globetut

I have always been fascinated by snowglobes,
and when first I saw the beautiful globes people have made with P.S.P,
I was awe inspired. It took me months to learn how to make a globe,
and I would like to share my personal routine with you
in the hope I can help you learn to make globes too.
You will need...
A "glass" globe tube, A globe base tube
A star tube ( or your choice for the twinkles/snow etc.
An image for the globe.
( if you don`t have suitable tubes You can download mine HERE. )
unzip into your psp tubes folder .

For this tutorial I am using the image below, which I have already prepared into an oval shape.
(You don`t need to do this as the globe will be shaped during making, just make sure the image you use has some space around the main subject to allow a globe to be placed nicely with room to work on it.)
If you want this image right click and save on your hard disk.

As you can see, the globe doesn`t quite fit the image (fig 1).
click on the deformation tool (fig 2).
You can now move / alter / resize / reshape the globe until it fits your image (fig 3).
When you are happy with it, right click the deformation tool and select "tool options",
click apply and close the dialogue box.

Click on the magic wand icon, then click on the image (outside the globe),
then go to selections /invert.
Go back to selections / modify then selections / contract.
Make sure it is set at "number of pixels = 2" then click OK.
Next go to layers / merge / merge visible.
Now go to edit / copy / edit / paste as new image.
You will now have your basic globe (fig 4).

You now need to add a base, but there isn`t enough room for it.
You will need to make the canvas larger.
The size you need will depend on the globe, the image and the base you use.
Go to "image" and select "canvas size". resize it large enough to accomodate the globe,
a base, and have room to work (fig 5).
(You will be reselecting your globe later so make it as big as you are comfortable
with as long as you can see to place the base nicely.)
Next, go to "layers" and "add new raster layer" ( as fig 1a again)
then click on the tubes tool icon, right click and select "tool options"
and choose a base tube. Close box.
Click on your image to add the base (fig 6).

I have chosen the base to match the globe, but as you can see it is too big.
(You can change the tube size before you close the dialogue box, but if you don`t know how big it will be just add it at 100%. If it is too big to fit on the image at all, you can go to "edit" and "undo picture tube" then reopen the tubes tool, resize the tube and try again.
My base will fit on the image, so I don`t need to do this.)
use the deformation tool to resize / move / reshape the base as you did the globe,
then reposition it to fit nicely on your globe (fig 7).
Now go to layers / merge / merge visible.

Click on the magic wand icon, then click on the image ( outside the globe).
Go to selections / invert, then go to edit / copy / edit / paste as new image.
Here is your globe complete with base (fig8).
If you want to add any text ( your name, website title etc) or other decoration,
now is the time to do it.
Next you need to add your "twinkles/snow etc"
Click on the tubes tool icon, right click and choose a star/snowflake or whatever.
Resize to a small size ( I made my star 20% but it depends on your personal preferences and the tube you choose.)
Click at random onto your globe to add stars/snow.
( I added the star 10 times but it`s up to you.)
Now go to file / save as, name your globe ( eg "myglobe")
and save it in the directory of your choice - keeping it as a psp image ( fig 9).

Now go window/ duplicate (twice) on one duplicate move the stars slightly to different locations to the original, save the new globe with a new name as a psp image...
open the other duplicate, move the stars as before then save as psp image with a new name.
Now go to file / jasc software products / launch animation shop.
Select "same size as first image frame" and click "next".
Select "transparent" and click "next".
Select "centred in the frame" and "with the canvas colour" (which should be transparent),
click "next". Select "yes, repeat indefinately" and click "next".
Click on "add image" and find your globes on your computer ( I save mine in "my documents" until finished). Click on the filename ( eg "myglobe") and select "open", repeat the last step, adding each globe twice. ( you can add each globe once or more than twice, but I find one of each is a very fast twinkle, any more than 2 and it` s too slow, but it`s up to you. Also, bear in mind that the more times you add globes the larger the final file size will be.)
When you have added all your globes click "next" and "finish".
Next, go to "file" and "save as", give your globe it`s final name, click "save" then "next".
When prompted click "next" again. ( you should see a sample of your finished globe)
click "next" again and then "finish".
Congratulations, you have made a globe and saved it for using as you please.