Accordion Fold Flowers

I've seen these accordion-folded paper flowers in a lot of scrap layouts, and I wanted to see if I could create one digitally.  This tutorial is my result, and although it's not an exact match for the ones which look like they've been scanned, it's pretty close.  I may have to tinker with this one some more to see if I can make it look a bit more realistic.  Hope you'll find it useful!

This tut was written 9 September 2012 using PSP 9.

Create a Plaid Pattern

Here's an easy way to create a plaid pattern, and as a bonus, it requires no filters at all.  You just need PSP, any version should work, and actually, any graphics program should work I imagine.

This tut was written 11 May 2012 using PSP 9.

Create a Chevron Pattern

I keep seeing chevron patterns cropping up all over the place, especially on Pinterest.  So I thought I'd see if I could write up a tutorial to create it to use it for pattern fills or to create scrapbook papers.  The result of this tut is shown in the preview image at the top.  I hope it will be of interest to some!

This tut was written 7 April 2012 using PSP 9, but I believe it should work in other versions of the program as well.  

Crumpled Paper Flowers

I haven't had any good ideas for the next tut until this weekend.  I made some flowers like this for a kit I posted over on my scrap blog today so I thought I'd write up a tut on how to make these.  Hopefully it will be of interest to some!

This tutorial was written 1 April 2012 using PSP 9 but should work in other versions as well. 

Create a Jewel 2

After posting the last tutorial for making a gem or jewel, I spent some time trying to figure out how to make it look more like a faceted cut gem.  This tutorial and the sample shown in the image above is the result.  It's still not 100% photo-realistic, but it's a bit closer than the last tutorial which is below this post.

This tutorial was written 20 February 2012 in PSP 9 but should work in other versions of the program.  There are some optional basic vector editing steps at the very end of this tutorial so this one may be of interest for that reason even if making a jewel is not.

Create a Gemstone

I have a new tutorial to share on how to create a gemstone.  This tutorial was written 10 January 2012 in PSP 9, but it should work in other versions of the program. You can see the end result of the method I use, and which is shared in this tutorial, in the image above.  Just wanted to add a note of thanks for the feedback on my first tut. Glad to know that everyone was able to follow it without any problems, and I hope that will be the case for this one as well.

Create a Houndstooth Pattern

Happy New Year!  Thought it was time to start using this blog and share an inaugural tutorial.  This tutorial was written 1 January 2012 using PSP 9.  It should work in other versions of the program.  The only filter needed to do this tutorial is Simple Filters - Diamond which is a free filter.  It's available here if you don't already have it.

This is my first attempt at writing a tutorial so feedback would be great - good, bad or otherwise.  Need more screenshots or less?  More explanations or less?  Thought I'd write this one up first since I used this same method to create the background on my blog here.