(To see the tag above in its original size, just click on it :-)

Start by opening your forum template, we are going to work with the avatar template first, so delete the copyright layer from the layers pallet.

Now click on the Raster 2 layer, go to Selections, click Select All, then Selections again & click Float, then selections again & click Defloat.

Now open Paper 6, copy & paste it as a new layer onto your canvas ,then re-size it to 50%. Now go to Selections, click Invert, then on your keyboard press your delete key 1 time.

Now keeping your raster 2 selected, open your Bear element, copy & paste it as a new layer onto your canvas ,then re-size it to 30%. Position it with your move tool to how you would like it, then press your delete key on your keyboard 1 time.

Now Open your Sparkles element, copy & paste them as a new layer onto your canvas ,then go to your layers pallet, & move your Sparkles layer below your Bear layer.

Now go to Selections & click Select None.

Now in your layers pallet, delete the original Raster 2 layer.

Now in your layers pallet, right click on your Bear layer, then click Duplicate, go to Adjust, then click Blur, then from the slide out menu click Gaussian Blur, set to 3.00 & click Ok.

Now at the top of your layers pallet, change your Blend Mode to Overlay.

Then still in your layers pallet, click on your original Bear layer. (The bottom Bear layer) & apply a drop shadow.

Now click on the Raster 1 layer in your layers pallet.

Activate your magic wand by clicking on it, then click inside the grey frame area.

Now make a new raster layer.

Activate your Flood Fill tool, set your foreground color to #ff00d0 OR color of your choosing.

Now click inside your marching ants, so that it fills your frame area with your selected color.

Now go to Selections & click Select None.

Now delete your original Raster 1 layer.

Now activate your text tool by clicking on it, set your font, size & color.

The font I used :

Whoa!

Size : 28 Pixels (This depends on the length of the name you are using.So adjust accordingly.)

Color : Black (#000000)

Now type out your desired name.

Once you have your name where you would like it, you can apply a gradient glow. I used Eye Candy 5- Impact - Gradient Glow. (Go to Effects, click Plugins, then click Eye Candy 5 - Impact - Gradient Glow, you can use my settings below or your own.)

Now once you have your gradient glow applied to your name , apply a drop shadow to your name as well.

Open your Animation Shop.

Go back to PSP, and click on your frame layer (the one we colored a bit ago)

Go to Adjust, click Add/Remove Noise ,then click Add Noise from the slide out menu. Set to Uniform, 50 , and make sure the Monochrome box IS checked & click Ok.

Now go to Edit, click Copy Special, then click Copy Merged from the slide out menu.

Go to your Animation Shop, right click inside the grey canvas area, click Paste As New Animation.

Now go back to your PSP, click your undo button 1 time. Then go to Adjust, Add/Remove Noise, then Add Noise, and only change the setting to 55 & click Ok.

Now go to Edit, click Copy Special, then click Copy Merged from the slide out menu. 

Now go back to your Animation Shop, right click in frame 1 that we just put there, then click Paste, then click After Current Frame.

Now go back to PSP one last time, click your undo button 1 time. Go to Adjust, click Add/Remove Noise, then click Add Noise from the slide out menu, Now only change your setting to 60, & click Ok.

Go to Edit, click Copy Special, then click Copy Merged. Now go back to your Animation Shop, right click inside frame 2, then click Paste, then from the slide out menu click After Current Frame.

Now you will want to check your animation to make sure you are happy with it before you save it. So go to the top of your Animation Shop, to the right, and click the 2nd button from the end, it is called " View Animation". If you are happy with it, click that button again to close the animation window.

Now go to File, Save As, & save as a GIF file! 

That concludes the tutorial on how to make the avatar.

Open a 800 X 650 transparent canvas, Don't worry we will crop it down later. :-)

Now open your Frame 2 element, copy & paste it as a new layer onto your canvas ,then re-size it to 70%. 

Now click on your magic wand tool to activate it, then click the canvas inside of your Frame 2 element.

Now go to Selections, click Modify, then from the slide out menu click Expand. Set your number of pixels to 3 & click Ok.

Now open Paper 3, copy & paste it as a new layer onto your canvas ,then go to Selections & click Invert, then on your keyboard press your Delete key 1 time.

Now go to Selections & click Select None.

Now on your paper 3 layer, go to Effects, click plugins, then click Xero - then from the slide out menu click Fritillary. (Settings below )

Click Ok.

Now in your layers pallet, move your Paper 3 layer below your Frame 2 layer.

Apply a drop shadow to your Frame 2 layer only.

Now open your Bear element, copy & paste it as a new layer onto your canvas ,then re-size it to 45%. Using your move tool position your Bear element to the left side of your frame.

Go to your layers pallet, right click on your Bear layer, then click Duplicate. Then go to Adjust, click Blur, then click Gaussian Blur from the slide out menu, set to 3.00 & click Ok.

Now go back to your layers pallet, & at the top change the Blend Mode to Overlay.

