This tutorial was written by me on July 25, 2020. The results are of my own imagination.  Any resemblance to another tutorial is purely coincidental.  

Please DO NOT claim this tutorial as your own.

This was written assuming you have a working knowledge of PSP.

Please keep in mind that I write the tutorial as I am creating it.

Sometimes I may not explain properly where to place things so please see my example if you are ever in doubt :)

Supplies needed

I am using PSP 2018 but this tutorial should work with any version.

Animation shop

PTU tube:  I am using a fabulous new Barbara Jensen animated tube "Sad Sack" You can purchase this beauty at Barbara's store here.

PTU Kit:  I am using an awesome kit called "Vintage Haunting" created by Pink Paradox Productions.  You can purchase this kit at Barbara Jensen's store here.

PTU Animation:  Designs by Kiya's animation 64 from package 20.  You can purchase this awesome ani at Barbara Jensen's store here.

Mask:  Mask 54 by Vivienne's Paintbox. Thank you for your awesome masks.  You can download it from her blog here. I am using the jpg versions for this tutorial.  Open and minimize in PSP.

Font of choice for your name.

Please read all the Artist's/Designer's TOU.

Plug in: None

Drop shadow of choice.

Vivienne's Paintbox has awesome drop shadow settings that I use a lot.  You can find the settings here and check out her awesome tutorials :)

Anytime you resize an element or tube you should sharpen it.  Go to adjust, sharpness, sharpen.

Let's get started.

Remember to save your tag often in case psp crashes.  I always save my tags as a pspimage.  It keeps all the layers and if you make tags for others you will always have the template.

We will be using the psd animation files for this tutorial.

Open a new 750x800 transparent image.  We will resize later.

Add a new layer and flood fill with white.

Open paper of choice.  I am using paper 23, copy and close the original.  Paste as new raster layer then go to Layers, new mask layer, from Image and locate the mask in the drop down.  Apply the mask and merge group.  Resize by 95%.

Open element 107, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 70%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Duplicate and move down and slightly to the right.

Open element 157, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 70% and sharpen.  Move to the top of the mask.

Open element 89, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 40%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the top center of the mask slightly to the right.

Open element 160, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 30% and again by 70%, sharpen, duplicate, merge down, and drop shadow.  Move to the top of the headstone.

Open element 94, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 40%, sharpen, and drop shadow.  Move to the bottom right of the top grass spray.

Open element 56, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 20% and again by 80%, free rotate to the right by 20 degrees, sharpen, and drop shadow.  Move to the bottom right of the headstone.

Open element 147, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 30%, sharpen, and drop shadow.  Move to the bottom left of the headstone.

Open element 29, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 15%, sharpen, and drop shadow.  Move to the bottom of the picture.

Open element 4, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 20%, sharpen, and drop shadow.  Move to the bottom left of the of the bottles.

Open element 145, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 30%, sharpen, and drop shadow.  Move to the bottom right of the of the picture.

Open element 144, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 50%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the top left of the mask. Duplicate and move to the right of element 89.  Duplicate one more time and move to the right of the second headstone and up slightly.

Open element 133, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 40%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the left over the bottom left grass layer.  Use the erase tool to erase the part that is showing on the grass past the building.

Open element 106, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 40%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the top of the mask over the left grass layer.

Open element 163, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 30%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the center of the building.  

Open element 84, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 40%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the bottom of the building.

Open element 132, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 20%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the top left of the of the board.

Open element 69, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 20%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move over the leaf that is on the board.

Open element 82, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 20%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the left of the mail.

Open element 97, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 40%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the bottom of the of the board.

Open element 62, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 20%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the bottom of the well.

Open element 134, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 20%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the left of the clock.

Open element 126, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 20%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the left of the clock.

Open element 138, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 15%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the bottom left of the clock.

Open element 5, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 20%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the bottom of the clock.

Open element 39, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 20%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the bottom left of the clock.

Open element 109, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 15%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the bottom right of the pumpkin.

Open element 3, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 20%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the bottom left of the pumpkin.

Open element 104, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 30%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the bottom right of the green spray.

Open element 25, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 20%, mirror, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the bottom right of the phonograph.

Open element 23, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 20%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the bottom of the hat slightly to the left.

