Holiday Train

This is my kit for the Holiday Train which is brought to you by the "Starving Artist Designers."  I don't know if you would consider me a starving artist, since I do not sell at any store.  Or, perhaps I am perpetually starving since I don't generate any income.  There are a lot of participants for this train.  Visit the Holiday Train blog for all the links to the other participants.

There will be matching alphas to go with this kit.  They will be available as part of my Alpha Advent Calendar giveaway.

This kit comes with:

• 2 papers
• 3 seamless glitter tiles
• 2 tags
  
• 1 ribbon
• 2 tinsel
• 3 glitter snowflakes
• 2 glitter star brads
• 1 Christmas tree
  
• 7 ornaments
• 1 word art
  

Kit

Fuzzy Shots - Fucshia

Here is one more alpha in the Fuzzy Shots series.  I don't think I'll be able to post anymore until after December as I'm busily working on the Alpha Advent Calendar.

Alpha

Fuzzy Shots - Blue

While everyone was out shopping for Black Friday, I went to the hospital for a chest x-ray.  I have to say that it was very fast with almost no wait.  I'm on new medication which has helped suppress the coughing and, hopefully, I'll be able to finish all the alphas for the Advent Calendar.  I'm only about halfway done.

I received a gift of five extra gigabytes of storage space on 4shared, so I won't have to start culling files for at least another year.  4shared is currently offering 5Gb of additional storage space if you verify your email.

I didn't participate in SKC this month because I didn't like the theme.  However, I thought the color palette was nice so I made a series of fuzzy felt alphas.  Here is the first one.

Alpha

Saving Patterns in Photoshop

Since people were interested in my puffy felt pattern, I thought I would write up how to save an existing set of layer styles.  I converted the seamless Christmas glitter tiles into patterns and I am using them as the example.

1.  Go to the Preset Manager under Edit > Preset Manager.

2.  In the Preset Type drop down menu, choose Patterns.

3.  Select the patterns you want to save by clicking on the first one, pressing Shift, then holding the Shift key down and selecting the last pattern to choose all the patterns next to each other.  Or,  press Ctrl, hold it and select individual patterns.  Then select Save Set.

4.  A dialog will appear that will ask you to give the pattern set a name.  Also pick a location for saving.  I save my patterns in My Documents > Adobe > Patterns.

Here are the Christmas Glitters as a pattern file. I don't know how that blue glitter snuck in there.

Patterns

Tinsel in Photoshop

 

This tutorial will show you how to make tinsel in Photoshop.

Supplies:

Christmas Glitter Tiles
Rectangle Brushes

Glitter Pattern
There are many glitter styles available from various blogs.  You can use one of them or perform the following steps to make your own.

1.  Open up the HGG_glitter-silver.png or follow my metallic glitter tutorial to make your own glitter tile.

2.  Go to the Edit menu and select Define Pattern.

3.  Give your pattern a name.

Tinsel
1.  Install the HGG_rectangle.abr brush set by going to the Brush Palette and selecting the three lines in the upper right-hand corner.

2.  Choose Load Brushes from the menu.

3.  Find the HGG_rectangle.abr file and load it.

4.  The brush is designed for a 300 high by 3600 wide canvas, so open up a canvas of this size, then select the brush tool.  If you choose a smaller height, you may need to reduce the size of the brush.

5.  Select the Tinsel Brush Preset.

6.  Click once on the left side of the canvas.

7.  Press the shift key and click once on the right side of the canvas.

8.  Add a pattern overlay by going to Layer > Layer Styles > Pattern Overlay.

9.  Select the glitter pattern from the pattern menu.

Or if you have a glitter style, then go to the Styles Palette and apply the style.

10.  Add a color overlay to the glitter if you want tinsel in a color other than silver.  Set the blend mode to Color Burn.

Now you have tinsel.  If you want a curve, draw across the canvas with the brush instead of holding the shift key and clicking.  For multiple colors, try a gradient overlay with the blend mode set to Color Burn.

I also applied a drop shadow to make the tinsel stand out and appear more three-dimensional.

Available in PDF.

Saving Brushes in Photoshop

Since people were interested in my stitch brush, I thought I would write up how to save an existing set of brushes.  I am using the stitch brush from my Stitched Puffy Felt tutorial as an example.

1.  Once you have set attributes on a particular brush, it is nice to be able to save it as a preset.  In order to do this, go to the brush palette with the modified brush chosen.

