Xmas Card Effect

[Xanthus]

Here is a new video tutorial I made using Photoshop CS 2, however, the finished Christmas Card you see throughout the video at the bottom of the screen I actually made with Elements 3 and Grant's tools. I used the "Transform Selection" of Grant's tools to rotate the individual frames of the montage.

So absolutely every part of the image effects were made the first time with Elements 3, and later for some Photoshop CS users I made this tutorial with PS CS2.

http://homepage.mac.com/xanthus1/xmas_card/

-George

[Wendy]

Hi George ...

What a very nice effect and thanks so much for the Video :)

Wendy

[kevq]

George,
very interested in your tut but the video stops playing after a few minutes.
It's a shame as I wanted to see it all.
Kev.:)

[Dorrie H.]

George,

Thanks for the video, however when I play it, it seems to repeat steps, and the last step about the shadowing of the snowflakes is missing. Is it my problem or your video?

I really like the video and appreciate you sharing. Just want to clear up the problem I'm having with it.

[Netnut]

George====
I too am having problems with the video stopping at the same spot everytime. When I click on the start button, it always goes back to the beginning and start over.

[Xanthus]

Everyone,

I rewatched this edit of the video and noticed the problems of a part repeated. It has now been corrected. The part about the snowflakes needing shadows is there.

http://homepage.mac.com/xanthus1/xmas_card

As far as it not playing completely, that possibly has to do with two issues: your connection speeds and your CPUs. This is a very large file of 117.8 MB. So if it has not completely downloaded, it will repeat whatever has downloaded so far when you click the play button.

You can probably watch the video easier if you simply save the video directly to your hard drive by right-clicking (Windows) or control-clicking (Mac) on the link below to "Save Link As." It will take awhile to download depending on your connection speed.

http://homepage.mac.com/xanthus1/xmas_card/images/complete1b.mov

Let me know if this helps!

-George

[Mary]

Hi George
I downloaded the file but haven't watched it yet. Wanted to let you know I think the slowness may be on your end though. I just did a test before and after the download -
MySpeed Results Download4,110,296 bpsUpload500,928 bps

Your file never exceeded 267 kb/sec

I will watch the video this afternoon and let you know how it plays.:)

[karen donnybrook]

Mary,

How do you test your connection speed :confused:

[FryBob]

Thanks for sharing your video with us. I was able to watch it and was able to create a very nice card.

Bob

[Mary]

Hi Karen - our ISP provides a test link but I have used one that I found here - it is free to test 3 times in a month.
http://www.bandwidthplace.com/speedtest/

Hi George - I was able to watch the video this time after downloading. Thanks for a great idea :)

[Norm F]

Hi. I downloaded this terrific video but couldn't get very far trying to create a card. Step one was to make a slection of a portion of the photo using the marquee selection tool. The second step is to rotate the selection using free transform. In the video, only the selection box rotates. When I do it, the selection box and the selected portion of the image rotates. Can anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong?

Thanks.

[Xanthus]

"When I do it, the selection box and the selected portion of the image rotates. Can anyone tell me what I'm doing wrong?"

Norm,

You either have the move tool or the transform tool chosen when you try to rotate the selection. Instead, use the marquee to draw your rectangle and thent use the "Transform selection" from the PS menu in the video.

By the way, if you are trying to do this with Photoshop Elements, you need to download and use Grant's tools, which has the "Transform Selection" tool available.

There IS a work around for Elements without Grant's Tools. It involves making a rectangle on a different layer, selecting it, and transfering your selection to the image layer! I used to use that method all the time before I got Grant's Tools or Photoshop.

-George

[karen donnybrook]

Thanks Mary, will try it later

[Norm F]

Xanthus,

Thanks for your reply and the video tutorial. I am using PSE so my set up is a little different. Do you know of a safe source from which I can download "Grant's Tools?"

Thanks.

[kevq]

Hi Norm,
This is the site you want.
On the left says Grants tools, click and you will be able to download and also read the install insructions.
They won't work in PE4.
Kev.

http://www.cavesofice.org/~grant/Challenge/

[Norm F]

Thanks for the link Kev. I am using version 4 so I guess I'm out of luck on that. I will work with George's "work around."

Thanks again.

[Daviskw]

Hi all

You can rotate the frames directly in PE3 or 4.

Use your marquee tool to make your box.

