Lace Copies

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 create circles with "lacy" edges.  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 and install Mura's Copies plugin.

1.  Open a new, transparent image, size 2000 x 2000 (so we can see what we're doing.

2.  Choose the Ellipse shape tool.  Set the Mode to Circle, Create on Vector, Width = 25

3.  Set foreground to a dark color of your choice (be easy on your eyes!), and background color to NULL.

4.  Near the center of the image.  Draw a circle outline that takes up maybe 4 of the gray-white background squares.

5.  Right-click on the layer and choose Convert to Raster Layer

6.  Effects > Plugins > Mura's Meister > Copies

Set the preset to Encircle (lower left),  then adjust the number until the circles are touching each other.  I had to slide mine to 48.

7.  With the magic wand, select inside of the circle ring.

8.  Selection > Modify > Expand  by 2 to 5 pixels

9.  Flood-fill the selection with the same color used for the circles.

10.  Choose the rectangle selection tool.  Click on the Merged Opaque icon.  This will make a selection box around your circle lace.

11.  Image > Crop to selection.

12.  Save this as a template to use in other projects.  File > Save as a pspimage or png image

13.  Now let's create a tag with it.  Image > Resize.  Set the Width & height to 400 pixels

14.  Image > Canvas Size.  Set width & height = 600 pixels, center the placement

15.  With the magic wand, click on the lace circle and fill it with the texture of your choice.

16.  Effects > 3D Effects > Inner Bevel.  Set:  Bevel = pie shape, width = 25, smoothness = 25, depth = 3, ambience = 0, shininess = 50, color = white, angle = 315, intensity = 50, elevation = 28

17.  Effects > 3D Effects > Drop Shadow.  Set:  Vertical & Horizontal = 1, opacity = 100, blur = 2, color = black

18.  Now, I created a second lace circle with using a heart shape (same steps as above), and added it as a new layer to my tag.

19.  Decorate with your own tubes and text.

20.  Save this as a GIF.  File > Export > GIF optimizer

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