2.  Click the three lines in the upper right-hand corner.

3.  Select New Brush Preset from the menu.

4.  Or, if you are in the Brush Presets menu, click the empty space to create a new preset.

4.  Give the preset a name.

5.  Now the preset will show up in your brush presets menu.

Saving Brush Sets
I made a set of four brushes, two stitches and two tinsel.  The tinsel brushes are for the Tinsel tutorial. To save all of them as a set, I went into the Preset Manager.

1.  In the Brush Palette, click the three lines in the upper right-hand corner.

2.  Select the Preset Manager from the menu.

3.  Select the brushes you want to save by clicking on the first one, pressing Shift, then holding the Shift key down and selecting the last brush to choose all the brushes next to each other.  Or,  press Ctrl, hold it and select individual brushes.  Then select Save Set.

4.  A dialog will appear that will ask you to give the brush set a name.  Also pick a location for saving.  I save my brushes in My Documents > Adobe > Brushes.

Here is a set of 4 brushes: 2 stitch brushes for the Stitched Puffy Felt tutorial and 2 tinsel brushes for the Tinsel tutorial.

Brushes

Customizing a Paintbrush to Use 2 Colors in a Script

The method used to allow a user to choose two colors for a paintbrush can also be used for any of the other brushes in Paint Shop Pro.  This tutorial is an expansion of the Script Customization Tutorial for Paintbrush, Airbrush and Pen Tool.  It is a good idea to be familiar with that tutorial before attempting this tutorial.

1.  For this tutorial, I am going to use my Multi-colored Tinsel Tutorial as the example because it is short.  So, first, perform the steps in that tutorial, except set the foreground and background materials to a color so that editting of the scripts will be easy.  My script looks like this:

from JascApp import *

def ScriptProperties():
    return {
        'Author': u'Spencer Aloysius',
        'Copyright': u'Humbug Graphics Galore',
        'Description': u'Creates tinsel when used with metallic glitter patterns.',
        'Host': u'Paint Shop Pro 9',
        'Host Version': u'9.01'
        }

def Do(Environment):
    # EnableOptimizedScriptUndo
    App.Do( Environment, 'EnableOptimizedScriptUndo', {
            'GeneralSettings': {
                'ExecutionMode': App.Constants.ExecutionMode.Default, 
                'AutoActionMode': App.Constants.AutoActionMode.Match, 
                'Version': ((9,0,1),1)
                }
            })

    # FileNew
    App.Do( Environment, 'NewFile', {
            'Width': 3600, 
            'Height': 300, 
            'ColorDepth': App.Constants.Colordepth.SixteenMillionColor, 
            'DimensionUnits': App.Constants.DimensionType.Pixels, 
            'ResolutionUnits': App.Constants.ResolutionUnits.PixelsPerIn, 
            'Resolution': 300, 
            'FillMaterial': {
                'Color': (255,255,255), 
                'Pattern': None, 
                'Gradient': None, 
                'Texture': None, 
                'Art': None
                }, 
            'Transparent': True, 
            'LayerType': App.Constants.NewLayerType.Raster, 
            'ArtMediaTexture': {
                'Category': u'Art Media', 
                'Name': u'Canvas coarse', 
                'EnableFill': False, 
                'FillColor': (255,255,255)
                }, 
            'GeneralSettings': {
                'ExecutionMode': App.Constants.ExecutionMode.Default, 
                'AutoActionMode': App.Constants.AutoActionMode.Match, 
                'Version': ((9,0,1),1)
                }
            })

    # SelectDocument
    App.Do( Environment, 'SelectDocument', {
            'SelectedImage': 0, 
            'Strict': False, 
            'GeneralSettings': {
                'ExecutionMode': App.Constants.ExecutionMode.Default, 
                'AutoActionMode': App.Constants.AutoActionMode.Match, 
                'Version': ((9,0,1),1)
                }
            })

