I am so sorry to hear that you will no longer be designing. Always admired the work you did. Should have learned how to do it myself. Is there a special software you needed to start? Any tips you could give me would be appreciated. I have 5 grandchildren with more on the way and they all love when Mimmy gives them a shirt. Thank you so much again for all your time and trouble
Hi rumblytumbly! I was so excited to see that you posted back to my question! I know it's been hard on you these last few days so I was glad that an "expert" helped me find some background things! I know all about the clipart but haven't layered it to make a background yet.
I am going to try to figure out how to put a picture (background) and then cut out the letters. I think you do this. Any tips that you can give me? I get so intimidated by Photoshop!
Also, I would like to cut out the mickey shape head with pictures/clipart behind it. Same concept but with mickey head.
I am so glad that you are still around to help others like me try to learn how to be like you!!
Thanks again for all of your help!! You can PM me if you'd like!
Kym
Hi guys,
I have PSE 5.0 and Windows XP. There are several ways to do this so the way I did it is certainly not the only way. There are many different ways to get the same effect. Once you do it a couple times it is really easy.
The first 5 steps are the way that I would start a blank file for all my designs. I tried to make this very detailed for people brand new to this.
1) From the File menu in PSE Select New>Blank File
2)Select Preset>Custom; Width> 11 inches; Height> 8.5 inches; Resolution >300 pixels/inch; Color Mode>RGB Color; Background Contents> White. Click ok and the new file should now be on your destop.
3)On the right hand corner of the screen is your Artwork & Effects pallette on the top and your layers pallette on the bottom. You'll see a white "background" layer with a lock next to it. Double click on the white rectangle to rename it and make it editable. It will default to say Layer 0. I always left it at that and clicked ok.
4)You'll see your layer is now named Layer 0 with no lock next to it.
5)From the File menu select Open and find the image you want to use as to show through the text. I had mine in My pictures in a folder named "clipart"
It will show up in at the bottom of the screen next to the white rectangle that is your blank file. It will also be on your destop. Click on your blank document to get it back on the desktop. Now click and drag the image you opened onto the blank file. It will automatically center in the middle of the file.
6)Now you have to make the image as large as your white background. To do this select your "move tool". It is on the top left of the screen, it is the icon that is the arrow. If you hover your cursor over all the icons the name of the tool will appear. Select the move tool by clicking once on the arrow. You'll see this put a boundry with little boxes around your image.
7) With your finger held down click and drag one of the corners to enlarge the image the same size as the white background. Don't worry about getting it exactly the same size. There will probably still be some white showing. If you mess up and get it warped or something click on the red and the image will pop back to the original size. When you've got it click on the green check mark.
8)Now choose the "Horizontal Type Tool". It is the big T icon on the far left side of the screen.
9) You'll need to select a big, thick font from the drop down box on the top bar of your screen. Try the Impact font. Type a word, your name whatever. I would use all caps to start so that more of the picture shows through.
10) Resize and center your text using the "Move tool" just as you did with your image. Get the text to cover as much of the image as possible. Click the green check mark.
11) Now, over on the right on your layers pallete you'll see three layers. Click and hold down on the text layer and drag it below the image layer and above your background or "Layer 0". You will no longer see your text. Don't panic.
The next step is the fun part.
12)On the right side of the screen in your layers pallette make sure the top layer or image layer is selected. In PSE 5.0 it will be blue. At the top of the screen in the "Layer" menu select "Group with previous" and Voila! your image appears inside your text! Isn't it great?
13) To make the text stand out more click on the Text layer again. Above, in the Artworks and Effects pallete select "Special effects" it is the icon with the different circles. From the left drop down box select "Layer styles". From the right drop down box select "Bevels" Click on "Simple Emboss" and click "Apply". Now on the right drop down box click "Drop Shadows" select any drop shadow you want. Try "soft edge" and click Apply.
14) Lastly, with your text layer selected double click on that sun looking type of icon next to the title of your text layer. This will open a "Style settings" box where you can play with the size of your bevel and drop shadow by moving the slider buttons. In the bottom box you will see it says "Stroke" click on the box and select a color that you would like to outline your text with. You can make the stroke outline bigger by changing the numbers in the box. Try 25 and see how it looks. Click ok to save your changes.
15) Go back and select your Text icon again from the far left column and you can change the word or name to anything you want. Isn't that cool?
16)Click on your Layer 0 layer and you can change the color of the background to whatever you like by using the "Color picker" which is the bottom icon on the far left side. Click on the top color and you may select any color you like. Once your color is selected click ok. Make sure you have your "Layer 0" selected on the right hand side. Now click the Alt and backspace button at the same time. You have just changed your background color.
Ok, hope this wasn't too wordy or confusing. Once you do it it is really simple.
There are plenty of tutorials with pictures of the whole process which may make it easier for some people. Try this one
http://www.photoshopessentials.com/photoshop-text/text-effects/image-in-text.php When I googled for this one I saw that there are many video tutorials on You Tube so you could try there too.
A warning. This is the first thing I did after I got PSE. I followed a tutorial that Beth posted here for filling text. I was instantly addicted! Have fun!
for giving me the step by step directions! I have PSE 5.0 also so now I understand! My husband was trying to follow along in CS3 but since he doesn't know the program and didn't get too far! I'm off to try to Mickey Head! Thanks a million for helping me learn this program!!!
