Mariana Tag Tutorial

By LismibaebisCreations
11 September 2021

I used the awesome artwork of Maria Kytyzova.
You can buy her artwork from different outlets (she goes by different names).
I bought it from Creative Fabrica.
I have a subscription, pay monthly and can download what and as much as I want.
The image is from the album "Watercolor Babies, Toys and Roses".

Skill Level: Advanced Beginners
No outside Filters/Plugins used

This tutorial is my own creation; any resemblance to another tutorial is purely coincidental

Program shortcuts will be given in parentheses

Needed

Paint Shop Pro - I used X2
(Tutorial will work with other versions)
Free 30 day trial from Corel, available here

Image

Tube of choice

Font

Font of Choice – I used KG My Hands are Holding You (Free to Use)

Performance Notes

This tutorial is in 2 parts:
- Preparation
- Tag

The settings for different Tools and Effects will stay the same throughout the tutorial, unless new setting instructions are given

Don't forget to save your work often

Click on the arrow and drag it to mark the progress on this page.

Preparation

1) File > Open
Open image of choice

2) Window > Duplicate (Shift + D)
Close original

3) Dropper Tool (E)
Left click to choose a light Foreground color
(I chose #eeedd5)
Right click to choose a dark Background color
(I chose #6b5224)

4) Edit > Copy
Minimize

6) Flood Fill Tool (F)
Settings:
Match mode = None
Use all layers = Not checked
Blend mode = Normal
Opacity = 100

7) Left click to flood fill new layer with Foreground Color

8) Layers > New Raster Layer

9) Selections > Select All

10) Edit > Paste Into Selection

11) Selections > Select None

12) Effects > Image Effects > Seamless Tiling
Settings: Default
Corner = Checked
Bidirectional = Checked
Horizontal offset (%) = 0
Vertical offset (%) = 0
Transition (%) = 0
Linear = Checked

13) Adjust > Blur > Radial Blur
Settings:
Zoom = Checked
Strength (%) = 100
Elliptical = Checked
Horizontal offset (%) = 0
Vertical offset (%) = -20 (minus)
Protect center (%) = 0

14) Layers > Duplicate

15) Image > Flip

16) Image > Mirror

17) Layers > Merge > Merge Down

18) Layers > Duplicate

19) Layers > Merge > Merge Visible

20) Layers > Duplicate

21) Effects > Texture Effects > Soft Plastic
Settings:
Blur = 4
Detail = 26
Density = 91
Angle = 93
Color = Foreground color

22) Layers Palette
Change Blend mode to "Soft Light"

23) Layers > Merge > Merge Visible

24) Layers > Duplicate

25) Effects > Illumination Effects > Sunburst
Settings:
Color = White
Light spot:
Brightness = 80
Horizontal = 50
Vertical = 5
Rays:
Density = 25
Brightness = 50
Circles:
Brightness = 80

26) Layers Palette
Change Opacity to 71
(Or a setting of your liking)

27) Edit > Paste As New Layer (your Tube)

28) Image > Resize (Shift + S)
Settings:
Width = 80 %
Height = 80
Lock aspect ratio = Checked
Resize all layers = Not checked
ok

29) Edit > Repeat Resize
Repeat until you have the tube showing to your liking.
Depending on the tube you work with, you might choose to resize in 50% steps to start with

30) Adjust > Sharpness > Unsharp Mask
Settings:
Radius = 1.00, Strength = 47
Clipping = 5
Luminance only = Checked
(Or a setting of your liking)

31) Move Tool (M)
Move tube to position of your liking

32) Effects > 3D Effects > Drop Shadow
Settings:
Horizontal & Vertical = 0
Opacity = 50, Blur = 10.00
Color = Black
Shadow on new layer = Not checked
(Or a setting of your liking)

33) Layers > New Raster Layer

34) Selections > Select All

35) Flood Fill Tool
Right click to flood fill new Layer with your Background color

36) Selections > Modify > Contract
Settings:
Number of Pixels = 8

37) Edit > Clear

38) Selections > Invert

39) Adjust > Add/Remove Noise > Add Noise
Settings:
Gaussian = 20
Monochrome = Checked

40) Effects >Texture Effects > Fine Leather
Settings:
Color = Background color
Angle = 126
Blur = 73
Transparency = 253
Number of furrows = 812
Length of furrows = 6

41) Effects > Texture Effects > Blinds
Settings:
Width = 2
Opacity = 80
Color = Background color
Horizontal = Checked
Light from Left/Top = Checked

42) Effects > 3D Effects > Inner Bevel
Settings: Bevel = #6, Width = 8
Smoothness = 0, Depth = 4
Ambience = -20 (minus)
Shininess = 0
Color = White, Angle = 315
Intensity = 42, Elevation = 50

43) Selections > Select None

44) Effects > 3D Effects > Drop Shadow

45) Optional:
Layers > Arrange > Move Down

46) Activate Top Layer
Layers > New Raster Layer

47) Add your artists copyrights

48) Text Tool (T)
Settings:
Font = KG My Hands are Holding You (or Font of choice)
Size = 48 Points (or what suits your Font and Text)
Font Style = Bold (or what suits your Font and Text)
Alignment = Center
Direction = Horizontal and Down
Anti-alias = Sharp
Stroke width = 0.5
Create as Vector
Auto kern = Checked
Kerning = 0 (or what suits your Font and Text)

49) Type Text of choice and click on Apply

50) Layers > Convert to Raster Layer

51) Move Tool
Move text to place of choice

52) Effects > 3D Effects > Drop Shadow
Settings:
Horizontal = 1
Vertical = 2
Opacity = 70, Blur = 3.00
Color = Black
(Or a setting of your liking)

53) File > Export > JPEG Optimizer
Settings:
Set Compression value to = 10
Chroma subsampling = YCbCr 2x2 1x1 1x1
Save Exif data = Not checked

You are done!

Example 2

I duplicated the tube twice,
resized both by 80%,
moved one copy to the left,
moved one copy to the right,
changed Blend mode to "Luminance (Legacy)",
changed opacity to 27,
moved below the frame layer,
Used the font Love is in the Air

I hope that you enjoyed doing this tutorial. If you have any questions, please email me:
Lismibaebi at gmail.com
I would love to see what you create with my tutorial.

A special "Thank you" goes to my Tester Group.
Your help, support and patience has made all the difference.