Supplies:
Paintshop Pro (I use V9)
Animation Shop
Tube of choice, mine is by Fitztown *Morgan* and used with a MyTubedArt license
Font(s) of choice, mine is Quigley
Filters Muras Meister Copies, Birgits Chaos/Embroidery, Tramages/Tow the line and Downstairs, Lokas 3D Shadow (optional), AAAFrames/Foto Frame, Xero/Titanium, Eye Candy Gradient Glow, Eyecandy5 Nature/Ripples
You should have some knowledge of working with layers for this.

Open a new canvas, 600x250 and paste your tube as a new layer. Apply Muras Meister Copies/Wallpaper lighten. Then apply Birgits Chaos/Embroidery at 170, 124, 161, 255 and 118 as you go down. Effects/Edge Effects/Erode.

Take your selection tool set to hexagon or a shape of your liking. Set to Add, Feather 0, antialias checked. Now draw out one hexagon to the left, it's important you get the size right now, don't worry about the placement. Now go to selection/edit selection, it turns red, move the hexagon to just the right place. Check below for placement, (mind this screenie was taken after I finished the rest of the tag). Click on edit selection, the marching ants are back. With raster 2 active promote selection to layer. Go to Selection/edit selection, Image/Mirror. With raster 2 active promote selection to layer. Hide raster 2. Edit selection again and move the selection to the center, make the ants march again. Unhide raster 2 and promote selection to layer. You now have 3 hexagons in a row, select none. Hide raster 2 and merge the hexagons visible.

On the hexagon layer apply Tramages/Tow the line and then Tramages/Downstairs. Add the below dropshadow with Lokas 3D Shadow or a heavy dropshadow with PSP. Back on raster 2 now, duplicate it, on the dupe, Blur/Motion Blur, Direction 32, Strength 41.

Apply Xero Titanium at default to that layer, set the blend mode to Multiply. Apply the same filter to the hexagons, set the blend mode here to Luminance (L).
Paste your tube to the left of your tag, duplicate and mirror it, move it below the other tube and resize it slightly, set the blendmode to screen.
Crop merged opaque. Apply AAAFrames/Foto Frame to all layers but the hexagons at size 10, Matte 3, Opacity 73, rest at default.

Add all credits legibly and also add your name with a gradient glow.
To animate activate the merged hexagon layer. Apply Eyecandy 5 Nature Ripples, setting at Raindrops in Clean Puddle. Change the basic to what you see on the screenshot below
Copy merged and paste into animation shop as a new animation. Back in psp undo the ripple and apply again, hitting the random seed button once. Copy merged and paste after current frame in AS. Repeat these actions one more time for a total of three frames. Edit/select all, Animation/Frame Properties, set to 25. Save as a gif.

To make your avatar, make a duplicate of your whole tag, take the crop tool and set a square of 150x150. Move the square til you see a picture you like. Apply. Merge visible, Apply the Foto Frame Filter and add credits and your initial. Save as a png or jpg.

For my second example I chose the artwork of PinUptoons, who is licensed through CILM. I used two tubes instead of one. My font was WaterBrushROB. And I used a star instead of a hexagon.

This tutorial was created December 12, 2010, and is the sole property of ooh...babelicious. Similarity to other tutorials is purely coincidental. Do not copy this or any of my tutorials, or any part of my tutorials, to another site unless you have express permission from me to do so. If you want to share, send the URL, do not direct link or offer on your site. Give credit where credit is due. Do not script this tutorial and offer to others.

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