V day greeting e card

Dundundun...it's THAT time of year again....it's V-day drawing close ^^ So, are you out of gift ideas matey? Ahoy there, E-card tutorial for the rescue now :) Make your lovie a speeeshul greeting card and live happily ever after...etcetc....okay enough chatter, to work now. This is what we'll be making in the next hour or so:

---------------------------- So, take the mandatory cola and bag or chips..or..whatever...and let's get to work ^_~

Step 1

Let's start with creating a new document....let's say width 450px and height 540px. Set your Foreground color to #cb0862 and taking the Paint Bucket Tool (G) set it to Fill with Foreground and fill the first layer with your Foreground color ^__^ Name this layer "Pink Background". Okay, once you did that, take the Paint Bucket Tool (G) again and this time set it to Fill with Pattern. Take this pattern and load it into your Photoshop..then make a new layer and fill it with this hearts pattern ^^ Name it "Hearts Pattern"........ Next, get into the hearts pattern's Blending Options (Layer--Layer Style--Blending Options oooorrr....double-click on the layer in the layers palette) and give it these settings:

Step 2

Okaaaay, now your image should look something like this:

Let's give our card a little shine, shall we? So, make a new layer above all your others and set your Foreground color to #FFFFFF (that's puuure nice white). Take the Gradient Tool(G) and set it to Linear Gradient, Foreground to Transparent... Then, on the new layer you just created, drag diagonally with your Gradient Tool from the top-left corner for about..well..say 100-150px. Like so:

Next, name the layer "Shine 1" and lower its Fill to about 40%, in order to get a result similar to this:

Step 3

At this point I sort'a realized the background pink is a bit too flashy, so I changed it to #ba044a. Make a new layer and move it just above your "Background Pink" one, then fill it with #ba044a.....and press Ctrl(Cmd on Mac) + E to merge it with the "Background Pink" one...ahaa..now that's way better. Also, go and click on your "Hearts Pattern" layer to make it your active one, then go to Layer--New Adjustment Layer--Brightness/Contrast, and give it these settings: Brightness: +15 and Contrast: +15 ..as well ^^ This will make our hearts&pink bg a biiit more of an eyecatch ^^ Kay, now your thingy should look something like this:

Aaah the wonder of post-adjustments xD Kay, mooo-vin' on ^^ Set your Foreground color to #cd344f and your background one to #650a33 and create a new layer above all your others. Then take the Gradient Tool (G) and set it to Radial Gradient, Foreground to Background. Place your cursor close to the top-right part, and drag a little, like so:

Step 4

Okay, now it's time for some Pen Tool work.....because we didn't make that pretty golden hearts pink background just to hide it a little later behind...other stuff right? So, take the Pen Tool, set it to Paths and create a shape for the page flip. When you are done, right-click on it--Make Selection, like so:

....aaaand...press Delete =D Okay, cool ^^ Now we'll work a little on this baby here...so go and name this layer "Card Background" and then create a new layer above it.....and right-click on this new layer----Create Clipping Mask. This will prevent that any pixels we paint on the mask layer go outside of the "filled pixels" of its "sire" layer (which is...well the "Card Background" one of course). Okay, set this new layer to Multiply blending mode and taking the Brush Tool (B) set it to a hard, round brush....about 50px in size. Also make sure your Foreground color is #650a33.... Brush lightly around the bottom of the card, like so:

Lesse, now that looks a little rough...doesn't it? We can fix that look with a niiice Filter--Blur---Gaussian Blur, about 27px. Do it so that you get a result similar to this:

Step 5

Oki, now I think it's safe to press Ctrl(Cmd)+E and merge this...shadow...thingy..layer with its Sire one (which is "Card Background", yes). Right! Now you should have a total of...5 layers in your Layers Palette: ---the "Pink Background"...then above it the "Hearts Pattern".....then that adjustment layer, the "Brightness/Contrast" one...then the "Shine 1" and finally the topmost, the "Card Background". All good? Kay, leeet's roll :) Now create a new layer on top of all your others...and right-click on it to transform it into a new Clipping Mask to the "Card Background". Next, we'll set our Foreground color to #1d0610 and take care of the border.....okay press Ctrl(Cmd)+A to select all, then go to Edit---Stroke---Inside--8px. Press Ctrl(Cmd)+D to deselect, then name it "Card Border"..and give it this layer style:

Take the Magic Wand Tool (W), set its Tolerance to 10, Anti-Aliasing checked, Contiguous checked....and Sample All Layers unchecked. Then click on the "Card Border" layer in the Layers Palette, to make it your active one, and taking the Magic Wand click inside the document...inside the border, so you get a selection like this:

