Sinedots II Christmas Tree

Created October 24, 2001 © Copyright Moon's Designs
Please do not copy or place this tutorial or any graphics to any other place without written permission directly from me. Thank you.

I was inspired to do this tutorial when Cherokee came up with the Christmas Tree Preset and Gary Vandebur made a tree to send in to the group. He used Lora-ly's ornament preset but I made my own and will show you how to make one in this tutorial. I would like to thank Cherokee for allowing me to use her preset. Please visit her site HERE.

This tutorial is using the Sinedots II filter which is very different from the original Sinedots filter. If this is the first time using the Sinedots II filter please review my Getting Started With Sinedots II tutorial.

This tutorial is written in and for PSP Version 7.04 and assumes you have a working knowledge of PSP and filters at an intermediate - advanced level. I am sure this can easily be done in Version 6 with a few adjustments in paths but I have only used Version 7 so I can't make promises *S* Remember to save your work often!

You will need:

JASC's PSP (30 day free trial)- You can get it HERE
Sinedots II ~~ You can get it HERE.
**If this is the first time using the Sinedots II filter then create a new folder in your Plugins Folder and unzip your Sinedots II into this folder.
My Christmas Tree Presets file ~~ You can get it HERE.
**Unzip into your folder you have made for your Sinedots II. There are 3 presets in one .cfg file.

Step 1:
Open a new image, 400 x 400; 16 million colors and a transparent background. Set your foreground color to black and floodfill your layer.

Step 2:
Add a new layer, name it tree. Go to Effects-->Plugins-->Dragonfly-->SinedotsII. Towards the bottom of your screen you will see this:

Press open and navigate to your Sinedots folder and open the Cherokee Christmas Tree.cfg file. Press the drop down arrow and click on CherokeeChristmas_Tree and change the blend mode to screen. Click OK.

Step 3:
Go to Images-->Resize and resize your Christmas Tree by 85%, make sure that resize all layers is UNchecked. Go to Effects-->Sharpen-->Sharpen.

Step 4:
Go to layer 1 and add a new layer and name it trunk. Set your foreground color to null and your background to pattern. Finished Wood with an angle of 90.

Step 5:
Set your preset shapes tool to Rectangle and draw a trunk in the middle, bottom of your tree.

Step 6:
Save your image and set aside. We are now going to make our Christmas Ornaments. Open a new image 100x100, flood fill with black and add a new layer. Go to Effects-->Plugins-->Dragonfly-->Sinedots II and in bring up your md-xmasball preset. You can change the color of the ornament by click on the color, I made red balls and blue balls. Click OK.

Step 7:
Resize the ball by 50% (remember to have resize all layers UNchecked). With your mover tool move your ball to the bottom of your image. Change your background to gradient and select the Metallic gradient. Go to layer 1 and add a new layer (yes, it will be under the ornament).

Step 8:
Pick up your preset shape tool, set at Rounded Rectangle and draw a small rectangle on top of your ball in the center. Go to Effects-->3D-->Inner Bevel and add the following settings:

Step 9:
Add a new layer, flip your background gradient to foreground gradient and change your preset shape to ellipse - line width 2 - antialias checked - create as vector unchecked and draw and oval on top of your square. Apply the same Inner Bevel.

Step 10:
Add a new layer, set your draw tool to freehand, line width 2 and draw a hook from your ornament. I am horrible at this myself and it took me several tries to get it "just right". Go to your layer palette and activate your layer 1 (the one we flood filled with black) and delete the black (hit the delete key or edit-->cut). Hide this layer, make sure you are on your top layer and go to layers -->merge-->merge visible. You can now either tube your ornaments to place on your tree or you can go to edit -->copy (Ctrl+C)

Step 11:
Go back to your Tree image and place your ornaments on separate layers. If you didn't tube them then go to edit-->paste-->as a new layer (Ctrl+L). The reason for putting your ornaments on new layers is so you can easily move them around to your liking on the tree.

Step 12:
Add a new layer and add a star to the top of your tree if you like. I added the star I made from my Neu Glass Star tutorial. You could also add a sparkle if you like.

Step 13:
If you would like a tree skirt, as I have, add a new layer under the trunk. Bring up your Sinedots II and get the md-xmasskirt preset and click OK.

Step 14:
With your mover tool move the skirt towards the bottom of your image. Pick up your deformation tool and using the top center square move the skirt down some.

Step 15:
Go to your layer palette and hide layer one. Make sure you are on the top layer and merge visible. You can now either delete your background color and tube your tree or you can change the color or just leave it. Have fun, there is a lot more you can do with this tree by adding presents, putting it in a scene, etc. Your imagination knows no boundaries.

I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial as much as I have creating it for you.

If you have any problems, comments or questions please do not hesitate to E-mail me.

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Tutorial written and created by Patti Wavinak for Moon's Designs. These Tutorials are copyrighted by law. You may LINK to them only. You may not remove any of the graphics, zip files or html within these pages to reproduce these Tutorials, without the expressed permission of Moon's Designs. These pages may not be removed from this website and sent via e-mail, nor saved, stored or archived in files in YahooGroups or other mailing list sites, nor may they be translated and placed on another site.
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