COLORFUL PEACOCK

You will first need to download the Peacock Feather and the Peacock Body tubes.
These tubes were made using PSP 7

Click Here to download zipfile containing tubes. Unzip to your PSP tubes folder

Open New Image – I used 600x600 with Blue Background.
View at Normal Viewing 1:1.
This will give you enough room to work with and the overall size will be cropped later. 

Create a new raster layer. Highlight the new Layer and Click on the Tube Tool.  Choose the Peacock Feather SM tube. It doesn’t matter where you place the tube,
since we will be moving and rotating it on each layer. 

With the layer palette open and layer 1 highlighted, duplicate this layer (Layer 1) 8 times.
We are not going to rename these layers since we will be merging them later.

 To open the Layer Pallet. Click View – Toolbars – Click on the Layer Pallet.  

Highlight Layer 1 to make it active. Click on the eyeglasses on each copy of layer one.
You will now have a red X. By hiding the other layers it will be easier to see what you are working on. Using the deformation tool move the feather to the center of your workspace. 

Click the White Arrow on your tool bar to unselect the deformation tool.
Click on the magic wand tool , then click anywhere on the blue background to select the feather.
Then go to Selections and Invert.
Go back to Selections and Modify – Contract 2 pixels. Go to Effects – 3D Effects-Drop Shadow.
I used Offset – Vertical 3 – Horizontal 5. Attributes Opacity 50 Blur 10. Color is Black.
Go to Selections and click None.
You do not have to use the drop shadow effect, but it gives the picture more depth.

 Click on the red X to unhide the next layer and highlight to activate the next Feather Layer
and using the deformation tool, move the Peacock Feather on this layer to the left of the first feather
on Layer 1. Then rotate to turn outward to form the fan look to the first row of feathers.
Deselect the deformation tool and repeat the selection & drop shadow process –
(Click the magic wand tool to select the feather. Then go to Selection and Invert.
Go back to Selection and Modify – Contract 2 pixels. Go to Effects – 3D Effects-Drop Shadow.
I used Offset – Vertical 3 – Horizontal 5. Attributes Opacity 50 Blur 10. Color is Black – Selections None)

 Do this for each feather layer.
Alternating placing the feather tube on each side of the middle tube. 
If you do not like your placement of the feathers, you can go back to each layer
and move using the deformation tool.
Try to make a nice arch using the feathers.
Later we will be merging these layers so make sure you have them placed
where you want them, before you merge.

 This is what your picture should look like :

On the Layer Palette Click on the eyeglasses of the Background Layer to make this layer NOT visible.
This is important, because we will now merge all the visible layers.

Go to  Layers – Merge – Visible

Rename the Merged Layer – Peacock Feathers Row 1
 Click back on the Background Layer to make visible again

 Now would be a good time to save your work.
Save in psp format and name your file. I named mine Colorful Peacock.

For the 2^nd row of feathers  - Make 7 new layers making following the instructions as the first row. 
Place each feather below the first row and use the deformation tool to move and rotate.

 Your picture should now look something like this 

After you are sure of your placement, you can merge the 2^nd row of feather layers. 
Make the background and the FeatherRow1
Layer NOT visible by clicking on the eyeglasses of those layers

Layers – Merge Visible.
Make sure you are highlighted on one of the visible layers, otherwise you will only be allowed to Merge All and you want to just Merge Visible. Rename PeacockFeatherRow2.
Then make all 3 layers visible again to continue working.

Continue to create new layers for each row until the feather portion is full of feathers.
Should only take 4 rows. Place your feathers so they look natural,
place them at different angles and row heights. Merge each row after completed.
Don’t forgot to hide the background and previous merged rows each time and only merge visible the layers of the row you have just finished.

This is how your feathers will look when all rows are completed

Now you can Merge all the Peacock Feather Layers. 
Make sure again the background layer is NOT visible.
Highlight one of the Visible Layers and go to Layers – Merge – Visible.
Rename the merged layer, Peacock Feathers.
You should now have only 2 layers. The Background Layer and the Peacock Feathers Layer.

Highlight the Peacock Feather layer. Go to Effects – Illumination Effects – Sunburst.

 Use the following Settings. Or experiment on your own. 
In the left window you will see a white crossbar.
Move this bar to the lower middle of the feathers.
By moving this crossbar with your mouse,
the Light Spot Horizontal and Vertical settings will change according to your position. 
You can set the Rays – Density and Brightness Light spot brightness to my settings, but let the Light Spot  Horizontal and Vertical settings change with your crossbar.
Experiment with the color for the rays. I chose the aqua blue from the feather, but you may find another color that you like better

 Crop your image to cut off any excess background.
I like to add borders to make the edges look finished.
Use the color picker to pick a color from your image.
 I liked the yellow, but you can use any color you want.

 Go to Image – Add Borders. If it asks to Merge the image say Yes. 
Make sure there is a check mark on Symmetric and choose a border width. I
 chose 6, but you can experiment.
If you don’t like the border size, just edit undo and choose another size or color.

File – Save as – Name your file and save as .jpg