This tutorial was written using PSP 7.04. You can download a trial copy here

You will need a tube of Autumn Leaves and other autumn items to decorate your wreath. If you would like to use my leaves, acorns, pumpkins and mums, I have included them in this Zip Folder.

Now lets get started.

Open a new image.

Width= 500

Height= 500

Background Transparent

Resolution 72.000

16.7 Million Colors

Click on your Preset Shapes Tool

Shape is Elipse

Line Width is 2

Vector is checked

Antialias is checked

Set Forground color to Black (#000000)

Set Background color to Nil

Holding down the Shift Key, draw out a circle

Starting at coordinates 50 x 50

Click and hold your left mouse button while you drag your cursor to 400 x 400

your finished circle should look something like this

Go to Layers > Convert to Raster Layer

Add a new Raster Layer

Select your Tube Tool

Find your Autumn Leaf Tube

If you are using the included tube, set it for 70%

Place leaves all along the black line. When you are finished you should not see the line at all. You can add leaves on top of leaves to get the effect you want. You can also put in green leaves if you wish. This is how my first layer looks

Duplicate your layer of leaves

Layers > Duplicate

Go to Image > Resize
When the dialogue box pops up, set it up like this

Click OK

Go to Image > Rotate and rotate the layer to the right 20

Go to Effects > Sharpen > Sharpen

Repeat the last step beginning with duplicate your layer, two more times, making sure you are on the top and smallest ring when you start.

SAVE YOUR WORK!!

Go to Layers > Merge > Merge Visible

Go to selections > Select All

Go to Selections > Float

Go to Selections > Save to Alpha Chanel - when the dialogue box comes up just hit OK, and then OK again. We will need this selection later in the tutorial.

Now We have to Undo the last couple of things we did.

Go to Edit > Undo Float Selection

Go to Edit > Undo Select All

Go to Edit > Undo Merge Layers

Now you should have 4 layers. I would recommend going in and renaming them like I have in the screenshop below.

We are now going to add some dimension to our wreath.

Activate Ring 1 Layer

Go to Selections > Select all>

Selections > Float

Add a new raster layer.

Add a cutout with the following:

Vertical and Horizontal 0
Opacity 62
Blur 28.8
Color #B8430F or a dark color from your leaf tube.

Click OK

Deselect

Repeat the cut out step with each ring layer.

When you are done you should have 8 layers, like this.

Activate Ring 4 layer

Add a drop shadow with the following settings

Vertical and Horizontal 0
Opacity 62
Blur 22.2
Color Black

Click OK

Activate Ring 3 layer

Add a drop shadow with the same settings as above

Activate Ring 2 layer

Add a drop shadow with the same settings as above

Go to Selections > Load from Alpha Chanel and Click OK. This will load the selection we saved earlier.

Go to Selections > Invert

Activate Ring 4 layer and hit delete

Activate Ring 3 layer and hit delete

Activate Ring 2 layer and hit delete.

This deletes the part of the drop shadow that spilled into the center of your wreath.

Your Wreath should now look something like this

Only much larger.

Now go to Layers > Merge > Merge Visible and you can export it as a tube.

Now you can decorate your wreath with any fall tubes, bows, ribbons or anything else you think would look good on it.