SugarSkull / Day of the Dead

 

This tutorial was written by Mizteeque on 16th September 2025, and assumes a working knowledge of psp.

Any similarity to other works is unintentional and purely coincidental.

Supplies Needed:  

3 tubes of your choice

I am using 3 of my own AI tubes, which can be downloaded 

from my AI blog HERE

font of choice

a few brushes of choice

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Open blank canvas 750 x 250

c/p 3 tubes of choice

resize if necessary, but we want them fairly large to cover the canvas, 

position them left, right and middle to your liking.  

Don't worry if your middle tube is covering the side tubes, 

we are going to sort that out in a bit.

copy merged, hide the 3 tubes for now

paste as new layer

duplicate twice, mirror and flip one of the duplicates
merge the 2 duplicated together
adjust - blur - motion blur angle 90, strength 100
repeat twice

unhide the 3 tube layers

make the left tube active

change blend mode to screen, lower opacity to 62

duplicate blur - gaussian blur 16 - lower opacity to 54

repeat this for the right tube

now make middle tube active

change blend mode to hard light
use your eraser set to a nice grunge brush
and gently erase each side of the middle tube 

to uncover the left and right tubes a little

(now I found my middle tube was a bit too see through around the chin area so I did this)
duplicate and erase the top half of the tube
change blend mode back to normal.

Merge visible

select tool - custom selection - left 0, top 50, right 750, bottom 100
promote selection to layer
deselect

change blend mode to screen
effects - penta.com - jeans
amount 43, width 8

add some nice brushes on a new layer if you wish

finally new raster layer
floodfill with a color that matches your tag
select all, contract 2, delete
deselect

add your name, license and copyright information
merge all
save as jpg

To make the avatar

selection tool - custome selection

top and left 0, right and bottom 200

selections edit selection, move to a place of your liking

edit selection, copy merged

deselect

Paste as new image

selection tool  - rounded rectangle

draw out the selection almost as big as the canvas

invert

delete

invert

expand by 3

new raster layer

floodfill with color of choice

deselect

move this layer down 

Add you name

Merge visible

save as png

Forest Elf

This tutorial was written by Mizteeque on 20th February 2020, and assumes a working knowledge of psp.

Any similarity to other works is unintentional and purely coincidental.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Supplies needed:

Tube of choice - I am using the beautiful "Forest Elf 3" from Very Many

Font of Choice

My supplies HERE

Filters

 L en K Zitah HERE

Graphics Plus HERE

•

Open blank canvas 700 x 500

floodfill with gradient made from 2 colors from your tube

new raster layer

floodfill white

apply mask

merge group

merge visible

copy

open blank canvas 700 x 250

floodfill with gradient

paste as new layer, change blend mode to luminance legacy

effects - graphics plus - horizontal mirror default settings

Merge Visible

copy and paste shape as new layer

select all, float, defloat, 

on raster 2, promote selection to layer

deselect

delete shape layer

on promoted layer

effects - L en K Zitah, 5,10,0,60,60,60,0,30

copy and paste misted image

copy and paste tube as new layer

resize and position to your likeing

new raster layer, floodfill with gradient

select all, contract by 3

delete

apply favourite bevel

add name, license & copyright information

merge all

save as jpg

Precious Valentine - forum set

This tutorial was written by Mizteeque on 3rd January 2020, and assumes a working knowledge of psp.

Any similarity to other works is unintentional and purely coincidental.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Supplies needed:

Tube of choice - I am using the beautiful artwork of Misticheskaya 

which can be purchased from Pics For Design

Any scrapkit or elements of choice (I used a valentine kit)

Font of choice

•

Open blank canvas 700 x 250

c/p paper of choice

resize to fit if necessary

c/p several flowers

resize to fit

duplicate, mirror, flip, rotate

each one a few times and position

across the bottom of the canvas to 

your liking

d/s each one

(I used 5 different flowers, and duplicated each one at least 3 times)

repeat with some greenery

place within the flowers to your liking

hide the paper layer

merge visible

duplicate, mirror

move the layer up around 40/60 pixels

layers - arrange - move down

add any other elements you wish

c/p tube, resize to fit

position between the two flower layers

new raster layer

flood fill with a gradient made from two colors from your tag

linear - angle 45, repeats 15

select all, contract 5

delete

deselect

effects - texture effects - blinds

width 2, opacity 60, color dark one from your tag

horizonal checked

repeat but uncheck horizontal

magic wand, click inside the frame

flood fill white, contract 2

delete

deselect

add name, license and copyright information

merge all

save as jpg

Make a matching avatar if you wish

•

Some more examples made by the members of my group 

I just love how they are all so different!