    # PaintBrush
    App.Do( Environment, 'PaintBrush', {
            'BrushTip': {
                'Shape': App.Constants.BrushShape.Rectangular, 
                'CustomBrush': None, 
                'Size': 200, 
                'Hardness': 25, 
                'Step': 30, 
                'Density': 100, 
                'Thickness': 5, 
                'Rotation': 60, 
                'BrushVariance': {
                    'SizeVariance': App.Constants.VarianceMethod.None, 
                    'SizeJitter': 8, 
                    'OpacityVariance': App.Constants.VarianceMethod.None, 
                    'OpacityJitter': 0, 
                    'DensityVariance': App.Constants.VarianceMethod.None, 
                    'DensityJitter': 0, 
                    'ThicknessVariance': App.Constants.VarianceMethod.None, 
                    'ThicknessJitter': 0, 
                    'RotationVariance': App.Constants.VarianceMethod.None, 
                    'RotationJitter': 100, 
                    'ColorBlendVariance': App.Constants.VarianceMethod.None, 
                    'ColorBlendJitter': 49, 
                    'HueVariance': App.Constants.VarianceMethod.None, 
                    'HueJitter': 0, 
                    'SaturationVariance': App.Constants.VarianceMethod.None, 
                    'SaturationJitter': 0, 
                    'LightnessVariance': App.Constants.VarianceMethod.None, 
                    'LightnessJitter': 0, 
                    'PositionJitter': 23, 
                    'UseScaledPositionJitter': False, 
                    'ImpressionsPerStep': 1, 
                    'FadeRate': 100
                    }
                }, 
            'Brush': {
                'Opacity': 100, 
                'ContinuousPaint': False, 
                'WetLookPaint': False, 
                'BlendMode': App.Constants.BlendMode.Normal
                }, 
            'PrimaryMaterial': App.Constants.MaterialRef.Foreground, 
            'ForegroundMaterial': {
                'Color': (192,192,255), 
                'Pattern': None, 
                'Gradient': None, 
                'Texture': None, 
                'Art': None
                }, 
            'BackgroundMaterial': {
                'Color': (0,0,0), 
                'Pattern': None, 
                'Gradient': None, 
                'Texture': None, 
                'Art': None
                }, 
            'Stroke': [
                (App.Constants.PathEntryInterpretation.Absolute,(87.5,133.5),0)
            ], 
            'GeneralSettings': {
                'ExecutionMode': App.Constants.ExecutionMode.Default, 
                'RandomSeed': 76538406, 
                'AutoActionMode': App.Constants.AutoActionMode.Match, 
                'Version': ((9,0,1),1)
                }
            })

    # PaintBrush
    App.Do( Environment, 'PaintBrush', {
            'BrushTip': {
                'Shape': App.Constants.BrushShape.Rectangular, 
                'CustomBrush': None, 
                'Size': 200, 
                'Hardness': 25, 
                'Step': 30, 
                'Density': 100, 
                'Thickness': 5, 
                'Rotation': 60, 
                'BrushVariance': {
                    'SizeVariance': App.Constants.VarianceMethod.None, 
                    'SizeJitter': 8, 
                    'OpacityVariance': App.Constants.VarianceMethod.None, 
                    'OpacityJitter': 0, 
                    'DensityVariance': App.Constants.VarianceMethod.None, 
                    'DensityJitter': 0, 
                    'ThicknessVariance': App.Constants.VarianceMethod.None, 
                    'ThicknessJitter': 0, 
                    'RotationVariance': App.Constants.VarianceMethod.None, 
                    'RotationJitter': 100, 
                    'ColorBlendVariance': App.Constants.VarianceMethod.None, 
                    'ColorBlendJitter': 49, 
                    'HueVariance': App.Constants.VarianceMethod.None, 
                    'HueJitter': 0, 
                    'SaturationVariance': App.Constants.VarianceMethod.None, 
                    'SaturationJitter': 0, 
                    'LightnessVariance': App.Constants.VarianceMethod.None, 
                    'LightnessJitter': 0, 
                    'PositionJitter': 23, 
                    'UseScaledPositionJitter': False, 
                    'ImpressionsPerStep': 1, 
                    'FadeRate': 100
                    }
                }, 
            'Brush': {
                'Opacity': 100, 
                'ContinuousPaint': False, 
                'WetLookPaint': False, 
                'BlendMode': App.Constants.BlendMode.Normal
                }, 
            'PrimaryMaterial': App.Constants.MaterialRef.Foreground, 
            'ForegroundMaterial': {
                'Color': (192,192,255), 
                'Pattern': None, 
                'Gradient': None, 
                'Texture': None, 
                'Art': None
                }, 
            'BackgroundMaterial': {
                'Color': (0,0,0), 
                'Pattern': None, 
                'Gradient': None, 
                'Texture': None, 
                'Art': None
                }, 
            'Stroke': [
                (App.Constants.PathEntryInterpretation.Absolute,(87.5,133.5),0),
                (App.Constants.PathEntryInterpretation.Absolute,(3537.5,141.5),0)
            ], 
            'GeneralSettings': {
                'ExecutionMode': App.Constants.ExecutionMode.Default, 
                'RandomSeed': 76546953, 
                'AutoActionMode': App.Constants.AutoActionMode.Match, 
                'Version': ((9,0,1),1)
                }
            })

