Printable View
I just recently started using Photoshop and I would like to know a couple of things about it.
--------------------------
1: How do I save the image to my computer without it being a psd file
2: How do I change the colors in the font, like blending & adding to it
Thanks
Did it come with a manual?
No, I DL'd it off of the internet. It does have the help feature but I couldn't find anything about these two subjectsQuote:
Originally Posted by S
Which version?
Actually, the ones I've used are mostly the same (7.0 and CS), but saving is very slightly different.
You must know that in Phothoshop, and nearly any Windows program that lets you edit and save files, The "Save As..." or "Export"/"Export To..." Functions will let you save files in a different format than the common one assigned to the program. This is always in File. Just go to File > Save As and in the "Save as Type" box under the browsing window, select the type you want to save a file as.
Notes to saving:
JPEG/JPG seems to be a generic format. Pretty much any final picture is best saved in Jpg. Just remember to increase its file quality so the image will not come out grainy (a problem I noticed when saving jpegs in paint on Windows 98)). PS at default usually seems to select the best one for the picture being saved, but at times, I noticed that the picture may be of a lower quality than of the preview. To be safe, save it with a quality of one or two levels higher. Just remember this, the higher the quality, the larger the file size. I'm not sure if there is a big difference in JPG or JPEG, look it up.
GIFs(Something Interchange format)- Gifs work great with sigs, espeically since they allow transparency. Not only that, but they are usually tiny in size compared to most formats. The problem is, is that you may loose some color information. I suggest that before you save an image as a .gif, that you at least have its .psd version already saved (or have it saved in jpeg or bitmap).
PNGs seem to be good for sigs also. I'm not sure about its size. It also allows transparency. I assume they end up larger than gifs, but allow more colors than gifs and are usually smaller than jpegs. I have no proof of this, so mess with it yourself. But what I've noticed is that .pngs come up in a nasty grey box when they are viewed in Internet Explorer. This does not occur in Mozilla Firefox.
Bmp - Bitmaps ensure the best image quality, but a good bitmap image (like a good photo or wallpaper) can be upwards a few megabytes when a Jpeg of the same picture can be like half a megabyte or so. Only use these in special situations like when high quality is a MUST. Even then, try the higher Jpeg qualities before you use Bitmaps.
Those are the common file types. Occasionally, you may see .tif or .psp (Paint Shop Pro).
2)
The great thing about Photoshop is there is so many ways to get to one effect. If you want just a simple font color change, I suggest you just use the text tool and select the color you want then type. You can also select the text you want to change and change just that selection's color.
There is a crapload of things you can do with text that would take up too much time and space. But a quick way to add neat text effects is to go the the text's layer in the layer window and right-click > Blending Options. From there, you will get tons of options to mess with your text . Color Overlay being one of them, which can change the color text (but is used in tandem with the other options).
Just mess around and look up beginners tutorials on the 'net. You can start at http://www.pixel2life.com
Thanks Trentdaddy (+rep to you)
I am using Photoshop Cs2
PNGs and BMPs are both lossless formats, and PNG has some snazzy compression thing going on (unlike BMP), so pictures that aren't too colour-intensive are generally about the same size or smaller than JPGs, and there's a good chance their quality will be better as well. So basically, you want to save your stuff as PNG unless there's a bunch of colour stuff going on (game screenshots, super cool wallpapers, etc.), in which case JPG is the way to go.
Also view my Ice Signature. I have an animated version somewhere that is saved as a .gif, which is actually smaller than the one I have right now. Though, the resolution is smaller (I decreased it by about 25%). My point is that it has quite a bit of detail (multiple blues), but it stills comes out at the same quality as my jpeg. So if space is a concern (especially on forums that specify a limit), .gif is a good format to use.
PNG is not "totaly" lossless like one would think (in Photoshop). It is forced to be under a certain number of colors (256 methinks). It's still a good compression method because it searches for pattern in the image, thus not removing any definition like JPEG would do. Transparency in PNG however is not supported by Internet explorer. Other rule compliant browsers don't have a problem with it. ;P
Gif, while being good for animation, normally takes more space than PNG. It's suitable for small animation, but please don't go over the 250kb barrier as it can be pretty frustrating for some forumers.
For easy blending, right click your font layer, and choose "Blending..." or soemthing like that. Here you get a few effects like embossing, drop shadow, glow, etc.
With a bit of Javascript, it damned sure is. Perfectly, too. Google it and you'll see what I mean.Quote:
Originally Posted by polobunny