| :: Impact Stat & Tag Tut

Impact Stat & Tag Tut © Made by Lysa™
Written: August 17, 2005
Updated: July 20, 2011

- Click on the envelope to download the IMF copy of this tut.
Here is what we are making today:

I'm using artwork by Misticheskaya. You can now purchase her work HERE. Please do not use her work if you haven't purchased the license to use it.

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Supplies Needed:
A Tube (One taller than wide works best)
PSP XI
Eye Candy 5: Impact (This filter is no longer available for purchase.)
Filters Unlimited 2 (not a free filter)
My Settings Files (Installation instructions are enclosed in the zip file - If this download doesn't work the settings are also in the tut, this just saves time from having to enter them.)

To make this easier, I've broken it down into 3 sections.

Part 1: Preparation
Part 2: Making the Tag
Part 3: Making the Sideborder

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Part 1: Preparation

1. File > Open
Open your image.

2. Window > Duplicate (Shift + D)
Close your original image.

3. Image > Resize
Settings:
Lock aspect ratio = Checked
Resample using = Bicubic
Resize all layers = Checked
Height = 450 Pixels
Width = Width will self-adjust

NOTE: If your image is smaller than this, you may skip ahead to stop 5.

4. Adjust > Sharpness > Unsharp Mask
Settings:
Radius = 1.00
Strength = 47
Clipping = 5
Luminance only = Checked

5. Dropper Tool (E)
Choose 2 colors from your image, 1 light and 1 dark. Left click for your foreground color (light color) and right click for your background color (dark color).

6. Edit > Copy (Ctrl + C)

7. Minimize your tube and save it for later.

Part 2: Making the Tag

1. File > New
Settings:
Width = 600 Pixels
Height = 600 Pixels
Resolution = 72 Pixels/inch
Raster Background = Checked
Color depth = RGB - 8 bits/channel
Transparent = Checked

2. Edit > Paste > Paste As A New Layer (Ctrl + L)

3. Repeat this 2 more times so you have 3 copies of your tube.

4. Hide your top 2 layers (Raster 4 and 3) (by clicking on the eye in the layer palette.

5. Activate Raster 2.

6. Effects > Plugins > Alien Skin Eye Candy 5: Impact > Motion Trail
Settings:
MBL - Impact Tut
Direction = 44º
Length = 269.43
Taper = 30
Compress Sides = 0
Opacity = 50
Mask Selection = 60

7. Effects > Plugins > Alien Skin Eye Candy 5: Impact > Gradient Glow
Settings:
MBL - Impact Tut 2
Glow Type = Outside Glow
Mask Selection = Checked
Glow Radius (pixels) = 20.52
Soften Corners = 55
Overall Opacity = 100
Distortion Amount = 50
Distortion Lump Size = 58
Gradient Smoothness = 37
1st Color = Your light color
2nd Color = Your dark color
Random Seed = 5523

NOTE: To choose your colors in Eye Candy 5, you need to use my picture below. It's actually quite easy. These directions will work for all the filters within Eye Candy. To change the first color you click on the color box next to #1. Then you click on the palette next to #3. You will see some choices there. You want to make this one your light color. Then you click on the color box next to #2 then again on the color palette next to #3. You do the same thing and choose your dark color here. It took me a little bit to figure this one out but it works. :)

8. Adjust > Blur > Gaussian Blur
Settings:
Radius = 3

9. Activate Raster 3 and show that layer by clicking on the eye in the layer palette.

10. Effects > Plugins > Alien Skin Eye Candy 5: Impact > Perspective Shadow
Settings:
MBL - Impact Tag Tut 3
Shadow Mode = Perspective Shadow
Center Offset Direction (º) = 338º
Center Offset Distance (pixels) = 45.64
Overall Opacity = 90
Overall Blur (pixels) = 0
Perspective Blur (pixels) = 19.38
Fade Out = 25
Reflect Selection Color = Checked
Mask Selection = Checked

11. In your layer palette on raster 3, lower the opacity between 30 - 35. This may vary depending on the colors of your image. You only want this layer to be very light so it's just barely showing.

12. Activate Raster 4 and click on the eye in the layer palette so we can see this layer.

13. Effects > 3D Effects > Drop Shadow
Settings:
V&H = 4
Opacity = 74
Blur = 7
Color = Your dark color - If your dark color doesn't show up well, experiment, try your light color, or black, or another color that goes well with your image.
Shadow on new layer = Unchecked

TIP: To get your dark color right click on the color box and you will have a choice of your most recently used colors including your foreground and background colors. :)

14. Crop Tool (R)
Settings:
Snap crop rectangle to = Merged Opaque
Apply by double clicking inside the box or clicking on the checkmark.

15. Window > Duplicate (Shift + D)
Minimize 1 copy for later.

16. Since this is going to be our tag we need it to be a bit smaller so it doesn't overpower our stationary. :)
Image > Resize
Settings:
Height & Width = No longer than 400 Pixels (The other side will self-adjust.)

17. Adjust > Sharpness > Unsharp Mask

18. On your bottom layer, Flood Fill (F) with your light color.

19. Effects > Plugins > Alien Skin Eye Candy 5: Impact > Brushed Metal
Settings:
MBL - Impact Tag Tut 4a
Brush Style = Circular
Direction (º) = 0
Metal Color = Your Light Color
Highlight sharpness = 11
Grain Contrast = 53
Grain Length (pixels) = 21.95
Random Seed = 5130

20. Still on the bottom layer, Image > Canvas Size
Settings:
Width = Your width plus 20
Height = Your height plus 20
Placement = Middle box

21. Using your magic wand select the empty space that we just made for our border.
Settings:
Mode = Add/Shift
Match Mode = RGB Value
Tolerance = 0
Sample Merged (Use all layers) = Unchecked
Contiguous = Checked
Feather = 0
Anti-Alias = Checked
Inside = Checked

22. Layers > New Raster Layer

23. Flood Fill (F)
Settings:
Color = Dark Color
Fill your new border.

24. Selections > Select None

25. Filters > Plugins > < I.C.Net Software > >Filters Unlimited 2 > Buttons & Frames > Glass Frame 3
Settings:
Frame Size = 10
Shading = 100

26. Effects > 3D Effects > Drop Shadow
Settings:
Color: Your Dark Color (or whichever color you used earlier)

27. Effects > 3D Effects > Drop Shadow
Settings:
V&H = -4 (minus 4)

28. On your top layer. Layers > New Raster Layer

29. Apply the artist's watermark

30. Layers > New Raster Layer

31. Apply your watermark.

32. On your top layer, Text Tool (T). Use a fat font of your choosing, a narrow font won't be seen as clear. I suggest using your dark color as your foreground color and your light color as your background color. Play around with the settings until you find something you like. These are the settings I used.
Settings:

33. Objects > Align > Vert. Center in Canvas.
If this doesn't look good on your tag feel free to move the text to where you think it would look best. If you use a tube that is tall and narrow this will work. However if you use a different shape you may need to align it differently. Choose what you think is best for your type of image.

34. Layers > Convert to raster layer

35. Adjust > Add/Remove Noise > Add Noise
Settings:
Gaussian = Checked
Monochrome = Checked
Noise = 15%

36. Effects > 3D Effects > Inner Bevel
Settings:
Bevel #2
Width = 6
Smoothness = 24
Depth = 3
Ambience = 17
Shininess = 31
Color = White
Angle = 0
Intensity = 32
Elevation = 40
If you have another setting that you'd prefer, feel free to use it, it's your tag after all. :)

37. Effects > 3D Effects > Drop Shadow
Settings:
V&H = 4

38. Save your image as a psp file in case you need to make changes to it later. Then export it as a jpg with a compression setting of 20-25%. You can close this image now as we are done with it.

Part 3: Making the Side border

1. Activate the image that you minimized earlier.

NOTE: If your image is rather wide, you may want to resize it so it's width is no larger than 450 - 500. Use your own judgment. If you resize your image you may want to sharpen it by: Adjust > Sharpness > Unsharp Mask.

2. On your bottom layer (should be blank):
Flood Fill (F)
Fill with your dark color.

3. Effects > Plugins > Alien Skin Eye Candy 5: Impact > Brushed Metal
Settings:
Color = Dark Color

4. Effects > Image Effects > Seamless Tiling
Settings:
Default except change the direction to vertical.

5. Image > Canvas Size
Settings:
Width: 2500
Height: Your Height
Placement: left middle button
You will notice here that we are add a significant amount of space to the right of our image. If you want this to be a right bordered stationary then choose the right middle button instead. Easy as pie. :)

6. Layers > New Raster Layer

7. Layers > Arrange > Send to Bottom

8. Flood Fill Tool (F)
Flood fill with your LIGHT color.

9. Effects > Plugins > Alien Skin Eye Candy 5: Impact > Brushed Metal
Settings:
MBL ~ Impact Tag Tut 4b
Brush Style = Linear
Direction (º) = 270
Metal Color = Light Color
Highlight Sharpness = 22
Grain Contrast = 31
Grain Length (pixels) = 131.07
Random Seed = 6590

10. Effects > Image Effects > Seamless Tiling

11. While on raster 1 layer, add a new layer. Layers > New Raster Layer (This new layer should be the third layer from the bottom.)

12. Using your selection tool draw a rectangle about 10 pixels wide and the entire height of the canvas. We are going to Flood fill this section in a minute. Placement of this isn't important at the moment. We'll fix it.
Settings:
Selection Type = Rectangle
Mode = Replace
Feather = 0
Anti-alias = Checked

13. Flood Fill Tool (F)
Flood fill this selection with your light color.

14. Move Tool (M)
Move your new bar and center it over the line where your dark side of the canvas meets the light side. See my example above (in the preview at the beginning of the tutorial) for reference.

15. Selections > Select None

16. Adjust > Add/Remove Noise > Add Noise

17. Effects > Plugins > Alien Skin Eye Candy 5: Impact > Gradient Glow
Settings:
MBL ~ Impact Tag Tut 5
Glow Type = Outside Glow
Mask Selection = Checked
Glow Radius (pixels) = 8
Soften Corners = 41
Overall Opacity = 76
Distortion Amount = 67
Distortion Lump Size = 92
Gradient = 64
1st Color = Your Light Color
2nd Color = Your Dark Color
Random Seed = 4476

18. Effects > 3D Effects > Drop Shadow
Settings:
Vertical = 0
Horizontal = 0
Opacity = 100
Blur = 2
Color = Black
Shadow on new layer = Unchecked

19. Effects > Image Effects > Seamless Tiling

20. Make sure you are on the top layer. Layers > New Raster Layer

21. Add the artist's watermark.

22. Layers > New Raster Layer

23. Add your own watermark.

24. If you choose to add text to your sideborder image now would be the time to do so.

WOW!! You are done. Are you ok over there? I hope you have enjoyed doing this tutorial. :)

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Please link your results of my tutorial to my yahoo group:
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/mbl_tutorials/

or to make it easier for you, you can copy and paste this line into your stationery footer.
Impact Stat & Tag Tut © Made by Lysa™

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Thank you for taking the time to try my tutorial. I hope you had as much fun trying it as I did writing it. :)

Thank you to the Tenacious Tut Testers for testing this tutorial for me.

Any similarity to other tutorials is completely coincidental.
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