2.  Before the Paintbrush command, add the code snippet to ask the user to choose a color twice like so:

    # MsgBox 
    Result = App.Do( Environment, 'MsgBox', {
        'Buttons': App.Constants.MsgButtons.OK, 
        'Icon': App.Constants.MsgIcons.Info, 
        'Text': 'Choose a color, pattern or gradient.', 
    }) 

    MyFill = App.Do(Environment,'GetMaterial',{ 
            'IsPrimary':App.Constants.Boolean.true, 
            'GeneralSettings': { 
                'ExecutionMode':App.Constants.ExecutionMode.Interactive 
                } 
            })
    # MsgBox 
    Result = App.Do( Environment, 'MsgBox', {
        'Buttons': App.Constants.MsgButtons.OK, 
        'Icon': App.Constants.MsgIcons.Info, 
        'Text': 'Choose a color, pattern or gradient.', 
    }) 

    MyFill2 = App.Do(Environment,'GetMaterial',{ 
            'IsPrimary':App.Constants.Boolean.false, 
            'GeneralSettings': { 
                'ExecutionMode':App.Constants.ExecutionMode.Interactive 
                } 
            })

This sets a color, pattern or gradient for the foreground and the background in the Materials palette.

3.  Now, edit the Paintbrush command to accept both choices made by the user by changing the ForegroundMaterial to MyFill and the BackgroundMaterial to MyFill2.

    # PaintBrush
    App.Do( Environment, 'PaintBrush', {
            'BrushTip': {
                'Shape': App.Constants.BrushShape.Rectangular, 
                'CustomBrush': None, 
                'Size': 200, 
                'Hardness': 25, 
                'Step': 30, 
                'Density': 100, 
                'Thickness': 5, 
                'Rotation': 60, 
                'BrushVariance': {
                    'SizeVariance': App.Constants.VarianceMethod.None, 
                    'SizeJitter': 8, 
                    'OpacityVariance': App.Constants.VarianceMethod.None, 
                    'OpacityJitter': 0, 
                    'DensityVariance': App.Constants.VarianceMethod.None, 
                    'DensityJitter': 0, 
                    'ThicknessVariance': App.Constants.VarianceMethod.None, 
                    'ThicknessJitter': 0, 
                    'RotationVariance': App.Constants.VarianceMethod.None, 
                    'RotationJitter': 100, 
                    'ColorBlendVariance': App.Constants.VarianceMethod.None, 
                    'ColorBlendJitter': 49, 
                    'HueVariance': App.Constants.VarianceMethod.None, 
                    'HueJitter': 0, 
                    'SaturationVariance': App.Constants.VarianceMethod.None, 
                    'SaturationJitter': 0, 
                    'LightnessVariance': App.Constants.VarianceMethod.None, 
                    'LightnessJitter': 0, 
                    'PositionJitter': 23, 
                    'UseScaledPositionJitter': False, 
                    'ImpressionsPerStep': 1, 
                    'FadeRate': 100
                    }
                }, 
            'Brush': {
                'Opacity': 100, 
                'ContinuousPaint': False, 
                'WetLookPaint': False, 
                'BlendMode': App.Constants.BlendMode.Normal
                }, 
            'PrimaryMaterial': App.Constants.MaterialRef.Foreground, 
            'ForegroundMaterial': MyFill, 
            'BackgroundMaterial': MyFill2, 
            'Stroke': [
                (App.Constants.PathEntryInterpretation.Absolute,(87.5,133.5),0)
            ], 
            'GeneralSettings': {
                'ExecutionMode': App.Constants.ExecutionMode.Default, 
                'RandomSeed': 76538406, 
                'AutoActionMode': App.Constants.AutoActionMode.Match, 
                'Version': ((9,0,1),1)
                }
            })

Every Paintbrush command in the script needs to be editted. In this case, that means changing the ForegroundMaterial and BackgroundMaterial twice.

Now the script will allow the user to pick two colors for the paintbrush.  I have provided my copy of the script so that you can compare your result to mine.

Multi-Colored Tinsel

This tutorial will show you how to make a 1 inch wide by 12 inch long piece of multi-colored tinsel in Paint Shop Pro.

Supplies:

Christmas Glitter Tiles

1.  Open up a new canvas 300 pixels high by 3600 pixels wide (at 300 dpi).  If you use a smaller canvas, you may wish to change the brush settings.

