This tutorial was written by me on March 28, 2021. 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 PS.

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 Adobe Photoshop 2021 but this tutorial should work with any version.

You can download the 7 day trial of PS here.

PTU Tube:  I am using Barbara Jensen's beautiful new layered tube "The Stirring" from package 124.  Please do not use this tube without a proper license. 

You can purchase this beauty at Barbara's store here.

PTU Kit:  I am using a gorgeous kit called "Aeronautical Ocean" created by Pink Paradox Productions.  This kit is available for purchase at Barbara's store here.

PTU Animation:  I am using Kiya Designs awesome animation 87 from pack 27.  You can purchase her awesome animations at Barbara Jensen's store here.

Mask: 71 by Vivienne's Paintbox. Thank you for your awesome masks.  You can download it from her blog here. I am using the png version for this tutorial.  

Please see Rene's Animation How-to for PS here.  

Font of choice for your name. 

Plug in: None

Drop shadow of choice.

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

To open an image, I click on the element or paper in the file folder and drag it into PS.

To transfer an element or paper in PS to my tag, I left click and drag it into my working canvas.  

The other way is to left click and drag the element from the folder right onto your tag. 

Either way you will get the same results :).  I will be using the both method for this tutorial.

For resizing and rotating I use the Ctrl+T command.

To mirror or Flip go to Edit, Transform, Flip Horizontal (mirror) or Flip vertical (Flip).

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

Let's get started.

Open a new 800x800 transparent image.  We will resize later.

Go to layers, New fill layer, solid color.  When the pop up window appears type in FFFFFF and click ok.

Drag Vivienne's mask into the tag.  Resize 38% and move up and to the left slightly.

Drag paper 26 into the tag.  Click the check mark.

Standing on the paper layer, right click the layer and select create a clipping mask.

Drag element 19 into the tag. Click the check mark and move to the top of the mask.

Drag element 100 into the tag. Resize 53% and move to the top left of the mask.

Drag element 168 into the tag. Click the check mark and move to the top left over the moon.

Drag element 93 into the tag. Click the check mark and move to the top left over the moon.

Drag element 173 into the tag. Resize 66% and move to the bottom of the ship.

Drag frame 5 into the tag. Resize 42% and move to the right side of the mask.

Select the layer under the frame.

Drag paper 27 into the tag.  Resize 9% and move under the frame.

Select the frame layer.  Using the magic wand, click in the center of the frame.  Select>Modify>expand by 3.

Select the paper layer.  Go to Layers>Layer Mask>Reveal selection.

Select the frame layer.

Drag element 134 into the tag. Resize 70% and move to the right side of the frame.

Drag element 27 into the tag. Resize 44% and move to the bottom of the ship.

Drag element 152 into the tag. Click the check mark and move to the top left of the frame.

Drag element 99 into the tag. Resize 53% and move to the bottom right of the frame.

Drag element 149 into the tag. Resize 58% and move to the bottom left of the frame.

Drag element 143 into the tag. Resize 40% and move to the bottom right of the rock.

Drag element 133 into the tag. Resize 50% and move to the bottom of the deadwood.

Drag element 53 into the tag. Resize 55% and move to the right of the deadwood.

Drag element 48 into the tag. Resize 37% and move to the bottom left of the lower leaf of the tree.

Drag element 141 into the tag. Resize 52% and move to the bottom right of the chest.

Drag element 107 into the tag. Resize 67% and move to the bottom of the chest.

Drag element 59 into the tag. Resize 70%, rotate 15 degrees and move to the bottom of the chest.

Drag element 153 into the tag. Resize 37% and move to the bottom of the anchor.

Drag element 127 into the tag. Resize 28% and move to the bottom of the wordart.

Drag element 107 into the tag. Resize 48% and move to the bottom of the map.

Drag element 42 into the tag. Resize 61% and move to the bottom right of the chest.

Drag element 10 into the tag. Resize 48% and move to the bottom of the lantern.

Drag element 34 into the tag. Resize 45% and move to the bottom left of the skull.

Drag element 69 into the tag. Resize 28% and move to the bottom right of the skull.

