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Start by downloading this zip file, then extract and save the candy-corn-animation.mng, and the background.pspimage file to your hard drive.

Open the background.pspimage file in Paint Shop Pro. Select the text tool and choose your font settings. I used the settings below, with a foreground and background color of purple (#541D9F).

After you have your text settings adjusted, duplicate the text layer twice. Rename the top vector text layer "purple text". Rename the second vector text layer "white halo". Edit the text on the white layer to have a stroke width of 2, and change the foreground and background color to white. Rename the last vector text layer "gray shadow". Edit the text on the gray shadow layer to have the foreground and background both be gray (#6C6C6B).

Save the file with a new name so you still have an original copy of the background file.

Right click on the purple text layer and choose convert to raster layer. On the menu bar select Effects > 3D Effects > Inner Bevel. Use the settings below.

Convert the white halo layer into a raster layer and on the menu bar select Adjust > Blur > Gaussian Blur. Adjust the raduis to 4. On the menu bar select Effects > 3D Effects > Drop Shadow. Use the settings below.

Select the gray shadow layer and convert it to a raster layer. Choose the deform tool (d). Choose scale for the mode on the tool option palette. Put the mouse pointer over the top center handle. When the vertical, double headed arrow appears press and drag down until the gray shadow layer is half the height of the purple text layer. Change the Mode to Shear by holding down the shift key and pressing the top, center handle. While still holding shift drag the top, center handle to the right until the angle of the gray shadow layer looks like the angle of the shadows of the pumpkin and cat. Select Adjust > Blur > Gaussian Blur. Adjust the radius to 1.

Once the text and shadows look as you'd like save the image again. Select all (ctrl + a) and choose copy merged (ctrl + shift + c). Open candy-corn-animation.mng in Animation Shop. Select all (ctrl + a) of the frames and select File > Export Frames > To Paint Shop Pro (shift x).

Once the new image is created in PSP with the six frames exported from Animation Shop select the layer named frame 5. The merged copy of the text you created earlier should still be in memory so paste it in as a new layer (ctrl + L). Once this is done right click on the frame 6 layer and select Merge > Merge Down. Select the frame 4 layer and paste the merged text layer in again (ctrl + L), then right click on the frame 5 layer and merge down. Select the frame 3 layer and paste the merged text layer in again, then right click on the frame 4 layer and merge down. Select the frame 2 layer and paste the merged text layer in again, then right click on the frame 3 layer and merge down. Select the frame 1 layer and paste the merged text layer in again, then right click on the frame 2 layer and merge down. Paste in the merged text layer one last time. It will be called raster 6. Move the raster 6 layer beneath the frame 1 layer, right click on the frame 1 layer and merge down.

There will now be 6 layers named raster 1 throught raster 6. When this is done on the menu bar select Edit > Update back to Animation Shop. Make sure the update worked by toggling back to Animation Shop (alt + tab). Toggle back to PSP (alt + tab) and close the new image you just adjusted. You can save it or discard it. If you choose not to save it go and update the changes back to Animation Shop. Then toggle to Animation Shop. If you save the image you won't be prompted to update and you'll automatically be toggled to Animation Shop.

To preview the animation select View > Animation or click on the second to last button on the top tool bar. If everything looks as you'd like then save the file as a gif. If you're saving the image to use on the web I recommend not using spaces in the file name. For additional hints on saving gifs check out this tutorial.

I hope you enjoyed this tutorial, if so please share a link to my site with a friend. Happy Halloween!