Hairst Tag Tutorial

By LismibaebisCreations
23 August 2026

I used an image from Nicolle's Colorful Art.
I bought it from Creative Fabrica.
I have a subscription, pay annually and can download what and as much as I want.
The image is from the album "Whimsical Autumn Harvest"

Skill Level: Advanced Beginners
Knowledge of using Filters necessary (or learn how to get started with my ABC Tutorials)

It is getting harder and harder for me to find names for new tutorials.
Some time ago I had the idea to look at different languages to see if anything "jumps" at me.
This one is near to my heart. Shaetlan the Shetland dialect.
Hairst = Autumn
Shetland For Wirds Da hairst mön maets da coarn = It was thought that the moonlight in late August or early September caused the oats to ripen

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

Filters

AAA Frames, available here
Mehdi Filters (Sorting Tiles), available here
MuRa's Meister > Copies, available here
Eye Candy 4000, (email me Lismibaebi at gmail.com for a link)

Mask

Narah_mask_0307.jpg, available Narah's Designs
or Narah_mask_0307

Font

Font of Choice – I used "cinnamon", available here

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) Download and install filters
(If necessary)
(If you install filters you need to restart PSP afterwards)

2) Download mask, save to computer and open in PSP

3) File > Open
Open image of choice

4) Window > Duplicate
Edit > Copy
Close original

Tag

5) File > New
Settings:
Width = 600 Pixels
Height = 250 Pixel
Resolution = 72.000 Pixels/Inch
Raster Background = Checked
Transparent = Checked

6) Edit > Paste As New Layer
Right click on layer and rename to "Tube B"

7) Resize tube if necessary
Tube should be the size you want in the finished tag
Image > Resize (Shift + S)
Settings:
Width = 80 %
Height = 80
Resolution = 72.000 Pixels / Inch
Resample using = Bicubic
Lock aspect ratio = Checked
Resize all layers = Not checked
ok

8) 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

9) Layers > Duplicate
Right click on layer and rename to "Tube A"
Turn off visibility of layer

10) Activate layer "Tube B"
Image > Resize (Shift + S)
Settings:
Width = 60 %
Height = 60 %

11) Effects > Plugins > MuRa's Meister > Copies
Settings: Wall Paper(shrink)
Number = 40
Shift X = 50, Shift Y = 50
Angle = 0, Rotation = 100
Attenuation = 0, Scale = 100
Thru BG Range = 0
Fade Out = 0

12) Effects > Plugins > MuRa's Meister > Copies
Settings: Wall Paper(rotate)
Number = 20
Shift X = 50, Shift Y = 50
Angle = 0, Rotation = 100
Attenuation = 0, Scale = 100
Thru BG Range = 0
Fade Out = 0

13) Edit > Repeat Copies
If
transparent spaces are visible

14) Layers > Duplicate
Right click on layer and rename to "Blur"

15) Adjust > Blur > Radial Blur
Settings:
Twirl = Checked
Strength (%) = 30
Twirl degrees = 0
Elliptical = Not checked
Horizontal offset (%) = 0
Vertical offset (%) = 0
Protect center (%) = 0

16) Effects > Plugins > Mehdi > Sorting Tiles
Settings:
Block Range = 0-50
Block = 40
Plus = Checked

17) Activate layer "Tube B"
Edit > Repeat Sorting Tiles

18) Activate layer "Blur"
Change blend mode to "Hard Light"
Layers > Merge > Merge Down

19) Layers > New Mask Layer > From Image
Settings:
Source window = Narah_mask_0307.jpg
Source luminance = Checked
Invert mask data = Checked

20) Layers > Merge > Merge Group

21) Effects > Edge Effects > Enhance

22) Layers Palette
Turn on visibility of "Tube A" layer

23) Activate (blank) bottom layer

24) Dropper Tool (E)
Right click in the tag to choose a dark background color
(I chose #511e00)

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

26) Right click to flood fill new layer with Background color
I tried a few different colors until I was satisfied with my result

27) Activate layer "Tube A"
Adjust > Sharpness > Unsharp Mask
Settings:
Radius = 5.00, Strength = 10
Clipping = 30
Luminance only = Not checked
(Or a setting of your liking)

28) Effects > 3D Effects > Drop Shadow
Settings:
Vertical & Horizontal = 2
Opacity = 70
Blur = 40.00
Color = Black
Shadow on new layer = Not checked
(Or a setting of your liking)

29) Edit > Copy Special > Copy Merged

30) Edit > Paste as New Layer

31) Effects > Plugins > AAA Frames > Foto Frame
Settings:
Width = 1, Brightness = 0
Stroke = 1, Matte = 1
Red = 0, Green = 0
Blue = 0, Opacity = 100
Negative = Not checked
More Shadow = Not checked

32) Layers > New Raster Layer

33) Add your artists copyrights/information
AI images can not be copyrighted

34) For the Text:
Dropper Tool (E)
Left click in image to choose a dark Foreground color
(I chose #1a0900 - a darker shade of my Background color)

35) Text Tool (T)
Settings:
Font = cinnamon
Size = 42 Points (or what suits your Font and Text)
Alignment = Center
Direction = Horizontal and Down
Anti-alias = Sharp
Stroke width = 0.8 (or what suits your Font and Text)
Create as Vector
Auto kern = Checked
Kerning = 0 (or what suits your Font and Text)

36) Type Text of choice and click on Apply

37) Layers > Convert to Raster Layer

38) Effects > Plugins > Eye Candy 4000 > Gradient Glow
Settings:
Basic:
Glow width (pixels) = 3.00
Soft Corners (%) = 25
Overall Opacity (%) = 100
Draw Only Outside Selection = Checked
Color:
"Tube A" Setting
1st Color = Light color suiting your image
2nd Color = Lighter shade of 1st color
Opacity = 100
One tester used 2 contrasting medium colors and got a beautiful result

39) Optional:
Adjust > Brightness and Contrast > Brightness/Contrast (Shift & B)
Settings:
Brightness = -15 (Minus)
Contrast = 10
(Or a setting of your liking)

40) Effects > 3D Effects > Drop Shadow
Settings:
Vertical & Horizontal = 1
Opacity = 25, Blur = 2.00
Color = Black
Shadow on new layer = Not checked
(Or a setting of your liking)

41) Move Tool
Move text to place of choice

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

You are done!

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.