Drag element 73 into the tag. Resize 21% and move to the bottom right of the sand.

Select the layers you would like to use on your tube by clicking on the eyeball to make the layers visible.  

Click on the eyeball of a visible layer to hide it.  Holding down the Ctrl key, Select each visible layer. 

Once all layers are selected hit Ctrl+G on your keyboard to group the layer.  Select your move tool and select group 1.  

Drag this into your tag.  You can close the original and do not save the changes.  

Standing on group 1 in the layer pallet, right click and convert to smart object.  Your group layers are now one single layer.  

Hit Ctrl+T on the keyboard and click on the link between the H & W.  Resize 70% and move to the bottom of the mask.  See mine for placement.

Drag element 71 into the tag. Resize 33% and move to the bottom center of the tube.

Drag element 104 into the tag. Resize 53% and move to the bottom of the tube.

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

Crop away any extra space.  

Image, Image Size and resize 650 on the longest side.  See my settings below.

Oh almost forgot we need to drop shadow all of our elements.

Select the element above element 19 on the bottom of your tag in the layer pallet and double click it.

A layer style window will pop up.  Click on Drop shadow. and use the following settings.

Now right click on the layer you just applied the drop shadow.  Click copy layer style.

Now click on the layer above and hold down the shift key, click on the layer just under the paper layer.  Right click and paste layer style.    

Select the frame layer and hold down the shift key, select the top layer.  Right click and paste layer style.

Drop shadow complete :)

Add your copyright and name.

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

Might want to grab a coffee :)

Select the tube layer.  Right click and duplicate.  On the duplicate, right click and clear layer style.  Go to Filter, Blur, Gaussian blur set to 3 and click ok.  

Open Kiya Designs psd file in PS.  You will notice that there is 24 layers in this animation and it does not have the group layer.  

Starting from frame layer 24, hold down your shift key and select frame layer 1.  This will select all the frame layers.

Next we need to group these layers.  Go to Layers, Group layers or Ctrl+G on the keyboard.  You will see group 1 folder at the top. Make sure Group 1 is selected.

Select the layer you would like the animation to be placed.  I selected the copy tube layer.

Back to the animation.  Click on Group 1 and drag it into your tag.  Ctrl+T and resize 30%.  Move to a spot you like best.  I moved it to the bottom of the tube.

Close the original animation and don't save changes.

Click on the little white arrow beside Group 1 to expand it.  Click on the eyeball of each layer to hide it but leave frame layer 1 visible.  Click on the arrow beside group one to hide it as we do not want to accidentally make any changes.

Next make sure your Timeline viewer is open on the bottom of PS.  I you do not see a row that has Timeline on the bottom, go to Windows, Timeline.

Next is animating.

Click on the little icon (four lines) at the right end of the animation screen then select make frames from layers.

You are going to see a big mess in the Timeline viewer but we are going to fix this.

Click on the first frame and click on the trash can in the animation window.  Repeat this until you reach the first frame of the animation.  

Now you should be at the first frame of the animation.  Click on frame 25 and hit the trash can.  Repeat for all the remaining frames.  You should be left with 24 frames in the animation window.  This is the amount of frames for our animation.

This next step is very important.  Any changes you do from here you must be on frame 1 in the animation window. It will be highlighted in blue.

Go to the bottom of your tag in the layers pallet.  Make sure you have animation frame 1 selected.

Click on the eyeball beside each layer to make it visible.  For the white base layer you may have to click on it a couple of times to make it visible in all the animation frames.  It's a Photoshop thing.  Do not touch the group layer.

Next, I want to slow down the animation.  With the first frame selected in the animation window, hold down the shift key and click on frame 24.  This will select all the frames.

Next, click on the little black arrow beside the 0 sec as we want to change the speed.  A pop up window will appear.  

I selected 0.1 Sec.  Now click on the play button to view the animation.  Click on it again to stop it.

Click frame 1 again so we don't accidentally make any changes.

Now to save our tag as a gif.

Go to File>Export>Save for Web(Legacy).

A new pop up window will appear.  Change the settings to my screen shot below.  Click on the image to enlarge it if needed.  Click save.  My screen shot will look different but the settings are the same for animating.

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