Design Aglow FAQ - The five questions posted most recently: Frequently Asked Questions http://www.artsybytes.com/phpmyfaq <![CDATA[Sweet 16 Fleur Tutorial]]> WELCOME
Hello and welcome to the Sweet 16 tutorial.  This document will familiarize you with how your new product functions.  This product works by
using a template (.psd file in your download folder) and a Photoshop action (.atn file in your download folder) to automatically place your images within the 16 frames in a matter of minutes.
WHAT'S IN YOUR DOWNLOAD FOLDER
This template is simple, fun, and so easy to use!  First, let's take a look at what came in your download folder.
read_me_pretty_please_template_copyright.txt - This text file contains a quick word on copyright. 

SWEET_16_FLEUR.atn - This is the action you'll load into Photoshop to add your images to the template. 

SWEET_16_FLEUR.jpg - This is a preview of template.

SWEET_16_FLEUR.psd - This is the template you will be using in Photoshop.

tutorial.txt - This text file contains a link to the tutorial you're reading now.

 

GETTING STARTED

First, decide what size you would like your collage to be:

This collage was limited to 10x10 at 300 dpi to speed up  the download time.

If you would like to up-size the collage please do so before running the action and inserting your images.  This will yield a much better quality print.

Simply go to Image-->Image Size--> in Photoshop and make sure that "Constrain Proportions" is checked.
ADDING IMAGES
To use the automatic action to place your images into the template:

1 )) Open the PSD file (SWEET_16_FLEUR.psd) into Photoshop.

2 )) Load the action “SWEET_12_FLEUR.atn” into your Actions palette in Photoshop.  (If you need help with loading actions we have a wonderful tutorial that explains everything at designaglow.com/how.

3 )) Press “Play” on the Sweet 16 Fleur action in your Actions Palette. (You can choose “INSERT ALL” to fill all sixteen frames in order, or add one image at a time by choosing the corresponding “INSERT IMAGE” action.)  

4 )) Follow any instructions that pop up along the way.

That’s it!  After the action inserts your images you must play the action “*REMOVE NUMBERS*” to make the numbers disappear.


CHANGING THE COLOR OF A FRAME

You can change the color of any of the frames using the current color fill.

To change the color of a frame with the current color fill:

1)) Select the layer you would like to change in the LAYERS palette.
 
2)) Double click the colored box to the left of the layer name.
 

3)) Select a color.

4)) Click "OK".

TO ADD TEXT IN THE FRAMES:

1 ))  Select the topmost layer in your layers palette (this will probably be the "NUMBERS" layer. (This way, it will create our text layer at the very top, so we can move it where ever we like without worrying about it being covered up by another layer. 
2)) Using the Type tool, click over top of the the desired frame and begin typing. Press Enter when you are done to finalize the text.
If you would like to move it to another frame, simply select this layer and use the move tool to drag it to a new location.
INSERTING YOUR IMAGES BY HAND:

Although the action is great for speed, at times you may want to insert your images into the template by hand.  This could occur when you want to work on the template and then save it for later, or when you need to change out an image that you placed by accident.  The good news is it is very easy to place your images by hand, simply perform the following steps:

1 ))  Locate the image layer you would like to populate in your layers palette.  The name of the layer will correspond to the number present above the template.  For example, if you would like to populate image layer “1”, you will want to locate “LAYER 1” in the layers palette.

2 )) Click once on the layer to highlight it.

3 ))  Open the image you would like to insert into this position and drag it onto the template by using the “Move Tool” ( Keyboard shortcut “V”).

4 )) Now, to get your image to fit within the image layer, we need to apply a “clipping mask”. To do this, go to LAYER -> CREATE CLIPPING MASK in our top menu in Photoshop.  The image will now take on the shape of the heart.

5 ))  The image will probably not fit correctly within the frame at first, so at this time you can resize the image by using the “Free Transform Tool” (Keyboard Shortcut Control+T, or Apple T on a Mac).  Resize the image by dragging in the corners of the transform frame and don’t forget to hold down the Shift Key to maintain perspective.  When you are happy with the size and position of your image, simply press “Enter” to apply the transformation.  Repeat this step for subsequent images.

