Ho! Ho! Ho! The Christmas is coming. That is why I decided to start my Blogmas serie. The first challenge was supposed to appear here next week, but I couldn't wait ;)
Today I have a DIY for you. I think it's not an ordinary project. Mother nature wasn't too kind for me when it comes to manual abilities. It has always been difficult to me to make some artisitc/technical works. I have never managed to create a descent Christmas decoration or card. My apartment have always been decorated with read-made ornaments that I can be bought in almost every shop. My computer, on the other hand, has been decorated every year with a wallpaper I've made by my own. That is why I would like to present you a tutorial on a Christmas wallpaper ;)
I am going straight to the instruction, since this post is going to be very long even without this introduction.
!!! Click here to see the tutorial !!!
That's the final effect. And that's how to achieve such effect:
1. Open a new project in your graphic editor (in my case it's Photosop, but Gimp would work as well). Choose measures suitable to your display resolution (I have 1366x768). Choose a gradient tool.
2. Use a circular gradient.
3. Choose gradient colour (I chose red and black).
4. Make a gradient background.
5. Create a new layer (Ctrl+Shift+N).
6. Use a Pen Tool and draw a shape of Christmas Tree.
7. Use a Brush Tool and choose given settings.
8. Go back to the Pen Tool, PPM on the drawn Path and choose Stroke Path (remember about tick the Stimulate Pressure option). Then PPM and choose Delete Path.
9. LPM twice on a new layer with a Christmat Tree Path and choose the settings as shown in the picture below.
10. Create a new layer, draw a shape of a star on a top of the Tree (as shown in the picture). Double-click on the layer and choose the settings presented in the pictures.
11. Copy the Christmas Tree layer (Ctrl+J). Change the Blending Mode to Overlay. Copy the star layer, change the Opacity to 50% and Blending Mode to Overlay. Then choose Filter - Gaussian Blur and choose setting given below:
12. Create a new layer. Choose a Brush Tool (round 5px). Again use the Pen Tool, create a path as shown in the picture, Stroke Path, then Delete Path. Change the Opacity to 30%. Copy this layer and use a Gaussian Blur Filter on it (follow the settings shown in the picture), change the Opacity to 50% and Blending mode to Overlay.
13. Create a new layer. Use a Type Tool and type "Merry Christmas" (or any other of your liking). Double-click on the layer and choose settings as shown in the picture. Copy the layer, go to Filter - Blur - Motion Blur and choose given settings. Change the Opacity to 50% and Blending Mode to Overlay.
14. AND DONE!
If you decide to use or inspire yourself with the tutorial, please show your result.
For those who liked the wallpaper but don't feel up to creating such "piece of art" I prepared two samples ;) Feel free to download (if you do so, please let me know down in a comment) and let the Christmas spirit to your computer!
Do you like DIYs or do you prefer ready-made decorations? Are you completing the Blogmas challenges? And do you decorate your computer with a Christmas wallpapers at all? Please comment on the main post (the one written in Polish; feel free to comment in English).
~ wredna
