Photoshop Lesson

Instructions: Create a banner/masthead for a web page. Feel free to change the theme.

  1. Since this will be a collage, you should collect at least 4 pictures, whether you use them all or not.
  2. Start a file, about 300 X 900 px, with a white background. The large canvas gives you more room to work. You will crop or resize it later to about 850 X 200px.
  3. Add a new Layer.
  4. After the following steps, your layer will look similar to this, perhaps better:
    1. Fill the entire layer with any color (I used black)
    2. Choose the Brush tool. Then display the Brush panel.
    3. Create a thick brush stroke in gray. (for example: Dry Media 20, Heavy Smear Wax Crayon)
    4. With the Magic Wand, select the top half . Fill with a different color (eg. dark blue)
    5. Deselect.
    6. Choose FILTER/Liquify. Then warp the gray line in the middle.

  5. Make the grid
    1. Start a new file 16 x 16 px, transparent background.
    2. Zoom to 1600%
    3. Use the pencil and draw a white line down the left and bottom.
    4. Choose EDIT/Define Pattern. OK
    5. Go back to your banner file.
    6. New Layer. Choose EDIT/Fill. Then choose your pattern.
      pattern fill
    7. The pattern is too intense. So change the opacity to about 20%.
    8. From the EDIT/Transform. Then practice one or more effects, such as Perspective or Warp.
  6. Add the other images as desired. Consider these things:
    - Take your time with this part. It may take a while to get it right.
    - Be sure to make them blend smoothly.
    - Don't forget to use different methods to isolate the images.
    - Reducing opacity is another useful technique.
  7. Type the text as desired. Use an interesting font.
  8. Apply a Style (WINDOW/Style). I used "Fat Black and White" from the Text Effect styles; then I changed it a bit.
  9. Crop the file to 850 x 200px. (You'll need to move the layers inside so that they fit.)