Now if we have everything we need let's begin.

Framed Image

1. Open the slats28-kris and your tubes in psp.
   
   
2. Open a new 500 x 500 transparent image and choose your gradient with these settings : Angle =45, Repeats = 0, Linear, and invert is unchecked. *Note: (these are the settings we will use for all the gradients throughout this tut).
   
   
3. Flood fill your new image with the gradient.
   
   
4. Add a new layer. Go to selections ....click select all.
   
   
5. Activate your slats28-kris tube...go to Edit..Copy.
   
   
6. Activate your background image. Edit...Paste into selection. Deseelect.
   
   
7. Go to Image...Resize and resize this to 75 %...make sure resize all layers is unchecked.
   
   
8. Now select your mover tool and move this image up but make sure it is not touching the top edge.
   
   
9. Close out raster 1 and make sure raster 2 is the highlighted layer. Choose your metallic 01 gradient (same settings as before).
   
   
10. Select your wand and holding down your shift key, click inside each one of the slats. Go to Selections...Modify...Expand and expand by 3.
    
    
11. Add a new layer and flood fill each slat with the metallic gradient. Deselect.
    
    
12. Go to Layers....Arrange and click move down. This should put raster 3 below raster two.
    
    
13. Effects...3D effects...Dropshadow with these settings : V & H = 4, Opacity =65, Blur = 15, Color = Black. Deselect.
    
    
14. Activate your musical tube...go to edit...copy.
    
    
15. Activate your background image once again and in your layer palette make sure raster 3 is the highlighted layer. Go to edit paste as a new layer. You may need to resize your tube if you used a different one from mine.
    
    
16. Using your mover tool position this as you see in my example. (I more or less kept my tube centered in the mirror.) Now lower your opacity on this new layer to around 60.
    
    
17. Highlight raster 2 and go to edit...paste as a new layer. Using your mover tool position this tube as you see in my example. (If you used your own tube you may need to resize it. Just keep in mind when placing it that it should sit so it looks like it is being reflected in the mirror).
    
    
18. Close out raster 1 and highlight any of the other raster layers. Go to Layers...merge...merge visible.
    
    
19. Effects...3D Effects....Dropshadow with the same settings as in step 13. You can now open Raster 1 again.
    
    
20. Activate your complimenting Tube, (I used a misted head and shoulder one). Go to Edit...Copy.
    
    
21. Activate your background image and highlight the merged layer in your layer palette. Go to Edit...Paste...Paste as a new layer.
    
    
22. Use your mover tool to place this tube to the bottom left or right corner. (See my example for an idea on placement).
    
    
23. Merge all flat.
    
    
24. Add a new layer
    
    
25. In your materials palette...change your foreground to a gold gradient and change your background to the color white.
    
    
26. Select your text tool. choose the arioso font (or one of your own choosing...handwriting ones work best), and use the settings below:
    
    
    
    
27. Click on the mirror in your background image and type whatever text you would like. (see my example above. I would use no more than 5 or 6 words). Move it into positon on the mirror making sure it does not touch the side of the mirror.
    
    
28. Effects...3d effects...dropshadow...use the same settings as in step 13 but this time change your blur to 5.00. Deselect.
    
    
29. Duplicate layer and close raster 1. Highlight one of your text layers and merge visible. Now if it is still not sitting where you want it on the mirror...use your mover tool to position it better.
    
    
30. Merge all flat.
    
    
31. Go to Image...add borders and add a 2 pixel black border.
    
    
32. Select this border with your wand and go to Selections...Invert.
    
    
33. Effects....3D effects....Cutout with these settings : V & H = 4, opacity = 50, blur = 25, color is dark grey or black depending on the gradient you chose for your background.
    
    
34. Repeat cutout changing the V&H to (minus) -4. Deselect.
    
    
35. Add a 3 pixel white border and select it with your wand. (now you should still have the gold gradient in your materials palette so no need to go find it.) Flood fill this border with your gold gradient. Deselect.
    
    
36. Add a 2 pixel black border.
    
    
37. Add a 3 pixel white border and select with your wand. Flood fill with gold gradient and deselect.
    
    
38. Add a 2 pixel black border.
    
    
39. Selections...select all
    
    
40. Selections...modify..contract. Contract by 12
    
    
41. Selections...Invert
    
    
42. Effects...3D effects...outer bevel with these settings: Bevel = #1, Width = 1, Smoothness = 10, Depth = 5, Ambience = 0, Shininess = 60, Color = White, Angle = 315, Intensity = 25, Elevation = 40.
    
    
43. Deselect.
    
    
44. Add a new layer and add your watermark.
    
    
45. Resize Image to 450 x 450 pixels and export as a jpg at a compression of 25.
    
    
    

Background

1. Open new 350 x 350 transparent image.
   
   
2. In your materials palette select the original background gradient that you used in your framed image. (Same settings as we have used for our gradients throughout this tut).
   
   
3. Flood fill your new image with the gradient.
   
   
4. Add a new layer.
5. Choose a light complimenting color and flood fill this layer with it. Then lower the opacity of this layer to around 50.
   
   
6. Merge flat.
   
   
7. Effects....Plugins....Simple...Quick tile.
   
   
8. Export as a jpg at a compression of 25.
   
   

Put it all together in Letter Creator and you are done.

I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial. If you have any questions or comments please contact me