Supplies:
Tube by Sarah Richter
Kit by AoRK
Font: Rosalinda
Misc Supplies: HERE
Please do not use any of the licensed supplies without purchasing them first.
First off, unzip all supplies.
Open a new canvas in Photoshop. I always use 800×800 pixels. You can use whatever size you like best. 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.
You can drag and drop items straight from your file browser into the canvas.
Browse to the masks that you just saved (from the zip file) in your computer’s file browser. Drag it onto your tag.
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 (if this is applicable).
Next, choose the paper you would like to use on your mask.
Drag the paper onto the canvas above the mask.
In your layers panel, right click on the paper layer and choose Create Clipping Mask.
Repeat this for all 3 masks.
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.
But there is one little thing throwing the tag off. The limb hanging out to the edge of the tag just isn’t nice. But the element looks good, so we are going to use a method that gets us out of needing to change the element completely.
Highlight that layer in your layers palette.
Now to to Edit > Puppet Warp.
This will put a grid-like area on your element. Place some pins by clicking on the area.
The pin you put in that limb needs be dragged back towards the tag to make it match the rest of the elements.
Once you have it where you want it, then click the check mark that is at the top of your screen.
Using the puppet warp will blur your element a little, so you can sharpen it by going to Filter > Sharpen > Smart Sharpen
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. Tube and text. Fun!
Choose where you want your main tube to be placed. Highlight the layer you want the tube to be above.
Now drag and drop your tube onto the canvas. Resize and adjust it to your liking. Always make sure you constrain your proportions while resizing. Hold the Shift key while you drag the corners.
Add the same drop shadow you did before. Don’t forget your copyright text!
However, with this particular tube, the right side of the limb just doesn’t look right floating there. Let’s fix that, shall we?
Highlight your tube layer. Now go to Layer > Layer Mask > Reveal All.
This will add a layer mask to your tube.
Highlight the red branches element layer in your layers palette. Right click the thumbnial of that layer and “Select Pixels.”
Now highlight the black branches layer in your layers palette. Right click the thumbnail of that layer and “Add Transparency Mask.”
This will create a selection from both layers.
Go back to your tube layer and click on the Layer Mask thumbnail. You will notice how the outline of the layer thumbnail will shift from the layer to the mask. This is how you know you are working with the mask and not the original layer.
Once you have your mask highlighted, select your eraser took and erase that portion of the limb from the tube. This does not affect the original layer, so you are free to change it again later if you need.
Highlight the top layer of the layers panel.
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:
That leave us with the non-animated version of the tag! If you wold like to keep the JPG version, you can save here. Simply File > Save As… and choose the jpg option from the drop down box at the bottom of the dialog.
Here’s where it starts getting complicated.
Make sure your Animation Panel is open. Window > Timeline (or Animation, if you are on earlier versios)
You will need to click the “Create Frame Animation” button. If you do not see this button, please refer to THIS page for more information about the timeline.
You will see that your first frame is already there.
Highlight your topmost mask layer in your layers palette. (yours may be named differently)
Right click the layer and choose “Blending Options.”
Over on the left panel, choose Pattern. Click on the pattern thumbnail. This will open a small dialog. Click on the little gear at the top right and Import the patterns which are in the zip file you downloaded.
Once you have the patterns imported, ( if necessary, open the folder by clicking on the little arrow) choose the “DarkestNight-TutsbyRene-noise” pattern and set the Blend Mode to Overlay.
Highlight the rose layer in your layers palette. Go to the blending options and choose Pattern again. This time you want to choose the “DarkestNight-TutsbyRene-lighting” pattern. Set the Blend Mode to Soft Light and the Opacity to 45%.
Ok, we have all the patterns ready.
In your Animation Panel, click the little + icon at the bottom to duplicate the frame.
You should now have two frames in your layers panel.
Make sure you are on the second frame.
Go back to your layers palette and choose the mask layer that you added the noise pattern to. Go back to the blending options of that layer and choose Pattern again. Now, you don’t need to touch anything with the options. However, if you click and drag DIRECTLY ON YOUR TAG you will notice that you can move the pattern around. Move it. A lot. 3 or 4 scrolls should be good.
Do the same thing to the rose layer that you added the light pattern to.
Highlight the first frame in your animation panel again. You can already see the shift in patterns. This is good!
At the bottom of the animation panel, you will see a button that looks like fading circles.
This will tween your animation. This means that it will fade, blend, and transform into the next frame gradually. Let’s click it!
What number you set this to should be the number of frames you want in your animation. Now, you have to remember the two frames we already have. So if you want 5 frames, you would put 3 in that box. If you want 10 frames, you would put 8 in that box. And so on.
Oh, right! Don’t forget to set your frame delay.
Highlight ALL frames in your animation panel. Click the first, then shitft+click on the last.
Click on the arrow beside the “time” on the bottom of the last frame. Choose your time. Higher numbers means a slower animation. I usually set mine to 0.1 seconds, but 0.2 works just as good to be a bit slower.
Now you will need to save your animation as a gif file.
In your animation dialog, use these settings:
I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial!
