Tutorial Created Nov 2005                                                                                                            © 2005 Alicorn 

Coloured Sparkles

You will need:-

PSP9 [ can be done in any version]

Animation Shop

TheVisman Filters click here to download the full set 

We will be using the Vm Natural Sparkle from the set in this tutorial. Download the set to your Plugins folder. 

The flowers used to make this graphic can be found at Rosebudsnmore

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Make the graphic you wish to add sparkles to, and make sure you 'Merge' all the layers so that you have just the one layer in your 'Layer' palette.
Right click it and 'Duplicate'...right click that and 'Duplicate' again so you have 3 layers.
You can duplicate as many times as you like depending on how many different colours you want to use..for now we will just use 3.
'X' out the top two layers and click on the bottom one to activate.

Take your 'Freehand Selection Tool'.....

and with the settings set  to these .......

......draw roughly the area you want to add the sparkles to.

Go to 'Effects' 'Plugins' 'Vm Natural' 'Sparkle'
and you'll see a window like this....this is my current one, your settings might be different from mine.

The 'Max Size' slider alters the size of the sparkle.[NB.If the area you select to add sparkles to is small you might not be able to add the large size sparkles]

The 'Random Seed' slider alters the placing of the sparkles so alter this a little each time you apply.

On the example, the Red, Blue and Green sliders are set to 255. This gives you a natural coloured sparkle.

To make the sparkles red,[make sure the 'Random Colour On/Off' is set to '255' which is the 'Off' position]
... slide the sliders of both the blue and the green to the left as far as you like, in effect turning them down.

Alter the 'Max Size' and 'Random Seed' if you like

If you keep an eye on the little preview window you'll see the colour of the sparkles change.
When you're satisfied, click 'OK'and the red sparkles will appear on your image.

In the 'Layer' pallete,'X' out that layer, 'Un X' the next and click on it to highlight. Your selection will still be selected.
Go to 'Effects' 'Sparkle'...turn down the red and the blue and turn up the green...alter the 'Random Seed' a little and if you like alter the 'Max Size'...and 'OK'
Green sparkles will appear on your image.
'X out' that layer, 'Un X' the remaining one and click on it to activate.
Go to'Effects' 'Sparkle'and play about with the colour sliders till you get a different colour...'Ok' it.
'Selections' 'Select None' to deselect.
'Un X' all the layers, click on the bottom one to highlight, go to 'Edit' 'Copy'.....over in Animation Shop click on 'Edit' 'Paste' 'As New Animation'
Back in PSP, click on the next layer, 'Edit' 'Copy'........over in Animation Shop click 'Edit' 'Paste' and this time 'After Current Frame'
Back to PSP...click on the remaining layer, 'Edit' 'Copy'...in Animation Shop 'Edit' 'Paste' 'After Current Frame'

Click the 'View Animation' icon  to see your animation.

Go to 'File' 'Save as' a 'CompuServe Graphics Interchange (*.gif)

~ ~ ~ Alternatives ~ ~ ~

Instead of a set colour on each layer, you might like a random mixture of colours on each layer.

 To do this, slide the 'Rnd Color On/Off' to the left [On] and use that  at different settings on each layer, 

 remembering to use the 'Random Seed' slider to alter the position of the sparkles and also alter the size if you wish.

Another alternative is to use seperate areas of colour.
Use the 'Freehand Tool' and draw roughly on your image like before, where you want the sparkles to be.The larger the area you draw, the larger size the sparkles can be.
Turn the 'Rnd Color On/Off' to 'Off' [slide it to 255] and go through the layers adding say red sparkles to each layer.

When youve done, go to 'Selections' 'Select None' to deselect.
'Un X' all the layers.
'X out' the top two layers,and click on the bottom layer to activate.
Using the 'Freehand Selection Tool' again, draw a different area.

Go through the layers the same as before adding a different colour sparkle this time.

 
When youve done, 'Selections' 'Select None' to deselect.

Repeat as many times as you like using different areas and colours.

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Have fun

© 2005 Alicorn

Revised 2007