Torah

Created November 23, 2001 © Copyright Moon's Designs
Property of Moon's Designs
This is my creation, any similarity to other tutorials on the Internet is unintentional.
Please do not copy or place this tutorial or any graphics to any other place without written permission directly from me. Thank you

 

 

I write this tutorial and dedicate it to my dear friend and tut tester Randie. There are many Christmas tutorials available, but very few for those of the Jewish faith. When I proposed my idea to Randie she was delighted and quite helpful with advice for making my Torah as realistic as possible.

This tutorial is written using only PSP tools. You will be making the Torah totally as I am not providing any selections for you. There is only one small vector that you will need to do; the rest are quite easy so you can stop sweating now *winks*. I am also doing something different with this tutorial and am providing you with 2 inner bevel presets and 1 texture preset.

Remember, my tutorials are only guidelines to help you accomplish a certain creation. Please feel free to be inventive and take whatever liberties you would like. I encourage each of you to do your "own thing" and make your creation yours!

This tutorial is written in and for PSP Version 7.04 and assumes you have a working knowledge of PSP 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*

JASC's PSP (30 day free trial)- You can get it HERE
My presets ~~ You can get it HERE
**unzip them into your PSP Presets folder
Gold Pattern ~~ You can get it HERE
**unzip it into your PSP Patterns folder

Step 1:
Open a new image 400 x 400, 16 million colors, transparent background. This will give you a lot of room to work and you can resize your Torah when you are finished. Set your foreground color to Null and your background color to White.

Step 2:
Click on your preset shapes select rectangle, antialias and create as vector checked.

Step 3:
Draw a rectangle in the middle of your image.

 

Activate your Object Selector tool and click on Node Edit in your Tool Options.

Add a node, hold down the Ctrl Key and Click, to the top line in the middle and add one to the bottom line in the middle. See where I added mine below.

Pull the new top node down a little and the new bottom node up a little. See my example below.

When you are satisfied, go to Layers-->Convert To Raster and rename your layer scroll. Save.

Step 4:
Go to Effects-->Texture-->Texture Effects and select the md-paper preset that I provided, click OK. Go to Effects-->3D-->Inner Bevel and apply the md-scroll preset that I provided. You should now have this.

Step 5:
Add a new layer and name it roll1. Change your background to the gold pattern, Scale 40 and Angle 45.

Click on your preset shapes and UNcheck the create as vector and leave it set as a rectangle. Draw a long, wide rectangle on the left side of your scroll. Go to Selections-->Select All (Ctrl+A) and then Selections-->Float (Ctrl+F) and add the following cutout (Effects-->3D-->Cutout):

Reapply the cutout, but this time change the vertical and horizontal offsets to Minus 6. Deselect and Save.

Step 6:
Go to Effects-->3D-->Drop Shadow and use the following settings:

Step 7:
Go to your layer palette and right click on your roll1 layer and duplicate. You can rename this layer to roll2. Go to Images-->Mirror and you should now have this.

Step 8:
Have you been saving?? Add a new layer and name it trim. Change your pattern to a wood pattern (I used the finished wood that comes with PSP_, and change the scale to 100 and angle to 0. Click on your preset shapes and change the shape to Ellipse, leaving everything else the same. Draw a small flat oval on top of the left scroll.

Step 9:
Go to Edit-->Copy (Ctrl+C) to copy your trim and then Edit-->Paste-->As New Selection (Ctrl+E). With your mover tool place it on top of the right scroll. Paste your trim 2 more times, moving the first one to the right bottom scroll and the second one to the left bottom scroll. When you are satisfied where they are placed, deselect and save.

Step 10:
Go to Selections-->Select All and then Float. Go to Effects-->3D-->Inner Bevel and apply the md-torah preset that I provided. Deselect and Save.

Step 11:
Add a new layer and name it balls. Change your background color to black. Using your preset shapes, still set at ellipse, draw a black ball on top of the left trim.

Step 12:
Copy your ball (Ctrl+C) and Paste as a new selection (Ctrl+E) and move it on top of your right trim. When you are satisfied with the way it is positioned, deselect and save. Go to Selections-->Select All and Float. Go to Effects-->3D-->Inner Bevel and apply the Round Preset (that is supplied with PSP) changing the width to 29.

Step 13:
Go to your layer palette and right click your balls layer and duplicate the layer. Go to Images-->Flip and with your mover tool, move the bottom balls into position.

Step 14:
Go to your layer palette and hide layer 1. Activate your top layer and go to Layers-->Merge-->Merge Visible. Make sure you are on the merge layer and click on your deformation tool. Hold down the Ctrl key and move the bottom right node towards the center about 15-20 pixels, apply. Go to Effects-->Sharpen-->Sharpen and your Torah should look similar to this.

Step 15:
We're almost done, but we need some writing on the scroll. Add a new layer and name it text. Click on your text tool. I didn't have a Hebrew Font and wouldn't know what I was writing if I did so I used the Vianta Font set at 8 and just typed a bunch of jibberish. Make sure Floating and Antialias are checked. You can always ask your cat to get on the keyboard and see what it comes up with. LOL

When you are done typing click OK, move the text to where you want it on your Torah and you are done. If you want to add a background, activate Layer1 and add what you would like. If you would like to tube your Torah for future use then merge all layers and export to picture tubes.