This tutorial was written by me on August 4, 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 (optional)

PTU Kit:  I am using a gorgeous kit called "The Dark Side" created by Hania's Design.  You can purchase the kit at PDF here. 

PTU Tube:  I am using Enys Guerrero's beautiful tube "EnysGuerrero48-2".  Please do not use this tube without a proper license.  You can purchase this beautiful tube at CDO here.

PTU Animation:  I am using Rebel Dezigns awesome animation 1721 from pack 572.  You can purchase her animation at CDO here.

Mask: I am using the mask included with the kit.

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

Font of choice for your name.

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.

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

Add a new layer and flood fill with white.

Open element 67, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  

Open element 32, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 70%.

Open element 65, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 70%.

Open element 37, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 80%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the bottom of the mask.

Open element 89, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste. Drop shadow and move to the top of the mask slightly to the right.

Open element 24, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 60%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the top left of the mask.

Open element 17, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 40%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the bottom right of the mask.

Open element 18, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 25%, mirror, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move the kitty onto the stairs.

Open element 12, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 50%, mirror, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the bottom left of the tree.

Open element 7, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 35%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the right of the building.

Open element 80, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 60%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the top right of the mask.

Open element 19, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 50%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Duplicate and move this to the top left of the tree branch.

Open element 102, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 50% and sharpen.  Using the magic wand, click inside the frame.  Go to selections, modify, expand by 5.  Add a new raster layer and drag it under the frame.  Open paper of choice.  I am using paper 15, copy and close the original.  Select the new raster layer, go to edit, paste into selections.  Keep selected.

Select the frame layer, selections, modify, contract by 5.  Copy your tube.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 50% and move her into the frame.  Selections, invert.  Standing on the tube layer, select the eraser tool and erase the top, left and right side of the tube.  Select none.  Sharpen and drop shadow the tube.  Drop shadow the frame.

Open element 69, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 40%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the bottom left corner of the frame.

Open element 56, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 40%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the bottom left corner of the of the leaf.

Open element 63, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 40%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the bottom right corner of the frame.

Open element 88, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 30%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the bottom over the rocks.

Open element 27, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 20%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the bottom left corner of the lantern.

Open element 75, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 60%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the top of the frame so the moon light looks like it is coming out of the frame.  See mine for placement

Open element 28, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 50%, mirror, flip, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the top left corner of the frame.

Open element 72, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 60%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the right side of the frame.

Open element 74, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 40%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the top right of the frame.

Open element 2, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 45%, mirror, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the top right of the frame.

Open element 66, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 15%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the bottom left of the mushroom.

Open element 29, copy and close the original.  Select the top layer and paste.  Resize 40%, sharpen and drop shadow.  Move to the bottom over the rocks and blood.

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.

If you do not want to animate.  Hide the white background layer Save your tag and export as png.

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 Rebel Dezigns psd file in psp.  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 that there is 25 layers in this animation and it does not have the group layer.  That is ok as we are going to learn how to do this so it matches the animation layers of the tube.

We need to group all the odd layers.  Starting from layer 25, hold down your control key and select each odd layer so the next one will be 23 then 21 etc.  Once all the odd layers are selected (the layers will be highlighted in blue) we need to group them.  All odd 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 odd layers as sub layers.  

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.  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 above the tube layer.  Resize by 30%.  Select the pick tool and moved it to the top of the frame.  See mine for placement.  Standing on Group 1, change the blend mode to darken.

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

Open Animation shop and go back to psp.

With only frame 1 of the 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 3 by clicking on the eyeball. 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 13 frames in animation shop.  It will tell you on the bottom right corner how many frames you have.  

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.