Now click on your original Bear layer (the bottom bear) & apply a drop shadow.

Now click on the last layer in your layers pallet,

Open your Splatter element, copy & paste it as a new layer onto your canvas ,then position it to the left side of your frame. Back to your layers pallet, right click on your Splatter layer, & click Duplicate, now using your move tool, position your duplicated Splatter element to the right side of your frame.

Back to your layers pallet, click on your duplicated Splatter layer & move it down just below the original Splatter layer.

Now click on your top layer in your layers pallet, 

Open your Skull element, copy & paste it as a new layer onto your canvas ,then re-size it to 20%. Using your move tool, position your Skull element to the top of your frame & position in the center of the frame. (See my tag for reference if needed)

Now sharpen & apply a drop shadow.

Go back to your layers pallet & right click on your Skull layer, then click Duplicate. Now use your move tool & bring your duplicated Skull to the bottom of your frame in the center.

Now open your Cupcake element, copy & paste it as a new layer onto your canvas ,then re-size it to 25%. Now position it to the left side of your Bear element.

Sharpen & apply a drop shadow.

Now open your Barbed Heart element, copy & paste it as a new layer onto your canvas, then re-size it to 15%. Position it to the left of your Cupcake element.

Sharpen & apply a drop shadow.

Open your Button element, copy & paste it as a new layer onto your canvas ,then re-size it to 25%. Position above of your Barbed Heart element.

Sharpen & apply a drop shadow.

Open your String element, copy & paste it as a new layer onto your canvas ,then re-size it to 35%. Using your move tool position your String element to the left side of your frame.

Now in your layers pallet, move your String element layer down below your Cupcake layer.

Sharpen & apply a drop shadow.

Now go back to your layers pallet, right click on your String layer, click Duplicate. Now go to Image & click Mirror. Position using your move tool as desired.

Now duplicate each of your String layers again, this time, after you duplicate each one, go to Image & click Flip. This will put that string layer under the top of your frame.

Once both are duplicated, position them as desired.

Now go to your layers pallet again, click on your Button layer, click Duplicate, use your move tool to position your duplicated button where desired. Now duplicate your button element 4 more times, for a total of 6 buttons, & place them around your tag. (Use my tag as reference for placement if you need to)

Now open your Lollipop2 element, copy & paste it as a new layer onto your canvas ,then re-size it to 20%. Position it to the right side of your cupcake. If it isn't already, your lollipop 2 stick should be under your cupcake. So if you need to go to your layers pallet, & move your Lollipop2 layer down below your cupcake layer.

Now click back up on the top layer in your layers pallet, 

Open your Bow 1 element, copy & paste it as a new layer onto your canvas ,then re-size it to 20%. Now using your move tool, position your Bow 1 element to the top right corner of your frame.

Sharpen & apply a drop shadow.

Now go to your layers pallet, right click on your Bow 1 layer & click Duplicate. Now use your move tool again to move your duplicated Bow 1 layer to the bottom right corner of your frame.

Now open your Button element again, copy & paste it as a new layer onto your canvas ,this time re-size it to 20% & position your button to the center of your Bow 1 element in the top right corner of your frame.

Sharpen & apply a drop shadow.

Now go to your layers pallet, right click on your new Button layer & click Duplicate. Then use your move tool, and move your duplicated button element to the bottom Bow 1 element & place it in the center as we did for the top one.

Open your Sparkles element, copy & paste it as a new layer onto your canvas, use your move tool to position to your liking.

Now you can add the name you would like to put on your tag.

Again the font I used :

Whoa!

Size : 28 (but this depends on the length of your name)

Color : #ff00d0

Once you have your name where you want it, ( I positioned mine in the center of my frame) You can apply a gradient glow if you wish. 

Now apply a drop shadow.

I then used my magic wand tool, and clicked inside each letter in my name, then I used the Inner Bevel effect.

To do that, go to Effects, click 3D Effects, then click Inner Bevel :(You can use my settings below or your own, which ever you would like)

Click Ok.

Now before you deselect your name, go to Adjust, click Add/Remove Noise ,then click Add Noise, set your setting to 60 & click Ok.

Now go to Selections & click Select None.

Now add any copyright/credit information needed.

Then go to your layers pallet, right click on any layer & click Merge, then from the slide out menu click Merge Visible.

Now activate your crop tool & crop off any access canvas that we did not use. Being careful not to crop to close to your elements, or text. If you do make a mistake just click your undo button until you are back to where you where before you began to crop.

Once your tag is cropped, you may or may not need to re-size your tag, if you do go ahead & do that now.

Once your tag is re-sized, I like to sharpen it one more time to make it look nice and crisp looking. So if you would like to do the same, just go to Adjust, click Sharpness, then click Sharpen.

Now save your tag as PNG & you have completed this tutorial!!

As always I would love to see what you have made using this or any of my tutorials. Please feel free to send me an email using the email addy below, & include a copy of what you made! I would love to post it here on my blog for everyone to enjoy!!