This tutorial was written by me on March 30, 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 Amber's beautiful tube "Sapphire Mermaid".  Please do not use this tube without a proper license. You can purchase this tube at VM Artists here.

PTU Kit:  I am using a gorgeous kit called "Ocean Adventures" created by Doodle by Design.  You can purchase this beautiful kit here.

PTU Animation:  I am using Rebel Dezigns awesome animation 1365 from pack 454.  You can purchase her awesome animations at CDO here.

Mask:  918 by Rachel Designs. Thank you for your awesome masks.  You can download it from her blog here. I am using the png versions 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 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 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 Rachel's mask into the tag.  Pull up and down on the corners until it is approx 150% and click the checkmark.

Drag paper 20 into the tag.  Holding down the shift key, Pull up and down on the corners until it fits the canvas and click the checkmark.

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

Drag element 185 into the tag.  Resize 41% and move to the bottom right of the mask.  Duplicate and move to the bottom left.

Drag element 58 into the tag.  Click the check mark and move to the top left corner of the mask.

Drag element 12 into the tag.  Resize 56% and move to the top center of the black rocks.

Drag element 10 into the tag.  Resize 55% and move to the bottom center of the black rocks

Drag element 7 into the tag.  Resize 15%, mirror and move to the top left of the black rocks.

Drag element 29 into the tag.  Resize 17% and move to the bottom left of the black rocks.

Drag element 55 into the tag.  Click the check mark and move to the right of the black rocks.

Drag element 152 into the tag.  Resize 50% and move to the over element 55.

Drag element 184 into the tag.  Resize 29% and move to the top center of the black rocks.

Drag element 61 into the tag.  Resize W 19.96% x H 10.90% and move to the bottom right of the black rocks.  Duplicate x2 and move around the bottom of the black rock.

See mine for placement.

Select the middle sand hill.  Drag element 47 into the tag.  Resize 33% and move to onto the sand hills.  See mine for placement.

Select the top sand hill layer.  Drag element 161 into the tag.  Resize 14% and move to the bottom center of the sand hills.

Drag element 34 into the tag.  Resize 18% and move to the bottom left of the sand hills.

Drag element 171 into the tag.  Resize 16% and move to the bottom left of the fish.

Drag element 183 into the tag.  Resize 28% and move to the top left of tag.

Drag element 163 into the tag.  Resize 33%, mirror and move to the right of element 125.

Drag element 38 into the tag.  Resize 39% and move to the bottom right of the sand hills.

Drag element 60 into the tag.  Resize 37% and move to the top center of the sand.

Drag element 84 into the tag.  Resize 22% and move to the bottom left of the rock.

Drag element 20 into the tag.  Resize 22% and move to the top of the rock.

Drag element 153 into the tag.  Resize 27% and move to the bottom right of the rock.

Drag element 139 into the tag.  Resize 14% and move to the bottom right of the rock.

Drag element 11 into the tag.  Resize 50% and move to the far bottom left of the rock.

Drag the main tube into the tag.  Resize 27% and move to the top of the brown rock so it looks like she is sitting on it.

Drag element 14 into the tag.  Resize 28% and move to the bottom right of the tube's tail.  See mine for placement.

Drag element 56 into the tag.  Resize 50%, rotate -90 degrees and move to the bottom left of the rock.

Drag element 28 into the tag.  Resize 15% and move to the bottom right of the broken jug.

Drag element 42 into the tag.  Resize 36% and move to the bottom of the broken jug.

Drag element 33 into the tag.  Resize 21% and move to the bottom of the pink coral.

Drag element 80 into the tag.  Resize 44% and move to the bottom right of the pink coral.

Drag element 84 into the tag.  Resize 25% and move to the bottom right of the sand castle.

Drag element 6 into the tag.  Resize 7% and move to the bottom right of the bubble with the boat.

Drag element 48 into the tag.  Resize 15% and move to the bottom of the shell.

Drag element 37 into the tag.  Resize 15% and move to the top right of the bubble with the boat.

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 :)

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.

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.

Open Rebel Dezigns psd file in PS.  You will notice that there is 25 layers in this animation and it does not have the group layer.  

We need to group all odd the 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? 

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 dark rock layer (element 55).

Back to the animation.  Click on Group 1 and drag it into your tag.  Ctrl+T and resize 50%.  Move over the rock.  Rename this group Bubbles 1 group

Now select element 28.

Back to the animation.  Click on Group 1 and drag it into your tag.  Ctrl+T and resize 30%.  Move over the top left of element 28.  Rename this group Bubbles 2 group

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.

In the center of the Timeline viewer you will see a drop down box.  On the drop down select Create Frame Animations.

Next is animating.

Click on the little icon (four white 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 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 Timeline viewer. It will be highlighted.

Go to the bottom of your tag in the layers pallet.  Make sure you have Timeline 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.  Do not touch Bubbles 1 animation.

Here is where the fun begins and you will need to pay attention to which frames you are selecting as we need to make the second animation appear.  I learned this trick from Rene Kunert.  She has awesome animation tutorials.  

I have the link at the top of this tutorial.

Frame one should be highlighted in the timeline viewer.  Duplicate this frame by clicking on the + beside the trashcan on the bottom left of the viewer.

You should have Frame two now highlighted and a total of 14 frames.  Standing on Frame 2 in the timeline, expand the Bubbles 2 group in the layer pallet and click on they eyeball next to frame 1 of the bubble animation.  

Select frame 1 in the Timeline viewer and delete it by clicking on the trash can.  You should not have 13 layers again with frame 1 highlighted.

Below is an the listing of which frame to select and which Bubbles 2 animation layer to make visible by clicking on the eye.  Note:  If you make a mistake on the layers you will need to start from the beginning of Select frame 1 and make sure all animation from Bubbles two is hidden.

Select the following:

Frame 2 - Animation layer 3.

Frame 3 - Animation layer 5.

Frame 4 - Animation layer 7.

Frame 5 - Animation layer 9.

Frame 6 - Animation layer 11.

Frame 7 - Animation layer 13.

Frame 8 - Animation layer 15.

Frame 9 - Animation layer 17.

Frame 10 - Animation layer 19.

Frame 11 - Animation layer 21.

Frame 12 - Animation layer 23.

Frame 13 - Animation layer 25.

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 12.  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 other and typed in 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.