another drop shadow on a new layer with these settings.

6)  Hide the Diamond Frame, click on one of the shadow frames and merge visible. Hide this layer also, for now.

NOTE ~ Versions 9 and under continue to the end
Versions X - X6 follow these next steps to bring your image into animation shop~

Unhide your image layer and click on it in the layer palette to make sure that it is active. Right click on the top of the image window and choose copy. Right click on an open area on your workspace and choose Paste as New Image. Go to file save and give it a name you will remember and choose a location that you will remember. Next you need to choose the file extension .psp for animation shop. Then click options and put a tick in the middle option. Hit OK then SAVE

Close the image. Restore up Animation Shop. Click on Browse, locate your image and drag it out onto AS's workspace. Now follow along again at step 8 until you see your version directions to get it back into PSP.

7) Unhide your Image layer and click on it in the layer palette to make it active. Right click on the top of your Canvas window and choose copy. Restore up Animation Shop. Right click in the workspace and choose Paste>Paste As New Animation.

8) Now some people might do this differently. I don't know. I am just doing it this way because I didn't have anyone to teach me this effect, so I had to fiddle and play til I found what I liked... Go to Effects>Insert Image Effects with the following settings:

Click ok. You should have 7 frames. Click on the middle of the first frame, right click and choose delete.

9) Now go to Edit>Select All, then Animation>Cull Animation with these settings:

Now you should only have 3 frames.

10) Now go to Edit>Select All. Then File>Export Frames>To Paint Shop Pro. Look in PSP and make sure your frames are there. If they are go into Animation Shop again and go to File>Export Frames>Break Link with Exported Frames. Now you can close this file and you don't have to save it.

Versions X - X6
This is YOUR step 10!! You can not export your frames back to AS so what we need to do is click on Edit > Select All Frames then  File > Save Frames As and use the following settings

Check to make sure it will be saved where you can remember where it is, Hit save and close it. Restore up PSP, and open up the image onto your workspace. You should be able to continue on from here with mishaps.

11) Go back to Paint Shop Pro. On your main canvas make sure that all your layers are hidden EXCEPT the Image layer and make sure that the image layer is active. Click on the Image frames window that you exported from Animation Shop. Starting on the frame named Frame 1 click and hold in the middle of the canvas and drag it into your ORIGINAL canvas. Don't worry if the frames and the original image do not line up we will fix that in a minute. Now do the same for the other two frames.

12) Now if you look in your Layer Palette these 3 frames are now called Raster 1, 2, and 3. Rename these layers ANI 1, 2, and 3. Click on the main image once again and make ANI 1 layer active. At the top of your Layer Palette you will see a toggle called the Layer Link Toggle. I love this handy little tool. This links layers together so that when you move them you don’t have to move a layer one by one and try to match them again!! Click on that toggle until it shows the #1. Do the exact same thing for Ani 2 and Ani 3 making sure you make the corresponding layers active before you use the toggle.

13) Now go to your Original image layer and make it active. Go to Selections>Select All>Selections>Float>Selections>Defloat. We are going to use the selection as I guide for our animation frames. Hide layers ANI 2 and ANI 3. Lower the visibilty of ANI 1 just enough so you can visibly see your original image layer, on your main canvas move ANI 1 so it sits in the selection. If any thing is outside of the selection then this means you need to move it some more. Once ANI 1 sits exactly inside the selection all 3 of your layers should be perfectly lined up with the original image. Go to Selections>Select None.

14) Unhide ANI 2 and 3. Unhide your Merged layer and check to see if your ANI layers are where you want them to be. If all is well click on your original Image Layer to make it active. Right click and choose delete.

Wheeewww! You can now breathe a sigh of relief, the hardest part is over!! LOL

Your layer pallet should now look something like this: Note~ Some layers I merged visible so that there were less of them. You can do the same as long as you know that you're absolutely safe to do so.

15) Now close off all layers except shadow layers and the Diamond Frame layer.

Activate the Shadow layer that is directly under your Diamond Frame layer. Right click and choose Merge>Merge Down. No go to Selections>Select All>Selections>Float>Selections Defloat. Right click and choose Duplicate. Now duplicate it one more time, you should now have 3 layers of the shadow. Rename the shadow layers 1 2 and 3. Hide the 2 duplicate layers.

16) Activate the original layer. Go to Effects>Plug-ins>Xenofex>Constellation and choose the following settings:

Hide that layer. Click on the next layer, unhide it and apply the same settings except hit the random seed button. Hide that layer. Click on the last shadow layer, and do the same for this last layer only hitting the random seed button.

Shall we make it move now?

Unhide all layers EXCEPT 2,3, ANI 2, and ANI 3. Make your background raster Active. Go to Edit> Copy Merged.

Open up Animation Shop and go to Edit>Past as New Animation. Or right click in your workspace and choose Paste>Paste as New Animation.

Back in PSP hide 1 and ANI 1. Unhide 2 and ANI 2.

Edit>Copy Merged.

In AS Edit>Paste>Paste After Current Frame. Or once again right click and choose Paste>After Current Frame.

Hide 2 and ANI 2. Unhide 3 and ANI 3. Edit>Copy Merged.

Do the same as above making sure you paste it after current frame in AS.

Now View Animation. You can do this by clicking on the film strip at the top of AS
 

20.) Save as GIF and optimize.

BAM!!! You are done!!

I hope you all enjoyed this tutorial, and I hope I did not do too bad at writing it. If you have any problems you can blast me with a comment, or leave me a message on my Facebook Page.

X's and O's and happy creating!!