Tutorial: AKVIS Chameleon

Valentine card

This example shows how to create a Valentine's Day card for your loved ones. With the collage creation program AKVIS Chameleon it is simple, and it makes the creative process a pleasure. Your gift will be original and unique.

You will need:

• Adobe Photoshop (or another graphics editor that works with the AKVIS Chameleon plug-in),
• The AKVIS Chameleon plug-in,
• a basic image for a card (for our future “valentine” an image of rose petals will be ideal),
• a picture frame (we’ve chosen an image with an ice picture frame)
• a bit of your time.

Let’s proceed to the St. Valentine’s card creation:

• Step 1. Let’s open the images from which the card will be created in Adobe Photoshop.
  
• Step 2. Let’s combine the image of the petals with the ice frame:
  • Go to the image of the petal and choose from the menu Select – All;
  • Let’s copy the selection: we shall choose from the menu Filter -> AKVIS -> Chameleon – Grab Fragment;
  • Let’s go to the image of the ice frame. Select Filter -> AKVIS -> Chameleon – Make Collage. The AKVIS Chameleon plug-in window will open. In the Before tab will be the image of the ice frame with the image of the petals above it.
  
  • Select Blend mode from the drop-down menu in the Settings Panel.
  • With the Transform tool in the Tool Panel we will change the size of the image of the petals so that it completely covers the frame.
  
  • Start the collage creation process by pressing the button. The result will be show in the After tab.
  
  • Press the button to accept the changes and return to the graphics editor.

  At this stage we will have the following image:

  
• Step 3. What is a card without an inscription? Especially a valentine. The text can say anything, but do not forget, it is more pleasant to receive a personal message. In our example we will be limited to the general phrases.

  Therefore, let’s add an inscription:

  • In the Tool Panel we will choose the Horizontal Type tool.
  • Then we will set the parameters for the text: font Chiller, size 150, Smooth, and the color red (in the Options panel of the Horizontal Type tool).
  • Let’s click on the image and enter some text (for this example: “I love you”). The inscription will be created on another layer.
  
  • Now let’s add some effects to the text. Since the inscription is on a separate layer, we will apply the layer effects Outer Glow, Inner Glow, and Satin. These are applied with the following commands: Layer – Layer Style – Outer Glow, Layer – Layer Style – Inner Glow and Layer – Layer Style – Satin.
  
• Step 4. Now we will add some hearts to make the valentine more romantic. This should not be difficult since any graphics editor has sets of such standard shapes.
• In the Tool Panel we shall choose the Custom Shape tool.
• In the Option panel of the Custom Shape tool we can choose from a variety of figures. We shall choose Card Heart.
• Let’s place the heart on a new layer.

• While on the heart’s layer, we shall apply the layer effects Drop Shadow, Inner Shadow, Bevel, and Emboss. These are executed by the commands Layer – Layer Style – Drop Shadow, Inner Glow, Bevel, and Emboss.

• We shall slightly turn the heart with the command Edit – Free Transform.
• Let’s create a duplicate of the heart’s layer by executing the command Layer – Duplicate Layer.
• Now let’s move the second heart a little to the right and turn it with the command Edit – Free Transform.

All that is needed is to adjust the arrangement of the inscription and hearts on the card – and the valentine is ready! To see the card in full size (and in full beauty) click on the image.