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How to make a greeting card in Photoshop CS2 with your own photos

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    ancoben
    1 Nov 2010 - 4:07 PM
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    Hi
    I wonder if anyone has an easy way of making a greeting card and adding your own photos? Or perhaps someone knows of a good tutorial. I did find one but got stuck right at the end of the process when I came to print and found that the size of the photo was much too big for the card. I know I need to resizemy image before adding to a template and I think that is probably the problem. If someone has a step by step tutorial I would be really grateful. The card size I have is A6 (8 1/4" x 5 3/4") and it would be folded in half.
    Many thanks

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    1 Nov 2010 - 4:07 PM

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    Create a new page, in your case A6, Add any text where you want to place it. Open the image you want to add and then display both the new page and the image,
    Select the image and then hold 'shift' down and then drag n drop it onto the new page. You can then resize the image by selecting the image and then holding down 'shift' while you click on the image handles and then move it to the size you want. When finished flatten the image and save as a jpeg.

    Its very simple to do you do not need a tutorial.

    Colin

    Last Modified By collywobles at 1 Nov 2010 - 4:19 PM
    ancoben
    1 Nov 2010 - 5:18 PM
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    Very many thanks, I'll have a go and let you know how I get on. I actually followed a tutorial and made a template with guidelines, it worked for me once and them the image appeared too big for the page, so I am not quite sure where I went wrong.
    Thanks again

    When you drag the image onto the page click on the handles and hold shift down. Then grab the handles and resize as you wish. Musy hold shift or the image proportions will change.

    Colin

    ancoben
    1 Nov 2010 - 5:30 PM
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    It sounds so eay compared to what I have been doing, maybe I had let go of shift?? Will definitely be trying it out
    Many thanks Colin
    Anne

    ancoben
    2 Nov 2010 - 6:14 PM
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    Hi Colin
    I have had a go but when I get to dragging the image onto the new page, it is obviously very large. I am using the move tool but can see any handles, the image just moves around the page. I am holding shift as you say. Have tried several options. I imagine perhaps I have not selected the image properly? Would appreciated your help again
    Many thanks
    Anne

    KatieR
    KatieR (e2 Member)
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    6197 forum postsKatieR vcard 6 Constructive Critique Points
    2 Nov 2010 - 6:33 PM
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    What are you using? Photoshop full-monty or Elements?

    What is the template - is it for the whole card or just the front? Is it a Photoshop (PSD) file?

    ancoben
    2 Nov 2010 - 6:55 PM
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    I am using Photoshop CS2, I did as Colin suggested and created a new page A6 size with the intention of it being folded in half when finished, with the image on the front of it, the image is a jpeg from my own collection.
    Thanks for your interest.

    KatieR
    KatieR (e2 Member)
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    6197 forum postsKatieR vcard 6 Constructive Critique Points
    2 Nov 2010 - 7:54 PM
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    OK, here's what I would do... I use Elements, so sorry if this is horribly irrelevant Sad

    Your canvas - the new page you have opened - is twice as wide as your card will be once folded, so you you need to work on the right-hand half as this will become the front of your card. If your image is on the front and back, wrapping around, then it should obviously take up the whole canvas. Make a mock-up for yourself with paper, perhaps - I find this helpful. Templates usually make this part easier as you know where to put your image.

    Now, the big question is... do you have a command in the "File" menu called "Place" ?

    If you do, give it a try... it will take you to your folders and you can choose an image file to literally "place" on the canvas. You can then move it, push it, squeeze it, stretch it... as much as you like. Then accept or reject it by using the tick or cross icon. The image is basically a layer, so before saving to print (i.e. as a jpeg) you would need to "flatten" the file (Layer menu... Flatten). Remember that saving as a tiff or psd retains the layers for coming back to later. I would save it as a tiff, and then flatten and save as a jpeg for your print.

    So, the process is... open the new background file in the size you want, place the image, push and pull it into the right size and position, save with the layers, then flatten and save again for printing.

    I'm not saying this is the only way, or the right way(!) but it worked for me.

    Well, that was a good reminder to me about how I did some of my projects, if nothing else Smile


    Quote: I have had a go but when I get to dragging the image onto the new page, it is obviously very large. I am using the move tool but can see any handles, the image just moves around the page. I am holding shift as you say. Have tried several options. I imagine perhaps I have not selected the image properly? Would appreciated your help again

    No problem here - just reduce the size of your image first (Image Size). Save it as a copy and then do your drag n drop. What is happening is that the image is so large the handles are outside the visible screen. Colin

    Last Modified By collywobles at 3 Nov 2010 - 7:34 AM
    ancoben
    3 Nov 2010 - 3:18 PM
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    Thanks to KatieR and Colin I will have another go. Once I have cracked it I'm going to write some reminders down, otherwise I am sure to forget.
    Anne

    ancoben
    3 Nov 2010 - 6:02 PM
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    Yes I have File>Place. I have used some of your tips Colin and also some of KatieR's. I found file>place very useful. I have also succeed in making a smaller template for the A6 size. I reduced the size of the image. I used print preview and it only shows half of the image (half of the image height wise). I went ahead to try and print anyway and a warning comes up about clipping. I'm not sure if it something to do with pixels/resolution?
    Very grateful for the replies

    KatieR
    KatieR (e2 Member)
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    6197 forum postsKatieR vcard 6 Constructive Critique Points
    3 Nov 2010 - 6:21 PM
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    It's not about resolution. Clipping means that you will lose a bit of what you see. It can't physically be printed without it going off the edge of th paper - which is not surprising from what you have described in print preview.

    How are you setting up the print exactly? Are you making sure that the paper size is the same as the canvas you have created to work on?


    Quote: How are you setting up the print exactly? Are you making sure that the paper size is the same as the canvas you have created to work on?

    This does sound like the problem. Colin

    ancoben
    4 Nov 2010 - 1:11 PM
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    I'm going to have another go, I was wondering about canvas size and print size. Thanks again KatieR and Colin. I am learning something all the time. I still fairly new at Photoshop although I have had it for a long time, it's a matter of plunging in and having a go. I'm not actually sure about differences between canvas size and image size, although I imagine they have to be connected. Have so many books about Photoshop so will have to dip into them again.
    Thanks
    Anne

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