vixpsp

Firstly - open the image you've chosen to use

Tip: the image looks best being landscape (horizontal)

rather than portrait (vertical)

and if you've got a favourite large sized tube/close up

MAKE an image out of it by opening a new Image in PSP

Horizontal sizing - paste your tube on the canvas as prefered

Crop as needed and

floodfill the back with either paper/gradient or colour of choice

and then flatten to make it an Image you can use for this tut

The image I've used in this tut is size 504 x 352

You're after similar proportioned dimensions for the image you use

so it's a horizontal image more than a square one.

ANYWAY...I'm digressing badly lol!

OK

So you've got your chosen Image

Open the usual - 600 x 600 New Image in PSP

Floodfill White

and Paste your image as a New layer

Leave for the moment

Open a New Image Canvas in PSP

350 pixels wide by 100 pixels high

OK

Take your main Image (your picture/tube/closeup)

and Paste as a New Layer on this little canvas

It should still be on your Clipboard for easy pasting lol!

Right - done that?

Now

Move the image within the small canvas to highlight one part

of the image

For the first one, I centred on the eyes

Once you've positioned your image as you like it

Crop the small canvas to it's size 350 x 100

then

Apply Xero Radience on my settings below

then

(optional) copy and paste a favourite texture of choice

as a new Layer

Position as liked and Crop again

and change the Blend Mode to Overlay or Soft Light etc

now

Image

Add Borders

and add a 2 pixel White border - optional (see my 2nd example, I didn't add the White)

then

add a 2 pixel Black border - not optional

Minimise this small canvas for now

and

open a New one - same size

Copy and Paste the Image again

and

this time, highlight a different part of the image within the small canvas

Repeat the Crop, Radience, Texture, Blend Mode and Border part as before

SO

Now you've got two small canvases

Take each one

Copy and Paste onto our large 600 x 600 canvas

Line them up over the original image as I've done with mine

(you may like to drop the opacity of the small canvas layers

whilst you're doing this so you can see the exact positioning)

Tip: if the points of interest - ie. the eyes and the mouth are too

closely set together so when you paste your smaller canvases

it's all a bit smooshed together...see what it looks like for you.

IF it looks good overlapped, then leave it

If not

Leave one of the small canvases where it belongs ie. the eyes.

and

move the other small canvas one slightly down - keeping it in the same line of sight, but

in a different place

(see my 2nd example for reference)

Hope that makes sense lol!

OK

Once lined up

Bring the opacity back up to 100 for the small canvas layers

and

on each

apply the following Dropshadow

and now

Apply the Sabre BraveHeart Scrapkit Mask 1 to the original image

Apply to LAYER

Layers, Merge, Merge Group

Now, to get the mask to show more

Duplicate the mask layer two or three times - we're after

a gentle and delicate but visible background

Once you've done this

Add a New Layer just above the white back

and

floodfill with a colour or gradient to compliment your tag colours

(I did the usual lol!)

Once floodfilled

Apply the mask to this layer

Layers, Merge, Merge Group

then

Image, Resize 80% Smartsize

the coloured mask layer

then

Duplicate it once if you've used dark colours

or twice if more colour is needed or you've used lighter colours

See my tag for reference to see the sort of depth of effect you want

Right then

Now it's time to add a couple of accents/embellishments/scraps

I used a couple of beautiful ones by Irene Alexeeva

I used the Butterflies from her Florentine freebie kit

(Entry on her Blog from August 9th 2008 - link to kit is still valid)

I resized them 20% and place them top left

then

I also used the grapebeads from her Septembering freebie kit

(Entry on her Blog from August 18th 2008 - link no longer valid though so use something else)

I resized 30% and placed as you see

I've told you where and when the freebies were posted as Irene's blog

requires lots of Older Posts visiting to find them...

BUT

Feel free to use whatever you'd like -

Lots of scrapkits have fantastic butterflies elements and elements of items on chains

so dig through your scrap collections and find ones that compliment your tag

Adelina has a lovely new Forever and Always freebie on her blog HERE which contains the hearts on a chain

I used them in my 2nd example

Anyway, use what you have to hand on your computer or whatever you fancy!

Once you've placed as liked

Open the wordart I've supplied OR just add some of your own chosing

Colourize mine to match your tag if used - or use colours from the tag if you use your own

and then place as mine

Add your name in a good scripty font of choice

Black fill, No Stroke

Stretch, place as looks best and add a subtle dropshadow

Add your artist copyright info

then

Crop the excess canvas

Optional: If liked, hide all the layers except the Masked layers

Merge these together

and apply Effects, Texture Effects, Weave

Gap Size 1

Width 7

Opacity 4

and both colour boxes on White

Apply - and unhide the other layers

Finally

Save your work as .PNG file - transparent

(delete the white background layer before saving)

That's it

All done

Hope you enjoy this simple but pretty tut

hugs xx

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