Don’t forget to remove the “NUMBERS” layer from the template by dragging it to the tiny trash can at the bottom of you layers palette.


CHANGING OUT IMAGES:

At times you may want to change out image in your template after the action is run.  This is very easy to do, it’s just important to understand how the template is set up.  If you look at your layers palette after the action is run, you will see that your images appear on top of each of the frames.  To find the image that you would like to change out, simply locate the frame in your Layers Palette and look to the layer directly above it - this will be the image that you will take out and replace.  To remove the image, click on it once to highlight it and then click the trash can at the bottom of your layers palette.  Now, follow the steps above (manually inserting your images) to insert your new image.  Or, select the appropriate “INSERT IMAGE” action.
]]> http://www.artsybytes.com/phpmyfaq/index.php?action=artikel&cat=87&id=135&artlang=en Tue, 17 Aug 2010 20:51:00 GMT <![CDATA[Larger Than Life Tutorial]]> In this tutorial we'll go over the basic aspects of your new collage template.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

These templates were limited to 30x40 and 30x30 @ 100 dpi to speed up  the download time.

If you would like to up-size the dpi of the the collage (which we recommend) please do so before running the action and inserting your images.  This will yield a much better quality print.

Simply go to Image-->Image Size--> in Photoshop and make sure that "Constrain Proportions" is checked.  You will probably want to change the dpi to 300, but it may be different for each lab. 

Also, these templates are based on WHCC's 1 1/2 inch gallery wrap canvas, which uses a 2 inch wrapped area on every side.  Make sure you check with your preferred vendor and use their specifications to properly size your template. Remember, these files are currently 30x40 (with a 2 inch wrap on every side).  If you want to make a canvas of any other size, you should change the size before adding your images.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

INSERTING IMAGES USING THE AUTOMATIC ACTIONS:
As you read in the product description before purchasing the templates, the actions have been tested to be compatible with Photoshop CS3 and later.  However, even if you have an older version of Photoshop, we always recommend trying out the action to see if it will work for you before adding your images by hand.

1 )) Open the PSD file (such as STYLE_1.psd) into Photoshop.

2 )) Load the action “LARGER THAN LIFE - INSERT IMAGES.atn” into your Actions palette in Photoshop.  (If you need help with loading actions we have a wonderful tutorial that explains everything at designaglow.com/how.

3 )) Press “Play” on the corresponding action within the LARGER THAN LIFE action in your Actions Palette.  (For "STYLE_1.psd", choose the STYLE_1 action.  (To insert only one image at a time, you can also choose a certain image layer, then press the "INSERT ONE IMAGE" action.)  

4 )) Follow any instructions that pop up along the way.


INSERTING IMAGES BY HAND USING CLIPPING MASKS (If you don't want to use the included actions):

Inserting your own images into the templates is very easy.  Perform the following steps:

1)) Select the image layer you would like to populate in your LAYERS palette (It will be called "IMAGE LAYER 1", "IMAGE LAYER 2", etc.).

2)) Open your image and drag it onto the template using your MOVE tool (Keyboard shortcut "V")

3)) Your image will be placed above the IMAGE LAYER, but right now it will probably appear quite large.

4)) With the image you've just placed selected, choose "CREATE CLIPPING MASK" from the drop down menu at the top right of the layers palette.  This will confine your image within the boundaries of the IMAGE LAYER.

5))  Use the FREE TRANSFORM tool (Keyboard shortcut Control+T) and drag in the corners of your image to position it correctly within the frame.  (Hold SHIFT while you drag to constrain proportions, so your image won't get "smooshed".)

