A Golden Embossed PSP Egg

(I'm still trying to catch that goose!)

This tutorial uses PSP7, KPT5 Shapeshifter and my goldenegg preset.  

NOTE:  If you do not have KPT, you can use this alternative tutorial.  Go HERE.

You may also want to use Fantastic Machine's Paint engine (free) for the background, Blade Pro (30 day trial) or Ulead Art Texture (free) for the frame.  All are eggsellent plugins!

Unzip my file to your desktop.  I am including 2 presets, (the 2nd one a .kpt file), since a few people had a problem getting my first one to show up in KPT. Place the presets in your plugin/kpt5 shapeshifter/preset folder.   I'm also including the images I used for the mask in KPT.  You can d/l them here:

Are you ready?  This is really quick and easy.  I hope you enjoy it :)  Remember to save your work as .psp file as you go along.

1. Open a new transparent image, 300 X 300.
2. On a new layer, with white and background and foreground colours, draw a large elipse using the shape tool, as a vector checked.
3. Hold down cntrl key, and click on the upper right corner box.  Push the inside of the elipse inward slightly until it becomes an egg shape.
4. Now you can save that shape as a preset shape in PSP.  

   While it still has the vector box around the egg shape,  click on the plus sign on layer 2 in the layer palette.  You will see your ellipse shape.  Then where it says ellipse, right click on the vector square and rename it to "Egg".  Click on the "ellipse"  vector layer.  Go to file/export shape and type "Egg".   Now it will be available for you to use as a shape in PSP.  It may be hard to see, since we drew it in white, but look for the "egg" title in the tool options box.

    
5. Go back to the egg shape layer, and convert to raster.  Select all/float to get the marching ants around the egg.
6. Go to Selections/Modify/expand by 1.
7. Apply KPT Shapeshifter as below, use my golden egg preset by clicking on the box in the left bottom corner to load it.
8. If,  for some reason the environment remains dull, import the cool kitchen environment by clicking on the triangle at the top right of the window.  This will give you the shine :)
9. You can change the pattern that is embossed on the egg by browsing for any image file (.jpg, gif, bmp, etc) on your HD and trying it out in the Mask window.  Click on the white box, and load your image.  Preferably it should be an image the same size as our egg image, or larger.  You can move the mask image around by pressing shift and moving it in the preview window.
10. *(You can create your own using a tube or favorite texture, on a 300 X 300 image.  Place the tube in the middle of your image.)*  When it has the look you like in KPT, click OK.  
11. You can now merge visible and save as .psp or .tub if you wish.
12. Add a drop shadow using Eye Candy or PSP,  on the egg as below:
13. Add a new layer and move it to the bottom.  Flood fill with a colour, texture or pattern of your choice.  I used an off-white colour and Fantastic Machines paint engine for my background.
14. If you'd like to frame your golden egg, add a new border of 4, select it with magic wand, apply blade pro or inner bevel to frame.  I used Ulead art texture/gold gradient(palette 5) for the frames on this page. 
15. Apply cutouts by using selections/invert and offsets at 2, 2, and then -2,-2, opacity 60%, blur of 11.

     

Here is the final golden egg:

And a few more examples :)

EGGsellent job!!!

Hope you had fun! 

©Angie's Arts 2000, March 2001