Neck chain

Open a new image 700x500 Transparent
set your foreground colour to white, background black, floodfill your canvas with the black and then set your background colour at null.

Layers/new vector layer name it left chain.
Using your pre set shapes tool set to ellipse, line width 2, line style #1 solid, vector and antialias checked, Starting at (180.170) and holding down right mouse button, Draw a small ellipse this will be your first link and the pattern for all the others that follow. Using the handle rotate the link gently, until it is in a similar position to the one on the top left of my image next to the clasp.

Edit/copy, Edit/paste as a new vector selection.
Using the handle rotate this link a little then grab the box in the middle of the selection and move the link into position under the first one you drew, remember to space it and try to keep your spacing equidistant between your links.
Continue in this manner, repeating this step over until you have created the left half of your neck chain, you should leave your self a little space to centre canvas.

In your layer palette select this layer and hide it by clicking on the little glasses, duplicate this image, then mirror. Use your mover tool to position this as the right half of your neck chain, once again allowing a little space, between the two centre links enough that one joining link may be inserted between the two on the next layer. Rename this layer right chain, and then convert both left chain and right chain layers to raster.

Select your text tool and click on your image.
Select text Lucida console, size 22, foreground colour null., background colour white, vector and antialias checked.
Type Capital Q and hit OK, Image/flip, Image/mirror and pull the middle right handle out to the right just slightly to round the clasp out a bit, then grab the central handle and move the clasp over to the top of the left chain, ensuring you leave a similar sized gap between the clasp and the first link as you have between links . When you are satisfied with your clasp, right click on the layer palette and convert to raster, name it clasp1.
Select your Eraser tool, Round, Size 4, Hardness 69, Opacity 90, Step 25, Density 100, and just erase a very small portion of the top right quarter section of the clasp, so that it looks as if it is open and ready to do up.

Select your preset shapes tool, set it to ellipse and your foreground colour to white, background colour null., antialias and vector checked, line width 2, line style #1 solid.
Holding down right mouse button and shift key draw a small circle and move it over to the top of your right chain once again allowing a similar gap to the ones between the chain links. When you are satisfied with your clasp, right click on the layer palette and convert to raster, name it clasp2.

Turn off the visibility on layer 1 (your black background) by clicking the glasses in the layer palette, then Merge/merge visible, rename this layer chain.

Layers/new raster layer, name it links
Set your foreground colour to white and background colour to null.
Using the draw tool set to single line, line width 2 line style #1 solid, and starting at your first link draw a small line between the clasp and the first link to connect them, remember to start just a smidgen either side of the link, otherwise your line will fall short of the measure.
Connect the clasp and all the links on the left side of your image in this manner, do not yet add a connection link at the centre front once half the neckchain is done, duplicate this layer in the layer palette and image mirror, use your mover tool to move the image and line it up with the links on the right side of the neck chain. When you have your duplicate layer successfully placed, draw one more connection in the centre front to connect the centre front links.
Turn off the visibility on your background layer and your chain layer, just leaving you links layer and copy of links layers visible, then Merge/merge visible, rename this layer links.

Select your preset shapes tool, set it to triangle and your foreground colour to null., background colour white, antialias and vector checked.
Holding down right mouse button and drawing from the bottom upwards, draw a small triangle so that the flat top edge is just the width of the central connecting link, if it comes up a little big you can adjust it by pushing either the centre right or centre left handle inwards a little. When you are satisfied with your mount, right click on the layer palette and convert to raster, name it mount.
Take your selection tool set to rectangle and draw a small rectangle just across the lower apex of the triangle, just enough to take the point off it, make sure you have the mount layer selected and hit delete.

Now, that's it for the drawing part, the next part is up to you and how you want your chain to look you may choose to use a super blade pro preset or you can use PSP's own Texture/Sculpture/Gold or Silver pre sets, either way the steps are the same

In your layer palette select your chain layer, Selections/select all, Selections/float, Apply your desired Blade Pro or PSP pre set, Selections/select none.

In your layer palette select your links layer, Selections/select all, Selections/float, Apply your desired Blade Pro or PSP pre set, Selections/select none.
Effects/3D effects/Drop Shadow and apply a drop shadow with these settings, H & V 0, Opacity 80, Blur 4, Colour black.

In your layer palette select your mount layer, Selections/select all, Selections/float, Apply your desired Blade Pro or PSP pre set, Selections/select none.
Effects/3D effects/Drop Shadow and apply a drop shadow with these settings, H & V 0, Opacity 80, Blur 4, Colour black.

Hide your black background layer, Layers/merge/merge visible, Edit/copy, Edit/paste as new image, File/export/picture tube, name and save.

Now if you would like to make a beautiful locket to hang on your chain click here and you will be transported to Tutorials at TrishsDreams.

Results of my Testers

 

Tutorials Menu