by Gigi

By Lisa

By Kathy

By Deeva

Your Smile

This tutorial was written by Mizteeque on 18th February 2019 and assumes a working knowledge of psp.
Any similarity to other works is unintentional and purely coincidental

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tube of choice I am using the beautiful artwork of VeryMany which

can be purchased from the store HERE

I used 2 close ups and one smaller tube

My supplies HERE

Font of choice

Penta.com - Vtr2

•

Open blank canvas 700 x 300
c/p texture

c/p 2 close up images of your choice
position one either side of the canvas
lower opacity of both to around 44
and change blend mode to overlay on both

(Note: as you go along you may find you want to duplicate the texture layer,
erase, rotate, mirror etc to get the look you like.  I actually duplicated it about
4 times and erased parts until I achieved the look I wanted)


c/p small tube (resize if necessary)
position right in the middle
duplicate
adjust - blur - gaussian blur 13
change blend mode to overlay 
lower opacity to around 70
dropshadow original tube layer

c/p word art
position to the left a little
change blend mode to dodge
duplicate, change blend mode to screen

c/p sparkles
drag down layer palette to just above your texture layer

merge visible
duplicate
adjust - blur - gaussian blur 13
effects - penta.com - vtr2 default settings
change blend mode to screen
lower opacity between 50 - 60

c/p sparkles again, mirror and move to the right slightly

c/p texture once again
new raster layer
select all, image, crop to selection

On texture layer
select all, contract by 5
delete
deselect

adjust - add noise - gaussian 34, monochrome
magic wand, click inside the frame you just made
floodfill black, contract 1, delete
deselect
dropshadow your frame

add name, license and copyright information
merge all flatten
save as jpg


To make matching avatar

custom selection 
top & left 0
bottom and right 175
edit selection
move to a place of your liking on the banner
edit selection 
copy
deselect

paste as new image
make a frame for it as you did on the banner
add name, license and cr
merge all
save as jpg

Sweet Like Candy - Forum Set

This tutorial was written by Mizteeque on 12th January 2019, and assumes a working knowledge of psp

Any similarity to other works is unintentional and purely coincidental

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tube of choice - Preferrably one with a close up

I am using the artwork of Elias Chatzoudis

which can be purchased from CDO although mine was 

purchased from MPT when it was open.

Font of choice

Filters - Penta.com, Muras Meister, Tramage

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

open blank canvas 700 x 250

c/p large tube
muras meister - copies - wallpaper (rotate), default settings

adjust, blur, gaussian blur 15

penta.com - jeans - 22, 4

duplicate

image effects - offset - H-145, V0

Tramage - gradient/spokes ratio maker, 168

image effects - offset - H145, V0

selection tool, custom selection
top & left 0, right 495, bottom 250
delete
deselect

duplicate, image mirror
selection tool, rectangle, feather 16-20 (ish)
draw a small vertical rectangle just covering the sharp edge
hit delete several times
deselect

c/p large tube
position so she covers the edge of the left spokes
d/s 
change blend mode to screen

c/p small tube
mirror and position so she covers the edge of the right spokes
d/s

custom selection - left 0, top 30, right 700, bottom 60
new raster layer, floodfill with a color from your tag
deselect
duplicate
image, flip
merge down, 
change blend mode to mulitply (or what looks good on your tag) and drag below your small tube

text tool - font of choice - color white
type out SWEET LIKE CANDY (or other saying/words of your choice)
 several times until it fits across the tag
and inside one of the small rectangles we just made.
convert to raster
d/s
change blend mode to overlay and drop opacity to around 60
duplicate and position one in each of the rectangles

merge all
new raster layer
floodfill with a color from your tag
select all, contract by 3, delete

add name, copyright and license information
merge all
save as jpg


To Make Matching Avatar

custom selection
top & left 0
bottom & right 175
selections, edit selection, move to a part of your tag that you like
edit selection, copy, deselect

paste as new image
new raster layer
floodfill with same border color
select all, contract by 3, delete
deselect,
add name, cr and license
merge all
save as jpg

•

Here are some more examples 

Pain & Strength

This tutorial was written by Mizteeque on  10th June 2018 and assumes a working knowledge of psp

