What your mother, father, sister, brorher, etc would like to get on Christmas more than anything, is a hand-made greeting card. If you have no color paper and glue, create it in Photoshop.
Start creating the file (File>New), that would have 800×300 px and 100 dpi.
Using the Rectangle Tool (U), try to represent the background of the picture we want to have on the final stage of our work.
Select the next parameters by making a mouse click on the layer we work with on the layers’ panel: Blending Options>Gradient Overlay
Gradient’s parameters:
Using the Ellipse Tool (U), try to draw now the primary layer of a Christmas toy decoration
The layer’s parameters: Blending Options>Outer Glow
Blending Options>Gradient Overlay
Gradient’s parameters:
Select the previous instrument and picture out three more toy decorations of different colors.
The parameter Blending Options>Outer Glow is the same for all the toys (the same with the red toy decoration). The parameters for the blue toy decoration: Blending Options>Gradient Overlay
Gradient’s parameters:
The parameters for the violet toy decoration: Blending Options>Gradient Overlay
Gradient’s parameters:
Next we’ll make the top part of the decorations, applying the Rectangle Tool (U) and correcting the elements’ parts with the Convert Point Tool.
The layer’s parameters: Blending Options>Outer Glow
Blending Options>Gradient Overlay
Gradient’s parameters:
Make three copies of the layer containing the top part of the decoration and select Free Transform option to make the necessary copies smaller, placing them as it is shown below:
Let’s make the threads now the toys hang up with. In this case we should choose the Line Tool (U) and place the threads’ layers lower than the layers containing the colored toys (on the layers’ panel). Select also this color - #7B7B7B.
Insert now some ornaments on our toys by applying the Pen Tool (P) and making the appropriate corrections on them with the Convert Point Tool.
The layer’s parameters: Blending Options>Gradient Overlay
Gradient’s parameters:
Using the earlier described method and the same layer’s parameters, try to picture another ornament of the same kind.
Take the Pen Tool (P) to represent one more ornament on the toy, drawing firstly its outside edges and then after changing the tool’s regime, cutting out the inside elements.
The layer’s parameters: Blending Options>Drop Shadow
Blending Options>Gradient Overlay
Gradient’s parameters:
Select now the Custom Shape Tool (U) and press SHIFT button to draw several stars of different sizes and white color for painting the blue toy decoration.
Using the Ellipse Tool (U) on this stage, it’s possible to represent a half-moon of white color, creating for the beginning the moon’s basis and only after that pressing Alt button for moving off the unnecessary elements.
Let’s decorate now the violet toy by choosing the Pen Tool (P) of white color too.
Make a mouse click on Add a Mask option on the lowest part of the layers’ panel and select the Brush Tool (B) of black color to erase the coming outside the edges some ornament’s parts.
Select the Rectangle Tool (U) to insert another ornament on the violet toy decoration, having the white color.
Use again Add a Mask selection when choosing the Brush Tool (B) to erase the unnecessary ornament’s parts, coming outside the toy’s edges:
Select again the Rectangle Tool (U) for drawing two small stripes of white color. In this case we’ll apply the same described method above for erasing those parts coming outside the toy’s edges:
Each element of the violet toy has the same layer’s parameters: Fill 70%
Let’s choose again the Ellipse Tool (U) and represent a highlight on the red Christmas toy decoration.
The layer’s parameters: Fill 0%
Blending Options>Gradient Overlay
Gradient’s parameters:
Make two copies of the layer containing the highlight and select the Free Transform option to make the copies’ sizes according to the toys they are situated on.
Let’s represent now a kind of brilliance on the red toy, applying the Pen Tool (P) and then the Convert Point Tool for introducing the necessary changes on the element’s shape. The color in this case is white.
Make three copies of the last made layer and select again the Free Transform option to turn the copies over, making them smaller and trying to get the shape of a star.
The brilliance’s layers have the same layer’s parameters: Fill 50%
Combine in a group all the layers composing the brilliance (press Ctrl button to mark out the corresponding layers and after that hold on left mouse’s button while taking the marked layers on Create a new group selection). Make three copies of the last created group and select the Free Transform option to change the copies’ sizes, placing them as it is shown next picture:
Select now the Custom Shape Tool (U) to draw s white small snowflake:
The layer’s parameters: Fill 50%
Make a lot of copies of the last represented layer and choose the Free Transform selection that is helpful when changing the copies’ sizes and their placement on the picture.
Use the Rectangle Tool (U) for picturing a paraffin candle.
The layer’s parameters: Blending Options>Gradient Overlay
Gradient’s parameters:
On the candle’s top part we’ll try to represent a melt wax, colored with #CCECF4. Select for this operation the Pen Tool (P) and make the corresponding correction on the element’s shape with the Convert Point Tool.
Now we shall draw the primary layer of the candle’s flame, applying the Ellipse Tool (U) and lifting up a little the flame’s top with the Convert Point Tool.
The layer’s parameters: Fill 0%
Blending Options>Gradient Overlay
Gradient’s parameters:
Make a copy of the last made layer and choose the Free Transform option to make the copy smaller and placing it the way indicated next image. The color this time should be #FFEC00. Move off the copy the next parameter: Blending Options>Gradient Overlay
Take the Rectangle Tool (U) and draw next the candle’s wick, colored with #98726E
Combine in a group all the layers composing the candle and its flame (press Ctrl button to accentuate the necessary layers and then hold on left mouse’s button when moving the marked layers on Create a new group selection). Make a copy of the last made group and select the Free Transform option to make the copy smaller and place it as it is represented next image:
We may introduce on our picture near the candle a fir tree’s twig, selecting in this case the Pen Tool (P).
Make three copies of the twig’s layer and select again the Free Transform option to turn the copies over and place them as it is shown next picture:
Use the previous tool to make another fir tree’s twig, colored with #005F26
Make again three copies of the last made layer and select the Free Transform option to turn the copies over as it is demonstrated below:
Next we should draw a leaf, colored in the next presented color - #33A02C. This time we’ll choose also the Rectangle Tool (U) and then press Alt button when using another tool – Ellipse Tool (U) to make the drawn element looking like a real leaf.
Try to represent the leaf’s veins with the Pen Tool (P) and the color #257320
It’s time to combine in a group all the layers composing the leaf and its veins (press Ctrl button for marking out the necessary layers and then hold on left mouse’s button to take down the accentuated layers on Create a new group option). Make several copies of the last made group and select the Free Transform option to turn over the copies, making them look a little inclined. Some of the copies need their basic color to be changed on #118D0F and #54AC43.
Next we shall draw a berry and insert it on the picture, applying the Ellipse Tool (U).
The layer’s parameters: Blending Options>Gradient Overlay
Gradient’s parameters:
Choose the same Ellipse Tool (U) to represent several highlights of white color on the made berry.
Combine in a group all the layers composing the berry. Make five copies of the group and select the Free Transform option to place the copies as it is represented next image:
Write now the holiday congratulation inscription, keeping the demands from the table below:
The picture is finished!
View full size here.
