Flames of Memory Tutorial

 

This tutorial was written by Amber Howard on December 1, 2014. Any resemblances to other tutorials are completely coincidental. Scripting and translating of this tutorial is forbidden. Do not copy and paste this tutorial anywhere else on the internet. Please link back to the main blog instead.

In this tutorial I used the artwork of Ana Neves.

You can purchase Ana’s artwork and a license through CDO.

Please do not use this or any other artwork without purchasing a proper license first.

Supplies needed:
PaintShopPro — I used X7 but any version will work
Tube of choice
Font of choice — I used Julliscriptum Reloaded
Scrapkit of choice — The scrapkit that I used is called Flames of Memory by Valentina’s Creations.
Template 138 by Spawn.

Plugins needed:
EyeCandy 6 —Perspective Shadow
EyeCandy 5 Impact — Perspective Shadow
EyeCandy 4 — Gradient Glow
Xero — Porcelain, Radiance, Mistifier

Ready? Set? Go!

Open Spawn’s 138 template and hit Shift + D on your keyboard to duplicate the file.

You can close the original file now, since it isn’t needed.

Back on the duplicate file that you just made, delete the credits layer for the template.

Make the Top Foreground layer active and take your magic wand tool,

with the settings Mode: Add, Match: Color, Tolerance: 20% and click inside of the dark grey layer.

This will select the bottom rounded out portion of the layer.

Make the Lines layer active and hit the delete key on your keyboard once.

Selections – Select None.

Make the Black Oval Lines layer active, and delete the layer from the template entirely.

Make the main background layer active.

Open a paper of choice. I used Flames_Of_Memory_VC_p (27).

Image – Resize to 600x600 pixels, all layers checked.

Copy the paper into a new layer above the main background layer.

Arrange the paper so that the portion you like is visible.

Since it isn’t needed anymore, delete the Main Background layer.

Make the Top Foreground layer active.

Open up another paper of choice. I used Flames_Of_Memory_VC_p (21).

Image – Resize to 600x600 pixels, all layers checked.

Copy the paper into a new layer above the top foreground layer.

Make the Top Foreground layer active again and take your magic wand tool,

with the settings Mode: Add, Match: Color, Tolerance: 20% and click inside of the dark grey layer.

This will select the bottom rounded out portion of the layer.

Make the paper layer active again.

Press the delete key on your keyboard once.

Selections – Select None.

Since it isn’t needed anymore, delete the top foreground layer.

Make the modified Lines layer active again.

Change the settings on this layer to Overlay.

Make the modified former top foreground layer active and take your magic wand tool,

with the settings Mode: Add, Match: Color, Tolerance: 20% and click inside of the empty space.

This will select the bottom rounded out portion of the layer again.

Make the background paper layer active again.

Selections – Promote Section to Layer.

Selections – Select None.

Move this new layer above the modified Lines layer.

Delete the original paper background layer.

Make the Grey Oval Line layer active.

Open another paper of choice. I used Flames_Of_Memory_VC_p (19).

Image – Resize to 600x600 pixels, all layers checked.

Copy the paper into a new layer above the grey oval line layer.

Do not close this paper because it is needed again.

Make the grey oval line layer active again.

Selections – Select All – Float – Defloat.

Make the paper layer active again.

Selections – Invert.

Hit the delete key on your keyboard once.

Selections – Select None.

Since it isn’t needed anymore, delete the top foreground layer.

Add a drop shadow of choice to your new paper line layer.

I used V&H: 2, Opacity: 50%, Blur: 10.00.

Copy the paper that was used on the last step again.

Make the Border layer active.

Copy and paste the paper as a new layer above the border layer.

Do not close this paper as it is needed again.

Make the border layer active again.

Selections – Select All – Float – Defloat.

Make the paper layer active again.

Selections – Invert.

Hit the delete key on your keyboard once.

Selections – Select None.

Since it isn’t needed anymore, delete the border layer.

Make your border layer active again.

Next, go to Adjust – Add Noise with the following settings: Random, 100%, Monochrome checked.

Duplicate the border layer, and on the original go to Adjust – Brightness and Contrast – Brightness and Contrast.

