Stafur Tag Tutorial

By LismibaebisCreations
1 March 2024

I used the awesome art of PimmyArt.
I bought it from Creative Fabrica.
The image is from the album "Book Lover - Girl Reading Clipart Bundle".

Skill Level: Advanced Beginners & Adventurous Others
Knowledge of using Filters is necessary
(Or learn how to get started with my ABC Tutorials)

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
I used 3 different tubes from the same album to create a picture

Filters

AAA Frames, available here
Filters Unlimited, &<Bkg Kaleidoscope>, available here
FunHouse, available here
MuRa's Meister > Copies, available here

You can use FunHouse directly in PSP.
Together with many other filters/plugins I imported FunHouse into my Filters Unlimited.
(email me Lismibaebi@gmail.com for a link)

Eye Candy 4000 (used for text only)
(email me Lismibaebi@gmail.com for a link)

Font

Font of Choice – I used Charlotte
(Free to download and 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) Download and install Filters if necessary
(If you install filters you need to restart PSP afterwards)

2) File > Open
Open image of choice

3) Window > Duplicate
Close original

4) Edit > Copy
Minimize

6) Edit > Paste As New Layer (your tube)

7) If the tube is bigger than file:
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 all of the tube is showing.
Depending on the tube you work with, you might choose to resize in 50% steps to start with

9) Layers > Duplicate

10) Layers Palette
Duplicated Layer
Turn off Visibility

11) Layers Palette
Select orginal Tube Layer

12) Dropper Tool (E)
Left click in image to choose a dark Foreground color
(I chose #483c22)
Right click to choose a dark Background color
(I chose #542d1e)

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

14) Edit > Repeat Copies

15) Effects > Plugins > < I.C.NETSoftware > Filters Unlimited 2.0 > &<Bkg Kaleidoscope>
Settings: Kaleidoscope Butterfly (Default)
Rotation = 125, Zoom = 215

16) Effects > Plugins > < I.C.NETSoftware > Filters Unlimited 2.0 > FunHouse
Settings: Centripedal Tile
Tile Size = 222, Force = 185

17) Effects > Edge Effects > Enhance More

18) Layers > New Raster Layer

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

20) Right click to flood fill new layer with Background color

21) Layers Palette
Change Blend mode to "Multiply"

22) Layers > New Raster Layer

23) Left click to flood fill new layer with Foreground color

24) Layers Palette
Change Blend mode to "Multiply"

25) Time to Play:
Which Layer do you like better?
- The Foreground Color? or
- The Background Color? or
- Try out more Colors? and/or
- Choose a different Blend mode? and/or
- Reduce Opacity?
So that you can see as much of the pattern as is your preference

This is what I have:
Bottom Layer = Pattern
Next Layer Up = Background color
Multiply and opacity 39
Next Layer Up = Foreground color
Multiply and opacity 100

26) Layers Palette
Activate the Duplicated Tube
Turn on Visibility
Move Tool (M)
Move tube into position of choice

27) Adjust > Sharpness > Unsharp Mask
Settings:
Radius = 5.00, Strength = 15
Clipping = 30
Luminance only = Not checked
(Or a setting of your liking)

28) Effects > 3D Effects > Drop Shadow
Settings:
Vertical & Horizontal = 2
Opacity = 44
Blur = 10.00
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) Layer > Arrange > Bring to Top
This will be our Border Layer.
I do it this way as it is very simple to move the tube/s around if needed and get a new frame without delay

32) Effects > Plugins > AAA Frames > Foto Frames
Settings: Default
Width = 0, Brightness = 0
Stroke = 1, Matte = 1
Red = 0, Green = 0
Blue = 0, Opacity = 73
Negative = Not checked
More Shadow = Not checked

33) Layers > New Raster Layer

34) Add your artists copyrights

35) Text Tool (T)
Settings:
Colors of Choice
Font = Charlotte (or Font of choice)
Size = 36 Points (or what suits your Font and Text)
Alignment = Center
Direction = Horizontal and Down
Anti-alias = Sharp
Stroke width = .8
Create as Vector
Auto kern = Checked
Kerning = -10 (or what suits your Font and Text)

36) Type Text of choice and click on Apply

37) Layers > Convert to Raster Layer

38) Move Tool
Move text to place of choice

39) Effects > Plugins > Eye Candy 4000 > Gradient Glow
Settings:
Basic Tab:
Glow width (pixels) = 3.00
Soft Corners (%) = 25
Overall Opacity (%) = 80
Draw Only Outside Selection = Checked
Color Tab:
Drop down menu = Fat
Click on big left square and choose color
Activate 2nd arrow and choose a color
(I usually choose a much lighter version of the first color)
Move both arrows and diamonds to your liking

If you do not have Eye Candy 4000, use a Drop Shadow of choice

40) Effects > 3D Effects > Drop Shadow

41) Adjust > Sharpness > Unsharp Mask

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.