2.  Select the +Square 50 brush.  Make sure Load Variance is unchecked.

3.  Apply the following brush settings:

Size = 200
Hardness = 25
Step = 30
Density = 100
Thickness = 5
Rotation = 60
Opacity =100
Blend mode = Normal
Continuous = Unchecked
Wet look paint = Unchecked

4.  In the brush variance palette, apply the following settings:

Color blend = Normal
Color blend Jitter = 49
Hue = Normal
Hue Jitter = 0
Saturation = Normal
Saturation Jitter = 0
Lightness = Normal
Lightness Jitter = 0
Size = Normal
Size Jitter = 8
Opacity = Normal
Opacity Jitter = 0
Thickness = Normal
Thickness Jitter = 0
Rotation = Normal
Rotation Jitter = 100
Density = Normal
Density Jitter = 0
Fade rate = 100
Position Jitter = 23
Impressions per step = 1
Scale = Unchecked

5.  Open up two glitter tiles.  I used glitter tiles from my Holiday Train kit.  You can make your own tiles with my metallic glitter tutorial or you can use the Christmas glitter tiles that I provided with the supplies.

6.  Go to the Materials Palette and set one glitter tile as the foreground pattern and one glitter tile as the background pattern.

7.  On the left side of the canvas, left-click once with the mouse.

8.  On the right side of the canvas, hold down the shift key and left-click once with the mouse.

This will draw a piece of tinsel across the middle of the canvas.  If you want a wavy piece of tinsel or a shape, click and drag to draw in your desired shape.

Available in PDF.

Pearl

I would like to be working on alphas for the Alpha Advent Calendar, but I'm sooooo busy at work and I'm still sick.  I think I'm allergic to the medication that my doctor prescribed as it appears to prevent me from breathing.  I'm going back to the doctor tomorrow.  The downside of all these health problems and working so much is that I'm very tired at night so I haven't been able to do much.

As requested, here is a 3 inch pearl for non-PSP users to re-color.  Would you call this a template?  I'm unsure.  It isn't perfectly gray.  It is 900 x 900 pixels at 300 dpi.  I'm not certain if anyone would ever need a pearl larger than that since a normal pearl is only about an eight to a quarter inch in size.

Pearl

Pearl Preset

I was trying to make a nice looking opalescent pearl preset for Balls and Bubbles when I was side-tracked into the the Christmas Ornament.  Here is the preset that I finally decided on for the pearl.  I am currently working on a script that will do all the gradient settings for pearls in different colors.  And you can ignore the Creative Commons non-commercial sticky in the bottom left of the preview.  I forgot to remove it from my preview template.  This preset is commercial use ok.

To use the preset, unzip the preset into your Presets folder (usually, My Documents > My PSP Files > Presets).  Go the Balls and Bubbles effect, then click the preset dropdown menu and select the HGG pearl.

Preset

Saving Styles in Photoshop

Since people were interested in my puffy felt style, I thought I would write up how to save an existing set of layer styles.  I am using my puffy felt heart as an example.

1.  Assuming that you have a layer with styles that you want to save, select that layer in the layer palette.

2.  Go to the Styles palette and click either the icon which looks like a folded canvas

or the set of three lines in the upper right hand corner and select New Style in the menu.

3.  A dialog will appear that will ask you to give the style a name. It will also provide a miniscule preview of the style to the left of the name.  Make sure Include Layer Effects is selected.  The Layer Blend for this style is normal, so I chose to leave Layer Blending Options unchecked.  However, if you style uses a blend mode, then select Include Layer Blending Options.

4.  Once you click OK, the style is saved and will appear in your Styles palette.

5.  If you decide that you don't like the name you gave the style, then you can right-click on the style in the Styles palette and then select Rename Style.

Alternative
1.  The other way to save a style is to click New Style in the Layer Style Dialog.

2.  A dialog will appear that will ask you to give the style a name. It will also provide a miniscule preview of the style to the left of the name.  Make sure Include Layer Effects is selected.  The Layer Blend for this style is normal, so I chose to leave Layer Blending Options unchecked.  However, if you style uses a blend mode, then select Include Layer Blending Options.

3.  Once you click OK, the style is saved and will appear in your Styles palette.

Saving Style Sets
I made a set of different puffy felt styles in different colors.  To save all of them as a set, I went into the Preset Manager.

1.  Go to the Style Palette and click on the three lines in the upper right hand corner.

2. Select the Preset Manager.

3.  Select the styles you want to save by clicking on the first one, pressing Shift, then holding the Shift key down and selecting the last style to choose all the styles next to each other.  Or,  press Ctrl, hold it and select individual styles.  Then select Save Set.

4.  A dialog will appear that will ask you to give the style set a name.  Also pick a location for saving.  I save my styles in My Documents > Adobe > Styles.

Here is a set of Puffy Felt styles that people can use with the Stitched Puffy Felt tutorial.  These styles will work best on a white or light-colored object.

Styles