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Step 1

Start by creating a new image 300 X 300 with the background color set to black (#000000) This will help with the visual appeal for our diamond pattern.

Layer > New Raster Layer > Ok

This next step is going to seem a bit odd compared to what you would normally see done on a regular tutorial. We're going to add the primary gradient color for our diamond first, then cut out the pattern and add the rest of the effects. It'll be fun, trust me.

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On the Materials palette, click on the Foreground color and select the Gradient tab. Click on the image to open the available gradients and select Metal Chrome. Use the following settings:

Use the Flood Fill Tool (F) and fill the layer:

Now we'll start to create the pattern.

On the Tools toolbar, select the Selection Tool (S)

On the Tool Options palette, Selection type: Square

Create a fairly good size square selection towards the center of the canvas:

I love this next trick, it can be done with any selection or custom selection. Are you ready? Here we go.

Selections > Edit Selection

You'll notice that our selection is now a salmon red color:

This gives you the ability to actually resize or move the selection. Were going to rotate our selection 45 degrees, here's how.

On the Tools toolbar, select the Raster Deform Tool (D) (or Pick Tool if your using Psp X). You should now see several small square points around the selection. These are called nodes. You could grab it from the center node to rotate it:

or the fastest and most precision method (the one I usually prefer to use) is to look up at the Tool Options palette and locate the Angle:, enter 45:

Depending on how large you made your selection is may look similar to this:

If it does, simply grab it from the center node and reposition it back towards the center. BUT, before you do, let me explain what were looking for. Focus on the Metal Chrome layer. You want to move the selection just where you notice the dark color starts to meet the light color. Like this:

I've placed a small red arrow to give you a general idea. Keep in mind however that it doesn't need to be precise.

Now let's bring back the selection your probably used to seeing.

Selections > Edit Selection

Step 2

Now we'll finish cutting our pattern.

Selections > Invert

Now, on your keyboard, hit the Delete key.

Selections > Select None

Your image should now look similar to this:

On the Tools toolbar, select the Selection Tool (S)

On the Tool Options palette, Selection type: Rectangle

Going from corner to corner create a large selection across or pattern like this:

Little bit of a tricky part here. Take your mouse and click on the lower portion of the gradient. This will "float" the selection:

We're going to put this piece on it's own layer.

Layers > New Raster Layer... > Ok

Because our new layer is actually above the floating selection let's move it down.

Layers > Arrange > Move Down

Let's save this selection to the alpha channel. We'll be using it for the finishing touches.

Selections > Load/Save Selection > Save Selection To Alpha Channel... > Save

Selections > Select None

On the Tools toolbar, select the Move Tool (M) and move the top piece of our pattern upwards just a little bit:

Do you see the pattern taking shape yet? This next step should help.

On the Tools toolbar, select the Selection Tool (S)

Once you determine the height that you want the top of your diamond to be, create a selection across the upper half of the pattern like so:

Now, on your keyboard, hit the Delete key.

Selections > Select None

Now you have your diamond pattern:

Step 3

Now that we have our pattern, we need to set up for adding the rest of the effects. This is the fun part of the whole project.

Make sure that Guides are turned on. View > Guides

Were going to position three guides, one on each of the corners, and one in the center of our pattern:

On the Layers palette, select the top layer:

Layers > Merge > Merge Down

Let's create a selection for the whole image and save it to the alpha channel. We can use this second alpha channel later for clean up around the edges towards the end.

Selections > Select All [Keyboard shortcut: CTRL + A]

Selections > Float [Keyboard shortcut: CTRL + F]

Selections > Defloat [Keyboard shortcut: CTRL + Shift + F]

Selections > Load/Save Selection > Save Selection To Alpha Channel... > Save

Selections > Select None

Step 4

Oh joy, now we get to create lots and lots of little diamond shapes :)

On the Materials palette, click on the Foreground color and select the Gradient tab. Click on the image to open the available gradients and select Fading White . Use the following settings:

You'll be doing these next few steps quite a bit for the rest of this tutorial.

Layers > New Raster Layer... > Ok

Selections > Load/Save Selection > Load Selection From Alpha Channel... > Load.

Use the Flood Fill Tool (F) and fill the layer:

Selections > Select None

On the Tools toolbar, select the Raster Deform Tool (D)

What were going to do is reshape this piece. Grab it from the center right hand node and bring in inwards until it's centered between the middle and right hand guide:

Repeat the same step for the left side. Grab it from the center left hand node and bring in inwards until it's centered between the middle and left hand guide:

If you think that's fun watch this next step.

Layers > Duplicate

Grab it from the center right hand node and line it up with the center guide:

Now, grab it from the bottom center node and bring it upwards until the tip lines up the edge of the triangle pattern beneath it:

Layers > Duplicate

Image > Mirror

Now we have the other side completed let's make it a shade darker. Don't be afraid to move it around a little if you need to keep everything neatly in line.

Adjust > Brightness and Contrast > Brightness/Contrast... > Brightness: -83 Contrast: 15 > Ok

Not to bad so far. Two sides and a top to go.

Layers > Duplicate

Image > Mirror

Small hair ball here, so take your time. Here we go.

On the Tools toolbar, select the Selection Tool (S)

We want to cut this smaller triangle in half. Create a selection through the center of the triangle:

Now, on your keyboard, hit the Delete key.

