Squares Upon Squares
Written by Meshi February 24, 2026 
Needed:
*Paint Shop Pro
This was written using PSP19, but can
easily be done in other versions.
*A tube that is close to square in dimensions,
and at least, 599 pixels tall. Without a main light color as center.
*Preset Shape A which is part of the Tiles
section and/or is part of PresetShapes (144).jsl
*Font: Too Freakin Cute
*Note: No outside filters are used.
-----------------------------------------

Let's Begin!

1. Open your tube in Paint Shop Pro.

2. Window - Duplicate
Close the original.

3. Crop Tool - Merged Opaque
Apply

4. Image - Resize
"By Pixels" place 599 for  the largest amount.
Be sure to checkmark the following:
Resample using: Smart size
* Use Bicubic if your tube isn't a lot larger.
Lock aspect ratio
Resize all layers
Note: There will be an option to resize later,
if you would like to at that time. 

5. Image - Canvas size
* We need this size for when we draw
out our preset shape.
New Dimensions
Width and Height 600 Pixels
Lock aspect ratio: unchecked
Placement center

6. View - Zoom to 100%, if needed.

7. Adjust - Sharpness - Unsharp
Radius: 1.00
Strength: 50
Clipping: 5
Luminance only = Checked
(I made as preset: low res normal half strength)
*Or use one of your choice.

8. Dropper Tool
Left click on a dark color from your tube.
Right click on a medium color.

9. Layers - New Raster Layer

10. Layers - Arrange - Move Down

11. Flood Fill Tool
Flood fill with your medium color.

12. In Layers Palette:
Highlight your tube layer.

13. Layers - Duplicate

14. Layers Palette:
Highlight your original tube layer.

15. Effects - Distortion Effects - Polar Coordinates
Choose Polar to rectangular.

16. Layers - Duplicate

17. Image - Flip - Flip Vertical

18. Layers - Merge - Merge Down

19. Edit - Repeat Layer Merge Down

20. Adjust - Blur - Gaussian Blur
Radius: 20.00

21. Preset Shape (Shortcut is P on keyboard)
Choose preset shape "A".
Anti-alias and Create as vector = Checked
Line style: Solid
Width 5.00
Starting at upper corner (x:0 y:0) draw your
shape down to the opposite bottom corner
to (x:599 y:599).
Follow image to see how to do it.

NOTE: If you don't see the x
and y numbers changing as you draw,  go to:
View - Toolbars - Status and try again.
*If you can only manage 598 x 598 that's
okay. It will work just fine.

22. Do NOT Convert to Raster Layer.

23. Selections - Select All

24. Selections - Float

25. Selections - Defloat

26. Selections - Modify - Contract
Number of pixels: 4

27. Flood Fill tool
Holding your Ctrl button down
right click on another color or shade
from your tube and then flood fill with
it.

28. Effects - Texture Effects -
Mosaic - Glass
Default

29. Selections - Select None

30. Effects - Inner Bevel
(Squares Upon Squares)
Bevel: 2, Width : 10
Smoothness: 2, Depth: 2
Ambience: 2, Shininess: 2
Color: White, Angle: 315
Intensity: 50, Elevation: 30

31. In Layers Palette:
Right click and convert the one
underneath to raster layer.

32. In Layers Palette:
Right click and Rename Frame Blur.
 
33. Crop Tool - Merged Opaque
Apply

34. In Layers Palette:
Highlight your bottom layer.

35. Layers - Duplicate

36. On duplicate copy:
Effects - Texture Effects - Mosaic - Antique
Default

37. In Layers Palette:
Lower Opacity of duplicate copy 50 - 60%.
*Or to what looks best to you.

38. In Layers Palette:
Highlight your Frame Blur layer.

39. Adjust - Blur - Gaussian Blur
Radius: 4

40. In Layers Palette:
Highlight the Promoted Selection
which is the next frame up a layer.

41. Effects - 3D Effects - Drop Shadow
(Squares Upon Squares 1)
Vertical: 5, Horizontal: 7
Opacity: 40, Blur: 10.00
Color = Any color that works well.
I think black gives it more depth.
But my tester liked white or light best.
*Or use a shadow you like better.

42. Effects - 3D Effects - Drop Shadow
(Squares Upon Squares 2)
Vertical: -1, Horizontal: -2
Opacity: 30, Blur: 3
*Or use one you like better.
 
43. In Layers Palette:
Toggle off visibility of your tube.

44. In Layers Palette
Highlight copy of background.

45. Edit - Copy Special - Copy Merged

46. Edit - Paste As New Layer

47. Image - Resize
Check By Percentage
Width and Height = 78
Resample using: Bicubic
Resize all layers = Unchecked

48. Image - Free Rotate
Direction = Right
Degrees = 45
Check Rotate single layer around
canvas center.

49. In Layers Palette
Toggle on your visibility of your tube and
highlight layer.

50. Time to decide how much of your
background you want showing behind, 
so unless you really like your tube as it is
we will resize your tube until you like
how it looks best.
Image - Resize
Change your Width/Height to 90 percent.

51. If you'd like more of your background showing:
Image - Resize
Change your Width/Height to 95.
*Repeat if needed.

52. If you would like your tag smaller:
Image - Resize
Change to By Pixels and place the
number you would like in the width.
Resize all layers = Checked

Still on your tube layer:
53. Effects - 3D Effects - Drop Shadow
Same shadow as before.
 
54. Effects - 3DEffects - Drop Shadow
(Squares Upon Squares 1)
Vertical: 5, Horizontal: 7
Opacity: 40, Blur: 10.00
*Or use one you like better.

55. Move Tool
Move your tube down to where it looks best.

56. Add your copyright information for
your tube.

NOTE: The next three steps are to make your own
"gradient glow" for your copyright to stand out.:

57. Layers - Duplicate

58. On original copyright info layer:
Effects - 3D Effects - Drop Shadow
Vertical and Horizontal = 1
Opacity =100, Blur = 5
Pick a light color from your tube.

59. Effects - 3D Effects - Drop Shadow
Vertical and Horizontal = -1

60. Text Tool
*If you don't want to use the background color
you currently have, hold down the Ctrl and right
click on another color on your tube.
Font: Too Freakin Cute
Size: 20 Units: Points, but it varies
so choose the size that works for you.
Bold Anti-alias: Sharp
Stroke width: 1.5 Create as: Vector

Optional:
61: Effects - 3D Effects - Inner Bevel
Same as before.

62. Optional:
Objects - Align - Horizontal Center.

63. Move Tool
Click on your name and using arrow
keys move up or down to where you
like it best.

64. Layers - Duplicate

65. Adjust - Blur - Gaussian Blur
Same as before.
 
66. Layers - Arrange - Send Down
This blur is to give depth, but if you
don't care for it, feel free to delete.

67. File > Export > JPEG Optimizer
Set compression value to: Choose 5 - 10
whatever looks best to you.
Chroma subsampling: YCbCr 2x2 2x2 1x1
OR
File - Save As
Save as type: PNG Portable Network Graphics (*.png)
This is my favorite way, but it is higher in KBs.
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A big thank you to Barbara for
helping make this tutorial the
best it can be to follow!
I hope you enjoyed my tutorial.
Feel free to do variations on it.
You can contact me if you have
any questions, or would like to
show me your results.
I would love to hear from you.
-Meshi