Now let's create a new layer again, of course..above all your others...and transform it into a clipping mask to the "Card Background" one (which now has 2 clipping masks..) Go to Edit----Stroke--Inside--4px. Okay, deselect....name the layer "Border Gold" and give it this layer style (right-click--Copy Image on the detailed gradient image, then paste it into a document in your Photoshop so you can easily sample the colors okay?) :

Step 6

So far so good, now let's give our main card body a break and let's make the page flip....set your Foreground color to #cea051 and take up the Pen Tool (P) again....this time set it to Shape Layers and let's make a lew layer on top of all the others, on which we will now draw the pageflip. Like so:

Name this layer "Page Flip". Okay, now take the Gradient Tool (G) and give it these settings:

Then create a new layer above the "Page Flip" one, then right-click on it--Create Clipping Mask. Take your Gradient Tool and drag...like so:

Step 7

Awesome! =D Now your thingy should look similar to what I have here ^__^

Mmm..I reckon it's still a bit too dark, isn't it? We need something more jolly, so here's what we'll do: we will add a Brightness/Contrast adjustment layer for it =D Go to Layer---New Adjustment Layer---Brightness/Contrast, and give it a Brightness: +31 and Contrast: +19 setting. Make sure this layer is on top of all your others then right-click on it--Create Clipping Mask. Like this, it will be a mask for the "Page Flip" shape layer ^^ This is how your stuffie should be looking like at this point...or well, something close.

Step 8

Super work team! Gimme 5 =D hehehe...okay now let's take care of the shadows which the flip casts on the main..err.."paper"? xD And yes, you read right, the shadowS, because there will be two of them. First, the outer shadow. Create a new layer and move it down, between the "Shine 1" and the "Card Background" layers. Name it "Card Dropshadow". Like sooo:

Set this layer to Multiply blending mode, and pick your Gradient Tool, set it to Linear Gradient, Foreground-to-Transparent. Set your Foreground color to #382220 and then Ctrl(Cmd)+click on the "Card Background" layer's thumbnail in the Layers Palette to obtain its selection, and then taking the Paint Bucket Tool (G) fill this selection with the #382220 foreground color we picked a little while back :) Then...go to Filter--Blur---Gaussian Blur, and give it a...well...say 10px Gaussian Blur. Niiiiceeee...okay now your image should look somewhat like this:

Step 9

Kay, now we'll do the inner shadow, the one the flip casts when it's curled inside ^__^ Click on your "Card Background" layer, then make a new layer above it (it should be automatcally transformed into a Clipping Mask). Then move this layer so that it is the topmost of the three masks our 'Card Background" layer has, name it "Inner Shadow"... like so:

Set its mode to Multiply, and with your Foreground color set to #382220, take the same Gradient Tool (G) as before, and drag...like this:

Step 10

Aaaah, now we are coming to the funnnn paaaarttt... :) Set your Foreground color to #330a1c and leeet's take up that Pen Tool (P) again ^^ Remember to set it to Shape Layers by the way. Now make a new layer and move it so that it is just above the "Card Background" one (and a clipping mask to the last mentioned)....and make with your Pen Tool this shape:

Kaaaay...now set this layer to Multiply blending mode and lower its Fill to around 45% Oh and name it "Silk Pocket" hahaha.... Yea I know it doesn't look much like silk now buuut.....that won't be for long ^___^ Kay, go and download this awesome pattern here: and then load it in your Photoshop.....and get into the "Silk Pocket" layer's blending options to add these styles:

Step 11

Okay now your thingy should look something like...thiiis:

Mmkay, remember what we talked earlier, about the woooonders of layer adjustments? ^_~

Let's put them to work! =D Ctrl(Cmd)+click onthe "Silk Pocket"'s layer thumbnail in the Layers Palette, and obtain its selection. Then go to Layer--New Adjustment Layer--Brightness/Contrast and give it thse settings: Brightness: +19 and Contrast: +18. Okaaaay...next: obtain the same selection again, only this time go to Image---Adjustments---Curves and give it these settings:

Mmm....moo-vin' on.....obtain the "Silk Pocket"'s selection for a third time in a row and go to Layer---New Adjustment Layer---Hue/Saturation and increase the Saturation slider to +30 Aand now obtain that blasted pocket's selection once more..yeaaaa......and go to that Hue/Saturation yet again, only this time visit the Lightness slider, decrease it to -11. Click OK and then lower this layer's Opacity to around 70% Pffffffffffffft, we're done with those adjustments..hahaha....^__^

Step 12

Kay, time to take care of that gold border our Silk Pocket has, riiiteeee? ___o Create a new layer above your last adjustment layer...I mean...a new layer above the last adjust we made in the previous step, that Hue/Saturation one, yea? So that this new layer is between that Hue/Saturation and the "Card Border" layer ^__^ Like so:

Now obtain the selection of the "Silk Pocket", as before. Then go to Edit--Stroke--Center--8px. Click OK to confirm it and then give it these blending styles:

Okay, now you can name your layer to "Pocket Gold Border"......aaaand moo-vin' on again =D

Step 13

Okay, shadow time. Make a new layer and move it so that it is just above the "Card Background " one. Name it "Shadow Pocket". Set it to Multiply blending mode and lower its Opacity to about 60%. Obtain a selection of the "Pocket Gold Border", set your Foreground color to #330a1c.......and on this new layer we just created now fill the selection with this color. Then deselect, and go to Filter---Blur---Gaussian Blur---10px. Okay, right now it should all look something like this:

Step 14

Pffffft....okay, paper towels time..err...paper sheet time I mean xD Set your Foreground color to #f7d29e and take the Rectangle Tool.....set it to Shape Layers (this is VERY important! make sure it is set to Shape Layers) and on a new layer placed right above your "Card Background" one, draw a sheet of paper...I mean...a rectangle..like this:

Mmmkay...now name this shape layer "Paper Sheet" and give it these layer styles:

Step 15

Sweeeeet *o* We can haz papeeeer 33333 Wait. Something's not right......... Ah. Yea. The shadow hehehehe ^___~ See the part of the Paper which goes "inside" the pocket? It looks err...very bleargh-like -______-; Its saturation is very, very intense and it draws all the attention of the viewer towards it....no good right? We want your lovie to look at the words&card, not at the crappy shadow -_- So. Adjustment layers for the rescue hehehe ^____^ Okay, with your "Paper" layer as your active one, Ctrl(Cmd)+click on its thumbnail in the Layers Palette to obtain its selection....then go to Layer---New Adjustment Layer---Hue/Saturation. Give it settings of...Saturation: -42 and Lightness: -45. Then click OK to confirm it, now your whole paper will look a bit funky...but we'll fix that in a second :) Make sure that Hue/Saturation layer we just created is your active layer...aka it is in a dark blue color in your layers palette....and also make sure your Foreground color is set to #000000 (that's puuure nice black). Now, remember the "Silk Pocket" layer we have jst above? Gooooood. Obtain its selection...and then go to Select---Inverse. Take the Paint Bucket Tool and fill with black the part of the Hue/Saturation adjustment layer that is selected now. Now you should get something like this:

Mmkay...though it's not all okay. Obtain a selection of the Hue/Saturation layer..or..what's left of it...on which we just worked above, you should get something like this:

Okaaay...now go to Hue/Saturation and give it these settings: Saturation: -36 and Lightness: +25 Good! Now your Layers Palette should look like this:

Step 16

Goooooooooood. Pfiu! *takes cola sip* Mmkay, so right now, this is what we've got <3

Now, our paper needs some niiice lines....so......set your Foreground color to #daa449 and take the Line Tool (U)....set its Weight to 2px...Fill Pixels mode....and draw the lines like this:

Mmm...sweeet...now set the layer's mode to Multiply and lower its Fill to about 65%. Oh and let's not forget to name it..."Paper Lines".

Step 17

Now to take care of the shadow it casts, oki? ^^ Create a new layer and move it so that it is just on top of the "Card Background" one....like...you know, the first of the entiiiiiiiire set of clipping masks this layer has xD Set it to Multiply and lower its Fill to about 50%. Then obtain a selection of the Paper layer, and set your Foreground color to #330a1c ...okay good....deselect. Now go to Filter--Blur--Gaussian Blur---2,7px. Next, press Ctrl(Cmd)+T to transform this thingy...so you get a bit'o'shadow on both sides like so:

Step 18

Okay, let's name this layer to "Shadow Paper" and we're done with it :) Now, let's take care of the text on the card..........'cause you know, we can't have a V-day card without a dedication heh? ^___~ Well you can write...anything...on the card, I just wrote something generic hehehe.... Okay, the font I decided to use (and again, you can use any font you fancy)...is named "Jellyka - Estrya's Handwriting" and you can download it here: Make a new layer, move it just above your "Paper Lines" one, take the Type Tool (T) and...type? ^___^ After you are done typing the message to your lovie, press V to use the "Move Tool"..... and then press Ctrl(Cmd)+T to transform the layer...and roootate it nice&slow so it is aligned with the lines, okay? Then set the layer mode to Multiply. Next, let's increate the "eyecatch" factor for our text hey? ^___^ Obtain the selection of the text (by Ctrl/Cmd+clicking on its layer thumbnail in the Layers Palette, of course)....and then go to Layer---New Adjustment Layer---Hue/Saturation...and give it these settings: Hue: -6 and Saturation: +29 Good =D Now your thingy should look ...something...like this:

Step 19

Mmkay, a gold-locket..heart-shaped....and with diamonds...is always a sign of good faith heh? ^_~ Let's do it then =D You'll se now how with a liittleeee help from Photoshop...and a biiit of patience...and throw in a tinsey bit of majiiiik...and you must'n have a $100,000 wage a month to get a nice locket hehehe ^____^ Okay, go to this DevArt page and download the niceeeee heart custom Photoshop shape... http://fav.me/d112kh8 Load it into Photoshop...and then create a new layer on top of aaaaaaall your others ^__^ Set your Foreground color to #b58d4e and then draw a heart shape...like so:

Step 20

Good...now let's give our heart some nice styles, because err.r...right now it ..well..doesn't really look like something fit for V-day huh? xD So, get into the layer's blending options and give it these settings (mind you there are a lot of them, take it slow hehe) :

Pfffft........deep breath...waaaaah.

Step 21

Okay, now name this hayer "Gold Heart"...then duplicate this layer and hide the copy (for backup purposes). Now it's time to get rid of the layer's styles....so here's what we'll do: create a new layer, place it above the visible copy of the "Gold Heart"....then Ctrl(Cmd) on the Gold Heart layer in the Layers Palette so that they are both highlighted in dark blue...like so:

Okay, now press Ctrl(Cmd)+E to merge them...like this we're getting rid of the layer styles while keeping their ...visual...effects :) Mmkay now our layer is unnamed again, so let's double-click it to re-name it to "Gold Heart".... Go next to Edit---Transform---Flip Horizontally. Then go into the layer's blending options and give it a Drop Shadow effect like so:

Okaaaay...now one more thing our heart desires...is....mm..some sharpening ^^ So, take the Sharpen Tool, set it to a soft, round brush of about 60px in size, set it to Mode: normal and Strength: 25%...Sample All Layers NOT clicked.....and brush a bit over your heart, so that you get a result similar to this:

Step 22

Okay, chainzzzz...tiemzzzzzz..... ^___^ Take this image:

...and open it in Photoshop....(right-click--save image, to make sure it keeps its transparent background...) then go to Edit---Define Brush Preset Name it "Chain"..let's say..errr yea, I know, not original at all hahaha :P Take the Brush Tool (B) and click the brush to use it....right now it doesn't look like much buuuuut........ ....go to the top-right of your screen, and you'll see the Brushes tab, give your brush these settings:

Now make a new layer and move it just under the "Gold Heart" layer...then take the Pen Tool, set it to Paths...and make the shape of the chain....then right-click and choose "Stroke Path", Tool: Brush, Simulate Pressure NOT checked. And you shouuuuld be getting something like this:

Step 23

Okay, now right-click on the "Gold Heart" layer, and choose Copy Layer Style. Then go back to the chain layer and right-click on it, choose...of course...Paste Layer Style. Now this is what we have:

Hmm...now our chain doesn't have much of a shadow does it? So we'll just do the same thing we did before, we'll create a new layer on top of it and then Ctrl(Cmd)+click on them both to select them and then Ctrl(Cmd)+E to merge them......gooooood.....and then give the new layer this layer style:

Step 24

Okay now we can safely name our chain layer..."Chain"....xD Wel it is allllmost finished but it is still a tad dark, so let's obtain its selection, then go to Layer---New Adjustment Layer--Brightness/Contrast and give it a setting of Brightness: +35 and Contrast: +35 Sweeeeeeet! Now we have this:

Step 25

Ookay, last finishing touches =D Create a new layer on top of all your others, and name it "Heart Glow". Set it to Linear Dodge mode and lower its Fill to about 23%. Set your Foreground color to #FFFFFF (that's puuuure white) and taking a soft, round brush of about 30px in size, brush ligtly once on the most lighted part of the heart locket, like so:

Kaaay, sweeeet :) Now one last thing, make a new layer on top of all your others, and go to Image---Apply Image. Click OK then go to Filter---Sharpen---Sharpen. Okay...now the thingy looks a bit pixelled, but we'll fix that and at the same time give our E-card an ethereal feel. So, set its mode to Lighten and lower its Fill to about 40%...and..... .............. ...........................OMG WE'RE DONEEEEE =D Congrats, your lovie will be thrilled ^_~ Final result:

I really hope you enjoyed it and found a good use for it......and if you hit any trouble OR/AND want to show me your final result (which is just awesome, I love seeing what people get from my tutorials ^__^) feel free to contact me via my DevArt account, or my Facebook page: See ya ^__^