6)) Press Enter to apply the transformation.
INSERTING IMAGES BY HAND (USING THE "PASTE INTO" METHOD, IF YOU'RE UNABLE TO USE CLIPPING MASKS)
1)) Select the image layer you would like to populate in your LAYERS palette (It will be called "IMAGE LAYER 1", "IMAGE LAYER 2", etc.).
2)) COMMAND+click on the layer mask attached to that layer to select it.  You should now see marching ants around that image layer on the template to show that it's selected.
3)) Open your image and choose SELECT->ALL from the top menu (or COMMAND+A).  You wil now see marching ants around the whole image to show that it's selected.
4)) Choose EDIT->COPY (or COMMAND+C).
5)) Go back to your Larger Than Life Template, and choose EDIT->PASTE INTO (or COMMAND+SHIFT+V). 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


WHAT TO DO WITH THE "WRAPPED" AREA:

Once you've added your images to the template, you may want to change the color of the area that will wrap around the sides of the canvas.

To do so, double click the color block on the THIS AREA WILL BE WRAPPED layer in the layers palette, choose a new color, and click OK.
]]> http://www.artsybytes.com/phpmyfaq/index.php?action=artikel&cat=83&id=132&artlang=en Wed, 23 Jun 2010 13:13:00 GMT <![CDATA[Organic Paradise Album Templates Tutorial]]> Hello and welcome to our Organic Paradise Album Templates.  Please take a moment to read this important information about your product.

These templates are simple, fun, and so easy to use!  First, let's take a look at what came in your first download folder.  We've split the download into two folders, to make downloading a bit easier.  "Part 1" contains all of the following, except the PSD files for pages 14-30 and the cover, which are contained in "Part 2". Once you download both folder, we suggest taking the PSD files from the second download folder and adding them to the first folder.  

ALBUM - Within this folder you will find the templates for the album.  It will contain two subfolders ->JPEG_PREVIEWS (which contains a preview of each of the spreads) and PSD_FILES (which contains the templates you will be using in Photoshop).

BONUS PORTFOLIO BOX - This folder contains a bonus image portfolio box made with Finao templates (finaoonline.com) in four sizes (8x10, 10x10, 11x14, 13x13).  It will contain a subfolder called PSD_FILES, which contains the templates you will be using in Photoshop, and a small jpeg preview file called PREVIEW.jpg.

INSERT IMAGES.atn - This is the action file that you can use to automatically insert your images into the album templates and the image portfolio box.

read_me_pretty_please_template_copyright.txt - This text file contains a quick word on copyright.

tutorial - What you are reading now.

You will also notice that the PSD's appear to be blank.  Don't worry, they're not!  We've simply filled the top layer with white to help shrink the size for download.  Simply open each psd file, delete the top white layer, and resave.

GETTING STARTED

When you downloaded your Organic Paradise Album from the Design Aglow website you should have saved it in an easy-to-find location somewhere on your hard drive.  Take a moment to locate the folder.  Ready?  Great!  Let's move on.

First thing's first - you must unzip the folder before using any of the templates.  This is very important as Photoshop will not be able to work with the files in zipped format.  Use your favorite extraction program for this, such as WinZip (www.winzip.com) or StuffIt (www.stuffit.com).

After you have successfully unzipped your folder you should strongly consider backing up everything just in case you ever accidentally over-write one of the original templates.  This is always a good idea as re-downloading these huge files can be quite a bummer.  Use a blank DVD or portable thumb drive to save a copy, and put it in a safe place. 

SOFTWARE YOU WILL NEED 

These templates are designed for Adobe Photoshop CS3 or newer. This is not to say that they don't work with previous versions - they very well may. 

In order to take full advantage of these templates, you should be relatively proficient in Photoshop. Not an expert, mind you. But you should have a general knowledge of layers, shapes, text and image manipulation such as using the transform tool, layer masks, etc.

If you are less familiar with Photoshop, don't fear. We will try to be as thorough as possible with the tutorial - and hey, you might just learn something new!

WILL THESE TEMPLATES WORK WITH PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS?

We are all Photoshop people here, so it is hard to say which products are compatible with Photoshop Elements. We have heard from many customers that the PSD templates work just fine, but a few have had problems with the actions, depending on which version of PSE they are running. However, we don't see any reason why the templates would not work as long as your version of PSE has the following capabilities:

2. It has the ability to display adjustment layers including solid color fills.

3. It can display clipping masks.

4. It can run actions.

If you think that this all applies to your version of PSE, go ahead and give the templates a try.

