Picture Perfect

Written by Vilishni on February 27, 2008 using Photoshop CS2 and Image Ready CS2.
It is my own creation - any similarities to another tutorial is purely coincidental.
Some knowledge of Photoshop CS2 and Imageready CS2 is required.



Supplies:

Tube of Choice
I used the lovely art by Amberly Berendson - harpyqueen.deviantart.com

Fonts of Choice
I used Andantino script and AnkeCalligraph.

Polaroid template by me
I've included the template - Please do not change the file name.

Mask of Choice
I've included the Becky Mask I used - Please do not alter or change the file name please.

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Supplies can be downloaded here: http://www.4shared.com/file/39136197/ad1e7231/Supplies.html

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Alright! Let's get started!

Open a new document - 500 x 500 transparent.

Flood fill white.

Open the becky mask (or mask of choice), tube of choice and the provided polaroid template.

Create a new layer on your new document and flood fill the new layer with a dark color from your tube.

Drag your mask to the new document and resize if needed.

Now to apply the mask.

Click the Channels tab next to your Layers tab.

Click the Load Channel As Selection button at the bottome of the Channels window.

Go back to your Layers tab.

Hide your mask layer and select the layer that you flood filled with the dark color from your tube.

Click the Apply Layer Mask button at the bottom of your Layers window.

Now to get it to fill as much of the space as possible.

Right click the mask next to your dark color layer and select apply layer mask.



Now press Ctrl + T for the free transform tool and pull all sides to the document edges.

You should have something like this:



Now drag your tube over to your document and resize if needed.

Duplicate your tube twice so you have 3 of them.

Hide your Copy 2 layer.

Drag over the provided polaroid template over to the document.

Move the polaroid layer under your tube layers.

Press Ctrl + T for the free transform tool and rotate the polaroid to -18.6.

Duplicate layer and go to Edit - Transform - Flip Horizontal.

Move this layer so that it mirrors your first polaroid.

Should have something that looks like this:



Right click your first polaroid layer and select blending options.

Go to the drop shadow option and enter these values:

Distance - 2 px
Spread - 9 %
Size - 7 px

Hit Ok then right click the layer again and select copy layer style.

Right click your second polaroid layer and select paste layer sytle.

Should have something like this:



Now hide your second tube and polaroid layers.

Select your tube layer and press Ctrl + T and resize so that only the face appears in the black area of the polaroid.

Go back to your polaroid layer and using your magic wand - select just the black area.

Click your tube layer.

Right click in the selection area on your document and select Layer via Cut.

Delete the original tube layer.

You should be left with something like this:



Now hide the layer with the face and the polaroid layer.

Unhide your second tube and polaroid layers.

On your tube layer go to Edit - Transform - Flip Horizontal.

Repeat with this tube so that only the face is showing in the black polaroid area.

Now unhide your first face and polaroid layers.

Move your layers so that the corresponding layers are together.



Should have something like this:



Add 2 new layers and postion them above the face layers.

Select the first polaroid layer and using the magic wand - select the black area.

Go back to your blank layer and flood fillt he selection white.

Repeat with the second layer.

Should have something that looks likes this:



Unhide your tube Copy 2 layer.

Position as desired and add a drop shadow of choice.

Now to add the Picture Perfect text.

Select the fonts you want to use.

For the first font I used Andantino script.

Type Picture using this font and position where desired.

Now use a second font to type Perfect and position it under Picture.

You can use the above tag for reference.

Add a stroke of color choice and a drop shadow of choice to your text.

Add your name with the same stroke and drop shadow as the rest of your text.

Add any copyright information.

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Now let's animate!

Hit your Edit in Imageready button at the bottom of your tool bar to transfer your tag over to Imageready.

In your frames bar at the bottom - create 4 frames.

In your first frame - hide the white layers and the face layers.

In your second frame - unhide just your white layers.

In your third frame - make sure the polaroids are black.

In your fourth frame - unhide the face layers.

Should have something that looks like this:



Now select your first frame.

Hit the arrow button at the top right of your animation window and select tween.



Enter these values:



Now you should have 7 frames.

Select frame 5 and repeat the tween.

Now you should have 10 frames.

Select frame 9 and enter these tween values:



Now you should have 15 frames.

Select frame 15 and enter these tween values:



Now to set the delays.

Select frame 1 and right click the 0 sec.

Select 2.0 sec.

Set the following frames:

Frames 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 - 0.1 sec.

Frame 9 - 1.0 sec.

Frame 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 - 0.12 (Select Other... and enter the value).

Frame 15 - 2.0 sec.

Frames 16, 17, 18 - 0.1 sec.

Run the animation to check for smoothness and flaws.

Fix and adjust as you see fit.

When your satisfied with how the tag looks - let's save it.

In your Optimize window - enter these values:



If you're Optimize window isn't already up - go to Windows and select Optimize to bring it up.

Click File - Save Optimized As...

Give it a name and location that's easy to find and your done!

Copyright Vilishni 2007

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