How to Make Swirl Designs (and Freebie Examples at End of Tutorial)

How to Make Swirl Designs (and Freebie Examples at End of Tutorial)

This tutorial is for Rebecca!

Start with a basic swirl shape.

For this instance I'm using the swirl Shape from Scrapbooking Cop (I think... I'm sorry but I can't remember where I got it... If you know, please send me an email so I can give proper credit)

Put your shape out as I have.

Now Duplicate this shape (CTRL+J)

Hit CTRL+T on your Keyboard (Transform) to transform the duplicated image.

Do a Right Mouse Click over the Duplicated Image and cilck on "Flip Horizontal"

Lign your images up like I have here.

Highlight both layers and Merge them together (CTRL+E)

Take the Marquee tool (1) and draw a square around the bottom half of the image (2)

On your keyboard press "CTRL+X (CUT) to delete the bottom half.

Here is what we have so far...

Duplicate this! (CTRL+J)

Now we'll do the CTRL+T and do a right mouse click over the layer and "Flip Vertical"

Lign the middle sections up.

Now Highlight both layers and Merge (CTRL+E)

Duplicate your Merged Layers.

Let's Transform (CTRL+T) (1)

and now we want to Rotate it by 30%

Simply type in 30 (2) and hit Enter

Now Highlight both Layers and Duplicate them (Right Mouse click over the Layers and say "Duplicate Layers")

Now we want to Rotate these.

First do "CTRL+T (Transform)

Right Mouse Click Over the Image and then at the Top do as we did in the previous step, but this time type in 60.

Hit Enter when you're done.

Now Highlight the last 2 Layers and Duplicate them again.

(Right Mouse click over the Layers and say "Duplicate Layers")

Now we want to Rotate these.

First do "CTRL+T (Transform)

Right Mouse Click Over the Image and then at the top do as we did in the previous step, using the same number, 60. Hit Enter when you're done.

Highlight all the Layers and Merge them (CTRL+E)

Now duplicate this newly Merged layer (CTRL+J)

Let's Do the Transform (CTRL+T)

Now go to the top as you did in the previous steps, but let's rotate only by 15 this time.

Hit Enter when you're done.

Highlight both these Layers and you're done.

I'll show you how to do another swirl. At the end I'll show you examples with styles applied.

Here is a basic shape

I believe this shape is from the same set I used above.

I transformed this shape a bit. (CTRL+T) and moved the width in a bit.

Once you have it transformed you'll want to duplicate the layer (CTRL+J)

Now we'll flip the duplicated layer.

CTRL+T (Transform)

Right mouse click over the Image and choose "Flip Vertical"

Hit Enter.

It should already be lined up like I have it here.

If not, line it so you like how it looks.

Highlight both of these layers and merge them (CTRL+E)

Duplicate this newly merged layer (CTRL+J)

Transform (CTRL+T)

Right Mouse click over Image and "Flip Vertical"

Now bring the new layer down and match up the insides as I have here.

Highlight both these layers and merge (CTRL+E)

Duplicate the image (CTRL+J)

Transform (CTRL+T)

Now go to the top and Rotate Image (as we did previously). For this swirl let's move it 30%.

Type in 30 and hit Enter when you're done.

Highlight both these layers and merge them (CTRL+E)

Duplicate the layer you just rotated (CTRL+J)

Now we need to rotate it... Transform (CTRL+T)

Do as you did in the previous step and rotate the image by 30.

Hit Enter when you're done.

Highlight both the layers and merge (CTRL+E)

That's it. They are now ready to add some styles too.

Here are some I've added Styles to.

You can download these to see how they look.

Download the examples here!