How I made my Halloween Kits

[illinimom]

This is going to be an ongoing thread explaining the steps I went through to make my Halloween kits. I will add to this as I remember, and most likely, edit frequently, so if you plan to use it, you will want to check for changes frequently. If you don't know the kits I'm talking about, see these threads.

http://forum.startascrapbook.com/eve...4/m/6381034784

http://forum.startascrapbook.com/eve...4/m/5831074784

[illinimom]

Getting started....

Some general info to start.

I made all papers as 12"x12" (or 3600 px by 3600 px) and 300 dpi. These were saved as .jpg files as quality setting of 12, but I have since learned from other boards that quality 8 is fine for printing and makes the file smaller.

Everything else was saved as a .png file. This retains the transparent background so it can be used in layers. Again, these aer 300 dpi.

Before I began this project, I chose my colors and created a color pallet and kept it open in my photo bin whenever I was working on my project. This made it easy for me to keep my colors consistant, and to always be able to use my dropper selector to get the exact color I wanted.

I created the pallet drawing 5 rectangles and using my paint can to color each rectangle. I kept the background white. Before I closed the file, I used my dropper tool to pick up each color and then used the text tool to layer the hexadecimal code onto the corresponding color. I flattened the image and saved as a jpeg. (This does not have to be a large, or hi-res file, as it won't be printed. It is just a tool for you to use).

Here is my color pallet for this project. (You can't tell here, but there IS a white background surrounding this that I was able to use to select white)

[crafty grandmommie]

OK that all sounds very easy - My only question is what is a hexidecimal code? That's new to me. Are you working in PS cs or PSE?

[illinimom]

Lynn,
Go open a new file and use your paint can to fill it in...any color. Now click on your color picker square. You will see 3 types of color codes....HSB, RGB, and at the bottom...hexadecimal. If you google hexadecimal, you will find lots of info on it, but I've never cared enough about it to investigate...I only want to be able to use it

Here is a graphic.. Oh, and remember, I am on a Mac and using PSE4 so yours may not look exactly the same, but should be similar

[illinimom]

GETTING READY FOR PAPERS

First I created a new file

FILE-NEW-BLANK FILE opens a window.
Choose these options...

NAME: papers
PRESET: Custom
WIDTH: 12 inches
HEIGHT: 12 inches
RESOLUTION: 300 pixels.inch
COLOR MODE: RGB Color
BACKGROUND CONTENTS: Transparent

Click OK

Save this as papers.psd (you probably have done this, but if not, you will want to create a new folder for your project at this point)

I used this as a starting point for ALL my papers. Then I created a layer for each of my pallet colors.

FILE-NEW-LAYER

Give the layer a name. No other setting should need to be changed. Click OK.

Be sure your pallet.jpg is open in the photo bin. Use the color picker tool to choose your color, then switch back to the papers.psd file and using the paint brush tool, fill the layer. Repeat this step for each color.

After all color layers are created, I save and close my papers.psd file. This 'seals' my changes so that when I open again, as long as I close without saving, I can do anything I want and get back to this point (recolor, resize, etc)

Coming soon.....solid color papers

[crafty grandmommie]

So, in other words, you are taking one document and completely filling different layers in each color of your pallett. Can't you do all that directly from your layer pallette without having to bring up the create new layer box? Not trying to question you, but if there is something easier I know, then I could teach you something. OK? lol

[illinimom]

Lynn,
You are absolutely right. You CAN add new layers, edit names and trash layers from the pallet menu and it IS much simpler. For whatever reason, I just never think to do it that way. So everyone else, learn it Lynn's way first and then you don't need to 'unlearn' it!

[illinimom]

SOLID PAPERS

This one is going to be quick and easy. Just open up your papers.psd file. At this point I like to to all the layers off, and then selectively turn on the one(s) I want to work with, but dragging to the top would work just as well.

(Turn layers on and off by checking the box next to the layer in the LAYERS PALLET)

Turn on one layer. Flatten the file.
LAYERS-FLATTEN IMAGE
Discard the hidden layers.
(IMPORTANT---do NOT click SAVE from this point...always use SAVE AS!!!)

SAVE the image AS a jpeg.
FILE-SAVE AS
Pull down JPEG from the FORMAT box. You probably want to create a new folder at this step to save all your papers in. Give the file a name; maybe just the color of the paper, or color-solid.
(orange-solid.jpg).Click on SAVE and the JPEG OPTIONS window will open. Be sure QUALITY is set to 8-HIGH and click OK.

You should see that the file name in the title bar has changed from papers.psd to orange-solid.jpg. You can now close the file.

Repeat this process for each of the colors. You should end up with 6 solid color papers.

[illinimom]

TEXTURED PAPERS

are nearly as easy as the solids. Just open one of your solid papers, then add a texture. To add a texture...

FILTER-TEXTURE-TEXTURIZER

There are 4 possible textures (as least in my version of PSE): Brick, Burlap, Canvas, Sandstone. Each has 2 sliders you can change: Scaling and Relief. You can also change the direction of the light, or invert the lighting. Play with it until you get what you like, and then flatten the image and SAVE AS as above.

[crafty grandmommie]

I'm not trying to change the way you teach them. I just wanted to be I was doing the same thing the way I was doing it.
I can explain my way, but don't want you to think I'm changing what you are doing. I appreciate this so much. I'm excited about following all the way through. We can probably all teach each other something. lol