Crea%ng

work in Photoshop
Read the instruc.ons
carefully please!

Contents

Opening a document Pages 2 & 3

Screen layout Pages 4 & 5
Layers explained Pages 6 & 7
Zooming in & out of the page Page 8
Crea%ng background colours Pages 9 & 10
Typing text Pages 11 & 12
Changing text colour, size or font Pages 13 & 14
Crea%ng a box Pages 15 & 16
Adding pictures on a Mac Page 17
Adding pictures on a PC Page 18
Making pictures or shapes bigger & smaller Pages 19 & 20
Dele%ng layers Page 21
CuGng out pictures and removing backgrounds Pages 22 & 23
How to use www.dafont.com on a Mac Pages 24 & 25
How to save on a Mac Page 26

Step 1
To open a Photoshop document.

Open Photoshop
Go to le new

Select Interna%onal Paper from Preset
There should be an A4 op%on. Click ok.
Your blank document should appear.
2

Step 1
Name your work
Click on
preset
Choose
your
size

The Screen
Use to create a text box

Use to create shapes

The pointer tool is very important
click on this aVer you nish ANYTHING in order to be
able to start something else

LAYERS PANEL (Right Hand Side) This shows you
what you have on your page and in what order they
are you need to think of your work in terms of
layers. Start at the back and work forward
4

VERY IMPORTANT
BUTTON!

The
look of
the
screen

This shows you

what you have
done so far

To create a text box

To create shapes and
backgrounds of dierent
colours

Layers explained
Layers are the most important thing in
Photoshop as they make your work
completely exible.
They are like having lots of dierent sized
pieces of paper on top of each other. The top
one will always be visible, but if the second or
third piece of paper is smaller you cannot see
it without moving the rst piece out of the
way
Check out the example on the next page

The text is not visible

because it is hidden
under the yellow box
layer

We can make the

text visible by
dragging the text
layer above the box
layer

To zoom in & out of the page

You can either type a percentage into the
bobom leV hand corner
OR

You can use the magnifying glass tool
Change
is zoom in
between
is zoom out

zoom in &
zoom out
on the
top leX
toolbar

Step 2
To create a background colour

Click Layer on the top bar - New Fill Layer - Solid

Colour

Click ok, then choose your colour from the colour

chart

You will see the layer come up in the layer panel

at the side we can double click the colour in the
layer panel at any %me to change the colour
9

Step 2

To change
the
background
colour
add a ll
layer

You can pick your

colour from
this box

10

To type text
Click the T bubon on the leV hand tool bar

Draw a box where you want the text, then type
into the box (just like you would on Word)

When you are nished, click the arrow at the top
of the tool bar

To edit another text box, click the T again, and
the text in the box you want to edit
11

To type text

3. When you have nished click here

2. Drag a box
shape to
make a text
box.

1. Click here to
make a text box

Whenever you
make a box or
text box it
becomes a new
layer.
Type layers
always look like
this.

12

To change text colour, size or font

Click the text box you want, using the T
Highlight the text you want to change
On the top tool bar you will see boxes for size, font and
colour
Change them to whatever you choose
If you cannot nd a font you like, you can use the website
www.dafont.com to nd one you prefer

Please speak to your teacher about installing fonts
13

Choose fonts here

Choose

sizes here

Choose colours here

Highlight
the text

Make sure you have

pressed this bu_on
rst!

14

Step 3
You can add boxes for Straplines/bylines or
general decora%on. To do this click the
and draw a box over the part of the page
where you want your box.

Decide what colour you want from the
palebe at the top or double click on the layer
in the layer panel (right hand side) aVer you
have made your shape.

15

Step 3

Click on the
pointer tool when
youre done.

Change the box

colour by double
clicking on this
shape in your
layer palle_e

Drag a box

Start by clicking
on the box tool

16

To add pictures (on a Mac)

Find your pic from the internet (Safari)
Click, hold and drag the pic to the desktop
In Photoshop, click le on the top bar then
open
Select your pic it will open in a new window
Use the box tool to draw round the pic
Click edit then copy
Click on your work at the top toolbar
Click edit then paste
17

To add pictures (on a PC)

Find your pic from the internet
Right click, and press Save As and save it on
your home drive
In Photoshop, click le then open
Select your pic it will open in a new window
Use the box tool to draw round the pic
Click edit then copy
Click on your work at the top toolbar
Click edit then paste
18

To make pictures or shapes

bigger or smaller
Press cmd + T together (Mac)
Press ctrl + T together (PC)

If you want to keep the propor%ons of your

image the same (i.e. you dont want a persons
face to be stretched) then hold shiV and drag the
diagonal corners to whatever size you want

Your image may look blurry or pixelated at this

stage dont worry, the next step will x the
problem
Once youre happy, return to the pointer tool and
click apply when asked
19

Pressing cmd + t
together will make this
box appear around
your image. This means
you can make your
image bigger or smaller
Your image may look
blurry or pixelated
before you apply the
transforma.on,
dont worry!
Press apply and it will
become clearer again
20

To delete layers
Select your layer in the layer
palebe whichever layer you
choose will be highlighted
blue
Drag the layer to the rubbish
bin
The selected layer
is blue
Or

Hit backspace - but take care

to only press the bubon once
or you may delete further
layers
Rubbish Bin
21

To cut out pictures

& remove backgrounds
Click and hold on the drop down box of the lasso tool
to nd the magne%c lasso.

To start,
click on the edge of the object
you wish to cut out and
very carefully and slowly
follow the outline around

When you are nished double
click to make it a selec%on.
If you go wrong, hit backspace to delete the last point you drew

22

You can tell your object is

selected by the marching ants
moving around the outside.

You can now copy and paste

this selec%on onto your work

Handy hint!

Is the magne%c lasso following your movements across

the page and not leGng you do anything else? If so,
double click on your work. This will turn it into a
selec%on.

You can now delete it by clicking on this tool.
Now click back on the magne%c lasso and try again!
23

How to use www.dafont.com (on a Mac)

Click on a
category

Type a word from your

text into the preview box
to see if you like it before
you download it
When you have chosen
a font, click download
24

To download click on this arrow. You

can nd this on the top right corner
of the window

Remember the
name of your font
so you can nd it in
Photoshop!

A pop up will appear

click on Install Font
and it will download
your font to
Photoshop

25

To save (on a Mac)

Click SAVE AS
Rename your document with your name &
project %tle
Make sure it is saved on the DESKTOP
Double click on your own account icon on the
desktop to open it
Click, hold and drag the desktop doc to your
own account
26