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DIA'S DIMENSIONS

ACORN LIGHT
With or Without Glow Effect
Created in 8.5 Pro
For ALL PI Versions

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Software: Ulead PhotoImpact
Author: Claudia Conover A.K.A. Dia (Deeya)
Homepage: Dia's Dimensions
Terms Of Use: Please Read

Title: ACORN LIGHT

Skill Level: If you know where the tools are, and what they do, you can create this in any version!

Featured Tools:
Path Tools - Path Edit
Eraser Brush - Resize Tools

Additional Files:
My Texture File
Eye Candy 4 (optional)

Description: Create an Acorn Light with or without a glow.

Stem or Holder

1. Open a New White Image, 400x600px set up like this:

1. With the Line & Arrow Tool, Spline, 3D, color Dk. Green, start at the left bottom of your image and draw a long hook like shape similar to this one below. Make your stem longer than I did. I didn't leave much room to put anything under the light with this one. You'll find the original acorn light at the top of the tutorial link page.

2. Open the Material Box above and change the Border/Depth tab, Maximum Border setting to 6.

3. Click on the Path Edit tool and smooth out your stem like so.

4. Rclick over image and Convert Object from Text/Path to Image. Go to the bottom of your stem and erase the very tip to give it a pleasant look. Make it straight or curved or whatever you like.

Acorn Top

1. With the Path Tool select Custom Shape "Arch 3", 2D, white or pink and draw one about 100px in hight. The dimensions don't really matter as you are going to reshape it.

2. Resize Tool, unlocked, reshape your arch or acorn cover to these dimensions 138x81px.
Click on the Resize Tool, Perspective, and pull the bottom out like so below.

3. Now click on the Path Tool, Path Edit, round the side curves out a bit similar to the sample below.

4. Click on the bottom line, when it turns red, click on the "Convert Line", Curved line above like in the sample. The line will bow out (curve) significantly. (The reason you have to do this is because there are no handles or points for editing this line horizontally, and you have to curve this line. By curving the line it makes it look rounded or 3D.)

5. Now pull the horizontal points so they are straight down on the same angle as the side lines so it rounds out the sharp corners of your newly curved line like so.

6. Turn to 3D Round, and open the Material Box. On the Color/Texture tab click on the File and add your acorn texture. Click on the Border/Depth tab and set the maximum slider to 99 and check the Smooth Spine setting.

$acorn texture$

7. Set your tabs up like shown below. Shadow tab, click on Render backface.
Bump tab is the same file as for the Color/Texture tab set at 100%.
Lights, 3, set up like the sample below. Try to get them as close as possible to what they look like here.

8. Here is what you should have when you are done with this bit of tinkering. Final size should be around 155x87px.

9. Rclick, Convert Object, From Text/Path to Image.
Click on the Dodge Brush, Settings 70-50-100, Angled Brushes for left and right, just lightly touch the bottom corners to remove the dark 3D angled shadows from the sides and lighten up all around the bottom edge.

Light Holder

1. With the Path Tool, Arch 3, draw an arch 20x36px using the same acorn settings as for your acorn cover. Resize (unlocked) if you have to to get these dimensions.

2. Move it over on top of your cover and center by eye like so.

Light or Bulb

1. Path Tool, Shape: Egg, 2D, Color: Light Bright Yellow (#FDFFD0), draw an egg 158x174px - if you have made your dimensions the same width as mine above. If not make it so it fits the cover like this below. Resize tool, flip it upside down and put in place.

2. Rclick, Arrange: Send to Back like so.

Ring Holder

1. Outline Tool: Circle, 3D, Color: #005700 draw a ring 45x45px and center it over your hook/cover/light parts like so below.

2. Open the Material Box and change the Maximum Border width to 4 and change the Border/Depth tab to 4, also.

3. Set the top underside of the ring to lay "exactly" above the curve of the blade holder like shown below. You should see just the tiniest bit of white between the two pieces. It's not even a pixel, but rather the the antialias of the two parts you're seeing through.

4. Rclick, Convert Object From Text/Path to Image, and click on the Eraser. If you have the same dimensions as I have laid out above this will be easy. Eraser settings set like below, erase the inside of the ring overlapping your handle. Make the erased edges straight.

5. Now change the size to 11 and erase the part that overlaps the hook. You may want to zoom in for this particular work. You can't erase into any white areas because even at normal view it will stick out like a sore thumb!

I used the Brightness/Contrast to darken my blade holder and my ring. I like it better. And you can always convert object on the light bulb and set the soft edge to 5 or there about if you like.

One last Save. Your Acorn Light or Fairy Light is finished!

Now, if you want, you can put a glow (and light reflection-You can do this part seperately on the item you are going to use this light on.) around/under your light using these Eye Candy4: Corona settings and using these instructions.

Format, Expand Canvas, color of your background, increase right side 20px, bottom 30px. Create a 2D oval, the same color as your yellow bulb the width of your stem to the edge of your page on the right. Double click, Properties, change the Merge to "Soft Light" (or the transparency to 50-60%). Convert Object and set the soft edge to 5px.

Now Merge this reflection and anything else lower in your Layer Manager than your light object, and select your light. Apply the corona effect. (EC will pick up the background color so you may want to save this effect until you know the color of the background you are going to use it on.)

Thank you for trying my tutorial. I hope you have enjoyed yourself. You should have a very good feeling about what you can accomplish in PI after doing all the steps required in this tutorial, also. :)

Make it a Tube

Make sure everything is the way you want it to be and R-click, Select all, Merge as Single Object.

Click on the Eye at the top of the Layer Manager to hide the background, and Save it as a .psd (PhotoShop file) This is the same type of file as a .tub/psp as it keeps the transparent background. :)

I hope you have enjoyed this tutorial.
Feel free to contact me if you get stuck and need help!

Dia's Dimensions' Tutorial Award

Now that you have finished this tutorial, feel free to R-click save my award and display it on your web page. This award is offered on the honor system.