Written using psp9 but other versions should work just as well

Any similarity to other works is unintentional and purely coincidental

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Supplies needed

Tube of choice - I am using the incredible artwork of Enys Guerrero 

which you can purchase from CDO

A scrap paper/texture of choice

my gold texture (save from bottom of post)

Penta.com - VTR2

Font of choice - I used Schoolkid for my name

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

open blank canvas 650 x 250

c/p paper of choice

adjust, blur, radial blur

twirl, strength 44, twirl degrees 40

elliptical, h & v offset 0, protect center 0

paste paper again

custom selection

top & left 25, bottom & right 225

invert, delete, invert

repeat radial blur

deselect

custom selection

left 25, top 75, right 225, bottom 175

effects, penta.com, vtr2 default settings

deselect

image, rotate left 90

repeat last custom selection

repeat vtr2

deselect

select all, float, defloat

new raster layer

expand selection by 2

floodfill with a gold texture of choice

contract selection by 3

delete

expand selection by 2

c/p tube as new layer

position to your liking within the selection

invert, delete

deselect

drag tube below gold frame

change blend mode to screen (or whatever suits your tag)

paste tube again, mirror

drag down so its under the vtr2 square

custom selection

left 0, top 75, right 650, bottom 175

promote selection to layer

delete on the previous tube layer

expand selection by 3

new raster layer above the promoted tube layer

floodfill with gold texture

contract by 2

delete

deselect

on promoted tube layer change blend mode to screen

apply same vtr2 effect as before

on original tube layer change blend mode to overlay

lower opacity to around 60

add a dropshadow to both gold frame layers

2,2,50,4,black

merge all

new raster layer

floodfill with gold texture

select all, contract by 2, delete

deselect

add name, copyright and license information

merge all

save as jpg

To make matching avatar

select round the gold square

copy, paste as new image

add name and copyright

merge all 

save as jpg

Faded

This tutorial was written by Mizteeque on 18th March 2018 and assumes a working knowledge of psp

Written using psp9 but other versions should work just as well

Any similarity to other works is unintentional and purely coincidental

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Supplies Needed:

Tube of choice - I am using the beautiful artwork of Julsy

which can be purchased from Pics for Design

Filter - Muras Meister - copies

Font(s) of choice

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

open blank canvas 700 x 300

c/p tube

effects, muras meister, copies

wallpaper rotate default settings

adjust, blur, radial blur

twirl, elliptical, 50,10,0,0,10

recenter if you need to

rename this layer twirl

custom selection

top & left 0, right 700, bottom 25

new raster layer

floodfill with a dark color from your tag

deselect

d/s 2,5,50,8,black

name this layer top bar

duplicate

image, flip

name this layer bottom bar

custom selection

top & left 40, right 140, bottom 200

new raster layer

change foreground color to white

floodfill with fading foreground gradient

angle 270, repeats 0

lower opacity to 60

new raster layer

floodfill with white

contract 1, delete

deselect

selection tool, rectangle, feather 10

draw a rectangle from the right across about 1/3

of the white border, delete

(the idea is to have a fading frame round your faded rectangle)

hide the bottom 4 layers

merge visible

rename this layer faded rectangle

unhide the bottom 4 layers

duplicate your faded rectangle twice

mirror one of them, 

image effects, offset h-500, v-30

on the 2nd duplicate

offset h-10, v10

again hide the bottom 4 layers

merge visible

duplicate

rotate left 90

offset h300, v-60

lower opacity to 65

custom selection

top & left 0, right & bottom 30

new raster layer

floodfill white

contract by 10

floodfill with the same dark color as the bars we made earlier

add your favourite inner bevel

deselect

duplicate

offset, h36, v0

duplicate

repeat offset

merge all 3 squares together

rotate left 90

reposition between the two sets of faded rectangles

now using your selection tool, rectangle, feather 0

select round the tiny colored square, copy

deselect

paste as new layer

resize by 70

position in the top left corner of the vertical

faded rectangles

duplicate twice and move them into a vertical line

a few pixels apart from each other 

merge them together

duplicate

rotate left 90

reposition to the same place on the horizontal faded rectangles

c/p your tube, resize if necessary

position on the right edge of your canvas

duplicate

gaussian blur 9

change blend mode to overlay

merge down

duplicate, mirror

make your vertical faded rectangles layer active

select all, float, defloat, invert

on your mirrored tube, position to your liking

within the selection then hit delete a couple of times

deselect, lower opacity of tube to around 35

Using a small or pixel font, and a contrasting color

type out your name or favourite saying or quote across the top bar

add some nice faded brushes to your twirl layer if you wish

add your name, copyright and license information

merge all flatten

save as jpg

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Here are some more examples made by the members of my group Taggers Inn