FONTS

If you would like to maintain the look of the font on the portfolio boxes you will need to download the fonst: ParmaInitialenMK and Bradley Hand ITC.

The fonts we use in our designs are usually freeware or shareware fonts available on the internet.  We cannot include the fonts in your download because they are protected under copyright.  However you can download them directly from their creators.   We find that if you type in the name of the font into your favorite search engine you will come up with several download sources.  

TO USE THE AUTOMATIC ACTION TO PLACE YOUR IMAGES INTO THE TEMPLATES:

1 )) Open the PSD album page that you would like to work on into Photoshop (such as 0203.psd).

2 )) Load the action “INSERT IMAGES.atn” into your Actions palette in Photoshop.  (If you need help with loading actions we have a wonderful tutorial that explains everything at designaglow.com/how.

3 )) Press “Play” on the “ORGANIC PARADISE - INSERT IMAGES” action in your Actions Palette.  

4 )) Follow any instructions that pop up along the way.

5)) Once you’ve added your images, customized color and text and have your album page the way you want, you can flatten and save your file.  BE SURE TO ALWAYS DO A “SAVE AS” SO THAT YOU DO NOT OVERWRITE THE ORIGINAL TEMPLATE!!

INSERTING IMAGES BY HAND: (If you choose not to use the image inserting action that is included):

1)) Select the image layer you would like to populate in your LAYERS palette.

2)) Open your image and drag it onto the template using your MOVE tool (Keyboard shortcut "V")

3))  Click on the tiny black triangle in your LAYERS palette to pull up the drop-down menu and choose "Create Clipping Mask".

4))  Use the FREE TRANSFORM tool (Keyboard shortcut Control+T) and drag in the corners of your image to position it correctly within the frame.

5)) Press Enter to apply the transformation.

Repeat this step with any subsequent images.

TO CHANGE THE COLOR OF A DESIGN ELEMENT IN YOUR TEMPLATE:

Using a color fill - PHOTOSHOP CS AND NEWER

1.  Select the layer of the element you would like to change in the LAYERS palette

2. At the bottom of your LAYERS palette you will see several little icons.  Choose the "Make adjustment layer" icon (it is a tiny circle filled with half black and half white)

3.  Click this icon and choose "SOLID COLOR".

4.  Choose the color you would like to make the element when the dialog box appears.

5.  Now, from the top menu in Photoshop, choose LAYER->MAKE CLIPPING MASK. This will fill your design element with the selected color while leaving the rest of the template alone.

6.  Change the blending mode to "Color" at the top left of the layers palette.  (It will currently be set to "Normal")

7.  To change the color again, simply double click the colored box next to the words "Color Fill "x"" and choose a new color.

Repeat these steps for any subsequent design elements.

You can also change the color using a Hue/Saturation layer.

1. Select the layer you would like to change in the LAYERS palette. 

2. At the bottom of your LAYERS palette you will see several little icons.  Choose the "Make adjustment layer" icon (it is a tiny circle filled with half black and half white) 

3.  Click this icon and choose "Hue/Saturation". 

4. Slide the "Hue" slider until you find a shade you like.

]]> http://www.artsybytes.com/phpmyfaq/index.php?action=artikel&cat=99&id=149&artlang=en Wed, 09 Jun 2010 20:22:00 GMT <![CDATA[Simple Luxuries Album Template Tutorial]]>
These templates are simple, fun, and so easy to use!  First, let's take a look at what came in your first download folder. 

SIMPLE LUXURIES ALBUM.atn - This is the action file that you can use to automatically insert your images into the templates.
JPEG_PREVIEWS - This folder contains a preview of each of the spreads.
PSD_FILES - This folder contains the templates you will be using in Photoshop (pages 1-15).
read_me_pretty_please_template_copyright.txt - This text file contains a quick word on copyright.
tutorial - What you are reading now.

The second download folder will contain the PSD files of pages 16-30 and the cover spread.  We've split this in two to make it a bit easier to download.  Once you download the second folder, simply add pages 16-30 and the cover to the first PSD folder you downloaded.

You will also notice that the PSD's appear to be blank.  Don't worry, they're not!  We've simply filled the top layer with white to help shrink the size for download.  Simply open each psd file, delete the top white layer, and resave.

