Valentine Card 3
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A tutorial by Mar ©2007

You can Drag & Drop the below hand  for a easy use of this tutorial.

What you need:
PSP. Download a 30 day trial here.
The materials: Download here.
Open all images from the ZIP in PSP.
Open the font and minimize the window.
You'll see it in your text tool now.

Save often.
Let's get started. Good luck.....

This tutorial is done in PSP 9.
Open a new image 300 X 300 and fill with #0e1c5b or other color.
This tag can be done in all colors (see below this tutorial).

Effects > Texture effects > Blinds > Color #c0c0c0.

Background to #0e1c5b or any other color of your choice.

Now put your foreground to pattern.
Look for the silver pattern from the ZIP.
Texture unchecked (blue hand).

With your shapes tool select the rectangle shape and draw a block.
This is going to be the flap for the envelope (look at the screenshot below).
So keep the flap a bit smaller as half (in height).
Mode: Rectangle > Check as vector >

Line style: Normal > Stroke: 3 > Anti-alias Checked.

As soon as you click the flap with your shapes tool you
will see 8 small blocks (nodes) and now you can process the flap.
Click the right block (blue hand) at the bottom and hold your Ctrl-key
in at the same time. With your mouse push the node to the left so you
will get the shape as on my screenshot below. An envelope flap.

Layers > Convert to raster.

Now move the flap up until the top silver border falls off.

Effects > 3D-effects > Drop shadow > Black.

Repeat the drop shadow but this time Horiz. and Vert. to - 2.

Layers > Merge > Merge visible.

Open the MD-Decoration-1.psp and copy.

Edit > Paste > Paste as a new layer

Repeat the drop shadow but this time only at 2.

Move the decoration as on the screenshot below.

Layers > Merge > Merge visible.

Image > Canvas size 400 X 400 (Placement top left).


Move the envelope a little back from the corner.

Put this image aside for now.
We're going to need that later.

Open a new image 300 X 300 and fill with #0e1c5b.
If you used another color before, that is fine too.

Background locked.
Foreground must still be on the silver pattern.

 With the square shape tool draw a square block that is just
a little bit smaller as your image. Notice! This is a different shape.
Mode: Square > Create as vector checked >

Line style: Normal > Stroke: 3 > Anti-alias checked.

Layers > Convert to raster.

Edit > Cut .
Edit > Paste > Paste as a new layer

By cutting and pasting, you made
sure the silver border is in the middle.

No drop shadow!

Layers > Merge > Merge visible.

Now write down the color you used for the envelope
and the card. You need that color later in this tutorial!

Unlock the background style.
Background to color #c7c7c7.
Or use a matching light color.
Foreground still has to be on the silver pattern.

Again draw a rectangle with your shapes tool .
Be sure to use the rectangle because the square doesn't work.

Make the flap longer as you did on the envelope (screenshot).
Click the right block (node) and push it to
the left as you did with the envelope flap.
Push the Ctrl-key down at the same time. Remember?

Layers > Convert to raster.

Repeat the drop shadow as last used ate 2 and at - 2.
Layers > Merge > Merge visible.

Background locked and again draw a block.
It has to be a little bit smaller as the flap is.
Again, Ctrl-key down and make it into the right shape.
Pull and push until it has the right shape (screenshot below).

I know what you think LOL.
Why not duplicate the layer and resize it.
But if we do, the silver border isn't 3 pixels (border)
anymore and we need to sharpen. You see my point??

Layers > Convert to raster.

Effects > 3D-effects > Drop shadow > Black.

Open the MD-Decoration-2.psp and copy.

Edit > Paste > Paste as a new layer

Repeat the drop shadow as used the last time at 1.

Place the decoration as on the screen shot below.

Layers > Merge > Merge visible.

Unlock your background style.
Put it back to the color you used for your card and envelope.
You have that color written down remember?
As I make this card in blue the color is: #0e1c5b.

With your shapes tool select the shape Heart 1.
 
If you don't have the shape you can find it here on my site.

Put the stroke at 4 now. Draw a heart.
For the (about) size look at my screenshot below.

Layers > Convert to raster.

Repeat the drop shadow as used the last time at 1.

Open the MD-SilverBow.psp and copy.

Edit > Paste > Paste as a new layer

Repeat the drop shadow as used the last time at 1.

Move the bow as on the screenshot below:

Layers > Merge > Merge visible.

Copy your card and go back to the image with your envelope.

Edit > Paste > Paste as a new layer.
Place the card as on the screenshot below.

Click and look for the opened Amazone BT. It's in the ZIP.
Size 26 > Stroke 0,0 > B for Bold > Anti-alias checked or Sharp.
Make sure the alignment is set to center.

Now type your text. I used:
"Be my (enter)
Valentine".
But any other text is fine too.
Maybe you have to adjust the font size
if you use a different text or quote.

Layers > Convert to raster.

Repeat the drop shadow but change it to 2.

Move the text in the middle of your heart!

Now type "Hugs from.........." (your name) on the envelope.
Font size between 16 and 20 (depends on the length of your name).
Repeat the conversion to raster and the drop shadow (at 1).

Layers > Merge > Merge visible.

Layers > New raster layer.
In your Layer palette, drag this
layer beneath the layer of your card.

Fill this layer with a color or pattern of your choice.
I used the pattern that I made for this tutorial.
Of course you don't need to put that background (and layer)
in your image. You can also save as a transparent GIF.
I strongly advice you to only do this if you are an advanced PSP
user and have experience on how to save as a transparent GIF.

My preferences are to safe as a JPG because you will not
have that much quality lost as when saving as a GIF.
Besides, a GIF only has a maximum of 256 colors.

Layers > Merge > Merge all flatten.

Your Valentine Card 3 is done.
I hope you like this tutorial and learned some new.
Thank you for putting my tutorials to the test.

The design above was done by my friend Lise Falsing.
She translates my tuts into Danish. Great design Hun!

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