This tutorial was inspired by the beautiful Deco Ladies created by FlyByNight- D. J. Walker. She has posted two tutorials of her designs that you can go and see by clicking on the links. Please try them out and I assure you, you will have fun doing them. The Deco Lady The Deco Lady II I have named this creation "Samantha". I hope you enjoy bringing her to life. Your image is yours to do with as you see fit - I place absolutely NO restrictions on what you do with her. Just have fun! This tutorial was completed using PSP7 but can easily be done in PSP6. The only change you will have to make is the texture I applied to the turban part of her hat. What You Will Need: Paint Shop Pro: download a trial version here Zip of my selection files: you can download it here Zip of colour chart, rings, innerbevel setting: you can download it here Let Me Say Just Before We Begin This is my second tutorial "screenshot free". I did each item on a separate layer. I gave most layers an individual drop shadow. None of the face details or the upper hat get a shadow. I did them all the end but if you prefer, you can do them as the last thing on each layer before you proceed to the next new layer. It is your choice. If you wish to do it as you go - I used vertical and horizontal of 2, opacity 50, blur 6, colour-black. In applying the inner bevel to many of the layers, I used the preset "Pillow". If you don't have this setting, there is an image of the settings needed in the zip file. The beginning steps of each layer are almost identical - load the selection, flood fill with black, contract the selection by 1, flood fill with the given colour. To cut down I will use the following shortforms "ff-bl" for floodfill black.........."c1" for contract by 1 PLEASE save your work often!! I did it after every layer. It is better to be safe than sorry. Open a new image 500 x 500, 16 mil colours, transparent background. You can also open the colour chart. (a) Create a new layer and load selection "1-sweaterbody.sel" ff-bl; c1; floodfill with red #C00000; apply the "pillow" inner bevel but raise the ambience to +40. Either apply the standard drop shadow now or wait until the end. I won't repeat this reminder. (b) Create a new layer and load selection "2-hatback.sel" Omit the black and immediately floodfill with blue #4B4D93. Open the psp hatring image from the extras zip file Copy this then paste as a new layer on your working image. Move the rings into place on the hat. (c) Create a new layer and load selection "3-ear.sel" ff-bl; c1; floodfill with skintone #DCBAA3 or one of your own choosing; apply the "pillow" inner bevel and leave the ambience at +40. Leave it at +40 for all bevels unless I mention you need to change it again. (d) Create a new layer and load selection "4-neck.sel" ff-bl; c1; floodfill with skintone #DCBAA3; apply the "pillow" inner bevel. (e) Create a new layer and load selection "5-turtleneck.sel" ff-bl; c1; floodfill with red #C00000; apply the pillow inner bevel. Staying on this same layer, load selection "6-tnshading.sel". Floodfill with dark red #800000. Open the psp file from the extras zip with the neck lines. Copy it then paste as a new layer. Move the lines so they are centred on the turtleneck. Then lower the opacity of the layer to 50 to soften the look of the lines. (f) Create a new layer and load selection "7-head.sel" ff-bl; c1; floodfill with #DCBAA3. Apply the pillow inner bevel and change the ambience to +46 (g) Create a new layer and load selection "8-facedetails.sel" Flood fill with black. If you need to zoom in, do so and use the paint can. Using the spray can does not give you as nice an appearance. (h) Create a new layer and go to layers - move down, so it is below the face details you added in the previous layer. I always do my work on layers below to make it easier to paint and to make corrections. That way your details are never altered. I also do all details on separate layers because on some the opacity level has to be changed. When I am happy with the face painting then I hide everything else and merge those visible together. Using colour #DD6B6B fill in the lips. Lighten to #E89A9A and using a small brush with softness set to about 30 just add a light highlight to the bottom of the lower lip. (i) Create a new layer (still below the facedetails layer) Using the same colour as her lipstick, (or any colour of your choosing) airbrush size 35, hardness 20, squirt some colour for her blush. I had to use a gaussian blur of 9.00 for mine, but adjust yours to suit what you did. To take care of the blur moving the blush off the face, load the head selection, go to selections- invert, then