Let It Snow Tag

I wrote this tutorial on my own.  Any similarity to another tutorial is purely coincidental.  I claim the copyright to my tutorial. You are free to do whatever you please with what you make, but please do not take my tutorial.  Do not send the tutorial through email.  Only share my link.

This tutorial is intended for a beginner to learn about making animation.  If you have any questions, please feel free to email me.

To do this tutorial you will also need Photoshop CS or CS2.  You may download a free trial at Adobe.

Remember to save as a .psd file often!

Download the supplies.  Download the VDL Adrenaline Snowflake Plugin.

1.  Open up the Snowflake circle frame.  Image > Duplicate.  close the original.

2.  In the Layer Palette, click on the circle frame layer (middle one). 

3.  Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Hue/Saturation

4.  Place a check in the colorize & preview boxes.  Then slide the Hue, Saturation and Lighness sliders until the bottom bar becomes the color of your choice.

5.  Right-click on the Hue/Saturation layer and choose Merge Down.

6.  With the magic wand, click inside the middle of the top layer.

7.  Selection > Modify > Expand.  Expand Selection by 3 pixels.

8.  Select > Save Selection.  (this is so we can use the selection later).

9.  Keep selected.  In the Layer Palette, click on the bottom layer.

10.  Open up the scenery image that you want to use.  Selection > Select All.  Edit > Copy.

11.  Click back on the frame image.  Edit > Paste into

12.  Click on the snowflake circle layer in the Layer Palette.

13.  Open the Globe tube.  Selection > Select All.  Edit > Copy.

14.  Click back on the lace image and choose  Edit > Paste.  It will paste as a new layer.  This layer should be between the snowflake ring and the white ring.

15.  Open up the bow.

If you want to change the color of the bow:  Image > new Adjustment Layer > Hue Saturation.  Use the same settings as before (or make it a different color).  Layers > Merge Down.

16.  Selection > Select All.  Edit > Copy.

17.  Click back on the snowflake image.  Edit > Paste.  Drag the bow layer to the top.

18.  The bow will need to be resized.  Edit > Transform > Scale.  In the top tool bar, click on the lock between height and width (this locks the ratio).  Then you can drag one of the corners of the scale box inward toward the center.  This will shrink the bow.  When satisfied with the new size, click the Green checkmark in the toolbar at the top.

19.  With the mover tool, move the bow up into position.

20.  In the Layer Palette, HIDE the bottom two layers by clicking on the eye.  Right-click on the top layer and choose Merge Visible.

21.  HIDE the top merged layer.  UNHIDE the bottom two layers.  Right-click on the bottom layer and choose Merge Visible.

22.  Right-click on the bottom layer and choose Duplicate Layer.  Duplicate once more so that you have 3 copies of the scenery layer.

23.  Click on the top scenery layer.  Selection > Load Selection.  And choose your selection from the channel list. 

24.  Filters > VDL Adrenaline > Snowflakes1.0.  Apply these settings:  Amount = 15, size begins with 0, size end = 20, hardness = 100, transparency = 0, snow color = basic=snow, random seed = 0.  Click OK.

25.  Click on the middle SCENERY layer.  Filters > VDL Adrenaline > Snowflakes 1.0.  Apply the same settings as before, EXCEPT click on the Random seed bar to change it to 100.

26.  Click on the bottom SCENERY layer.  Filters > VDL Adrenaline > Snowflakes 1.0.  Apply the same settings as before, EXCEPT click on the Random seed bar to change it to 200.

27.  Click on the top mark and type your watermark if you like.

28.  Now save this as a PSD.

29.  Open up the file in Image Ready.

30.  In the Animation Frame.  Click on the right-side menu and choose Copy Frame.

31.  Click on the same menu and choose Paste Frame (after current frame.

32.  Repeat step 31.  You should now have 3 frames.

33.  Click on the first frame.  Then in the Layer Palette, HIDE the bottom two layers.

34.  Click on the middle frame.  Then in the Layer Palette, Hide the top scenery layer, UNHIDE the middle scenery layer.

35.  Click on the last frame.  Then in the Layer Palette, HIDE the top two scenery layers, UNHIDE the bottom scenery layer.

36.  In EACH frame, click on the time display arrow (see circle) and choose 0.2 seconds.

37.  Save this for future use.  File > Save Optimized As.

38.  If you want to add a name or other text on top:, first frame.  Then type your text, and the text will appear in all frames (Be careful not to move the text!!!!)

If you must move the text:  HOLD the CTRL key down and click on ALL frames.  Then move the text.

39.  Now save this file.  File > Save Optimized As

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