PI8-sigtag_026/Part 1

PI Version: 8
Level: Intermediate
Featured tools: Pick Tool, Path Tool, Transform Tool and Text Tool (optional: Eraser Tool)
Additional filters: None
Additional files: Tube ... you can choose any tube you want, or you can download the tube I used here.
Tutorial: Copyright © Inge Klement

DESCRIPTION: Make a stylish and special Sig Tag with the help of PI. This tutorial has 2 parts ... not because I need so many screenshots, but in the 2.part I want to show you other examples, made after this tutorial. :))

Remember to save often!

	Open your tube and if you have a transparent background (1), drag your tube on a white background (2). If you use the one inside the zip file you can skip this step, because it's already on a white background. Now you can close ... if necessary ... the tube on the transparent background. To make this special taggie from the tube, we have to make a mask out of our tube.
In case you need to freshen up your memory on how to save a mask into the EP - you can take a look at one of my other tutorials, where I explain a little bit more about how to use a mask in PI. You'll find the tut here.
	With the tube activated, click several times the minus for the Brightness (red arrow). For this tube I clicked 5 times. Merge All. Go to Format/Data Type and choose Grayscale (white arrow). Close the original (colored) picture, right click the Grayscale picture/All, right click/ Convert to Object. Go to Format/Invert and now you can store the picture as a mask/selection in your Easy Palette. Close the image, but leave the Easy Palette open.

	New Image: Canvas color: White and Size: 400x400 Pixels. Choose the Path Drawing Tool/Rectangle, but the shape isn't really important, and draw a rectangle, approx. size: 300x290 Pixels. Mode: 2D Object, and the Color isn't important either. Right click/Convert Object Type/From Text/ Path to Image (white arrow).

	Edit/Fill - now you can choose to fill the rectangle with a Gradient, Texture or an Image. I used a Gradient (white hand)/Magic Gradient (red arrow). Mode 8 (1), and by clicking the Edit button (white arrow) you can choose a nice gradient. I've chosen the palette 006 (2). Keep the rectangle activated and double-click the inverted mask we made out of the tube.

	This step is optional, because you can use it with some tubes, but it doesn't look right on all tubes. You just have to try different settings to see if this steps fits with your tube. The effect surely looks good ... so go ahead and try! Web/Button Designer/Any Shape, and use these settings for the Basic (red arrow): Light angle: 135 Light elevation: 50 Bevel size: 4 Bevel smoothness: 4 Under Bevel (white arrow) use the first one (1).

	Right click the tube/Shadow and use these settings: Color (white hand): 173/108/134 (from the tube) Last one (white arrow) Tilt angle: 66 Perspective: 100 Transparency: 50 Shadow size: 100 Soft edge: 1 Try different settings, especially with the Soft edge (red arrow). You can achieve really nice effects with the Shadow.

	Right click/Split Shadow, choose the Transform Tool (red arrow) and activate the Shadow. Now you can do a lot of funny things with the Shadow - flip it, rotate it, distort it, + + +. Tip: You can even right click the Shadow and give it it's own separate Shadow. If you want to see how that looks like - in the 2.part of this tutorial, you'll find some other examples.

	Also this step is optional ... you just have to find out how you would like your taggie to look. I've used the Eraser Tool with this taggie, but you can see other examples in the 2.part of this tutorial, where I didn't. Choose the Eraser Tool (red arrow) and erase those parts of the shadow, which should be behind the tube. You'll see where I used the eraser on the screenshot to the left. Merge All. Choose the Text Tool, and add your name. Merge All, and the taggie is finished :)

That's it! A stylish and special Sig Tag ... made only with tools from PI. In the 2.part I show you other examples I've made after this tutorial. HAVE FUN!!!
If you need any help with this tutorial - or want to make suggestions to improve it - please email me!