NOTE: you MAY link to this tut. you MAY print it out for later use offline. you MAY NOT claim it as yours or take anything else from it. this tutorial is ©Ruby/Stormlight, written September 14, 2014.
-- the plugins EyeCandy Marble and Gradient Glow.
-- Jazzy's "basic" drop shadow setting of 2, 2, 50, 3 and color dark green.
-- font of choice.  I used Times New Vespasian.

Now let's create!





1.  Open a new canvas, 650x200. Choose a decorative paper and paste it in as your canvas.  Drag or resize if needed to show the area you want.

2.  [optional]  If you are using the same kit I am or have a kit with scenic papers, choose a scenic paper and paste it into your canvas.  Resize to at least 50% and position the scene on the left hand side.

3.  Paste in your tube.  Apply Jazzy's drop shadow and resize as needed if your tube is large.  (If doing step 2, make sure your tube covers up the edge of the scenic paper!  See my finished design for example.)

4.  Let's jazz up your banner with some elements.  Numbers/names apply to the scrap kit I'm using so if you're using a different one, use the elements of your choice.  All elements are resized with the smart size setting.  Remember to apply Jazzy's basic drop shadow after each element is placed unless otherwise marked:

8 (butterfly) - 25%.  position on Grecca's hair.
35 (Ionic column) - 70%.  place beneath your tube so that she is leaning against it.
92 (leafy vine) - 50%.  drop beneath tube layer and position on column.
78 (pears) - 20%.  place on lower left.
32 (wooden basket) - 30%.  place on lower left under pears layer.
65 (leaves on vine) - 15%.  place on or around basket.
66 (white flower cluster) - 12%.  place on top of basket and then use freehand selection tool to cut away excess so that flowers are peeking out of basket.  NO drop shadow.
67 (sparrow) - 18%.  perch him on the basket handle.
84 (golden amphora) - 40%.  drop this layer under the basket.

5.  Using your freehand tool, return to the pears layer and draw a selection around the pear on the left.  Copy and paste as a new layer, move it up to the basket opening and cut away excess to place it inside the basket next to the flowers.

6.  Open element 69 (or decorative element of choice if using another kit) and paste into your canvas.  Resize to 25-35% depending on original size.  Move to left hand edge of canvas and place as desired along the edge to start a border.  it should look something similar to this:



7.  Duplicate this layer and move where desired to create a continuous border until the left side is completed.  Merge these layers together.  

8.  Duplicate this layer and mirror the copy so that you now have a border on the right hand side.  

9.  Duplicate the left edge layer again and rotate it 90 degrees right.  Move this layer along the top edge of your canvas.  

10.  Duplicate 2-4 times, depending on the size of your border element to finish the top layer border.  Merge these layers together, then duplicate it and flip (control-I) so that you will have a bottom edge border.  Merge all border layers together when complete.

11.  Create a new raster layer for your name.  Type your name and position it to your liking.  In your plugins menu, go to EyeCandy > Marble and use the following settings, adjusting the bedrock and vein colors to match your tube and kit:



12.  In your plugins menu, go to EyeCandy > Gradient Glow and apply the following settings:


13.  Create a new layer for your copyright/watermark and add it on. 


Avatar:

2.  Paste in your papers from banner.  If you did the two-paper step, resize your scenic paper to 20% and/or drag to show the area/colors you wish to show.

3.  Copy and paste in the marble column and vine elements from your banner.  Place on the left.  Resize each 70% and place vines on column.

4.  Paste in your main tube layer.  Resize as needed.  Position on left-hand side against column. 

5.  Copy the butterfly element from your banner.  Resize to 60%.  Place in her hair in same spot as on the banner.

6.  Create new raster layer.  Click it with your magic wand and floodfill with a color from your tube or kit.  Go to selections > modify > contract > contract by 4.  Hit your delete key.

7.  Adjust > add/remove noise > add noise, using the following settings:  Noise 35%, type - Gaussian, monochrome box checked.

8.  Repeat steps 11-13 for your initial and copyright/watermark layers.

and you're now done!  Enjoy your new forum set!