Materials needed:
PSP 9 - get it here - would also work in other versions of PSP
A pumpkin tube - you can download the one I used here
Fire tube from Jasc - should be in your PSP 9
1. Open your tube and make a duplicate copy (shift+D) and close the original. If you are using the pumpkin tube provided, you may want to lighten it a bit. Adjust--->Brightness and Contrast--->Brightness/Contrast - I used 20 for Brightness, 0 for Contrast.
2. Layers--->Duplicate. Rename the duplicate layer "top" if you like, to keep from getting your layers confused. Turn this layer off.
3. Go down to the bottom layer. Selections--->Select All. Selections--->Float. Selections--->Load/Save Selection--->Save Selection to Alpha Channel. Deselect.
4. Still on the bottom layer, Adjust--->Blur--->Gaussian Blur. Radius 10. Don't worry about the part showing over the top layer, we will get rid of that later. Duplicate the layer and rename duplicate "middle" and bottom layer "bottom". Adjust the brightness of the bottom layer by 40 and turn the layer off.
5. Go to your top layer and click on your freehand selection tool 
,
using the following settings:
Draw a triangle for the left eye (or any shape you want it to be):
Hit your Delete key or Edit--->Clear. Go down to your middle layer and do the same. Still on the middle layer, Selections--->Modify--->Expand by 8 pixels. Selections--->Promote selection to layer. Deselect.
6. Turn off your top and middle layers for a minute, leaving only the promoted selection layer. You will see this:
Adjust the brightness to whatever you prefer and what looks right with your tube. I used -7 for mine. With your mover tool, grab the triangle outline on the promoted layer and move it to the right then turn the other layers back on (except for the bottom layer, leave it off) and adjust the position so it looks like this (I turned my bottom layer on so you can see the effect better):
7. Go back to the top layer and do the same for the right eye, only move the
triangle on the promoted layer to the left. Because that part of my image was
darker than the left eye, I brightened by 12 instead of darkening. :
8. Use the same technique to do the nose and the mouth - I used brightness of 12 on both for the middle layer. Remember that it doesn't have to look perfect - many jack o lanterns are carved by kids and kids are far from perfect - heck, aren't we all?:
9. Merge visible all layers except the bottom. Rename merged layer "top" and turn the bottom layer back on.
10.Selections--->Load/Save Selection--->Load selection from Alpha Channel. Selections--->Invert. Hit your Delete key to get rid of the blurred part that shows from around the edges. Go down to your bottom layer and hit Delete again.
11. If you are planning on animating, please continue on to page 2 now. If you aren't animating, you can add a layer between your top and bottom layers, add a flame with the fire tube, merge visible your layers and you have a jack-o-lantern to use in your Halloween images.
Tutorial and images © Margaret M. aka MsRosie of Rosie's Graphics
2000-2004 and may not be copied or reproduced without express written permission
by the author. Please see my
terms of use page. If you have any problems or questions regarding the tutorial,
please email me.