For this one, I’ll be using Photoshop CS3 on a PC. The techniques for this tutorial are simple and the overall process is easy. Around the end, it can be a bit more tricky for some people, but don’t worry.

However, it can also be a very stressful time.  If you do not prepare the file just right, the printer will have a hard time completing the job, and you may have to make some adjustments.  Or, even worse, the project may not look the way it is supposed to look after it gets printed.  While the latter usually is not an issue if you are working with a quality commercial printer, it is still important to know the things you need to do to ensure that your Photoshop file is ready for the commercial printer.

Here, step by step, is how to do just that:

Step One: Make sure your file is in the correct format

Your image file should be in a standard format, to avoid any potential problems with your printer.  Standard formats include PDF, EPS, and TIF.

Step Two: Set the resolution to 300 dots per inch

Almost all commercial printers require that your files be set to 300 DPI (or dots per inch).  So, if you design a file at a lower resolution, it will get stretched to 300 DPI by the printer, which will result in a very unfavorable image.

Step Three: Size matters (make sure your file is the right size)

Your printer will print your file at whatever size you ordered.  So make sure you designed your image at the same size that the ultimate product will be.

Step Four: Check the bleed

About 3 mm on each side of your design will get chopped off.  That is called the bleed.  Do not put anything important (i.e., anything that you want to appear in the final product) in the bleed.

Step Five: Don’t cut off your words

Keep all text, along with vital images, at least 6 mm away from the edge of the product.  Otherwise, some of it might get cut off.

Step Six: Rasterize your text

Photoshop allows you to rasterize your text, which means you don’t have to worry about sending fonts along with your files to the printer.  However, make sure you don’t rasterize your text until you are sure you are done editing, because you can’t do so after rasterizing.

Step Seven: Use unique filenames

This one is very often forgotten.  When you send your files to the printer, use unique names for each file.  Use names that are descriptive and make it easy to tell what it is and what it is for.

These are generic tips that should help you in preparing your files for use with most commercial printers.  Always check with your printer before sending a file, though, to make sure everything is in order.

Kaitlyn Miller is a copywriter for Printplace.com, a printing company based in Arlington, Texas.

If you are like me, you are probably thinking, “Huh?”

Well, in layman’s terms, dynamic range is that quality of sight and sound that humans possess that is not able to be recreated by any mechanical equipment. In other words, the rich colors and contrasts that we can see with our naked eye cannot be reproduced by a camera image.

When it comes to graphic design, dynamic range is a positive quality, in that the higher you can get your dynamic range, the better. Adobe’s Photoshop has a new feature that is able to create images with remarkably high dynamic range. This tutorial will show you how to use this new feature, which is called “Merge to HDR”.

Planning Ahead

In order to use Merge to HDR, you have to do a little bit of planning. Merge to HDR works by taking three or more pictures of the same scene, and blending them into a new image. So, obviously, you are going to have to take at least three pictures of whatever scene you are editing.

Now, if the scene you are shooting has moving pieces or items, it probably isn’t going to work so well with Merge to HDR. Moving images will not blend together very well, so this works best with static scenes, where nothing (or very little) is moving. You will also want to try to be as still as possible when taking the shots, so that they are all framed the same. This is easiest to do if you use a tripod.

One thing you may not think of, but is very important, is that you do not want to use your camera’s autofocus feature. This will automatically change the focus of each shot you take, which will mess up the merging process.

The most important thing to do when you are taking the shots is to change your exposure for each picture you take. Adobe recommends that you vary your exposure by 2 stops between shots. If you don’t vary your exposure, then Merge to HDR will really not have any affect on your image.
Using Merge to HDR

Now that you have your shots, you can use Photoshop to increase the dynamic range.

In Photoshop, go to File >> Automate >> Merge to HDR. Then find the images that you shot. After all the images load (which could take a few minutes, depending on your computer) a preview of your merged image will appear. You can change the overall effect by removing individual images from the final product. Do this by clicking on the checkbox under the image you want to remove. Each time you remove an image, the final product is re-merged, which again could take some time.

There are two things to keep in mind when you save your HDR file. First, do not save the file as a JPEG, which would make it no longer a HDR file. Secondly, HDR files are very large. They can get up to about 100 MB or more.

Converting your HDR file

To do much with your new HDR image, you will have to convert it into a more usable form.

Go to Image >> Mode >> 16 bits/Channel or 8 bits/Channel. A dialog box will then appear.

The dialog box contains a lot of options. Basically, you will have to play with these until you get the results you want. This is very much a trial-and-error process, so feel free to experiment, within reason.

