Materials Needed:

PSP 9 - Get it here

Dingbat font of your choice - I am using Gargoyles de France, available here

Font of your choice - I am using Demon Night, available here

Please note that some images have been reduced in size for faster loading, and therefore have lost some quality.

1. Open a new image 400 x 400 and flood fill with a colour if you like. Click on your Preset Shape tool and select Rounded Rectangle, retain style unchecked, anti-alias and Create as Vector checked.

Draw a rectangle as shown:

2. Click on your pen tool and hover your cursor over the top line, in the middle, until you see ADD

Click to add a node.

Right click on the node and choose Node Type--->Symmetric. With the mouse, grab the node and pull up

Pull out on the handles to round out the top

When you have it the way you want it, right click on the layer and choose Convert to Raster Layer.

3. Take your selection tool and draw a rectangle around the bottom part.

Edit--->Clear or hit your Delete key.

4. Adjust--->Add/Remove Noise--->Add Noise. Use the following settings:

- Uniform
- 15%
- Monochrome checked

5. Selections--->Select All. Selections--->Float. Selections--->Modify--->Contract by 10 pixels. Selections--->Invert. Effects--->3D Effects--->Inner bevel. Use the following settings:

Shape Pie (#2)
Width 9
Smoothness 0
Depth 1
Ambiance 0
Shininess 0

Colour white
Angle 0
Intensity 50
Elevation 33

Do not deselect.

6. Effects--->3D Effects--->Drop Shadow:

Vertical 2
Horizontal 2
Opacity 40
Blur 5

Colour Black

Repeat Drop Shadow, but change Vertical and Horizontal to -2

7. Add a new layer and apply a dingbat of your choice, in the same gray colour. I am using Gargoyles de France dingbat, letter j, size 48. Effects--->3D Effects--->Cutout:

Vertical 2
Horizontal 2
Opacity 50
Blur 20

Colour Black

Repeat cutout but change vertical and horizontal to -2

For a darker cutout, use a higher opacity.

7. Add a new layer and apply text of your choice in a font of your choice, once again same gray colour. I am using Demon Night, size 36. Apply the cutout, but change the vertical and horizontal to 1. No need to repeat the cutout.

8. Merge visible your layers and you have a tombstone to use in your Halloween images.

Enjoy!

Rosie's Tutorials

Rosie's Graphics

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.