Tutorial ~ Tiered Boxes Blended

Supplies Needed

Tube of choice

I am using Ash Evans Individual Tube 4-1 by CDO.  You must have a license to use this artwork.  Please visit CDO for more information.

Scrap kit of choice

I am using CDO_ValentineCollab-2015.  This kit is no longer available.

Filters

I am using Eye Candy 4000 - Gradient Glow but only on my credits.

Mask

Mask of your choice.

As with all my tutorials feel free to switch things up.  Use different colors or fonts or images.  Make it your own.  For the purposes of my tutorial I am going under the guise of you using these materials so make adjustments as you go if you use other materials.  I am using PSP 8.  I am sure if you are using a different version you can adapt.

Let's get started!

Open your tube and Shift D to duplicate.  Close out the original.

Open a new image 600x600 (we will be cropping this later but a larger work space is easier to work with)

Preset Shape Tool.  Rectangle.  Anti-alias and Create as Vector checked.  Solid Line Style.  Width 3.  Miter limit 10.  Foreground black, background Xed out.  I am choosing to use black as my box color but feel free to choose whatever color you like.

Draw out a rectangle, use my tag as a reference.  Objects, align, center in canvas.  Layers, convert to raster layer.  Rename Center.

Layer Duplicate, rename Top.  Back to Center layer and duplicate, rename this layer Bottom.

Back to Top layer, Effects, Image Effects, Offset.  Custom checked.  Horizontal 600.  Vertical 125.  Wrap checked.

Back to Bottom, repeat offset but change Vertical to -125.

Layers, merge visible.

Magic Wand, Add shift, RGB, Tolerance 0, Feather 0, anti-alias checked, Outside.

Click in each of your 3 boxes.  Selections, Modify, Expand by 1.

Choose a paper from your kit.  Copy, paste as a new layer, selections, invert, hit delete.  Move this layer under your boxes.  Do not de-select.

***note for users of PSP higher versions...I had a friend write to me that uses PSP X7 and said that the copy paste of the elements was not working properly.  She found a work around and here are her notes.  If you run into the same issue I am sorry, I use a super old version and just can't get used to the new versions.  Here is her note ::  deselect on paper paste new element move to top position in place back to paper select all click on element invert go back to paper select all float defloat click back on element select invert delete.***

Now choose an element you like, copy and paste, position then hit the delete key.  Continue with this routine until you have all your elements you want in your tag. 

Your final one should be your tube.  Copy and paste as a new layer, position, hit delete.

Selections, select none.  Move your Merged boxes to the top and hide that layer.  Click any other layer that is visible and Layers, Merge Visible.  Un-hide your tiered boxes.

(Now for some reason I noticed a line on the left of my canvas.  So to remove that I first did a Selections, select all, Image crop to selection.  That didn't work.  So then I did Selection, Select all, Modify, contract by 5, invert delete and that took care of it.)

Go through and change the blend mode on some or all of your layers to Luminance Legacy or any blend mode you like.  Play around with it until you like the effect.

On your top layer *should be your tiered boxes* Effects, 3D Effects, Drop Shadow.  3, 1, 68, 18, black, shadow on new layer not checked.

Layers, Merge Visible.

Choose either the same paper or another from your kit, copy paste as a new layer, layers arrange send to bottom.  Selections, select all, Image, Crop to Selection.  Layers, load mask from disk, choose your mask, Source Luminance, Fit to Canvas, Hide All Mask, Ok, Layers, Merge Group.  Layers Merge Visible.

Once you are happy with your tag you should re-size it to a more friendly size.  I re-sized mine to 488 pixels in width Re-sample using Smart Size checked, Lock Aspect Ratio checked, Resize all layers checked.

If needed ::  Adjust, Sharpness, Sharpen.

Add your credits.  I used Gradient Glow on my credits so they would show a little better.  Settings are Fat, white, 3, 25, 100 or you choose your own that you like.  It was a bit bright so I lowered the opacity on my credits to 68.

Choose your font, add your name and save as a PNG.

Thanks for trying this tutorial.  If you have any questions feel free to write to me at dianadcreations@gmail.com

Here is another example using a different tube and different kit.

For this one I am using Cuddly Rigor Mortis Individual Tube 33-3 and ScrapCrys_IB-CuddlyRigorMortis-33-3 both available at CDO.