Merge to HDR is a new feature, so there are not a lot of options available with it yet. Still, it is a very powerful tool that can really add life to your images. And it should be supported with a lot of new features in the very near future.

Kaitlyn Miller is a copywriter for Printplace.com, a printing company that offers postcard printing and color printing

Terms

First, you have to know what “bleed” and “crop marks” mean in terms of your Photoshop design.

The crop marks are simply lines on the screen that show you where the page will be cut after printing.  In other words, anything outside of the crop marks will not show up on the page.  If a portion of the artwork does not extend all the way to the crop mark, then there will be a white “gap” on the page.

The bleed function is often used to make sure that artwork that should extend all the way to the end of the page does indeed extend all the way to the end of the page.  The bleed function ensures that there are no unseemly white gaps where there should not be.  In short, the bleed extends ink beyond the crop marks.

The Process

First of all, you have to think ahead.  Let’s say you are designing a project that is going to be 5 inches by 7 inches.  In order to have a bleed area, you must have a working area slightly bigger than 5 inches by 7 inches.  Your commercial printer will tell you how big your bleed area should be.  A common size is 0.125 inches.  We will assume you are going to have a bleed area of 0.125 inches.

In order to get a bleed area that size, you will have to make your working area (or canvas) 0.25 inches taller and wider than your project, which in this case would mean your canvas would be 5.25 inches by 7.25 inches.  In Photoshop, you can use guides to show you where the crop marks are, and where your bleed area ends.

To get a visual idea of your bleed area, go to Photoshop’s File menu.  Click on the “Print with Preview” command.  Now, check the box that says “Show More Options”.  Finally, check the “Corner Crop Marks” box, and click the Bleed button.  Specify what size you want the bleed area to be (in this case 0.125 inches) and now your bleed area will show up on your canvas.

Now, if you want a bleed area bigger than 0.125 inches, you will have to go about this a bit differently, because Photoshop doesn’t allow you to do that with the Print with Preview option.  To do this, manually select a square section in a corner of your canvas, with the upper line and the side line being the points where you want your bleed area to be.  Then go to Edit >> Stroke.  You will now have lines extending across the canvas, indicating your bleed area.

Kaitlyn Miller is a copywriter for Printplace.com, a printing company that offers postcard printing and color printing

One of Photoshop’s best features is the ability it gives you to colorize your images, or even just portions of images if you want to put the focus in one spot.  You can take bland, dull photos and turn them into vibrant, colorful designs.  You can ever colorize black and white images to bring them to life.  This tutorial will show you how to do this, step by step.

1. Open the image you want to colorize (obviously).

2. Go to Image >> Mode and make sure that RGB is selected.

3. Press Q.  This should put you into QuickMask mode.  On the main toolbar, there is a “QuickMask” options button.  Make sure it is set to Selected Areas.

4. Select the Paintbrush and fill in the first area that you want to colorize.  This portion will appear in red.

5. Press Q again, which you put you back into Normal mode. The area that you filled in with the Paintbrush will now be selectable.

6. At this point, you will want to save the selected area in a separate file for later use (or in case you make a mistake).  Do this by going to Select >> Save Selection.

7. Click on the “Create New Adjustment Layer” icon in the Layers palette.  This will bring up a menu.

8. Select “Color Balance” from the menu.  Three color sliders will appear.

9. Adjust the color sliders until you get the color you want for the selected area.

10. Now repeat steps 3 through 9 for each of the other areas that you want to colorize.

That is all there is to it.  It will take some trial and error to get the photo to look exactly the way you want it to.  Using the Paintbrush to select the areas you want to color will require some practice.  It is not that easy to be precise with it.

You will also probably have to go back over each area using the Color Balance sliders.  Even when you think you have the colors right where you want them, they have a way of looking a lot different when the whole photo is colorized.  Just go over them until you get the balance you are looking for and you are happy with the final product.

There are certain things you will want to watch for as you colorize your designs.  For one, remember to save the original picture before you begin.  You will also want to make sure you save each selection as you make it with the Paintbrush (see step 6).  This way, if you make a mistake, you do not have to re-select the area, which can be a difficult thing to do.  It is also a good idea to save your project after you colorize each section, in case you mess up during the next area.

Kaitlyn Miller is a copywriter for Printplace.com, a printing company that offers postcard printing and color printing.

I am starting with a 400×300 px white canvas. Draw your basic shape. I have started with a custom shape from Photoshop’s presets.

