Christmas Baubles
by Nannette Dalton

Design your own Christmas bauble using the Spherize Filter and a lens flare.

Step One: Prepare the Workspace

• Create a new 3 X 3 inch document (File > New> Blank File) at 300 ppi with a transparent background. (Photoshop: Choose File > New.)
• Press the letter D to reset the Color Chips to the default of black and white.

Step Two: Create the Bauble Shape

• Get the Ellipse tool.
• In the Tool Options, set the Style to None and click on the Create New Shape Layer icon. (Photoshop: Set the Tool Mode to Shape and the Path Operations to New Layer.) Open the Geometry Options and choose Circle.
• On the document, click and drag to create a circle leaving about a 1 inch border on all sides. Press the Space bar to reposition the circle while dragging. The circle will expand as we apply the filters.

Step Three: Decorate the Bauble

• Open a paper (File > Open) to decorate the bauble.
• Get the Move tool.
• On the document, while holding down the Shift key, click on the paper and drag it onto the bauble document.
• Press Ctrl T (Mac: Cmd T) to get the Transform options.
• On the document, click on one of the corner handles of the Bounding Box and drag inward to resize the paper as needed. Click the checkmark to accept the transformation.
• In the Menu Bar, choose Layer > Create Clipping Mask.

Optional: At this point you can use the Bauble as is, or you can be as creative as you want in adding elements or text. I decided to add some personalized text for that “How did they do that” effect. My font is Bebas at 35 pt.

Step Four: Make a Sphere

• In the Menu Bar, choose Layer > Merge Visible.
• In the Menu Bar, choose Filter > Distort > Spherize.
• In the dialog box, set the Amount to 100%. Click OK.

Note: I wanted my bauble to have more of a rounded effect so I ran the Spherize filter again, but this time I changed the Amount to 65%. If you want to see how the Amount will affect your bauble, in the Preview window, click on the Minus button to make the bauble smaller.

Step Five: Add a Flare

• In the Menu Bar, choose > Filter > Render > Lens Flare.
• In the dialog box, set the Lens Type to 105 mm Prime and the Brightness to 100%. Position the lens flare it where it looks good to you. Click OK.

The bauble is ready to add to your layout.

Here is my layout with my bauble. I have added an ornament hanger that you can download here.

Here is my bauble combined with Barb’s Artsy Ornament Tutorial, Little House on the Prairie style. 😉

Credits:
Digi Scrap Tutorial: Christmas Baubles by Nannette Dalton
Layout: Santa’s Coming by Nannette Dalton
Kit: Spirit of Christmas by Laurie Ann
Dotted brush from Give Thanks by Anna Aspnes
Video Tutorial: Artsy Ornament by Barb Brookbank
Fonts: Myriad Pro Light, Bebas
Software: Photoshop CC2014, Elements 12

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Author: Nannette Dalton
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