Chocolate Kisses
PhotoImpact 8.0
 
Level:Beginner
needed items: Shader Presets
                             Foil Wrapper Presets
 
Description:  Use the path edit tool to create a chocolate kiss, and then use the retouch tools to shade it.

Preparation: Download and install the Shader and Foil Presets.

Creating the shape.
Open a new canvas, 400 X 400.
Click on the path tool, and change the shape to circle.
Draw a circle on your canvas. Mine is 250 X 250.
Right click, and click edit path.
Make sure your attribute bar is set to edit point, and you are working in non-free edit mode.
 		  
Click the node on the top center so that it is activated. Click and drag it over to the left. Try not to move up or down while dragging.
  
Now click the right control handle, and drag it up and to the left.
  

Under edit point, click the minus sign.
Point to and click on your bottom center node to delete it.
Right click and click Edit Attributes.

  
Click the transform tool, and making sure the lock in the attribute bar is unlocked, click on the left handle and slide it over to the right.
Coloring and shading your kiss.
Duplicate your kiss. Hold the control key while clicking on the kiss and dragging it to the side.
Working from the duplicate kiss, find and double click the chocolate brown shader preset.
Right click and convert object type/ from path to image.
We need to do this before we can use the retouch tools on the path item. 
***Note: after converting your object to an image object you will no longer be able to apply different presets, so make sure you have the right one before doing this step.***

Click on the arrow in the corner of the retouch tool and choose burn tool.
In the attribute bar, change the level to 25, and the size to 65. Drag your burn tool along the side of the kiss. make one side a little darker than the other. Shade the bottom a bit also.

 

Change the retouch tool to the bristle smear tool. Change the size to 65. Make a few strokes from the bottom up a little way to give the chocolate a little texture.

Change the retouch tool to the dodge tool, and change the level to 25 and the size to 65 again.
Rub just a bit in the center to produce a little shine.

  

  Coloring your wrapped kiss.
Click on the other kiss to activate it.
Find a foil preset and double click to apply it.
If the color of wrapper you want is not present in the presets, just click on the path tool, and the color to change it.
If you want to make more wrapped kisses, duplicate one for each color you want to make. Then you can easily change colors with the presets.
Note: In creating the silver wrapped kiss above, I didn't like the way the wrapper ended up, so I used the retouch /bristle smear brush to blend away the heavy creases. 		 

Creating the tag.
If you are using versions 7 or 8, switch to the free drawing shape of the path tool.
Click on the path tool, and under shape choose Free Drawing tool
Click and drag to outline a curvy shape for your tag. In the path tool panel, click on the shape tab, and set the accuracy to 10. Arrange the tag at the tip of the wrapped kiss, and use the pick tool's send to back function to arrange it at the back of the second kiss. Or open the tag you downloaded and drag it to the canvas.




Press the enter key in version 8 and the space bar in the lower versions to select the background. Fill with a color or gradient or a fill from the fill gallery. I used a blue and white gradient diagonal.
Frame or mask your creation if you like and save.
I hope you enjoyed this tutorial.


©Deb DeHaven