Basic Text Border

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

A basic knowledge of Paint Shop Pro

I am using PSP X but any version is fine

A bold font

I am using TangledUp

Pattern or Paper of choice

Open a blank canvas. I usually start with a large one because it gives you more workspace to play in. You can always crop and resize it later.

In your Materials Palette choose a colour, gradient or pattern for your background (fill). I used a paper from one of my scrap kits "Phantasmagoria". Papers are always effective for use in text and I use them often. I set the Angle to 0 and the Scale to 50%.

Now depending on the colour of your paper, choose either black or white for your foreground (stroke) colour. I set the stroke width to 2.0

Type out your name, or preferred text. Then in the Menu bar go to

Adjust > Align > Centre in Canvas

Go to Layers > Convert to Raster Layer

Or alternatively, right click your layer in the Layer Palette to Convert with the same result.

Now this step is always effective if you don't have access to the plugins or filters that will give you a Gradient Glow, like Eye Candy.

On your Text layer:

Selections > Select All

Then:

Selections > Float

Then:

Selections > Defloat

Then:

Selections > Modify > Expand

Expand by 5

(Or if you want a thicker border, Expand by 10)

Go to Layers > New Raster Layer

In your Layer Palette, drag THIS empty layer BELOW your TEXT layer

KEEP SELECTED!!

Now flood fill with your Stroke colour (either black or white)

I changed mine to white for contrast against the original black stroke colour.

Layers > Merge > Merge Visible

Next, go to Effects > 3D Effects > Drop Shadow

Add one of your choice

I used:

2

2

30

5.00

Black

You can decorate your tag anyway you wish - use a mask as a background or use the name on an existing tag!

If you are using this a stand-alone tag, don't forget to Crop to Selection around the tag so you don't have any untidy excess.

And that's it - a very easy and basic tutorial. This is how I create a nice border around my name or text if I don't like the Gradient Glow effect on it.

Don't forget to add your usual credit for creating the tag and any others you may credit for use of materials.

I hope you've enjoyed this tutorial!

Please note: I was prompted to write this tutorial when a CT member of mine has been unable to load any of her filters so is limited in how to make the name on her tags stand out. I thought a tutorial such as this may help others like her who are limited in this way, or don't have the necessary plugins

© Tutorial written by Stina on 18th August 2014

We Will Remember Them

Supplies

Scrap kit - "Poppy Fields" by Tootypup Scraps available from the stores listed on her blog

Tube of choice - I am using an FTU one by Jeremiah Ketner

Don't forget when using a tube to make sure it is SAFE to use AND give proper credit to the artist

Fonts of choice - I am using Garamond Premr Pro Smbd and Stencil

Mask of choice - I am using WSL_Mask362 by Weescotslass

Eye Candy 5 Impact Gradient Glow

Download Supplies here

Open a new 700 x 600 transparent canvas
Flood fill white

Paste TP_ScrollFrame_01 as a new layer
Leave in position, or position to your liking

Paste TP_StoneWall_01 as new layer
Resize by 55% and position towards lower half of canvas

Paste one of the TP_LestWeForget elements (I used 01)
Resize by around 70% and position to the right without covering the poppies and in line with the stone wall at the bottom

Paste TP_Cross_03 as new layer
Resize by around 25% and position BEHIND the last element of the solider's gun and boots etc.

Paste TP_PeaceDove_02 as new layer
Resize by 20%, then Image / Mirror and position to the upper left of the frame

Activate bottom layer

Paste a paper of choice as a new layer
Resize by 70%
Layers / Load Mask / Load Mask from Disk
Choose a mask of your choice
I am using WSL_Mask362
Layers / Merge / Merge Group

Now activate the Frame layer

Paste TP_Cloud_02 as new layer
Position behind the stone wall to your liking
I used the Eraser tool to erase the excess on the bottom left

Now activate your Frame layer again

Paste a tube of your choice as a new layer
I am using one by Jeremiah Ketner
Resize to your liking - I resized by 70%
Position to your liking

To make the tube "blend" more with the colours of the tag, I then did the following:

Duplicate tube layer

Adjust / Hue and Saturation / Colorise
With settings set to ZERO

Then, Adjust / Color / Manual Color Correction with the following settings:

** If you do not have Manual Color Correction in your menu, you need to go to View / Customise / Unused Commands
Then locate Manual Colour Correction in the right window and DRAG it to the menu you want it in
I placed it under Adjust / Color

Now lower the opactity of the colourised layer to around 50%

Apply a drop shadow of choice to your layers

Select a font of your choice and type a phrase or text of choice
I used the closing lines of the "Ode of Remembrance"

Apply a gradient glow if you wish, followed by a slight drop shadow

Add your name and your credits

Merge Visible then Crop to Selection and you're done!

