Graphics Zone - Photoshop 5 8

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Photoshop 5 Course Part 8

by BarryHilton, Adult NetSurprise

Designing a Logo: Part Eight
This week we are going to finish our 'Bondage Virgins' logo by adding a faded grid behind our text...

The first step we need to do is create our grid. First Click on your 'Background' layer then click the create new layer button at the bottom of the 'Layers' menu. Double click on this new layer and rename it 'Grid'.

Next we need to set up a 'Snap-to' grid in the Photoshop Preferences section. To do this go to the 'File' menu at the top of the screen, then choose 'Preferences' and select 'Guides and Grid' from the menu. This will bring up Photoshop's Preferences... On the 'Grid' menu select: Style = Lines, Grid line every 10 pixels, Subdivisions 1. Then Click OK!

Now we want to set up the grid for our logo... Go to the 'View' menu at the top of the screen and select 'View Grid'. Then go back to the 'View' menu again and make sure that 'Snap to grid' is turned on (has a tick next to it). If it is turned off select 'Snap to grid' to turn it on.

Now we are going to start creating our grid. Select the 'Single Row Marquee Tool (M)' from the main 'Tool' menu... to find this click and hold on the regular marquee button and select it from the menu.

Now just click on your image near the top grid line, your marquee will snap-to the grid. Now while holding 'Shift' on your keyboard click on each other horizontal grid line until they all have a marquee.

Repeat this process with the 'Single Column Marquee Tool (M)' starting with the left most vertical grid line.

Repeat this process with the 'Single Column Marquee Tool (M)' starting with the left most vertical grid line.

Click the tiny black and white boxes in the bottom left corner of the 'Color Palette'. This will reset your colors to black foreground and white background. Then swap your foreground color with your background color by clicking on the little arrows in the top right corner. This will give us white as our foreground color.

Now select the 'Paint Bucket' tool from the 'Tool' menu and click inside your image to paint all your grid white.

We want a faded edge to our grid, so our grid fades to black at the edges of our logo. To do this you need to select the 'Lasso' tool from the 'Tool' menu.

Then go to the 'Lasso Options' menu and enter 10 for the 'Feather value'.

Now draw a rough oval, approximately between the outside of your 'Bondage text' and the edges of your image. Then we need to select the inverse of the marquee that you have drawn. To do this go to the 'Select' menu at the top of the screen and choose 'Inverse' from the menu.

First click the create new layer button at the bottom of the 'Layers' menu. Double click on this new layer and rename it 'Edge Fade'.

Then click the tiny black and white boxes in the bottom left corner of the 'Color Palette' to reset your colors to black foreground and white background.

Next fill your marquee with black! To see our example click here.

Now we need to make our logo text more readable. To do this we are going to add a faded black center behind our text.

First we need to select our 'Red Outline' layer, so click find this layer on your 'Layer' menu and click this once to select it. Now using the 'Magic Wand' tool (Select from the 'Tool' menu) click on your image but outside the border of your 'Red Outline'.

Then we need to select the inverse of the marquee that you have selected with the 'Magic Wand' tool. To do this go to the 'Select' menu at the top of the screen and choose 'Inverse' from the menu.

Now we need to make this selection bigger... Go to the 'Select' menu at the top of the screen and choose 'Modify' then 'Expand'. Expand your selection by 10 pixels.

To blur this selection go back to the 'Select' menu at the top of the screen and select 'Feather' from the menu. Enter a value of 10 pixels for your feather.

Now we need to create a new layer for our middle fade. Click on your 'Edge Fade' layer then click the create new layer button at the bottom of the 'Layers' menu. Double click on this new layer and rename it 'Middle Fade'.

Select the 'paint Bucket' tool from the 'Tool' menu and fill your selection with black. This will create a black fade behind our logo text making it easier to read. To see our example click here.

The last thing we need to do to complete our logo is to move our logo higher so it is in the middle of our image and grid. To do this click on the 'Middle fade' layer on the 'Layers' menu to select it then click in the small box to the left of each layer name that is above your 'Middle Fade' Layer. This will link all your layers except your 'Background' and 'Edge Fade' layers so you can move them all together.

Now select the 'Move' tool from the 'Tool' menu and click and drag inside your image to move your logo/text to the middle of your image. To see our finished example click here.

This week's To-Do Assignment:
Follow this weeks tutorial and complete your logo by adding a faded grid background... You will now need to save your image as a jpg. To do this flatten your image file by clicking on the 'Layer' menu at the top of the screen and selecting 'Flatten Image'... DON'T FORGET TO SAVE YOUR IMAGE AS A PSD FILE FIRST... Then from the 'File' menu at the top of the screen choose 'Save As'. This will bring up the jpg compression menu, set the compression to 7 or 8 and click OK to save your image.