Ok, let's begin! You will need this diamond fill. Right click on it and save to your hard drive. Open this diamond fill image in Paint Shop Pro.
Open a new image 400 x 400, Resolution 72, Background color White, with Image Type set at 16.7 million colors (24 bit).
On the Layer Palette, click on the NEW LAYER icon. Use these settings:
NAME > GOLD
BLEND MODE > NORMAL
OPACITY > 100
GROUP > 0
Check "Layer is visible". Check "Mask is enabled" and "Mask is locked".
Click on the text tool. Hold your cursor in the middle of your new image and click. Once the Text Entry box is open, use the following settings: Floating and Antialias checked, 0 Kerning and 0 Leading, Auto Kern checked.
Choose your font style and size. If you use the Mural Script font, a good size for the font is 36 or 48, BOLD. Italics is optional.
Click on the largest color box. Enter the following number for the HTML code: #E7B539
Click OK, then OK again.
Now the text is in your new image box, with the marching ants going around it. It should be in the center, but if it is not, click on the mover tool and drag the text to the center
Go to EDIT, then COPY.
Click on IMAGE > EFFECTS > INNER BEVEL. Use the following settings:
Width 1
Smoothness 0
Depth 13
Ambience 0
Shininess 40
Light Color White
Angle 125
Intensity 50
Elevation 25
Click OK
Go to LAYERS > MERGE > MERGE VISABLE.
Go to SELECTIONS > SELECT NONE.
Go to EDIT > PASTE > AS NEW LAYER.
Go to SELECTIONS > SELECT ALL.
Click on the MAGIC WAND tool. Hold your cursor directly over the newly pasted text layer and click. This should select only that text, and you should see the marching ants around it
Click on the FLOOD FILL tool. Go to the TOOL OPTIONS toolbar. Use the following settings:
FILL STYLE > PATTERN
BLEND MODE > NORMAL
PAPER TEXTURE > NONE
MATCH MODE > NONE
OPACITY > 100
On the TOOL OPTIONS toolbar, go to Flood Fill Options (at the top). Choose the diamond fill pattern.
Go back to the image. Click on the newly pasted text layer. You will see that now it has the diamond pattern, with the marching ants still around it.
Click on your mover tool, then onto the active text. Drag it into place over the bottom gold layer. Align it slightly to the right, and a bit lower than the gold text.
Go to IMAGE > EFFECTS > DROP SHADOW. Use the following settings:
COLOR > #808080
OPACITY > 55
BLUR > 6
OFFSET > VERTICAL 5
HORIZONTAL 5
Click OK.
Go to SELECTIONS > SELECT NONE.
Go to LAYERS > MERGE > MERGE VISABLE
Select the CROP tool. Drag the cursor in the area around the text that you wish to crop. Select just enough of the image to include all the drop shadow. CROP > FILE > SAVE AS. Then save the image to your hard drive as a .gif or .jpg file.
Note:
Instructions for adding the animated sparkles follow. If you choose to do the animation, then you will also need to save the file as a .psp file.
Adding the animated sparkles
In Paint Shop Pro, open your .psp image. Go to EDIT > COPY.
If you already have a white sparkle tube that you would like to use, then by all means do so. Merely adjust the size according to the size of your signature. If you do not have a white sparkle tube, here is one for you to download:
Click here
Now we are ready to begin the animation work. We will work with only 4 frames, and this should move pretty fast for you. Click on the PICTURE TUBE tool. Select your white sparkle tube and adjust the size. Add the sparkles in random areas over the text
Go to FILE > SAVE AS. Save as .psp image, name it Image 1, or diamond1, etc.
Close the image.
Go to EDIT > PASTE > AS NEW IMAGE
Follow the same steps above and add the random sparkles.
Save this image as #2
Continue on with images 3 and 4, saving as .psp, and closing after you finish with each frame.
When you are finished, open Animation Shop.
Go to FILE > ANIMATION WIZARD.
Follow the prompts using the following settings:
1. Same size as the first image frame
2. Next
3. Opaque
4. Next
5. Upper left corner of the frame
6. With canvas color
7. Next
8. Yes, repeat the animation indefinately
9. Frame speed 30
10. Next
11. Add Image
Add the 4 .psp images you have previously saved. Then click NEXT, then FINISH
Of course you will want to view the animation now that you have finished. When you are happy with the results, go to FILE > SAVE AS. The Optimization Wizard will take care of the rest.