Selections > Select None

On the Tools toolbar, select the Raster Deform Tool (D)

Move the piece to the left until the top right edge lines up with the top left edge of the lighter triangle:

Can you guess what were going to do now? If you guessed were going to bring the bottom tip upwards, it's time for Starbucks. GOTCHA. Instead were going to grab the bottom right hand corner node and stretch it up against the lighter triangle. To do this hold down on the Shift key on your keyboard and move it to the right:

We'll make this piece a little darker.

Adjust > Brightness and Contrast > Brightness/Contrast... > Brightness: -83 Contrast: 15 > Ok

Now let's complete the left side.

Layers > Duplicate

Let's brighten this piece up.

Adjust > Brightness and Contrast > Brightness/Contrast... > Brightness: 88 Contrast: 15 > Ok

Move this piece to the far left edge:

Now we'll complete the right edge.

Layers > Duplicate

Image > Mirror

Brighten this piece up a bit more.

Adjust > Brightness and Contrast > Brightness/Contrast... > Brightness: 88 Contrast: 15 > Ok

One more piece here.

Layers > Duplicate

Now move it towards the center triangle:

This completes the bottom portion of our diamond.

Step 5

Now let's do the top.

Layers > New Raster Layer... > Ok

On the Tools toolbar, select the Selection Tool (S)

On the Tool Options palette, Selection type: Square

Were going to create a smaller piece almost the same way we did the main pattern. Create a small square selection along the top of our diamond pattern:

Selections > Edit Selection

On the Tools toolbar, select the Raster Deform Tool (D)

on Tool Options palette enter 45 for the Angle:

Now, lets move the selection back towards the center by grabbing it from the center node, only this time make sure that you line up the bottom node up with the bottom of top piece of our pattern:

Selections > Edit Selection

Our Foreground color should still be set to use the Fading White gradient.

Use the Flood Fill Tool (F) and fill the layer

We'll make this piece a little darker.

Adjust > Brightness and Contrast > Brightness/Contrast... > Brightness: -124 Contrast: 15 > Ok

Selections > Select None

Your image should now look similar to this:

On the Tools toolbar, select the Selection Tool (S)

Create a selection over half of the new piece:

We'll make this piece brighter.

Adjust > Brightness and Contrast > Brightness/Contrast... > Brightness: 255 Contrast: 15 > Ok

Selections > Select None

Because this piece is a bit brighter, we'll help define it's edge a bit more.

Layers > Duplicate

Even if just a little bit, you'll notice that the edges of the image are much better defined.

Layers > Merge > Merge Down

Now let's make this piece a bit wider, and bring the top edge down.

On the Tools toolbar, select the Raster Deform Tool (D)

Stretch both the left and right pieces wider (not to much) and bring the top edge down:

Layers > Duplicate

Image > Mirror

Move it over to the left edge. Go ahead and reshape it if you need to. When your finished, lets darken it.

Adjust > Brightness and Contrast > Brightness/Contrast... > Brightness: -73 Contrast: 15 > Ok

Now the other side.

Layers > Duplicate

This time, don't mirror it, just move it over the right edge:

On the Tools toolbar, select the Selection Tool (S)

Create a selection over half of the new piece:

We'll make this piece brighter.

Adjust > Brightness and Contrast > Brightness/Contrast... > Brightness: 255 Contrast: 15 > Ok

Selections > Select None

On the Layers palette, your top layer should be highlighted. hide the bottom layer:

Layers > Merge > Merge Visible

Un hide the bottom layer:

Step 6

Now some touch up features.

On the Tools toolbar, select the Freehand Selection Tool

On the Tool Options palette, Selection type: Point to point

What we need to do here, it create for "crystal" edges. This is really easy to do and the relaxation part of our creation. What were going to is click on 4 areas to create a selection.

Click on 1 > 2 > 3 > and back to 1. When you get back to 1, right click one time on your mouse. This will create the selection:

Adjust > Brightness and Contrast > Brightness/Contrast... > Brightness: 43 Contrast: 15 > Ok

Selections > Select None

Lets move to the top:

Adjust > Brightness and Contrast > Brightness/Contrast... > Brightness: 255 Contrast: 15 > Ok

Selections > Select None

Next the left corner:

Adjust > Brightness and Contrast > Brightness/Contrast... > Brightness: 26 Contrast: 15 > Ok

Selections > Select None

Next corner.

Adjust > Brightness and Contrast > Brightness/Contrast... > Brightness: -63 Contrast: 15 > Ok

Selections > Select None

Hey you think this is confusing, try creating this on your own! Talk about caffeine overkill!

Next corner.

Adjust > Brightness and Contrast > Brightness/Contrast... > Brightness: 38 Contrast: 15 > Ok

Selections > Select None

One more.

Adjust > Brightness and Contrast > Brightness/Contrast... > Brightness: 38 Contrast: 15 > Ok

Selections > Select None

Congratulation to those that made it this far!

Step 7

The stain effect.

Layers > Duplicate

Effects > Texture Effects > Soft Plastic... and use the following settings:

On the Layers palette, your top layer should be highlighted. Set the Blend Mode to Color (Legacy):

Adjust > Color Balance > Manual Color Correction... and use the following settings:

Layers > Merge > Merge Down

You should now have the basics for creating a diamond. You can also play with the other colors to create several different variations of gems.

Congratulations! It may not an expensive diamond, but it's a diamond none the less. Enjoy!