Tutorial - Purplefantastical

NOTE - UPDATE 1st October 2025

I just received a note from Google telling me they UNPUBLISHED this tutorial as it had been flagged for review. Apparently, it was deemed to contain SPAM.

No spam.  All the links that were here were links to legitimate sites of interest.

There was only one change I made to this tut yesterday to re-link to a new blog for the mask and BAM!

Flagged.

This is the first time in over 15 years of having Blogger that this has ever happened to me on my blogs.

I do not deliberately link to iffy sites, I do not deliberately link to spam sites.  

So, dear Google reviewer, I hope this tut now passes the test.

Oh and one more thing my PSP chums.

If web crawlers or bots flagged this tut page up and found it unpalatable - then fine.

But, I find out a human being actually reported me for linking spam...that is not true and karma is real.

In the interests of keeping this tutorial and hopefully having reinstated - 

I have now removed every link from this page.

If you need to find and source the materials I used -

 please read the names and places below and find your own way there.

Perhaps try using Google to find them.

(I do find this very coincidental that it happened when it did and I shall be watching for any future nonsense such as this)

Yeah, I'm annoyed.

OK - on to the tut...

This tutorial is written ideally for taggers who enjoy using effects/filters and have some reasonable confidence working with layers and understanding of placements/positioning without the need for repetition of instruction ♥ and understand my lunatic babbling.  Thank you :) xx

Tube - I'm using a completely gorgeous one by ©Goldwasser which comes as part of a scrapkit by Bella Caribena called "Fantasy Land" which I got from Dreaming with Bella

For this tag you will need a LARGE tube like this so any large tubed artwork would be ideal

Lots of Filters - You will need

VM Toolbox

VM Extravaganza

Mura's Meister

Eye Candy 4000

Mask - I'm using a gorgeous one by Vivienne from Vivienne's Digital Tagging - you can find it at her site 

It's Number 0087

Fonts - I'm using a freebie font from Creative Fabrica called "Engine"

But - 

Of course - as always - use whatever you'd prefer or have to hand to make your end result different.

(See my update note above the tag example to explain why nothing is linked!)

♥

Open a New Image 

650 x 510 pixels @ 72 dpi

C&P your chosen large tube close up

Centre within the tag canvas area

Crop to canvas size

♥

Duplicate the tube layer

On the top copy

Adjust, Gaussian, 5.00

Change the BM to one that suits your tube

I used Overlay but that was too harsh so I dropped the Opacity of the layer to 50

Just right!

So improvise but bear in mind not to distort or destroy the essence of the artwork.

Dramatic can look nice but not if you make the original art look...yikes! 

♥

Add a new Layer

Below the Close Up

FF (Flood fill) with a gradient to compliment the image

(I used my old favourite FG/BG angled at 45)

Hide this layer in the LP

Right Click on the bottom copy of the tube

Merge, Merge Visible

Right Click again

Duplicate

Now you have two copies of the tube and one hidden gradient layer in the palette?

Cool

♥

On the top copy of the tube - go to Adjust, Blur, Radial Blur and apply my setting - 

Once applied

Right Click on this effect layer in the LP and choose Duplicate

On the top copy - VM Toolbox - Instant Tile on - 

X Flip - 77

Y Flip - 31

(Default Settings I think?)

Now move your tube layer to the top of the LP

Right click to Duplicate

then HIDE the top layer for now and

on the lower copy

Apply the VM Toolbox on the same settings to the lower tube layer that you just applied

to the swirl layer

SPOOKY!

♥

Now UNHIDE the Gradient Layer...lol!  Remember that one right back at the beginning

OK

So with your top layer (your complete Close Up tube layer) hidden

Right Click on the Gradient Layer

Merge, Merge Visible

Which should now leave you with two layers - the layer with 4 faces etc and your tube face layer

Excellent...right, I need a cup of tea, I'll be back in a minute...

I'm writing this tut on the fly - it's Thursday afternoon, the sun is shining, I had no idea where I was going with this tutorial and it's just come to me, so need a cuppa and then we'll carry on...back in 10 xx

♥

I'm back :)

Here we go then

Duplicate the 4 face layer you just made and hide one for later

With a dark colour from your tag set in your top box (Materials Palette)

and the bottom box set to 0/nothing/null

Go to Preset Shape Tool, choose Rectangle

and then adjust the Horizontal and Vertical Radius to 30.00

the Line Style to Solid

and the Line Width to 12.00

(We're creating as a Vector)

♥

Now back over to the working tag canvas

We are going to draw a rounded edged vertical rectangle shape - see my tag for reference

Starting with the first face area but further over (so top left of the tag canvas)

Draw out your Rectangle layer top to bottom for the sizing and then across for the width

and use the centre of the swirl 

as a guide as to where to stop

(I had a diamond shape right in the middle of my tag so I stopped just before that)

