Because of the differences in how both work, well we can create a similarity of the Photoshop version. It will not be 100% identical but will of course still be useful to learn.
Image 1:
1A. Taking the Ellipse Select tool we draw our circle. This done on a blank layer, the white layer is simply my background layer. So, I begin always with an empty layer.
1B. Filling in the selected area using the Paint Bucket tool, choosing once again #580001. If you click "More" on the Colors window you will get additional areas you can add your own colors. The digits are simply used in the Hex field below the RGB fields.
1C. Well, I am used to using the Pen Tool in PS but in Paint.NET I choose to use the Rectangle Select tool instead. So I can create the top of the ornament itself.
1D. Of course just simply use the Paint Bucket tool to fill in that area so it is one solid color as your sphere is.
Image 2:
2A. [NEW LAYER ADDED] Here is once again our fun part, pick what you wish your ornament to display. A text, decorations.. Silhouette, how you decorate is totally up to you.
2B. [NEW LAYER ADDED] Here we are using simple Paint Bucket to fill it with flat black #000000. To create our noise layer.
Effects/Noise/Add Noise
Noise settings I used:
Intensity: 40
Color Saturation: 0
Coverage: 100.00
Click Okay.
2C. Layer Properties for our noise layer.
Layers/Layer Properties Or simply F4 to bring up this new menu.
I change the Blending Mode from Normal to Screen.
This leaves some noise on my ornament to be.
2D. We want our noise a bit tighter. Bit smaller on the ornament itself so we select Move Selected Pixels. Click once on the noise layer and it selects the entire layer. Allowing 8 points you can resize just that one layer itself. So I want to resize it so its all closer to the sphere itself.
Image 3:
3A. I chose to uncheck the white background for some odd reason... But taking the Magic Wand tool, I select my sphere layer. Click once on the outside of the sphere, then select the noise layer so we can delete the outside noise.
3B. Merge all layers... So that the noise + decoration + sphere are now all one layer. Next we add a little Bulge. Effects/Distort/Bulge to add a little depth to the combined layers.
Bulge: 15
Center: (this one you may need play with to add it to the exact center, but doesnt have to be perfect.)
3C. [NEW LAYER ADDED] Taking the Ellipse Tool once again, create an oval. This is going to be our highlights. The light sources added. Fill with flat white #ffffff. Add a little Gaussian Blur. Effects/Blur/Gaussian Blur & about Radius 35 I went for...
3D. Well, here I am playing with what we're headed for.. Layer Properties.. as an Overlay we can create a PS style Dodge effect without having needed Photoshop, crazy world... Not a needed step but interesting what I stumbled upon there...
Image 4:
4A. So, with our Gaussian Blur layer I Add where I want more lighting to be added to our ornament. I duplicate the layer a few times, placing the blur at various points. Merging all the blur so it is one layer now...
4B. Course now... Same blur layer... Playing with Smudge, not a needed step... (has not admitted defeat in the eyes of Paint.NET yet!)
4C. Alright! Now same blur layer... Now the fun part to adding light in the form of a Dodge to our ornament.. Layer/Layer Properties or simply F4. To change it from Normal to Overlay. Click OK.
4D. I did not like how it came out so, well another Gaussian Blur and it's working for me.. Radius of about 50.
Image 5:
5A. Our highlighted ornament, finally... I admit I adore PS, but where is the fun if you cannot learn something new?
5B. Now we need some Burn or depth, shadows added so taking simple brush set to about 50 I fill in some dark areas I want...
5C. Now we don't want simple weird... odd looking painting.. So now we use Gaussian Blur once again... But this is too dark of course..
5D. Once again! Layer/Layer Properties or simply F4 We use this layer as an Overlay, set opacity to desired %, I went with about 50%
Image 6:
6A. [NEW LAYER ADDED] We need a little gloss added here. So taking our Ellipse Tool and flat white we create a white oval.
6B. Once again, Gaussian Blur set to about 70.. (Thank God, almost done!)
6C. [NEW LAYER ADDED] Now, we need a cap to help hang this ornament! Using my limited abilities in Paint, I take the Rectangle Select tool to help create and fill in the cap itself, also handy to help clean it up by selecting what you do not wish to have and deleting it.
6D. [NEW LAYER ADDED] This layer, now we add a little Dodge effect to the cap itself. Using the Ellipse Select tool to add another white oval to the cap area.
Image 7:
7A. Gaussian Blur, set to about 25. Which afterwards I use the Magic Wand tool selecting everything outside the cap area to delete. We only need the cap highlight on the cap area itself.
7B. [NEW LAYER ADDED] Ellipse Tool, flat black added for shadow.
7C. Cap shadow layer, Gaussian Blur about 35 Radius.
7D. Layer/Layer Properties or simply F4 to change it to Overlay since it's a bit too dark for my tastes... Of course, removing the excess blur with the Magic Wand Tool on the cap's outter area.
Image 8:
Now adding a string to hang your ornament is as simple as using the Line/Curve tool.
