Making a Sun Vector Banner
So I’ve had a few questions relating to this type of banner. I use Corel Paint Shop X2 so the tutorial will reflect that.
So here’s the finished product:
Okay let’s start with our beginning image. I choose a picture from my lovely Site model Amanda. Please add her and use her as as site model too!
1. So File -> Open
Find what your looking for and open it.
2.
Now we need to duplicate this image. Duplicating is a brilliant idea cause you can randomly save the image your working on and if your PSP crashed you still have no of your work, and you still have your original image to work with. So you’ll need to hit Shift + D, or Window-> Duplicate Close first image.
3. So you need to promote your picture to a background layer. This basically makes a .jpeg image that’s not transparent and makes it so when you start deleting the background it will be like an transparent image. To do this right click on the layer. Which is over to the very right should look like this:
When you right click you’ll get a ton of option the second to the last one click it Promote Background Layer.
4. Okay we need to remove the background. You can use either the magic wand 
or the 
Freehand Selection. I like to use freehand selection because it’s easily to get closer to the object. So my settings for the Freehand are:
Ok so with point to point click the area closest to your model and continue clicking to have the desired model shape then right click and then you’ll see marching ants around your model. Zooming in helps you can either click Num +, or View -> Zoom In. Zoom out is the same deal Num – or View -> Zoom out. If your satisfied with your selection continue to the next step. If you noticed you missed say a huge chunk of her elbow you can add to the selection by holding down Shift and clicking the around the elbow right clicking to seal the selection. To say remove a piece you will need to hold down Ctrl instead right clicking to seal the selection.You will notice the tool will have an minus next to it when holding down Ctrl or a plus when holding Shift. That should help.
TIP: More clicks equal smother image using 3 clicks to get around the arm makes it look choppy. More clicks smoothes the lines.
5. Now we need to invert out selection so Ctrl + Shift + I, or Selections ->Invert. So now your background is selected. Hit Delete. And you’ll just have your model. Your picture should look like mine:
If it doesn’t then you missed something along the way probably promoting to background step.
6. Now we need to using our sun vectors. I mainly use these four. I honestly have no idea where i got then. If one of them is yours let me know and i’ll give credit.
So back to FIle -> Open. I like to open all of them to see which fits best. i think the third one is gonna look better. So i used that one.
7. So Click Ctrl + A or Selections ->Select All. Matching ants surround the entire picture. Hit Ctrl + C, or Edit -> Copy. Hit Ctrl + L or Edit -> Paste as New Layer. Using the 
move tool. Move the sun vector till it corresponds better with your model image. Now we need to drag the sun vector layer to the bottom. Looking at your layer palette. On the very right side of your screen drag the sun vector layer to the bottom and now your layers should look like this.
8. So i didn’t like how the sun vector was going so i decided i was going to mirror the vector the other way. So click Ctrl + M, or Image -> Mirror. Then you’ll noticed it kinda looks like she yelling waves. I like this better. So additional steps here if you original image is smaller and you think you want to make the sun vector smaller, make sure you on that layer by clicking on it on the layer palette. Then click Shift + S or Image -> Resize. So use the percentage and resize start small say 80% of the original image, if it’s still too big hit Ctrl + Z, or Edit -> Undo. Then start again changing the percentage. Important to note the box that says resize all layers needs to unchecked. Right now you only want to resize the sun vector.
9. So now the fun part. Coloring in the vector. Okay now we need the magic wand . Make sure your on the sun vector layer and click only on the black lines. Hold down shift to add additional black lines.So when your done you should have ALL of the black lines selected with marching ants.
10. Now you need to add a new layer. Layers -> New Raster Layer. Select Ok you don’t need to mess with the basic defaults. So now you can fill in with color, gradients, or a pattern. Open your Material Palette by clicking on a color here:
A box will pop up like this.
So you can use a basic color say snag one from the models shirt. You can use a gradient one that comes with the program or make your own, or use a Pattern. I have a ton of patterns. You can do a goggle search for fills for PAint Shop and find tons of download links. So i found this purple one with hearts i like so i selected it and hit okay.
11. Now using the 
paint tool fill in the strips on your new layer. Just keep clicking to all the marching ants are filled in.
12. So now we need to invert out selection so Ctrl + Shift + I, or Selections ->Invert. Now you need to add a new layer. Layers -> New Raster Layer. Select Ok you don’t need to mess with the basic defaults.
So reopen your Material Palette by clicking on a color here:
A box will pop up like this.
And pick your second color to use. Then using the paint tool fill in the strips on your newest layer. Just keep clicking to all the marching ants are filled in.
13. Now delete the original sun vector which is the bottom layer. Right click on your layer palate on that bottom layer and select delete.
So for the most part your done. For some added styles. I used move tool and dragged the model to the middle of the image. I then used the magic wand . And selected outside the model. Then invert our selection so Ctrl + Shift + I, or Selections ->Invert. Now my model is selected. I expand the marching ants by using Selections -> Modify -> Expand. Then choose 8 pixels. Okay now you need to add a new layer. Layers -> New Raster Layer. Select Ok you don’t need to mess with the basic defaults. Now using the paint tool fill in the selections on your new layer. Drag this layer under our model. I expanded the marching ants again by using Selections -> Modify -> Expand. Then I choose 5 pixels. Okay now you need to add a new layer. Layers -> New Raster Layer. Select Ok you don’t need to mess with the basic defaults. Now using the paint tool fill in the selections on your new layer. Drag this layer under our model.
Okay you need to merge the model and her two shadow layers. Right click on her layer in your layer palette and select Merge -> Merge Down. Do it twice. Now using the move tool move the model and her shadows back to where she started from. This is what your layers should look like:
Then on the model layer i added a drop shadow. Effects -> 3D Effects -> Drop Shadow Here are my settings. Click ok then do it again this time replacing the 2’s with -2’s. Click ok again.
Then you can use a font and the text tool and added your name.
Save as a .png mainly because if you have to resave it off of myspace it won’t lose quality but if it’s saved as a .jpeg and you will lose quality each time you resave.
Okay this tutorial took me 3 hours. If it helped you please let me know. If something doesn’t make sense let me know.
Many Hugs
SugarMandy