Press Crt J to make a layer

Rotate the layer as you want. The picture will rotate too but do not worry about that.

When it is rotated as you want, Crt click to make sure your selection is showing.

Now delete the layer, as you can see your selection is still there.

Press Crt J and now your rotated section and marquee is on its own layer ready to add the stroke for the frame.

Butch

[tek56ca]

Thanks for the video. It is very helpful. You must have been doing this a long time. I am new to elements. Thanks again!

[kevq]

Hi,
Here is the way I do it without Grants Tools.
Select your marquee selection tool.
On your original - make sure new selection is selected then make your selection.
Then click on subtract from selection.
Go to Layers - New - Layer via copy.
Your selection is now on its own layer and you can manipulate however you want.
Below is one I made using just this method, just make sure that you on the original layer when you make your selection.

Kev.

http://img220.imageshack.us/img220/3944/youngweb8qp.th.jpg (http://img220.imageshack.us/my.php?image=youngweb8qp.jpg)

[FryBob]

I used Grants tools in PSE 4. The seem to work ok for me. These are the two cards I made:

http://www.pbase.com/frybob/image/53329958

http://www.pbase.com/frybob/image/53329959

If I were you I'd down load them and give it a try. It is a bit different creating the cards in PSE then using PS CS that is in the video but I was able to figure it out and make it work. I hope this helps.

Good Luck,

Bob

[conjomom]

Just wanted you to know that I was able to follow your tutorial in Photoshop Elements and your complete instructions allowed me to produce a pretty nice card. It was enjoyable and instructive. The one thing I couldn't figure out how to do in Elements was the rising text. Maybe someone could help me with that one. I would like to learn how to shape my text.

Thanks again. Delightful.

[Mary]

Hi conjomom - if you create your text on a new layer (that should happen automatically) then at the far right side of the contextual toolbar you will see a curve with a T above it - lots of shaping options under that button! :)

[Daviskw]

Did not really try to make a Christmas card just trying out the technique. But had lots of fun.

Butch

http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/6972/christmascopy6sk.th.jpg (http://img218.imageshack.us/my.php?image=christmascopy6sk.jpg)

[Mary]

Very cool Butch - one technique can have so many interesting variations (if people with talent like you - show us what can be done).:)

[Carbone]

Butch, this is beautiful!!!


Ray

[Pauline]

Butch love your card!!

Conjomom are you trying to do embossed text?? Do your text in the side and font you want and then hit enter to accept. Go to the layers palette and select the clear emboss text under styles and effects. Double click on it and your text will appear embossed. After accepting it, you can go to the cursive F that appears on that layer and click on it and change the settings to suit what you want.

[Diana]

Butch, I love your Christmas card. That little angel is adorable--is she a family member? I love all the different shades of blue you've used. Great job.

Diana

[Daviskw]

Thanks for the complements all... head is very big now...lol..

Diana, that is my little” Angle of Christmas light” daughter from a dance recital long ago. She is 34 now.

Butch

[Pauline]

Butch you should send her that card. I bet she'd love it! :)

[G. OReilly]

:) Butch...very nice indeed....Well Done
George

[Xanthus]

Did not really try to make a Christmas card just trying out the technique. But had lots of fun.

Butch

http://img218.imageshack.us/img218/6972/christmascopy6sk.th.jpg (http://img218.imageshack.us/my.php?image=christmascopy6sk.jpg)

Butch,

You made a great version using the techniques of the tutorial!

-George

[Brenda]

Love the card Butch looks great.

I am having a problem watching the tut, it gets to the part where he starts to cut the picture then goes to begining again, does any one know what i can do?

Thanks

[Xanthus]

Brenda,

As I wrote above, you have my permission to download this directly to your hard drive to view.

"You can probably watch the video easier if you simply save the video directly to your hard drive by right-clicking (Windows) or control-clicking (Mac) on the link below to "Save Link As." It will take awhile to download depending on your connection speed."

http://homepage.mac.com/xanthus1/xma...complete1b.mov

-George

[Mack C. in Brooklin ON]

I've attempted at least 6 time to down load but it will only play so far and then quit. How long approx. should I wait to expect it to be fully down loaded?

[Mary]

Mack I finally downloaded it to my hard drive before watching any part of it. It did take a very long time to download. If you choose save then you should get some kind of a message when it was completely downloaded. :)