Again see my finished tag for an idea of sizing

If you don't like the size of it - hit the Undo arrow button and try again but

Once you've drawn it out to your liking

Objects

Align

LEFT

and then

Over to the Layer Palette and on the shape layer, Right Click

and choose 

Convert to Raster Layer

then

Right Click, Duplicate the shape layer

and then Image, Mirror, Mirror Horizontal

♥

So now we're going to select the inner area and make some adjustments - 

Using Magic Wand on my usual settings for selecting parts of images 

Click inside the shape to the left of the tag canvas

Selections, Modify, Expand by 2

Activate the bottom Merged 4 faced layer in the LP

then

Selections, Promote Selections to Layer

Keep Selected

Layers, 

New Raster Layer

(this is still below the left "frame" layer you just drew)

and go to Effects

3D Effects

Cutout

on this setting of mine - 

Selections, Selection None

Repeat this last section from the heart down so you have the same on the right hand side of the canvas too...

Your working canvas is now full of layers, shadows, duplicates and gaaaaah!

Don't panic, we're going to tidy things up lovely now...

Tip: At this point - Save your work as PSPImage rename your canvasses in the Layer Palette - call the one that you've done all the work on, WORKING CANVAS or something like that and then

(I'm currently working big at the moment because I likes it - so I went for 850 x 600 pixels @ 72 dpi

HOWEVER!

You choose whatever sized you'd like - bearing in mind to adjust the percentage of resizing accordingly for your own tag from this point on if you start any smaller than me - okely?

Great

So - floodfill your chosen image size with a layer of White

Then save and rename this canvas TAG CANVAS

OK?

♥

On we go

Back to the working canvas - find the 4 faced layer (there's two copies floating about - a hidden one at the top and the bottom one you just promoted two layer from

C(opy)

and then

back to the new image

P(aste) as a New Layer (always as a New Layer unless stated otherwise)

Layers, Load Mask from Disk

and apply

MaskVivienne0087 to the layer (not the canvas, the layer)

Layers, Merge Group

Once you've applied the mask - ensuring it doesn't look distorted for your tag size and making sure it's not touching the edges of the canvas?

(use Objects, Align, Centre of Canvas if possible)

Back to Working Canvas

Click on the left side rectangle shaped layer to activate it in PSP

Then

Layers, 

View, 

Current Only

And

UNHIDE - the Cutout Layer underneath and the the promoted 4 face (or rather now, the 2 faced layer)

layer section

Layers, Merge Visible

Hide this layer now and

Repeat this step for the right hand side - the rectangle, the cutout and the promoted area for that shape

So now, you should have two separate layers of merged rectangle?

Click on the left layer frame with Magic Wand using our settings as before

and 

apply Eye Candy 4000 - HSB Noise - on the default settings - Settings, Reset to Factory Default

Selection None

Repeat this effect for the right frame

Now 

C&P the left frame 

Place it centrally on the Tag Canvas

Objects, Align, Centre in Canvas 

Repeat this for the mirrored template (which is currently the right side of the working canvas) layer and paste as a new layer above the others

Again use Obj, Align if needed

So your Tag Canvas should look like this now - 

♥

Activate the right side template section layer - i.e. the section of the 4 faced image that is facing the same way as your mask layer on the right (check it) and make sure it's on the top of the LP

On this layer - apply VM Extravaganza Transmission on these settings - you MAY need to adjust the number sliders for your own creation line up (in fact, I'm pretty sure you will) but you'll get the idea...

(You're looking for a pleasing "split" of the sections - so that's your Line Width to adjust and then the Offset is how far out you want the pieces to spread - so keep jiggling the sliders and look at your Preview pane to see what's happening.  Contrast is the Transparency of the layer and we don't want any so move that to 0)

Once you've got it how you think you like it - click OK

If you don't like the result in the "flesh" - hit the Undo arrow button and reapply 'til liked :)

♥

Once you've done this

Hide the untouched template portion in the Layer P

Now - take your Move tool - and move your mask layer over so it lines up under your right side template layer to "complete" the top face

I only had to move mine over to the right a little 

and then check for jiggle lag (as I call it)

Basically, turn your top template layer on and off a few times to see if there's any jiggle - this will show if it's aligned up nicely or not

(You can also do this by lowering the opacity of the template layer - your choice!)

Once aligned?

Move the left side template up the Layer Palette to the top

Duplicate the Mask Layer

Image, Mirror, Mirror Horizontal

Now - reapply the Transmission to the Left Side template layer

You won't have to the move the mask layer on the left as chances are (like mine) it was already 

lined up (aligned) with the template face

If yours isn't...move over to align

PHEW!

♥

Right - here's where it gets grooooovy.