Remember - forum set

This tutorial was written by Mizteeque on 1st August 2017  and assumes a working knowledge of psp

Written using psp9 but other versions should work just as well

Any similarity to other works is unintentional and purely coincidental

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Supplies needed:

Tube of choice (im using one holding a stringed instrument)

I am using the stunning artwork of Enys Guerrero which can be purchased from CDO

My Srapkit Memory Maker

Supplies HERE

Font of choice

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

open blank canvas 650 x 250

c/p paper 5 

drag it down and to the left so the 

light part at the top of the paper is

showing

c/p element 37

resize 30

colorize hue 22, Saturation 101

position bottom left corner

duplicate, flip

d/s both

merge down

c/p premade cluster

position bottom left corner

under element 37

so the edges line up with the edge of the tag

c/p tube

position to the right

duplicate

adjust, blur, gaussian blur 8

change blend mode to screen, lower opacity to 70

d/s original tube

c/p wordart 3 & 6

resize both by 30

position one under the cluster at the top, rotate left slightly

position the other one above the cluster but under the 

corner element at the bottom, rotate right slightly

merge visible

new raster layer

floodfill dark brown

select all, contract by 2

floodfill beige

contract by 2

floodfill dark brown

contract by 2

delete

deselect

add copyright & license number

merge visible

Now to animate

If you are not using the same tube as me, then choose a part 

of your tube that you can animate - strands of hair, jewellery

freehand selection tool, feather 0, point to point, mode Add

zoom in and select round the strings on the violin

adjust, add noise 40, uniform, monchrome

deselect

copy

Open animation shop

paste as new animation

back to psp

hit the undo button twice

repeat the noise but change to 41

deselect

copy

in AS paste after current frame

repeat twice more but change noise to 42 & 43

save as gif

Here are some more examples made by my lovely members at Taggers Inn

Darkest Night - Forum set

Supplies needed:

Tube of choice - I am using the beautiful artwork of Olga Fomina

which can be purchased from CDO

The Darkest Night Sampler from Gothic Inspirations

Eye Candy 4 - Corona

Font of choice

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This tutorial was written by Mizteeque on 11th June 2017  and assumes a working knowledge of psp

Written using psp9 but other versions should work just as well

Any similarity to other works is unintentional and purely coincidental

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

open blank canvas 700 x 250

c/p paper 5 as new layer

stand on bg layer

select all, crop to selection

c/p rose as new layer

resize 20

position bottom left corner

c/p fern as new layer

resize 30

rotate right 130

drag below rose

c/p leaves as new layer

resize 30

rotate left 90

position beneath rose

open scatter

select round one of the flowers

c/p as new layer

drag below fern

close scatter

dropshadow the elements and merge them together

duplicate several times

rotate, flip & mirror to your liking

and position around the edge of your canvas

c/p moss as new layer

duplicate 2 or 3 times

resize each one between 60 - 40 and 

position between the flower clusters to your liking

c/p sparkles as new layer

resize 60

duplicate, flip & mirror

position one to the left and one to the right

c/p glitter as new layer

drag down to just above the paper layer

position along the bottom edge of your tag

duplicate, flip

merge down

effects, eye candy 4, corona

glow width 10, flare size 8, stretch 100, waver 23

blur 3, overall opacity 100

color #9daab9

c/p lamp as new layer

resize 30

position to the right

c/p tube as new layer

just above paper layer

resize to fit if necessary

position to the left of your tag

change blend mode to luminance legacy

duplicate, gaussian blur 5

change blend mode to burn and lower opacity a little

(or whatever looks good on your tag)

Merge all

new raster layer

floodfill with a dark color from your tag

select all, contract 2

delete

deselect

Add name, license and copyright information

merge all flatten

save as jpg

To make matching Avatar

custom selection

left & top 0, right 150, bottom 220

edit selection, use your move tool to

position selection to your liking

edit selection

copy

deselect

paste as new image

add border as before

add name and cr

merge all flatten

save as jpg