Step 1

Fill the shape with a nice orange color (I am using #ff6600)

Step 2

Apply Bevel and Emboss to the layer using the following values :

Structure

• Style : Inner Bevel
• Technique : Smooth
• Depth : 100%
• Direction : Up
• Size : 200px
• Soften : 0px

Shading

• Angle : 120 (use global light checked)
• Altitude : 30
• Highlight mode : Screen, Opacity : 75%
• Shadow mode : Multiply (color : #ff0000), opacity 75%.

Step 3

Stoke the layer with an orange color 3 pixels in size (I am using the same orange as the fill : #ff6600)

Step 4

Apply an inner glow, size 40px.

Step 5

Create a new top layer and using the Elliptical Marquee Tool create an oval over the top of the original shape layer. Fill this layer with gradient from white to transparent (white at the bottom, transparent at the top). Give this layer a 50% opacity. You may rotate this layer so it will look cooler.

Step 6

Make another top layer and using the Elliptical Marquee Tool create an oval over the bottom of the original shape layer. Fill this layer with gradient from black to transparent (black at the top, transparent at the bottom). Give this layer a 80% opacity and a soft light or a hard mix blend.

Step 7

Now to create a nice mirror effect we’ll move all the layers to the top of the canvas and duplicate the original shape layer. Flip Vertical the clone of the shape layer and align it so it touches the bottom of the original shape layer.

Step 8

Add a new layer and using the Rectangular marquee tool make a selection starting at the bottom of the original shape layer like in the image below. Apply to this layer a gradient from white at the bottom to transparent at the top.

Step 9

Add some nice text using a good typeface and you’re set.

Originaly posted at CrazyLeaf Design Blog

We’re all big Bob Ross fans here at ClickPopMedia. Today, in the tradition of the Joy of Painting, I am going to show you how to make a happy little cloud.

Welcome back everybody. I sure am glad you could make it out today. Does everyone have their Illustrator warmed up and ready to do some vectorizing? Good.

Step 1:
What I have here is a 600 px by 600 px Illustrator document, but you can use whatever size makes you happy. Keep in mind though, if you do things at a much different size, most of the values I give you won’t translate correctly.

Step 2:
The next thing we’ll do is make a sky for our clouds to live in. So let’s make a 600 x 600 square with a nice white to blue radial gradient fill. Let’s try and get a gradual fade between the colors, just a whisper of a gradient. You can adjust your gradient using the Gradient Tool (hotkey G).

Step 3:
Create a new layer and now we’ll start to make our little cloud. Make two circles (hotkey L) that will be the outer boundaries of your cloud. There we are

Step 4:
Now then, we’re going to build up on our cloud by making more circles of different sizes.

There it is, the top of our cloud. Don’t over think this step to much. The clouds are very free, they just float around and have fun all day. So we’re just making some fluffy, carefree clouds.

Step 5:
Well, now we’re going to finish off our basic shape. Take the pen tool (hotkey P) and create a shape that covers up all the open space left in your cloud. You can also continue using circles or curves if you want to have a puffy bottom on your cloud. Just let your imagination go.

Step 6:
Now we get to the fun part. Illustrator has a neat little tool called the Pathfinder. Maybe I’ll do a bigger tutorial on the Pathfinder later, but for now we’ll just keep it simple. We are going to be using the Pathfinder to make the shapes we’ve made come together. So go ahead and select all the shapes in your cloud. Now click the “Add to Shape Area” button in your Pathfinder tab and immediately after that, before you do anything else, click the “Expand” button and watch that little rascal come together.

Step 7:
Now we’re going to give the cloud some character. Remember, this is your cloud, so you can do any little thing with it. I’m just going to show you what I did. I thickened up the outer stroke a bit, just to make our little friend look even a little puffier than before. I also added a light gray to white linear gradient coming up from the bottom of the cloud just to give the indication of depth and shadow.

Step 8:
I’ve made a few more clouds to live together, so our friend isn’t lonely. Each of our clouds has just a whisper of a drop shadow (Effect>Stylize>Drop Shadow: Opacity 30%, 0px offsets, 5px blur) just to soften things up.

And now we have a finished cloud family. So with that I’ll tell you good bye. I look forward to seeing you again. From all of us at ClickPopMedia, have fun with Illustrator, and God bless you.

GodBless:VQ

1. Create a 124×121 new document in Photoshop

2. Use the Eliptical Marquee tool to create a cirlce (shift+F4) and colour it in so it looks like the one below

3.Use the Dodge tool to create highlights until it looks like the one below

4. Keep the bubble selected and use the Gaussian Blur filter so the bubble looks like this:

5.Duplicate the layer and delete the bottom one. You no longer need it. Use the Magic wand tool to delete the white space

Finished!