GETTING STARTED

When you downloaded your Simply Luxuries Album from the Design Aglow website you should have saved it in an easy-to-find location somewhere on your hard drive.  Take a moment to locate the folder.  Ready?  Great!  Let's move on.

First thing's first - you must unzip the folder before using any of the templates.  This is very important as Photoshop will not be able to work with the files in zipped format.  Use your favorite extraction program for this, such as WinZip (www.winzip.com) or StuffIt (www.stuffit.com).

After you have successfully unzipped your folder you should strongly consider backing up everything just in case you ever accidentally over-write one of the original templates.  This is always a good idea as re-downloading these huge files can be quite a bummer.  Use a blank DVD or portable thumb drive to save a copy, and put it in a safe place. 

SOFTWARE YOU WILL NEED 

These templates are designed for Adobe Photoshop CS3 or newer. This is not to say that they don't work with previous versions - they very well may. The files are un-flattened, fully editable PSDs that offer literally limitless opportunity for customization and creativity.

In order to take full advantage of these templates, you should be relatively proficient in Photoshop. Not an expert, mind you. But you should have a general knowledge of layers, shapes, text and image manipulation such as using the transform tool, layer masks, etc.

If you are less familiar with Photoshop, don't fear. We will try to be as thorough as possible with the tutorial - and hey, you might just learn something new!

WILL THESE TEMPLATES WORK WITH PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS?

We are all Photoshop people here, so it is hard to say which products are compatible with Photoshop Elements. We have heard from many customers that the PSD templates work just fine, but a few have had problems with the actions, depending on which version of PSE they are running. However, we don't see any reason why the templates would not work as long as your version of PSE has the following capabilities:

1. It can see "groups" within the layers palette.

2. It has the ability to display adjustment layers including solid color fills.

3. It can display clipping masks.

4. It can run actions.

If you think that this all applies to your version of PSE, go ahead and give the templates a try.

FONTS

If you would like to maintain the look of the font on the cover, you will need to download the font: "JB Calli".

The fonts we use in our designs are usually freeware or shareware fonts available on the internet.  We cannot include the fonts in your download because they are protected under copyright.  However you can download them directly from their creators.   We find that if you type in the name of the font into your favorite search engine you will come up with several download sources.  

TO USE THE AUTOMATIC ACTION TO PLACE YOUR IMAGES INTO THE TEMPLATES:

1 )) Open the PSD album page that you would like to work on into Photoshop (such as 0203.psd).

2 )) Load the action “SIMPLE LUXURIES ALBUM.atn” into your Actions palette in Photoshop.  (If you need help with loading actions we have a wonderful tutorial that explains everything at designaglow.com/how.

3 )) Press “Play” on the “SIMPLE LUXURIES ALBUM - INSERT IMAGES” action in your Actions Palette.  

4 )) Follow any instructions that pop up along the way.

5)) Once you’ve added your images, customized color and text and have your album page the way you want, you can flatten and save your file.  BE SURE TO ALWAYS DO A “SAVE AS” SO THAT YOU DO NOT OVERWRITE THE ORIGINAL TEMPLATE!!

INSERTING IMAGES BY HAND: (If you choose not to use the image inserting action that is included):

1)) Select the image layer you would like to populate in your LAYERS palette.

2)) Open your image and drag it onto the template using your MOVE tool (Keyboard shortcut "V")

3))  Click on the tiny black triangle in your LAYERS palette to pull up the drop-down menu and choose "Create Clipping Mask".

4))  Use the FREE TRANSFORM tool (Keyboard shortcut Control+T) and drag in the corners of your image to position it correctly within the frame.

5)) Press Enter to apply the transformation.

Repeat this step with any subsequent images.

TO CHANGE THE COLOR OF A DESIGN ELEMENT IN YOUR TEMPLATE:

Using a color fill - PHOTOSHOP CS AND NEWER

1.  Select the layer of the element you would like to change in the LAYERS palette

2. At the bottom of your LAYERS palette you will see several little icons.  Choose the "Make adjustment layer" icon (it is a tiny circle filled with half black and half white)

3.  Click this icon and choose "SOLID COLOR".

4.  Choose the color you would like to make the element when the dialog box appears.

5.  Now, from the top menu in Photoshop, choose LAYER->MAKE CLIPPING MASK. This will fill your design element with the selected color while leaving the rest of the template alone.

