Supplies:
Tubes: elenadudina-package-40
Scrap: scrapfoxy_ib-flaminio-2-2
Font: darktown
Masks: 344 from Package 7, 160 from Package 4, and 116 from Package 3
Please do not use any of the licensed supplies without purchasing them first.
First off, unzip all supplies.
Open the mask(s) you would like to use. You don’t have to use the ones I have chosen.
Select > All
Edit > Copy
This will save a “selection” of the white areas in the mask.
You can now close that mask.
Open a new 800 x 800 pixel canvas. Be sure it is set to 72ppi resolution. You can always resize later.
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.
Place the paper on the canvas that you would like to use. You can either drag and drop it onto the canvas from your file browser, or you can use the File > Place… method. Just browse to the folder with the kit when prompted.
With the paper layer highlighted in the layers panel…
Select > Edit in Quick Mask Mode.
Edit > Paste
This will leave parts of the paper in red. This is good! If it doesn’t, then you will need to open and copy the mask again.
It seems that our mask was too big for the tag. Let’s fix that.
With the red “quick mask” still in effect, go to Edit > Free Transform
Fit the red mask inside your tag.
Select > Uncheck the Edit in Quick Mask Mode.
Layer > Layer Mask > Reveal Selection
Magic, right?? now you don’t have to worry about having an extra clipped layer.
Instead, you have a mask thumbnail attached to your paper layer.
Place another paper on your canvas and repeat the process with any other masks you want to use.
That’s it! How easy is that?
Now, time for the elements! This is where the real magic begins.
You can drag and drop items straight from your file browser into the canvas. This makes it faster to place items.
Here are the exact placements of each element I used. You can change these up to suit your liking. The layers that say “copy” are a duplicated layer of that element.
Element18_FD
Element2_FD
Element20_FD
Element20_FD copy
Element9_FD
Frame4_FD
Frame4_FD copy
Element7_FD
Element6_FD
Element3_FD
Element3_FD copy
Element17_FD
Now, back to the frame element layers. We need to add a fill layer to the picture 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 Selection Wand options should look like this at the top of your window:
Click on the center portion of the frame.
Highlight the second frame, hold the shift key, then click the center portion of that frame, too. This should make a double selection.
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. Easy Peasy!
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 (or ctrl+click) a layer and choose “Blending Options.”
I add a drop shadow and an outer glow. The glow 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 element (and frame) layers (click the top one, then shift + click the bottom one) and right click again. This time, choose “Paste Layer Style.”
But wait! That really sucks on the birds layer. Highlight that layer and right click. “Clear Layer Style”
Now let’s add a glow to it, instead.
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!
Highlight the paper layer under your frame. The one you masked earlier.
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.
Right click the tube layer and “Create Clipping Mask.”
Place your second tube and repeat the resize and clip.
Add the same drop shadow you did before.
However, the color of the tubes doesn’t match the tag. So let’s just make them grayscale.
One thing about desaturating your tubes… DO NOT use the desaturate function. It’s terrible! Instead, use a Black and White adjustment layer. It’s so much nicer!
Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Black and White
Now, make the adjustments like so:
You can use the sliders to make it EXACTLY how you want. Now you see why this is SOOOO MUCH BETTER than just desaturating. As if making a tag didn’t already take long enough, right? 
Resize before adding copyrights!
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. We want to add animation!
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.
Before we get started doing the animation, we need to make ourselves a pattern.
Open a new image, about 500x500px should be fine.
Reset your colors to black and white in the tool panel.
Filter > Render > Clouds (just once)
Filter > Render > Difference Clouds (repeat 2 more times)
Filter > Other > Offset (250 and 250 with Wraparound)
Grab your Spot Healing tool from the tool panel. You may need to right click a few of the tools to actually find it.
Click and drag across the seams of the image like you are using a brush tool. This will get rid of those awful seams.
Filter > Other > Offset. (100 and 100 with Wraparound)
Now use your spot healing tool to get rid of that one little portion of seam that was left over. We can’t have anything missed!
Edit > Define Pattern…
You can name this pattern as you like.
You can now close this image without saving.
Back to the tag!
Highlight the mask with the most area visible.
Right click and choose Blending Options.
Find the Pattern Overlay and click on the pattern thumbnail. You can now select the pattern that you just created. It will most likely be at the bottom of the list.
In the animation panel, duplicate the frame by clicking on the little + at the bottom of the panel.
**** Go back to your masked layer and open the blending options again. Go back to the pattern overlay. DO NOT change anything, though. Instead, hover over your tag. You will see that your cursor has turned into the move tool. Drag your pattern around to see that it moves. Now give it a good 2 or 3 swipes to move it WAY over. You can click OK now. ****
Now that you can see how that is done, in the animation panel, click the trashcan icon to get rid of that frame.
“But why did you make me do that and then delete it!!! That is so mean!!”
Don’t worry, you will be using that again here in just a few minutes. This was so I don’t have to go through it all 3 times.
Go back to your frame layers in the layers panel.
Create a new image. 100x100px should be big enough.
Fill the layer. Color doesn’t matter.
Filter > Noise > Add Noise…
Now Image > Adjustments > Black and White…
Over on the right side, under the OK and Cancel buttons, you will see an Auto button. Click that. Then click ok.
Edit > Define Pattern. Name it as you wish.
You can close this image now without saving.
The frame layers…
Open up the blending options and go to Stroke. If you don’t see the stroke in your list, you can add it again by clicking on the fx button at the bottom of the popup.
Add this stroke:
Repeat the stroke for the other frame layer.
Noooooow, let’s put that pattern stuff to use.
Duplicate the frame in the animation panel. Don’t worry, we will be keeping it this time!
Repeat the moving of the pattern for the masked layer in the blending options. A good 2 or 3 swipes should be enough.
Now… the frame layers.
Open the blending options again and go to the stroke option. Do the same dragging around with that. The pattern will move in the stroke, just like it will in the overlay.
Repeat that for both frame layers.
Back to the animation panel.
Highlight the first frame. Now, click on the 4 horizontal lines at the top right of the panel and choose Tween…
You can now click play at the bottom of the animation panel to check out your creation!
Oh, right! Don’t forget to set your frame delay.
Highlight all of your frames in the animation panel. Highlight the first frame and then hold shift. Click on the last frame. Now all frames are highlighted.
Click on the little arrow beside the time of the last frame. This will bring up a popup for more “delay” options.
Now you will need to save your animation as a gif file.
In your animation dialog, use these settings:
My “Forever List” can find their tags in their Fotki Folders.