SUBJECT: Threading a string through another element
PROGRAM: Screen shots are from PSE8. The technique works in other versions of PSE and PS
PREREQUISITES: Basic understanding of layers, be able to open a document in PSE/Photoshop, be able to use the move tool to drag and drop, rotate and resize items
This tutorial walks you through creating the illusion that a string is threaded through a charm. Although the screen shots use a string and charm, the same technique works for threading a ribbon through a tag, rope through letters, a pin through beads or any other threaded elements. Begin by opening your string/rope and the element you want to hang on it. For the sake of brevity I will refer to the element to be hung as the ‘charm’. Place them both on the same canvas or layout. The layer order should be the thread on the top, charm below.
Select the move tool from the Tools Palette. Move the thread until it goes ‘through’ the charm. For a detailed explanation on using the move tool, see the Creating Your First Page in PSE tutorial. Once the thread is in place, click on the green check mark at the bottom of the bounding box to commit the change.
Hold down the Ctrl key and click on the Layer Icon of the charm in the Layers Palette (see arrow below).
There should now be ‘marching ants’ around the charm. Click on the thread layer in the Layers Palette to set it as the active layer. Click on the eraser tool in the tools palette. You’ll find the eraser tool options in the Options Toolbar near the top of the work space. Adjust the size of the eraser such that it is slightly larger in diameter than your thread. The ‘marching ants’ should still be around your charm.
Click and drag on your canvas with the eraser tool to erase the section of thread that should be ‘under’ the charm.
You’ve done it! You may want to ‘link’ the thread and charm layers so they always move together. To do so, hold down the Control key and click on both layers in the Layers Palettem then click the Link Layers icon at the bottom of the Layers Palette.
Elements used in the tutorial are from Where Fairies Dance available at Sweet Shoppe Designs.
Just wanted to tell you that I love your tutorials (especially when they refer to what to do in CS). I’ve learned a lot-thank you!
Thanks so much for sharing your knowlege. I have a difficult time finding tutorials that show how to create the elements themselves. I appreiciate your help!