Excalibur

This tut is dedicated to my friend Linda, for whom I made this tag originally because of her love for Arthurian legend and Josephine Wall art

 

Supplies

 

Image of choice - I am using the gorgeous artwork of Josephine Wall which is free to use
The Image I used is called "Lady in the Lake" and is available from her gallery
Plugin: Penta.com > Color Dot (free to use)
Fonts of choice - I am using Impact, French Script MT and Carpenter Script

 

This is an easy tut of a tag I made some time ago

Ready? Let's begin....

 

 

Open a new 600 x 400 blank canvas flood-filled white
Hide background for now so your canvas appears transparent

 

Select your Text Tool and a bold font of choice
I am using Impact

 

In your Materials Palette set the following:
Foreground - #FFFFFF
Background - null

 

Set your stroke width to 2.00 and your font size to around 120 (depending on your choice of font)

Type out your text (a single word) or even your name if you wish

 

**note - I coloured the background for this screenshot so you could see my example**

 

Objects > Align > Centre in Canvas
Convert to raster layer

 

Open an image of choice
I am using Josephine Wall's lovely "Lady of the Lake"
Copy your image

 

On your working canvas unhide your white Background, then
Edit > Paste as new layer
Resize image if necessary and position to liking
Layers > Arrange > Move Down (so it is below your text layer)

 

Activate your Text layer
With your Magic Wand select the area outside your text
DON'T FORGET TO SELECT THE SPACES INSIDE LETTERS SUCH AS D, P, B, R, O, A ETC...
Selections > Modify > Expand by 1

 

 

Activate your Image layer
Delete

 

KEEP SELECTED!!

 

Duplicate layer
Adjust > Softness > Soft Focus with the Soft Glow setting:

 

 

Deselect
Lower opacity to 50
Layers > Merge > Merge Down

 

Duplicate layer again

 

Activate bottom layer
Adjust > Blur > Gaussian Blur with a Radius of 25.00

 

STILL ON SAME LAYER
Grab your Selection Tool and in your Tool Options Palette select Create Selection From:
Choose Layer Opaque

 

Image > Crop to Selection
Resize if you wish

 

Duplicate blurred layer and lower opacity to 50
Layers > Merge > Merge Down

 

Effects > Plugins > Penta.com > Color Dot with the following settings:

 

 

Activate your top layer
Layers > Merge > Merge Down
(The white text outline and your image should now be one layer)

 

Add a drop shadow:
H & V - 1
Opacity - 15
Blur - 5.00
Colour - #000000

 

Select your Text Tool and font of choice
I am using French Script MT
Choose a colour from your tag and set it as your Background

 

Type out your Text
Position along the top of your main text to your liking
Convert to raster layer
Apply a slight gradient glow

 

 

If your main text WAS NOT your name, then select another font of choice
I used Carpenter Script

 

Type out your name and position to the right
Convert to raster layer
Apply any effects and drop shadows you wish

 

Finally, add any © copyright, licence and watermark, then save as a GIF or JPG and you're done!

 

Thanks for trying my tutorial!

 

::st!na::

 

© Tutorial written by Stina on 7th May 2009
All rights reserved