Victorian Christmas Card
(PSP all versions - no filters)
A tutorial by Mar © 2006

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

What you need:
Corel PSP. Download a 30 day trial here.
Materials:  Download here.
Save the gradient mask in your Mask Folder in PSP.
Open all images from the ZIP in PSP.
Open the font and minimize.
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 450 X 400 > Transparent.

Foreground to pattern.
Look for the "MD-Vic-Green.jpg".
Texture unchecked (blue hand).

Of course you can also use any Christmas pattern of your own.

Fill your image with the pattern.

Layers > New raster layer.

With your rectangle selection tool (feather 0),
select a large part of your image and fill with white.
Take a close look at the screenshot.
This is going to be the envelope.


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

Selections > None.

Open the MD-Victorian-envelope.psp and copy.

Edit > Paste > Paste as a new layer.

Resize the turnover with until it fits your envelope.

If all went well you now have this:

Lock your background for now.

Layers > Merge > Merge visible layers.

Unlock your background layer.

Move your envelope to the top left but
keep a very little distance from the edge. 

Open a new image 380 X 315 and fill with white.

Open the MD-VictorianMask.jpg.

Layers > New mask layer > From image.

Look for the MD-VictorianMask.jpg and apply.

Layers > Merge > Merge group.

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

Edit > Paste > Paste as a new layer.

Effects > 3D-effects > Drop shadow > Color #404040.

Move the card to the bottom right but leave some pattern visible.

Open your Victorian Christmas image from the ZIP.

Layers > Promote the background to layer.

Layers > Masks load/safe > Mask load from disk.

Look for the !Circle Gradient mask you just saved in your mask folder.

Layers > Merge > Merge group.

If your image has a white or light tinted background, using the
gradient mask once is enough. Do you use a colorful (darker) image:
Repeat the !Circle Gradient mask again. So:
Layers > Masks load/safe > Mask load from disk.
Layers > Merge > Merge group.

Copy the Victorian image and go back to your card.

Edit > Paste > Paste as a new layer.

Move over your card.
Keep some space for the text.

Foreground locked and with your color picker take a nice
darker color from your Victorian image as a background color.
Or use the gold pattern from the ZIP. You can also use the 
pattern you used for your card background. I used #ca9c1e.
If you want to use a pattern, here are the settings:

Click and look for the opened Rothenburg Decorative. It's in the ZIP.
Size 18 > Stroke 0,0 > B for Bold > Anti-alias Checked or Sharp.

Type your text. I used "Merry Christmas".
It is possible you have to adjust the font size if you use another text.

Layers > Convert to raster.

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

Layers > Merge > Merge visible layers.

Open one of the pens and copy. I used
MD-Pen-3.psp since the color fits my card.

Edit > Paste > Paste as a new layer.

With put in a spot you like best.

Open the MD-text.psp and copy.

Edit > Paste > Paste as a new layer.

Put it on your envelope.

At last, open the  MD-VictorianRibbon.psp and copy.
If your card has other colors in it and if you
want to colorize the ribbon, do this first

Edit > Paste > Paste as a new layer.

With put on your card against the lace.

Layers > Merge > Merge all flatten.

Your Victorian Christmas Card is done.
I hope you like the tutorial and learned something new.
Thank you for putting it to the test.

I wish you all a fantastic Holiday Season!

Since 11-14-2006: