The Herald

I own the intellectual copyright for the written tutorial.  What you make is yours, but please do not take my tutorial.  Share only my link.

This tutorial is intended for beginners to learn how to animate a growing angel.  If you have any questions, please feel free to Email  me.

To do this tutorial you will also need Paint Shop Pro.  I wrote this with  Paint Shop Pro X2, but the steps may also be done in any version.  You may download a free trial at Corel.

Remember to save as a psp file often!

Download Supplies.  Both files will be opened in PSP.

Download and install plugins:  MuRa's Filter Meister > Cloud  and EC 4000

1.  Open a new, transparent image, size 400 x 400

2.  Effects > Plugins > MuRa's Filter Meister > Cloud.  Apply these settings:  In the drop down menu, choose SILK preset.  It will set the numbers for you.  Click ok.

3.  Open the GoldenAngel tube.  Edit > Copy.   Click back on cloud image.  Edit > Paste as New Layer.

4.  Right-click on Angel tube and choose Duplicate

5.  Image > Resize.  Set Width & Height to 80 PERCENT.  UNCHECK Resize all layers.

6.  Right-click on top layer and choose Duplicate.  Image > Resize.  Resize to 60%, UNCHECK Resize all Layers

7.  Right-click on top layer and choose Duplicate.  Image > Resize.  Resize to 40%, UNCHECK Resize all Layers

8.  Right-click on the second layer and choose Duplicate

9.  Adjust > Blur > Gaussian Blur.  Radius = 15

10.  Right-click on the first (top) layer and choose MERGE > MERGE DOWN

11.  Hide the top merged layer by clicking on the eye.

12.  Right-click on the third layer and choose Duplicate

13.  Adjust > Blur > Gaussian Blur  Radius = 15

14.  Right-click on the Second layer and choose Merge > Merge Down

15.  Hide the second layer

16.  Right-click on fourth layer and choose Duplicate

17.  Adjust > Blur > Gaussian    Radius = 15

18.  Right-click on the third layer and choose MERGE > MERGE DOWN

19.  Hide the third layer.

20.  Right-click on the fourth layer and choose Duplicate

21.  Duplicate one more time.

22.  Click on the fourth layer.  Effects > Plugins > Eye Candy 4000 > Corona  Apply these settings:  Glow Width = 64.13, Flare Size = 14, Stretch = 100, Waver = 23, Blur = 0, Overall Opacity = 100, Color = white

23.  Click on the fifth layer.  Effects > Plugins > Eye Candy 4000 > Corona  Keep the same settings EXCEPT change the waver to 77

24.  Click on the sixth layer.  Effects > Plugins > Eye Candy 4000 > Corona  Keep the same settings EXCEPT change the waver to 49

25.  Right-click on the bottom layer (cloud) and choose Duplicate

26.  Drag this duplicate cloud layer above one layer (see image below).

27.  Right-click on the Angel layer (see red arrow) and choose Merge > MERGE DOWN

28.  Hide that merged layer.

29.  Right-click on the cloud layer and choose Duplicate

30.  Repeat Steps  26 & 27  until you have merged a cloud layer with every angel layer.  Then UNHIDE all layers.

31.  Click on the top layer

32.  Layers > New Raster Layer

33.  Flood-fill this layer with  blue

34.  Adjust > Add/Remove Noise > Add Noise   Gaussian, 20% , Monochrome

35.  Layers > New Raster Layer

36.  Select a Gold Gradient.  Set to Linear Style, Angle = 45, Repeats = 0

37.  Flood-fill this layer with the gold gradient

38.  Open the swish.jpg in PSP.

39.  Click back on your image.  Layers >  Add Mask Layer > From Image.  Choose swish  in the source window, source Luminance

40.  Right-click on the top layer and choose Merge > Group

41.  Right-click on the top layer and choose Merge > Merge Down

42.  Selections > Select All

43.  Selections > Modify > Contract  by 40 pixels

44.  Flood-fill this selection with the gold gradient

45.  Selection > Modify > Contract by 2 pixels

46.  Press the DELETE key

47.  Selections > None

48.  Effects > 3D Effects > Inner Bevel  Apply these settings:  bevel = pie, width = 14, smoothness = 17, depth = 7, ambience = - 30, shininess = 10, color = white, angle = 19, intensity = 54, elevation = 40

49.  Choose the text tool.  Set to font of your choice.  Set font to Create as floating. 

50.  Type in your watermark and your message.

51.  Right-click on the frame layer (top) and choose Duplicate.

52.  Drag the duplicate down to on top of the bottom layer. 

53.  Right-click on the frame layer and choose Merge > Merge Down

54.  Duplicate the top layer again, drag it down to on top of an angel layer.  Right-click on that frame layer and choose Merge > Merge Down.

55.  Continue to repeat Step 54 until each angel layer has a frame layer merged to it.  Delete in extra frame layers.

56.  Be sure that all layers are UNHIdden.  Save this as a pspimage.  File > Save As

57.  Open the image in Animation Shop

58.  Edit > Select All

59.  Animation > Reverse Frames

60.  Right-click on any frame and choose Frame Properties.  Set the display time = 25.

61.  Save the image as a GIF.  File > Save As

 Please do not remove this tutorial from my site.  Share my url.