As it is hard to picture the tag without a tube, I opened the psd file in paint shop and copied one of the tubes from the animation. Once you have copied your tube, close the psd file but do not save.  Back to the tag.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 17% and move to the bottom of the rocks.  I am not going to be doing any drop shadow or anything as I will be deleting this layer.  I just need a visual of tube on the tag.  We will also be using this as a marking place for the animation later.

Open element 108, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 70%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the bottom of the mask.

Add any other elements you like and make any adjustments to the layers.

Crop away any extra space.  Resize 650 on the longest side, all layers checked.

Add your copyright and name.

Animating the tag.  Make sure your tag is saved as a psp image file as you do not want to loose it if psp crashes.

Might want to grab a coffee :)

Open Barbara Jensen's animated tube "Sad Sack"  Shift + D to duplicate it and close the original.  Do not save any changes as a psd file will merge into one layer.  We do not want this to happen.

Select the group one layer on the psd file and copy.

Back to your tag.  Select the top layer and paste.   You can close the duplicate Sad Sack psd file now as it is no longer needed.  If you want to save the changes of this file you will need to save it as a pspimage file.

Make sure you are on the group layer, and click the link icon to lock all the layers.  Click on the little down arrow beside group one to hide all the sub layers.

Go to Image, resize 15% and make sure all layers are not checked.  Ok now we need to drag this layer down the layer pallet to the temp tube layer.  Select the pick tool and move move her over the temp tube.  Delete the temp tube layer. 

Now that we resized the animation, we will need to sharpen and drop shadow each layer.  Carefully, select each layer and do the following.  Select layer 1 Adjust sharpness, sharpen and drop shadow.  Repeat this for the remaining 15 layers.  When clicking on the layer make sure you do not move the tube.  Once you have all 16 layers sharpened and drop shadowed, hide all the layers and make sure only layer one is visible.  Select the group layer and click on the arrow to hide the sub layers.  

If you do not want to use a second animation skip to the Open Animation shop step.

Open Designs by Kiya's animation 64.  Shift + D to duplicate it and close the original.  Do not save any changes as a psd file will merge into one layer.  We do not want this to happen.  

You will notice the animation is pink but I want it more black and white.  Starting with frame 16.

Select frame 16 layer,  Go to effects, photo effect, black and white film.  I used the default settings.  Click ok.  Repeat the black and white film effect on all the frame layers.

We need to group all the layers.  Starting from layer 16, hold down your control key and select each layer so the next one will be 15 then 14 etc.  Once all the layers are selected (the layers will be highlighted in blue).  All layers selected?  Next we need to group these layers.  Go to Layers, New layer group.  Scroll all the way to the top and you will see Group 1 with all the layers as sub layers.  Click on the eyeball beside each layer to hide it and only leave frame layer 1 visible.

Select group 1, copy and close the original.  Select your tag layer and paste.  When you paste grouped layers it will always go to the top.  Standing on group one select the link icon to link all the layer.  When you paste the animation it will automatically rename to Group 2. Click the arrow beside the new group to hide all the sub layers.

Drag this group down the layer pallet to a spot you like.  I dragged it down to just below the tube group.  Resize 50%.  Select the pick tool and move the animation behind the tube.

Ok we are now finished our tag and ready to animate.

Open Animation shop and go back to psp.

With only frame 1 of both animations visible, edit, copy special, copy merged.

Back to Animation shop.

Edit, paste as new animation or keyboard shortcut Ctrl+V.

**Back to psp.

Hide Frame 1 by clicking on the eyeball and unhide frame 2 by clicking on the eyeball. You need to do this for each animation.  Edit, copy special, copy merged.

Back to Animation Shop.

We need to paste after current frame.  Go to edit, paste after current frame.  Keyboard shortcut  Shift+Ctrl+L**

Repeat from **to** until you have 16 frames in animation shop.  It will tell you on the bottom right corner how many frames you have.  

Now we need to slow down the animation.  Go to Edit, select all or Ctrl + A.  Animation, frame properties. In the display Time (in 1/100th sec): box type in 20 and click ok.

Go to file Save as, gif and click next and next until you hit finished.  I use the default settings.

I hope you have enjoyed my tutorial.  I would love to see your results.