6.  Change the blending mode to "Color" at the top left of the layers palette.  (It will currently be set to "Normal")

7.  To change the color again, simply double click the colored box next to the words "Color Fill "x"" and choose a new color.

Repeat these steps for any subsequent design elements.

You can also change the color using a Hue/Saturation layer.

1. Select the layer you would like to change in the LAYERS palette. 

2. At the bottom of your LAYERS palette you will see several little icons.  Choose the "Make adjustment layer" icon (it is a tiny circle filled with half black and half white) 

3.  Click this icon and choose "Hue/Saturation". 

4. Slide the "Hue" slider until you find a shade you like.

 

]]> http://www.artsybytes.com/phpmyfaq/index.php?action=artikel&cat=98&id=148&artlang=en Wed, 02 Jun 2010 21:33:00 GMT <![CDATA[Chic Baby Tutorial]]>
SOFTWARE YOU WILL NEED
These templates are designed for Adobe Photoshop CS or newer.  This is not to say that they don't work with previous versions - they very well may.  The files are un-flattened, fully editable PSDs that offer literally limitless opportunity for customization and creativity.

In order to take full advantage of these templates, you should be relatively proficient in Photoshop.  Not an expert, mind you.  But you should have a general knowledge of layers, shapes, text and image manipulation such as using the transform tool, layer masks, etc.

If you are less familiar with Photoshop, don't fear.  We will try to be as thorough as possible with the tutorial - and hey, you might just learn something new!

INSERTING IMAGES:
Inserting your own images into the templates is very easy.  Perform the following steps once you have opened the PSD file in Photoshop:
1)) Select the image layer you would like to populate in your LAYERS palette.
2)) Open your image and drag it onto the template using your MOVE tool (Keyboard shortcut "V")
3))  Click on the tiny black triangle in your LAYERS palette to pull up the drop-down menu and choose "Create Clipping Mask".
4))  Use the FREE TRANSFORM tool (Keyboard shortcut Control+T) and drag in the corners of your image to position it correctly within the frame.
5)) Press Enter to apply the transformation.
Repeat this step with any subsequent images.

FONTS:
In order to maintain the look of the templates you will need to have the same fonts installed on your system as the ones we used in the design.  For this design, we used Helvetica Neue. The fonts we use in our designs are usually freeware or shareware fonts available for free on the internet.  We cannot include the fonts in your download because they are protected under copyright.  However you can download them directly from their creators.   We find that if you type in the name of the font into your favorite search engine you will come up with several download sources.   

CHANGING TEXT AND COLORS:

Changing your templates could not be easier.  Here are a few tips on how to change the text, graphic and background colors:

Text - Select the text tool, click and highlight.
1.  Double click on the top color box in your tools menu.
2.  Choose the color for your text.
3.  Click "OK"

To change the color of the graphics:
1.  Choose the graphic that you would like to change in the Layers palette.  If you cannot see the Layers palette, click the "Window" dropdown menu at the top of your screen and choose "Layers".
2.  Now, double-click the small box of color next to the name of the layer, or clipped above the layer.
3.  Choose the new color when the dialog box appears.
4.  Click "OK".

PRINTING YOUR CARDS:

We have designed these templates to be used with White House Custom Color's ( www.whcc.com ) flat 5x5 card products.  If you currently use WHCC the templates are 100% ready to go.  Don't worry, however, if you use another lab as the cards will be printed easily with your favorite printer.  Remember that each lab is different, so be absolutely sure that you contact them for their specs and color profiles prior to submitting your files.  When you have your lab's sizing and submission guidelines, you will need to transfer the designs to their templates before printing them.

]]> http://www.artsybytes.com/phpmyfaq/index.php?action=artikel&cat=97&id=147&artlang=en Mon, 31 May 2010 17:02:00 GMT