Creating+Presentation+Graphics+in+Photoshop

In our Design work we have to communicate our ideas, show research paths, present Mood Boards and produce finished work in a graphic form.

There are a few pieces of software we can use to do these, in schools the main two are Corel Draw and Photoshop CS2. The Photoshop option is what can be termed the 'Industry Standard' for editing images and creating graphics. A part of CS2 (Creative Suite 2) is 'Illustrator', this is similar to Corel draw in that it is 'Vector Graphics' based, that means the graphics created can easily be resized without any loss to image quality so are of multi use. (For example as a huge advert on a billboard, or a letter head.)

This is a tutorial that aims to enable you to have a go at creating professional looking presentation sheets that you have complete control over. The more you use the software, the easier it becomes, this will get you going, do not ever be afraid of making mistakes, as 'Photoshop' is very forgiving with going 'backwards' should you make mistakes, up to the last save anyway! It's a fantasitc piece of software that once you get the hang of will enable you to make pretty incredible images.

The 'Help' on the software is sufficient to aid you at any point.

 * Lets make a start. When you have opened 'Photoshop' go to '**File**' and '**New**'. You get this box. Where it says '**Preset**', select **A3** from the drop down menu. If you want A4 select that, or it you wish to create a size, choose '**Custom size**' and enter the size in the width and height boxes. Select '**CM**' and keep to a resloution of **300** for printing, or **72** for web or screen use. Give your image a name so you can identify it. Use a white background, you can colour it at any point. Click '**OK**' and your doccument will appear on screen. || [[image:file_new.jpg width="440" height="330"]] ||
 * On the '**Toolbox**' normally found on the left handside of the window, find the '**paint bucket**'. It may be underneath another tool, if you can see a small black triangle that means there are multiply tools on one button, press and hold till you see the bucket. || [[image:paintbucket.jpg align="center"]] ||
 * You are going to fill your doccument with a background colour. Click on the small box under the toolbox to choose a colour. Choose a neutral colour, one that will not distract the eye from the images you will be placing ontop of this background. I always use a light grey. Think about colour carefully. Now, making sure you still have your '**Bucket**' tool selected, click on your image, and it will now be filled with your chosen colour. Do remember, if you do not like what you have done, on your '**History**' palatte, you can always go back and choose another colour. Or, go to '**edit**' and '**undo'**. || [[image:foreground_background.jpg width="66" height="105" align="center"]] ||

Now I want you to open another image while you still have your background doccument on screen.


 * Go to '**File**' and '**Open**', find the image you want to place on your doccument, and click '**Open**'. It will appear alongside your background. Now you need to move the 'pizza cutter' onto your image. || [[image:import_pic.jpg width="410" height="306" align="center"]] ||
 * Click on your newly opened image, and select the '**Move'** tool. Click and drag your image onto your background. It will now appear on your presentation board. Keep moving it till it is roughly in the right place. If you look at your '**Layers**' palatte, you will see the image is on a fresh 'layer', a quick note about 'Layers'. || [[image:move_tool_toolbox.jpg align="center"]] ||

A quick note about **'adjusting'** your images.
 * Now we need to **change the size** of our imported picture. Make sure your layer is active (click on it and it will be highlighted blue) When you click on the image and go to '**Edit'** '**Transform**' '**Scale**'. If you press '**shift**' and grab a corner of the image, it will stay in proportion and will change to the size you want. If you do not press 'shift' at the same time it will simply distort the image, you may wish to do this too. **Remember, you do have control over your images.** || [[image:edit_image.jpg width="506" height="379" align="right"]] ||
 * Now, to import more images onto our doccument, we keep opening more images, selecting the **'move'** tool and dragging them onto the image. We go through the same steps to resize them and move them. If you need to change an image, because they are on seperate **layers** it's simple. Select the **'layer**' and go to **'image' 'adjustments' 'levels'.** Moving the sliders around will change the tonal range in the image, it can create more contrast, lighten it or darken it. **'Curves'** does the same thing. Should you want to change the colour, saturation, anything, it is all here. **Remeber, because it's on a layer of its own, only the image on this layer will be effected.** || [[image:image_adjustments.jpg width="507" height="379"]] ||

Now I am going to show you How to put Text on your Graphics. How to put text on my Presentation Doccument. A note about 'Layers'.

There are many sites, thousands that will offer you help with 'Photoshop'. 'Photoshop' has a very thourough help section itself. But here are some good web links I have visited.

[|Photoshop Help] [|Tips and Hints]

Presentation Skills