* Stars & Stripes *

This tutorial was written by me on 7/3/08.
It was written in PSP XI, but will work in any version.

Supplies needed for this tutorial:
Tube of choice
I'm using the fabulous artwork of Elias Chatzoudis
You can purchase a license to use his work HERE

Scrap kit can be downloaded HERE
This is a free kit called Happy Birthday America
Thanks hun, this kit is fabulous!

Fonts of choice
I am using Inspiration & Franklin Gothic Heavy

Bling ( If this belongs to you, contact me and i
will either give you credit, or take it down....thanks)

Mask is by WSL
you can visit her site HERE

Eyecandy 4000, Gradient Glow

My supplies are at the bottom of the page

Let's get started
Open the bling animation in Animation Shop
Open the rest of your supplies in PSP

Open a new canvas 600x600 (You can resize later if needed)
Floodfill white

Add a new layer
Selections, select all
Copy the flag from the kit & paste in selection
Deselect
Layers, load mask, load mask from disk, with these settings

Layers, merge, merge group
Resize 110%

You can pretty much build the rest of the tag as you choose
This kit has lots of potential
But, if you want it to look like mine, follow me lol

Copy the star frame from the kit & paste as a new layer
Resize, duplicate, mirror
Position the duplicate on top of the other star frame
Layers, merge down

Paste your tube as a new layer
Effects, drop shadow, with these settings

Duplicate this layer
Position to where there are different parts of her showing
through the frame
Activate the frame layer
Grab your magic wand & click inside of one of the frames
Selections, modify, expand by 3
Selections, invert
Go back to the tube layer & hit delete on your keyboard
Deselect
Repeat this with the other tube layer

Close out the white background layer & the mask layer
Layers, merge, merge visible
Apply the same drop shadow as before
Duplicate, mirror
Refer to my tag for placement
You can unhide the other layers at this point

Paste your tube as a new layer & position her in a nice spot
Apply the same drop shadow

Grab your text tool and type out "stripes" with a block font
background color #212640, foreground null
I used Franklin Gothic Heavy
Position at the bottom of the tag
Effects, Eyecandy 4000, Gradient Glow, with these settings


Now type out "stars" using a script font with
background color #7b0b09, foreground null
I used Inspiration
Position over the stripes text
Effects, Eyecandy 4000, Gradient Glow
with the same settings

Type out your name with font of your choice
with background color on white, foreground null
Effects, Eyecandy 4000 Gradient Glow, with the
same settings, changing the glow color to #212640
Now go back & do it again changing the glow color
to #7b0b09

Add any copyright information

* Animation *

Close out all layers except the white background layer
and the mask layer
Make sure you have propogate paste selected in Animation Shop!!!

Copy merged & paste in AS as a new animation
Duplicate until you have 3 frames, or if you're using a
different bling, however many frames the bling has
I will refer to this as the "Tag Animation"
Select all frames

Go to the bling animation and delete frame 1
This is the blue frame, which is just used to preview the animation
Select all frames
Copy & paste into selected frame on your tag animation
Repeat this as many times as you want & place wherever you like

Back in PSP, close out the white background layer & the
mask layer, & unhide the rest of the layers

Copy merged & paste in AS as a new animation
Duplicate until you have 3 frames
Select all frames, copy & paste into selected frame
on your tag animation
Position where you want & can still see the bling animation
You might have to play with it a little, depending on the
tube that you're using

Check the animation and if happy, save as a gif & you're done!

I hope that you've enjoyed this tutorial
and don't forget, we would LOVE to see your results!!!