Mardi Gras - FTU Forum tag

This tutorial was written by me on 02/07/2015 and assumes you have working knowledge of PSP. Any similarities to other tuts is purely coincidental and not done on purpose.

For this tut you will need:

PSP - I use version X3 but most versions will do

Tube and image of choice - I'm using the artwork of Jasmine Becket-Griffith

 You can purchase this tube at CDO. Do not use this tube without purchasing a license first.

Template by Just Fi

Beads of choice, I used some from a Mardi Gras kit by Randy's Sin

Unfortunately they took their blog down so I can't provide the link

Wordart by RedHeadFalcon

Eye Candy 4000 Gradient Glow

Font of choice, I used Mardi Gras

Let's begin, remember to save often.

Open your template, tube and image in psp, duplicate all and close originals.

On the template delete the info layer, proud member text, thezone text, the glitter edge text and spots layers.

Activate the background layer. Add a new raster layer, select all, copy your image and paste into selection, deselect. Now please note, my image is only slightly smaller then the template so it worked well, if yours isn't you could always use another method to cover the template.

Once you have the white background covered, give it a radial blur at these settings:

Activate the stripes layer. Select all, float, defloat. Activate your blurred layer and promote selection to layer. Deselect and delete the original stripes layer. Change the blend mode of your promoted layer to screen or one that suits your image/colors. Rename this layer stripes.

Activate Wavy Line 1. Use Manual Color Correction to change the grey color to a color from your tube:

Repeat with Wavy Line 2 and Wavy Line 3, changing each to different colors. As you can see on my tag I did purple, green and gold. Give your lines a slight drop shadow. I used 0, 0, 50, 5.

Activate the frame back layer and mirror. Move this layer down to just above your blurred layer. Select all, float, defloat. Activate the blur layer and promote selection to layer. Deselect.

Delete the original frame back layer. Move the promoted layer back up to under the glitter edge frame layer and mirror so it's under the frame again.

Copy your tube and paste as a new layer. Move it over so it's under the frame. Use your raster deform tool to rotate it so it lines up inside the frame. Resize as needed to get it just right. I had to resize mine 60%.

Activate the frame layer. Select all, float, defloat. Add a new raster layer and flood fill with a color from your tube. I used a darker purple. Delete the original frame layer.

Activate the glitter edge layer and I used the manual color correction to change it from white to gold. With this layer still active, give it a drop shadow of 0, 0, 80, 10.

Activate your frame layer. Open some beads of choice from your kit. I used the purple and green beads. Copy the purple beads and paste as a new layer. Do not resize. Copy the green beads and paste as a new layer, mirror. Move the green bead layer down in your layer palette to just above the wavy line 3 layer. Give both the bead layers the same drop shadow you did the glitter edge frame layer.

Activate the top bead layer in your palette. Open your wordart. Copy and paste as a new layer. Resize 15%. Give it a slight white gradient glow with the glow width at 3, I used this:

Give it a drop shadow, I used -2, 2, 50, 5.

Activate the double frame layer. I again used manual color correction to change it from grey to black, but you could do another color if you like.

Add your copyright, license info and tagger's mark.

Add your name using colors from your tube. Give it an inner bevel of choice, I used this one:

Then give it a gradient glow with the glow width at 3. I used the yellow color from the glitter edge frame layer.

Finally, give your name a drop shadow, I used the same as for the wordart.

Merge your tag and save as png or jpg. Congrats, you're done!