IF like me, you're quite old school and love a simple effect tag now and again - you're getting a bonus.

Read on...

Go back to our WORKING Canvas

On the layer we created pretty much at the start, the large close up, original face layer?

Making sure it's at the top of all the other layers in the LP and then leaving it highlighted/activated

Load/Save Mask, Load Mask from Disk, find your Vivienne_Mask0087 as before to the face layer

And

Apply, Layers, Merge Group (not Visible)

then 

COPY the Mask layer from the working canvas and Paste as a new layer above the others on the Tag Canvas

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!  Lightbulb moment...

I thought it looked lovely like that loL!  (Save there if you'd rather - no probs!)

But either way - 

Save your Progress as PSPImage on the Working Canvas as that's it -  for now!

We shall come back to it another day...yes, really.

So, keep it safe for now.  And let's work on this one.

Moving on - 

Your Tag Canvas image should now look like this in the LP - or something like - 

Here's where your taste/creativity comes into play!

HIDE the Left Side Template Section layer by clicking the EYE or whatever you have to do in your version.

It should be perfectly aligned with the right side one

Which tube direction looks best for your tag?

You choose

Hide and Unhide a few times to see which you like

I'll admit I liked mine the way it was so I left it

Hide your Large Masked Face Layer for now

Open your Brush Tool

In the MP - have it set to the Dark Colour we used for the template frame in the top box and nothing in the bottom box

In the Brush Settings - have it set to this - 

Zoom into 200% on your canvas so you can see better and on a New Layer (as always with brushwork unless stated otherwise)

At the top left of your canvas - if yours looks like mine we're going to draw out a line

Don't panic!  It's easy - 

Tap once to dab your brush square lined up with the template area - 

The HOLD DOWN Shift and dab your brush once more at the END point 

i.e. we're drawing a straight line to cover the raw edge (which I've decided I don't like lol!)

Ta-da!

You should now have a perfectly straight line piece? 

Lined up beautifully to cover up your edge of the top left piece of template?

(IF you've got weird ladder zig zag effect, it means your end point doesn't quite line up so undo

and have another go - when you've got it right, your line will be smooth from point a to b)

Excellent!

Reapply the EC 4000 HSB Noise on the default settings (as we did for the template frame)

Now

Duplicate this line layer and go around the canvas duplicating and lining up as many times as you needed for your split (I needed 10 pieces of line so I remained Zoomed in and went around the canvas right clicking to duplicate and then moving the pieces around to LINE UP perfectly - you will need to zoom in for this to get it right on the dot!)

♥

Hide the White Background

All THREE Mask Layers

and

then Layers, Merge, Merge Visible

Unhide your layers

Time for fonts and whatnot - yes, we're nearly finished! :)

Text Tool

I took the Engine font

Dark Colour Top Box of MP Stroke 1.00

Lighter colour from tag Bottom Box of MP

Size 96 Pixels

Create as Vector

Type out some wordage that will suit - I went for MIDNIGHT

Placed top left 

Moved below below the face mask and template layer

Convert to Raster

Go to MP - hit the Swap Colours arrow

Repeat the word or use a different one

Place to the right - see my tag

Repeat this for the last two sections

then I used a different font (Steelfish) and changed the kerning to 450

(With my PSP I selected the Text and then adjusted the Kerning to the width I liked by

watching it apply in real time but if you're using an older version, you may need to try it a few times

until you get the spread you like - be nice to the font though, don't make it look weird loL!)

Convert to Raster when done

Now - apply a drop shadow to the wording and template layers only - do not add to any of the mask layers

I used

(Note: for extra whoosh, I added a scripty font with the name in a lighter colour and applied the same drop but this is optional

Add your CR INFO - Tag Info etc. as needed

Once done - delete the White Background layer

Go to the Crop Tool and look for Snap Crop Rectangle to:

Find Merged Opaque

and my canvas size dropped to 

780 x 546 - Not bad!

I pulled the top and sides out a little in case they were touching shadow

and then ticked to Crop

Hold Shift and hit D to duplicate the entire image

and on the duplicate - Layers, Merge Visible

Save as PNG

Back to our TAG CANVAS image

Click on the Red X to Close - 

And hit Yes to save changes.

DON'T DO THIS IF your PSP doesn't OFFER to save changes to your files

If it doesn't do this on a default basis, simply Save As like you usually would for a PSPImage

and Save it as one.

We'll revisit this another day :)

Anyway, for this tag, that's it.

I'd love another example to show so if you do the tutorial and make something?

Please send it to me and I'd love to add it to this page :)

Thanks for looking and happy tagging xx

This tutorial was written 16th April 2021 by Vix aka VixPSP

All usual PSP tutorial disclaimer notices, conditions and terms of usage apply

Thank you