hit the scissors. This will remove all the blush that has extended out off her cheeks. Then lower the opacity of this layer from 100 to 40 (or what is appropriate for your image). (j) Create a new layer (still below the facedetails layer) Using colour #E89A9A, paintbrush size 10 with hardness 30, draw a line close to, but above the eye for the lower eyeshadow colour. Apply a gaussian blur of 2.00 Don't worry if it goes into the eye area because it will be covered when you paint in the whites. Lower the opacity to 50 or one of your choosing. (k) Create a new layer (still below the facedetails layer) Using colour #9393C4, paintbrush size 10 with hardness 30, draw a second line of eyeshadow above the previous one that extends up to the brow. Apply a gaussian blur of 2.00 then lower the opacity of the layer to 40. (l) Create a new layer (still below the facedetails layer) Using white paint in the whites of the eye. (m) Create a new layer (still below the facedetails layer) Using colour #6C6EB4, paintbrush size 25, hardness 80, click once in each eye. You will then have to erase a bit of the blue that extends below the black area. (n) Create a new layer (still below the facedetails layer) Using black, paintbrush size 15, hardness 80, click once in each eye for the pupil. Change your colour to white, brush size 1, click once in the pupil to add that "little sparkle". Now if you are happy with what you have done, you can hide everything and merge the face details into one layer. Your choice. (o) Create a new layer and send to the top. Load selection "9-turban.sel" ff-bl; c1; floodfill with blue #8F02C7. Go to image effects- texture - fine leather and apply the "Custom 3" preset. PSP6 users will have to make their own choice here. (p) Create a new layer and load selection "10-fronthat.sel" Skip the black and immediately fill with blue #4B4D93 This selection gets NO inner bevel and NO drop shadow. (q)Go back down your layer list to the rings you added to the other hat selection. Make it the active layer and then go to layers - duplicate, and layers- bring to the top. Using the eraser tool go in and erase the lines covering her face and turban. (r) Create a new layer and load selection "11-red.sel" ff-bl; c1; floodfill #800000. Apply the "pillow" inner bevel with the ambience at +46. Leave this change for all the coloured hat ribbons. (s) Create a new layer and load selection "12-blue.sel" ff-bl; c1; floodfill #8F92C7 ; apply inner bevel. (t) Create a new layer and load selection "13-white.sel" ff-bl; c1; floodfill white; apply inner bevel. (u) Create a new layer and load selection "14-morered.sel" ff-bl; c1; floodfill #C00000; apply inner bevel. (v) Create a new layer and load selection "15-whitebows.sel" ff-bl; c1; floodfill white; apply inner bevel. (w) Create a new layer and load selection "16-redbows.sel" ff-bl; c1; floodfill #C00000; apply inner bevel. (x) Create a new layer and load selection "17-bluebows.sel" ff-bl; c1; floodfill #8F92C7; apply inner bevel. (y) Create a new layer. Using the coloured rose tube that came with the programme, add red flowers to the hat. I used three at different sizes. You can decorate as you wish. I also included my grouping in the zip file if you wish to copy it and paste it into your image. (z) Create a new layer. For her earring, I used the coloured sphere tube at size 12. Now is the time to go and give almost all layers a drop shadow. The head shape was given a shadow but none of the face detail layers were given a drop shadow. The upper blue hat is also NOT given a drop shadow. If you did it as you went along...SKIP this step. If you haven't, the settings once again are: vertical and horizontal of 2, opacity 50, blur 6, colour-black My suggestion is to save this image, as is, in PSP format with all the layers intact. This will make it easier if you wish to go back and colourize the layers to make a totally new look for Samantha. To carry on with her in this outfit, shift D to make a duplicate and close your original. Now you can merge all the visible layers. You can make her into a tube now too. Give her a nice backdrop and then you can resize her and then frame her any way you wish. I hope you have enjoyed Samantha. Make changes in patterns, colours, etc. Enjoy your new creation as much as I did. I hope you will look forward to meeting Emily who will be making her debut in the near future. If you have any problems or need further explanations, please feel free to email me here MAIN TUTORIAL LIST This tutorial was posted at the site of "P. Ann's Place" May 27,2002 and written by Pat Sherman. All I ask is that you do not claim it as your own.