Angelic

Be sure to read through the Animation How-To page before beginning any of my tutorials.  A knowledge of how the animation feature works in Photoshop will help you better understand my tagging methods.  The link is permanently at the top of this blog.

Supplies:
Isolate Mask Action
Elemental Scrap Kit
Elias Chatzoudis 66-1 Tube
Mask of choice I am using Mask 93 from Package 2
Aritsan Font

Please do not use any of the licensed supplies without purchasing them first.


First off, unzip all supplies.

Open the mask you would like to use.  You don’t have to use the one I have chosen.

Prepare your mask using the Action I have provided. 

Open a new canvas.  I always use 800×800 pixels.  Be sure your resolution is 72 Pixels/Inch.

I usually add a color fill layer to the tag so it is easily changed should I use it on a different color website.  Layer > New Fill Layer > Solid Color…
White usually works with most websites.

With this tutorial, you will NEED to be working with Smart Objects, especially on the tube.

That being said,  go to File > Place Embedded

In the Open dialog, choose the mask that you just isolated.  This will place the mask in a Smart Object in the middle of your canvas.

You can also drag and drop items from your file browser into the canvas.  This is the method I usually use.

Don’t forget to set the Transformation by double clicking the layer on the canvas, or clicking the checkbox at the top of the window. 

Next, choose the paper you would like to use on your mask.

Place the paper on the canvas above the mask.

In your layers panel, right click on the paper layer and choose Create Clipping Mask.

Now, time for the elements!

Instead of telling you exactly where to put what and what size to use, I am just going to show you a animated image of what I did.

As you can see, it is pretty random.  I just place the items where I think they might work.

Now, back to the frame element layer.  We need to add a fill to the white lace frame.

Highlight the layer UNDER the frame in your layers panel.  Now drop the paper you would like to use onto the canvas.

Grab your selection wand from the tools panel.  If you can’t find it, check out the basics page for a better understanding of the tools layout.

The wand options should look like this at the top of your window:

Click on the center portion of the frame.
In the upper menu of Photoshop, click on Selection > Modify > Expand…
Expand your selection by 2px.
Now highlight your paper layer.  Go to Layer > Layer Mask > Reveal Selection.

Now you have a fill to your frame.

We definitely want to add some shadows to our elements.  Without shadowing, the tag will just look flat. The secret to a good tag, is a good shadow effect.

Right click a layer (topmost works fine) and choose “Blending Options.”
I add a drop shadow and an outer glow.  It enhances the effect a bit.

Now after you have hit OK, right click the layer again and choose “Copy Layer Style.”
Highlight all of your layers (click the top one, then shift + click the bottom one) and right click again.  This time, choose “Paste Layer Style.”

It makes a HUGE difference to add shadows:

Now that we have all of that done, time to add the next details.  Text.  Fun!

Grab your text tool and add the name you would like.  Position it just where you want it and add a layer style.  This is mine:

Here’s where it starts getting very complicated.

First of all, be sure your animations panel is open.  Window > Timeline

Now, you will need to click the “Create Frame Animation” button.

Find the tube you want to use and place it on your tag.  It MUST be in a smart object for this animation to work.

Position it where you want.  Now is a good place to add the copyrights, since we have the tube placed.

Now, we are going to be working with the “Puppet Warp” feature.  Highlight your tube layer.  Again, make for certain it is in a smart object.  If it isn’t, then right click the layer in the Layers panel and choose “Convert to Smart Object.”

Now, let’s set the puppet warp.

Edit > Puppet Warp

This will cover your tube in a type of mesh.

When you click on the tube, it will add anchor points.  We want to add a bunch of anchors on the areas that we DON’T want to move.

Now… Add ONE anchor point on the feet, and ONE on the end of the wings.  These two points will be the only anchors we will be working with.

Hit the check button at the top of your screen to apply the warp.

Here is why you need the smart objects.

Duplicate this layer.
Edit > Puppet Warp

You will notice that your warp setting was saved on the smart object!  If this was a raster layer, it would not work that way.

Move the two points slightly in the direction of the arrows.

Apply the warp and duplicate this layer.  Repeat the warp on this layer.
Duplicate the layer again and repeat the warp once more.
You should now have 4 tube layers.

Apply your shadowing to all 4 layers.

Hide the duplicates and keep the original tube visible.

In your animation panel, duplicate the frame using the little paper icon at the bottom of the panel.

Hide the tube layer and unhide the first duplicate.
Duplicate the frame in the animation panel again.
Hide the first duplicate tube and unhide the second.
Duplicate the frame in the animation panel again.
Hide the second duplicate tube and unhide the 3rd.
Duplicate the frame in the animation panel again.
Hide the third duplicate tube and unhide the 2nd.
Duplicate the frame in the animation panel again.
Hide the 2nd duplicate tube and unhide the first duplicate.

You should have 6 frames.  (tube arrangement: 1,2,3,4,3,2)

Oh, right!  Don’t forget to set your frame delay.

Now you will need to save your animation as a gif file.

In your animation dialog, use these settings:

However, if you add even more tube frames, you can make the animation even smoother!

I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial!