Pixel Heart Blinkie Tutorial Written for PSP 8 (but works for PSP 7, also) Please feel free to link to this tutorial, and/or print it out for your own personal use, but do not copy it in any way to put on-line, pass out, or re-write without my permission. Any resemblance to any other tutorial like this is purely coincidental. This tutorial was written March 28, 2004. Thank you, © Barb's Hideaway For this tutorial, you will need Jasc Paint Shop Pro. You can download a trial version here. Step 1 Open a new image, 300 x 50 pixels, transparent, 16 million colors. Step 2 Use the paint brush tool set to size=1, hardness=100, step=1, density=100, thickness=100, rotation=0, opacity=100, blend mode=Normal. Paint the heart outline using #FF0000 and the pattern below. Layers > Duplicate and then Image > Mirror. Move into place to form the heart. Layers > Merge > Merge Visible. Step 3 Use the magic wand to select the inside of the heart and flood fill with #FEB8B8. Float the selection (Selections > Float) and apply a cutout: Effects > 3D Effects > Cutout > Vertical & Horizontal = 0, Opacity = 80, Blur = 12, Shadow color=#FF0000, Fill with interior color un-checked. Select OK. De-select (CTRL-D). Step 4 Duplicate the layer (Layers > Duplicate) so you have one heart for every letter of the name you are using. Step 5 Add a new raster layer and paint the link using #7F13BF and the pattern below. Duplicate the layer (Layers > Duplicate) so you have enough links for your hearts. Move the hearts and links into place as shown below: When everything is in place, Layers > Merge > Merge Visible. Step 6 Add a new raster layer and use the text tool to add the letters of the name you are using. I used Arial at size 10 with #7F13BF. Step 7 Duplicate the text layer (Layers > Duplicate) so that you have a copy for each letter (5 text layers if you have 5 letters in the name). Looking at the layer palette, the layer named Merged is your hearts, the layer named Raster 1 is your text, and the other layers are copies of the text. (Note: In PSP 7, it's called Layer 1 instead of Raster 1.) Make the Raster 1 layer active by clicking on it in the layer palette and erase the first letter of your text. You can tell which layer is active because it is the one in dark blue on the layer palette. In the screenshot below, it shows Raster 1 as being the active layer. Make the next layer active by clicking on it in the layer palette (Copy of Raster 1) and erase the second letter of your text. Continue to the last layer/last letter of your name. Step 8 Make the layer named Merged (the one with your hearts) active by clicking on it in the layer palette and duplicate it (Layers > Duplicate) so you have the same number of layers for your hearts as you do for your text. Close off all but the first heart layer and the first text layer. To close a layer, click on the eye next to the layer name. (Note: In PSP 7 it's eyeglasses.) It will put a red X on the eye (eyeglasses). Make your first heart layer active by clicking on it in the layer palette. Layers > Merge > Merge Visible. Close off all but the second heart layer and the second text layer. Make your second heart layer active by clicking on it in the layer palette. Layers > Merge > Merge Visible. Continue through the rest of the layers. You should end up with one layer for every letter in your name. Make all layers visible and save as .psp file. To make a layer visible, click on the eye (eyeglasses) with the red X. It will remove the red X and the layer will now be visible. Note: Animation Shop cannot access PSP 8 files. If you are using PSP 8 and haven't already done this, when you save a .psp file to be used in Animation Shop you will need to go to File > Save As and then click on Options and select "Save as PSP 7 compatible file". Finish saving your file. You only have to do this once and it will save all your psp files this way. Step 9 Now all you have to do is animate it! File > Jasc Software Products > Launch Animation Shop and create your animation. I used the Animation Wizard and chose a speed of 16. Step 10 CTRL-A to select all your frames. Select your crop tool and click on Options. Click on "Select the opaque area". Now go up to the numbers and reduce left by 2, reduce top by 2, add 2 to bottom, and add 2 to right. Select OK. This expands the selection area so it doesn't cut off right at the edge of the animation. Now click on crop and it will cut off the extra edges. Save your animation. I hope you enjoyed this tutorial. Use your imagination and play with different colors and fonts. What I hope is that you've picked up a new technique or a new idea to help you create your own original graphics. If you have any questions or problems with the tutorial, please contact me at featherwatcher@hotmail.com. 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