Thank you for trying my tutorial!

Here is a forum style tag I made using the same elements and style from this tutorial. Both animated and non-animated.





© Tutorial written by Stina on 9th November 2012

Go Purple for Animals

I've had some positive feedback and a few comments on my Facebook timeline cover which I then converted into a sig-tag, so I decided to write a tutorial. *s*

Supplies

Tube of choice - I am using two tubed images of my own dogs, Ciara and Dexter
Fonts of choice - I am using Copperplate TMed and BickhamFancy Script
Pawprint made by me, available here
Plugins: Penta.com / Jeans
Xero / Soft Mood (optional)
Eye Candy 5 Impact / Gradient Glow (optional, for text)

Open a transparent canvas 850 x 315
(this is the size of a timeline cover)

In your materials palette choose a colour (I'm using #4e2b69) for the foreground and a darker colour like black for your background

Click on the Foreground to open the Material Properties
Select the Gradient tab

Choose the Foreground-Background which should be preset in your gradients
Angle - 45
Repeats - 4
Style - Linear

Flood fill canvas
Then Adjust / Blur / Gaussian Blur with a Radius of 30.00

With your Selection Tool set to Rectangle and Feather to 0, draw out a long narrow rectangle toward the bottom of your canvas from end to end (left to right)
Don't worry about the position - we can reposition it later

Add a new raster layer
Flood fill white
Selections / Modify / Contract by 1
Then flood fill with black
Deselect

Now select the entire canvas
Selections / Select All
Add a new raster layer
Flood fill black
Selections / Modify / Contract by 9
Fllood fill white
Selections / Modify / Contract by 1
Delete the deselect

You should now have something like this:

Now activate the background layer again
Paste a pawprint as a new layer
Image / rotate by 15.00 to the right
Resize by 45%
Position to the left just above the rectangle

Duplicate then Image / Mirror
Position just to the right of the first pawprint
Layers / Merge / Merge Down

Duplicate four times and position each set evenly spaced along the canvas
Turn visibility off all layers but these five sets of pawprints
Layers / Merge / Merge Visible
Turn visibility back on again

Open your Pawprint and paste as new layer
Image / Rotate by 15.00 to the left
Resize by 45% and position to the left above the first set

Adjust / Brightness and Contrast / Brightness/Contrast with the following settings:

Brightness - 50
Contrast - 11

Duplicate then Image / Mirror and position almost between first two sets of pawprints
Layers / Merge / Merge Down

Duplicate four times and position along the top

The last set does not fit so only the left pawprint will be positioned

Turn off all layers but ALL the pawprints
Layers / Merge / Merge Visible
Lower opacity to 50%
Turn visibility back on again
Still on the pawprint layer,
Layers / Merge / Merge Down

Now apply your Jeans filter
Effects / Plugins / Penta.com / Jeans with the following settings:

Amount - 15
Border Width - 4

Open your tube(s) and paste as a new layer
Resize as needed to your liking and position to the far right
I also applied an optional filter to my tubes as follows:

Duplicate tube and apply Xero / Soft Mood with default settings
Lower opacity to around 55 to 65% - depending on your tube and to your liking
Layers / Merge Down
Repeat for second tube, if using one

Now activate the Rectangle layer

Open your Pawprints and resize by around 35%
Position to the right on the narrow rectangle we drew out
Duplicate, then Image / Mirror
Layers / Merge Down

Now with your block print font (I used Copperplate TMed), type out a few words of your choice
Make sure you type the word as a Vector layer
Position the text to the right then grab the middle left node of the Vector layer and drag in a little to narrow the text slightly
Layers / Convert to Raster Layer

Place your credit in the lower right in a small pixel font
I used a black gradient glow to make it stand out

If you are using this as a Timeline cover, you may save it and you're done!

For a signature tag you may want to resize it down before adding your credits

Choose a nice font for your name
I also added a black gradient glow to mine for effect

Now save as a PNG (better quality), and you're done!

Thank you for trying my tutorial!

© Tutorial written by Stina on 25th July 2012