Fun with Fonts And Shapes

we are going to be playing with dingbat fonts and/or preset shapes. We are going to be filling them with images that we can then use as tagbacks! This is a VERY easy way to create a nice backdrop for your tubes, and you can get REALLY creative!
Below is a beginner mini tut that I have written. I hope you have fun with this!
Ready??
Oh..before you start..you will need some dingbat fonts. I found a site that has some really awesome ones! The ding I used for this tutorial can be found on this site HERE on page 58..KR Simple Fleur it's called.

1. Open a 500x500 transparent canvas

2. Select your Text tool and choose your ding
Font..I used KR Simple Fleur (link to site is above) with the following settings:
size: 175
Unit: Points
Stroke 2
Create as: Floating
For the Fill and Stroke choose any colors..you will be deleting it anyway so it doesn't matter.

3. Type a capital "B" in the text box if using the ding I used from Kat's site..if not, type whichever letter corresponds with the ding you have chosen.

4. With the ants marching around the image, go to Select/Defloat, then Select/Invert, then Select/Invert again.
Next,go to Edit..then click Clear (Delete)
You should now see your floating ants in the shape of your image...but no solid image.
Thats what we want! Cool, huh?
Keep the ants floating.

5. Now, open up any jpg image or tube that you would like to use as the fill.
Tip: Keep in mind, this image is going to be used as a backdrop or tagback for your tag.
I like to use scenery or floral jpgs.Make sure whatever image you will be using is not too large.
This works best with an image just a little larger than your outline...don't use a smaller image.

6. When you have opened up your image in PSP,resize it if needed, then Copy (Ctrl C)

7. Next, go back to your "marching ants outline" canvas, click on the top bar of it to make it active...choose Edit/ Paste INTO Selection.
You should now see your image beautifully laid out inside your outline!
Select/None.
Thats it!

Tips: What I like to do next is give it a little depth by adding a slight bezel and a drop shadow and sometimes I add some texture
or other effects.
Here are my bevel settings:(Effects/3D Effects/Inner Bevel

Now add whatever else you like. If you are happy with it, save it as a psp file or png.The above tut can also be applied to preset shapes.
Below is just an example of one I made and a tag I created with a 2nd one I made.

Oh..and whatever you make is yours to keep..but you have to pay me half the profits! lol