Move the Brightness slider all the way down to -255 and apply.

Adjust – Blur – Gaussian Blur – with the Radius setting at 6.00.

Merge the two border layers together.

Next open up a choice of elements.

I used Flames_Of_Memory_VC__b (3), Flames_Of_Memory_VC_cl (3), Flames_Of_Memory_VC_cl (2), Flames_Of_Memory_VC_cl (1), and Flames_Of_Memory_VC_el (77).

A good rule of thumb to follow in the elements that you will use for this particular tag is to have a border/ribbon with elements on it already, and a few floral type clusters. If your kit of choice does not have these type of elements, as the secondary preview tag did not, you can always improvise.

Starting with Flames_Of_Memory_VC__b (3), or a border/ribbon element of choice.

Resize this element to 300 pixels tall and copy it.

Paste the element above the modified lines layer.

Arrange to the left hand side of the canvas.

Duplicate the element.

Image – Mirror.

Merge the two elements together.

Add a drop shadow of choice,

or the one used above.

Open up another element of choice and resize as needed.

As Flames of Memory is a full size kit, I had to resize this element by 20%.

Copy and paste the element below the Lines layer.

Arrange at the left side of your canvas and add the same drop shadow.

Repeat for the rest of your elements of choice,

arranging them as you see fit.

Remember to add a drop shadow to each layer.

Once you are done adding your elements, go to Edit – Copy Special – Copy Merged.

Paste this new image as a new image to use later for the avatar.

Open up a tube or close up of choice. Resize as needed.

Copy and paste the tube as a new layer beneath the border layer.

Arrange where you would like it to be.

 Duplicate the tube layer. 

On the duplicate tube apply Xero – Porcelain with the default settings only changing the blue channel to 0.

Apply Xero – Radiance with default settings.

Apply Xero – Mistifier with default settings.

Lower the Opacity of this layer to 50%.

Add a drop shadow of choice to the original tube.

I used Eye Candy 5 Impact – Perspective Shadow with the following settings:

Selections – Select All – Clip to Canvas.

Image – Crop to Selection.

Choose a pixel font of choice and add your credits and tagger’s mark.

Apply an optional gradient glow to this layer.

Choose another font to add your name.

Once you are happy with the name layer and placement, convert to raster.

Duplicate your name layer.

On the duplicate name layer go to Adjust – Add/Remove Noise – Add Noise with the following settings:

Gaussian, 60%, Monochrome checked.

On the original layer, add a gradient glow of choice.

Add a drop shadow of choice.

I used Eye Candy 6 – Perspective Shadow and the Height 0 preset with these additional settings:

Once you are done with this, save as .jpg!

Now for the avatar!

Open up a 150x150 canvas.

Copy the flattened image from earlier, and paste it into a new layer.

Arrange the portion that you would like to showcase in your avatar.

Make the resized paper from earlier active again.

Copy and paste this paper above your flattened image.

Selections – Select All – Clip to Canvas.

Image – Crop to Selection.

Selections – Select All – Modify – Contract by 1 pixel.

Press delete on your keyboard once.

Selections – Select None.

Make your border layer active again.

Next, go to Adjust – Add Noise with the following settings: Random, 100%, Monochrome checked.

Duplicate the border layer, and on the original go to Adjust – Brightness and Contrast – Brightness and Contrast.

Move the Brightness slider all the way down to -255 and apply.

Adjust – Blur – Gaussian Blur – with the Radius setting at 6.00.

Merge the two border layers together.

Using your pixel font again, add your scrap credits and tagger’s mark.

Apply an optional gradient glow.

Using your font again, add the first initial of your name.

Convert to raster layer.

Objects – Align – Center in Canvas.

Duplicate your initial layer.

On the duplicate name layer go to Adjust – Add/Remove Noise – Add Noise with the following settings:

Gaussian, 60%, Monochrome checked.

On the original layer, add the same gradient glow and drop shadow from earlier.

Save as .jpg and you’re done!

Thank you so much for trying my tutorial, I would love to see your results!

Here is another tag example for this tutorial, using the art of CuddlyRigorMortis. The scraps used are part of the scrap bundle available at CDO. The font used in this example is KG Eyes Wide Open.