This tutorial was written by me on February 14, 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 Jenny's gorgeous tube "Rosemary".  I am using the extended license tube.  Please do not use this tube without a proper license. 

You can purchase this beauty at Elegance Fly here.

PTU Kit:  I am using a gorgeous kit called "Rosemary" created by Hania's Design.  This kit matches Jenny's gorgeous tube Rosemary.  You can purchase her beautiful kit at Elegancy Fly here.

Animation:  Kiya Designs animation 23 from pack 7 which you can purchase here.

Mask:  I am using Mizteeques mask 359.  I am using the png version for this tutorial.  Thank you for creating these gorgeous masks.  You can download it from her blog here.

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

Font of choice for your name. I am using Vanberg which can be purchased here. 

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 but the resizing will be different :).  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.

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 Mizteeques mask into the tag and click the checkmark.  I moved it up and to the left slightly.

Drag paper 4 into the tag.  Click the checkmark.  Right click on the paper layer and create a clipping mask.

Drag Element 04 into the tag.  Resize 25% and move to the top of the mask.

Drag Element 25 into the tag.  Resize 14% and move to the top right of the mask.

Drag Element 54 into the tag.  Resize 28% and move to the top right of the mask.

Drag Element 78 into the tag.  Resize 10% and move to the top right of the mask.

Drag Element 42 into the tag.  Resize 12% and move to the top left of the mask.

Drag Element 33 into the tag.  Resize 13% and move to the left of the mask. Duplicate, mirror and move down and slightly to the right.  See my tag for placement.

Drag Element 11 into the tag.  Resize 28% and move to the bottom of the gate.

Drag Element 87 into the tag.  Resize 14% and move to the bottom left of the gate.

Drag Element 02 into the tag.  Resize 19% and move to the top left over the rocks.

Drag Element 77 into the tag.  Resize 8% and move to the bottom right of the rocks.

Drag Element 8 into the tag.  Resize 14% and move to the bottom of the waterfall.

Drag Element 12 into the tag.  Resize 18% and move to the bottom of the waterfall.

Drag Element 28 into the tag.  Resize 11% and move onto the rock ground on the left of the waterfall.

Drag Element 39 into the tag.  Resize 10% and move onto the rock ground on the left of the waterfall in front of the tree.

Drag Element 60 into the tag.  Resize 14% and move to the bottom right of the cloud.

Drag Element 80 into the tag.  Resize 13% and move to the bottom of the crystals.

Drag Element 93 into the tag.  Resize 8% and move to the bottom of the dragon.

Drag Element 48 into the tag.  Resize 13% and move to the bottom left of the mask.

Drag Element 55 into the tag.  Resize 22% and move to the bottom right of the mask.

Drag Element 23 into the tag.  Click on the checkmark and move to the top of element 55.

Drag Element 58 into the tag.  Resize 12% and move to the top right of element 55.

Drag Element 24 into the tag.  Resize 43% and move to the top left of element 55.

Drag Element 32 into the tag.  Resize 5% and move to the bottom left of the rock.

Drag Element 90 into the tag.  Resize 10% and move to the top left of element 55 in front of the rock.

Drag Element 14 into the tag.  Resize 8% and move to the left of the skeleton.

Drag Element 40 into the tag.  Resize 5% and move to the in front of the skeleton.

Drag Element 85 into the tag.  Resize 10% and move to the bottom right of element 58.

Drag Element 67 into the tag.  Resize 6% and move to the bottom of the jug.

Unhide the layers you would like to use for your tag by clicking on the eyeball on the left side of the layer.

Now hold down the Ctrl key and clicking on each of the visible layers.  Go to Layers>Group layers or hit Ctrl + G on the keyboard.

Drag the group into the tag.  Right click on the group and Convert to Smart Object.  Resize 17% and move to the bottom of the tag.

Drag Element 83 into the tag.  Resize 10% and move to the bottom of the tube's skirt.

Drag Element 35 into the tag.  Resize 6% and move to the bottom right of the tube in front of the snowflake.

Drag Element 31 into the tag.  Resize 6% and move to the bottom right of the tube in front of the snowflake.

Drag Element 89 into the tag.  Resize 7% and move to the bottom right of the crystal ball.

Drag Element 29 into the tag.  Resize 11% and move to the bottom left of the crystal ball.

Drag Element 20 into the tag.  Resize 8% and move to the bottom left of the of the tube by the boots.

Drag Element 91 into the tag.  Resize 7% and move to the bottom of the candle.

Drag Element 51 into the tag.  Resize 6% and move to the bottom center of the flowers.

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.  

Oh almost forgot we need to drop shadow all of our elements.  I actually do the drop shadow at the end :)

Select the element 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, select the top layer.  Right click and paste layer styles.  

Drop shadow complete :)

Select the tube layer, right click and duplicate.

Standing on the duplicate layer, right click and clear layer style.  Go to Filter, Blur, Gaussian Blur and type in 3.  Click ok.  Change the blend mode to soft light.

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 :)

Open Kiya Designs psd file in PS.  You will notice that there is 31 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 odd the layers.  Starting from layer 31, hold down your control key and select each odd layer so the next one will be 29 then 27 etc.  

Once all the odd layers are selected (the layers will be highlighted in blue) we need to group them.  

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 Waterfall layer.

Back to the animation.  Click on Group 1 and drag it into your tag.  Ctrl+T and resize 40%.  Move it so it is over the waterfall.  

Close the original animation and don't save changes.

Select the waterfall layer.  Right click and clear styles.  We don't want to include the drop shadow on the animation.

Select the animation group. Hold down the Ctrl key and click on the thumbnail of the waterfall layer.  You should see marching ants.

Still on the group layer, go to Layers>Layer Mask>Reveal selection.

Now select the layer under the waterfall layer.  Right click that layer and copy layer styles.

Select the waterfall layer and right click.  Paste layer Styles.

Select the group layer again.  This next part is optional.

Click on the mask icon of the group.  Make sure the mask is selected.

Set your foreground and background colors to default (black foreground, white background).

Select the brush and choose a soft large brush.  Mine was set at 65 and everything else at default settings.

Standing on the mask layer, Paint over the bottom of the waterfall to show the open water and the rumble at the bottom of the fall. 

 If you make a mistake, just change the

foreground to white and paint over it again.  White will correct the errors we make in the black color :).  

Once you have completed the bottom of the waterfall, change the brush size to around 20 foreground black.  On the first drop of the waterfall, paint over the first bend.  See my screen shot below.

This will give the animation a look like it hit the bottom of the first drop and then started on the second drop.

Once you are happy with the mask you painted, click the folder icon to take you off the mask.

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 animation viewer is open on the bottom of PS.  I you do not see a row that has Animation (Frames) on the bottom, go to Windows, Animation.

Next is animating.

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

When the pop up shows select  Make Frames from Layers

You are going to see a big mess in the animation window 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 17 and hit the trash can.  Repeat for all the remaining frames.  You should be left with 16 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 the eyeball 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, hold down the shift key and click on frame 16.  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 0.2 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.

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