This tutorial was written by me on February 20, 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 tube "On the Verge" from her new package 123.  Please do not use this tube without a proper license. I am using the layered tube for this tutorial.  You can purchase Barbara Jensen's tube at Barbara's store here. 

PTU Kit:  I am using a gorgeous kit called "Lonely Labyrinth" 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 280 from pack 92.  You can purchase her awesome animations at Barbara Jensen's store here.

Mask:  90 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. I am using a PTU font called Wonderland scratch 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 :).  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 by 38% and click the check mark.  Move to the top left of the canvas.

Drag paper 3 into the mask.  Click the check mark.

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

Drag element 120 into the tag. Resize 55% and move to the left side of the mask. See my example for placement.

Drag element 122 into the tag. Resize 15% and move to the top left of the mask.

Drag element 86 into the tag. Resize 37% and move to the top of the tree.  Now I want to get rid of the top edge on this element.

Holding down the ctrl key, click on the thumbnail of the tree.  You should see marching ants.  Standing on element 86, go to Layers>Layer Mask>Reveal selection.

That got rid of the sharp top edge but it also took away from some of the cage. We are going to fix this.

Make sure white (ffffff) is in the foreground.  Click on the mask thumbnail on element 86 then select your brush tool.

I selected a soft brush set to 20.  Now paint over the cages on element 86.  Now that all the cages are revealed, hold down the ctrl key and select the tree layer.

Right click and merge layers.

Drag element 84 into the tag. Resize 47% and move to the lower left of the tree.

Drag element 117 into the tag. Resize 35% and move to the top right of the mask.

Drag element 111 into the tag. Resize 37% and move to the top right in front of the tree house.

Drag element 126 into the tag. Resize 45% and move to over element 111.

Drag element 93 into the tag. Resize 53% and move to the bottom element 111.

Drag element 130 into the tag. Resize 50% and move to the top of the grass.

Drag element 15 into the tag. Resize 24% and move to the top of the hedge.

Drag element 66 into the tag. Resize 36% and move to the right of the hedge.

Drag element 72 into the tag. Resize 26% and move to the bottom right of element 111.

Drag element 108 into the tag. Resize 22%, mirror and move to the bottom right of roses.

Drag element 16 into the tag. Resize 36% and move the bottom of the roses.

Drag element 88 into the tag. Resize 17% and move to the bottom left of element 84.

Drag element 7 into the tag. Resize 32% and move to the bottom left of element 88.

Drag element 98 into the tag. Resize 3% and move to the bottom of element 88.  See my example for placement.

Drag element 101 into the tag. Resize 10% and move to the bottom right of element 88.  See my example for placement.

Drag element 106 into the tag. Resize 26% and move to the bottom left of the waterfall.

Drag element 89 into the tag. Resize 46% and move to the bottom center of the waterfall.

Drag element 87 into the tag. Resize 50% and move to the bottom of the waterfall.

Drag element 114 into the tag. Resize 48% and move to the bottom left of the waterfall. See my example for placement.

Drag element 18 into the tag. Resize 35% and move to the bottom left of the skull planter. See my example for placement.

Drag element 100 into the tag. Resize 27% and move to the bottom left of the skull planter. See my example for placement.

Drag element 8 into the tag. Resize 25% and move to the bottom lower rock of element 100.

Drag element 25 into the tag. Resize 64% and move to the right of the waterfall.

Drag element 19 into the tag. Resize 45% and move to the bottom of the clock.

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. 

Note:  There is no black fae wings layer with this tube.  Barbara Jensen allows colorization of the layers as long as you know how.  

I duplicated the Blue Fae Wings Blue then applied the following layer style to the copy layer.

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 55% and move to the top center of the tag.  See my example for placement.

Drag element 99 into the tag. Resize 35% and move to the bottom right of the tube.

Drag element 56 into the tag. Resize 44% and move to the bottom left of the tube.

Drag element 110 into the tag. Resize 46% and move to the bottom of element 56.

Drag element 1 into the tag. Resize 29% and move onto the web of element 110.

Drag element 20 into the tag. Resize 32% and move to the bottom left of element 56.

Drag element 37 into the tag. Resize 30% and move to the bottom right of element 56.

Drag element 6 into the tag. Resize 65% and move to the top of books.

Drag element 55 into the tag. Resize 31% and move to the bottom of element 20.

Drag element 94 into the tag. Resize 34% and move to the bottom of the books.

Drag element 123 into the tag. Resize 58% and move to the bottom right of the mask.

Drag element 29 into the tag. Resize 58% and move to the bottom right of the mask.

Drag element 11 into the tag. Resize 23% and move on top of the rock of element 123.

Drag element 45 into the tag. Resize 20% and move to the bottom center of the rock of element 123.

Drag element 36 into the tag. Resize 27% and move to the bottom left of the rock of element 123.

Drag element 46 into the tag. Resize 22% and move on bottom right of book.

Drag element 34 into the tag. Resize 25% and move on bottom left of book.

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.

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, click on the top layer.  Right click and paste layer style.    Drop shadow complete :)

Add your copyright and name.

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.  

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 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.

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.  

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 clock layer.

Back to the animation.  Click on Group 1 and drag it into your tag.  Ctrl+T and resize 45%.  Move to a spot you like best.  I moved it right behind the center 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.

In the center of the Timeline you will see a box with a drop down.  Select Create frames from layers.

Click on the little icon (four lines) at the right end of the Timeline screen then 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 14 and hit the trash can.  Repeat for all the remaining frames.   You should be left with 13 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 14.  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 for animating.

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