PSP Tutorials

You got all your supplies? Good let's get started!

There will be 2 parts to this tutorial and then we'll put them together to get the final image

First the easy part, the handle

Start by creating a new image 450x450

Select the Preset Shapes Tool settings: Rectangle, Create as Vector and Anti-alias checked, line style solid width=2.00

Set your colors to Foreground a brown color (I'm using #AA793F) and Background to the wood pattern you decided on. If you're using my pattern the settings should be set it to scale 150 angle 0.

Draw out a long,thin rectangle like this.(about 40x330)

Now it's time for the node edit! Don't panic! lol Actually here you can take creative license. I've got 2 hammers sitting here in front of me and both handles are different. Some are straight from top to bottom, some are wider on the bottom and the one I decided to do looks more like a bat. Basically just do what you feel looks good but if you want to do this like mine here is what you'll have to do.

Change all 4 nodes to symmetric to give more of a rounded look and add 6 more nodes (3 on left and 3 on right) and make sure they are symmetric. Shape as below.

Once you get the shape you want convert to raster layer and rename to handle.

Now to make it a little more round. Select the airbrush tool at these settings:

Apply a Gaussian Blur of 3 or 5 depending on how much color you got on in the previous step. Once you get it the way you like it merge these two layers visible.Rename this layer Handle.

This is where you should be

Add a new layer. Select Preset Shapes Tool with settings: Shape Rounded Rectangle, Create as vector and Anti-alias checked. Colors should be set to Foreground null, background black
Draw out a smallish rectangle a little wider than the bottom of the handle.

Now we need to node edit just a tad by changing the top 4 nodes to lines. This is pretty simple to figure out just right click on the node, node type - convert to line.
Also move the top two nodes to where they are touching the side of the handle.

Add a new layer and change your foreground color to light gray (I used #C0C0C0) background to null and select the line tool settings: line style - dot, width= 1.00 create as vector and anti-alias checked, single line (line segments in PSP 8)

Draw a line from the points you just made and go into node edit mode yet again. Change the left node to curve after and the right node to curve before. Pull both the handles down just a tad to give a slight curve. It should look like this

Don't worry about being exact because this is just a small detail.

Hide the Handle layer and merge these two layers visible.

Now to make this look more real Select the magic wand tool and click outside the shape. Invert your selection and add a new layer.

Select the magic wand using the same light gray color and same settings as before but change the size to 10 draw a straight line on the left side.

Apply a gausian blur of about 3. Hide all but these two layers and merge visible. Rename the layer to End cap

Select the Text tool with settings create as vector checked size 10 font of your choice as long as it's block (I used Bank Gothic light). Type in GENUINE HICKORY. Rotate the this layer Right 90 degrees.
Convert this layer to raster.

This part is optional but I like to add a small drop shadow to make this look more like it's carved into the wood. Settings are:

Offset = Vertical -1 Horizontal 0
Opacity = 60
Blur = 0
Color = White

You've now finished the first part of this tutorial. Next we'll be working on the head of the hammer and it's a little more difficult so now would be a good time to take a break.

You're back already? Ok click here to go the the second part.