April WA Renewed!!

[ScrappyCocoa]

Hey Ladies, Steph aka ScrappyCocoa here, I have talked to Kim and offered to take over this months challenge for her! So spread the word!!! I have never done one of these before, so hopefully I wont mess it up too bad! Here is an example of the WA technique that I am going to show you today.


I love the look of overlapping words. I love the burned edges to make it look "puffy". I use this all the time when a kit doesn't have an alpha and I want a fun look.

You can get the Black and white version of this WA HERE
Ok, to make your WA look like this, there are 2 parts.

1. First pick your 2 fonts. I usually like to make the back font a thick blocky type and the front font a thin cursive type. I Clip a paper to both fonts. Make sure it is the same paper.
2. layer the words so the smaller word is on top. Stroke that smaller font so you can see the outline on top of the bigger word.
3. Make the stroke a separate layer. In PS you right click and then click make layer.
4. To make it look like the smaller font is cutting out of the bigger font, clip a paper to the stroke of the smaller font. {like you were using a template} In most cases it is the background paper. Make sense?

Now to make the bigger word appear "puffy" ~
1. Select the bigger word so that it has marching ants around it. In PS if you hold control or command while clicking the thumbnail it will select it.
2. Inverse the selection.
3. Modify the selection. Do this by going to select/modify then choose expand. Set the pixels to whatever you want. I usually do between 10-15 for chunkier fonts.
4. Feather the selection. Do this be going to select/modify/ feather. I usually set the pixels for the same amount as I did the expand.
5. You now have marching ants inside your letters. Use the burn tool {in PS shortcut O. It is the little tool that looks like a stick with a circle on the end} to darken around the edges.

And your done! Hope this was helpful and not too confusing! Please feel free to ask any questions, I will try and answer to the best of my abilities! Can't wait to see your LO!

[allergy_mom]

THANKS! I love the words you chose - date night is a priority in our marriage, and I always look forward to it... Love doing sweetheart layouts and learning new things, so this will be great. I'll let you know if you your tut works with Pixelmator on my Mac. Looks like it should be fine!

[ScrappyCocoa]

I use a mac too! Yay for mac! We love Date night here. Hubs will die when he sees this LO all girlie like, since we were actually at a hockey game! LOL Well In the WA DL I included a layered form of the WA too incase some people couldn't stroke and create a new layer. Hope that it works out! Can't wait to see!

[kimberkatt]

Whoohoohoohoohooo!!! Yay for Steph!!!! Thanks so much for taking over for me this month Steph, you ROCK!!! I love the technique you used, see, I'm learning too!! lol

[allergy_mom]

Are you at all familiar with Pixelmator (wonders hopefully....)?
Glad it's layered, cause I have no idea what stroking is... just started learning the program with Kim's WA challenge in Feb, so it's all new for me!

[allergy_mom]

Okay, just opened up the psd file in Pix. and saw your layer names.
"night's outer stroke" Now I get it... stroke! as in, our first lesson with Kim! Feeling pretty blondish right now....

[ScrappyCocoa]

It's ok, happens to me alllll the time!

[Victoria32]

Thanks for hosting the challenge and the great tutorial..here is what I came up with using PSE 7. I hope it's okay to have used other words for the challenge.

http://www.digitalscrapbookingstudio...e=pbm&cat=1043

[ScrappyCocoa]

Looks great! Love how you threaded the ribbon through the big word! great job!

[Nani]

Here's mine with the overlapping word art. I chose to do the same style, but two colors.

Java 365, Week 12

[Char-D]

Here is a sign I made using this technique.

Love Sign

[2girlsandadog]

Thank you for taking over this month; I love, love, love this challenge!!


Sweetness

[sweethussie]

Here you go, great challenge, thank you
http://www.digitalscrapbookingstudio...enight&cat=all

[allergy_mom]

Okay. We are definitely getting into rough territory for me this time. I had to do some steps differently that your instructions, but I did manage to get as far as 5 -marching ants within the borders of my larger font. However, I don't think my program has a burn tool, and I am really confusing myself trying to darken the edges somehow. My paint tools seem to be loaded with my font paper, and I don't know how to put something else on them, or darken it, or anything.... Auggggh! Is there any other way of doing this?

[ScrappyCocoa]

CharD Great Sign!
Kelly the only other possibility that I can think of, would be to actually use a very soft brush at with a dark color and outline the WA. Then set that layer to overlay or something to blend with the word. Then you can erase the part NOT on the actual WA by selecting the word {not the blended brushed layer} then inverting the selection and erase around the edges. Does this make sense at all? I feel bad that I can't help you further! I am not familiar with your program at all!

[kimberkatt]

Hey Kelly... I took a trip down YouTube lane and discovered some good tutorials on how to achieve the dodge & burn effect in Pixelmator! Take a peek over there, there's tons more videos!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=db68lLK7ze0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0Bik8eQa2k

[kimberkatt]

And, wow... now that I'm watching some of these videos, this program can give Photoshop a run for it's $$!!

Also, if you're getting frustrated, you can always try out GIMP, it's completely FREE and some of the ladies here have started a new site, www.savethegreen.net, to teach you how to use it!

[mandak]

I made a piece of wordart, it coordinates with a kit I have coming out soon HEre it is - it will be on my blog as a freebie when the kit comes out!

[ScrappyCocoa]

What a cute LO Monika, love it!
great WA manda!

[Maurine Stettler]

What a fun technique, Steph -- I'm off to try this out. Do you mind sharing what fonts you used? I'm always on the lookout for new, fun fonts -- and I'd love to get these. Thanks!