Make banner image with this easy Tutorial.

For this exercise lets design a banner that’s 725 pixels wide by 150 pixels in height.

We need to do the following to our banner:

• Make the back ground a Dark Blue
• Need to add ‘My Cool Banner’ text
• Add a twirl effect
• Change the Opacity to the layer

Lets get started.

1. Create a new image

2. Select Create New Picture when the Photo Plus Appears
on Screen

3. Change the size to 725 pixels x 150 pixels @ 96 DPI.

4. You should now have a white rectangle shaped image in Photo Plus.

Select the Bucket Tool and change the color to blue in the Color screen by selecting the blue in the color screen and then
click once in the white image to apply the bucket effect.

The color should of changed to blue.

Bucket Tool (left) and Color Screen (Right)

5. Now lets add some text. In the toolbar under the Bucket click on the ’A' which is your font tool. Now Type in some text
and change the color by clicking on the small colored color button near theB I in your font screen. When you’re finished
click ok.

Layer Manager

Make Banner Image - Any time you want to edit the font just click on Layer the contains your text in the layer Manager. In my example the text I typed in is My Cool Banner. In this example it’s the layer above the back ground.

If you need to make changes to the back ground layer right mouse click on the layer and select promote to layer. Now
the background layer can be treated like the other layers.

6. Lets add another layer. Right mouse click anywhere inside  the layer Manager screen where there are layers and select
new. Give the new layer a name - ‘effects layer’ then click ok.

Now select the air brush tool (above the bucket) and change the color and spray over the top of the image - don’t have too much fun yet.

7. Click on Image (Top left hand of Photo Plus) and choose distort and twirl. Play with the settings until you come up with
an effect that meets your needs then click on ok.

8. If you want to change the Opacity of the effect layer select the effect layer and change the Opacity.

You can add as many layers as you want to. You can also change the effect of each layer by changing it from Normal. To
save and optimise this image for the web just click on File (Top left corner) and click on export optimizer. Only save images as jpg (Joint Photographic Group File) or as a GIF because these file types are supported by all web browser  since the eginning of the www.

The finished Banner

The exercise of this tutorial was to show you how simple it is to
create an image in Photo Plus. This tutorial was about how to
make banner image.

A few things to consider when you make banner image

1. Make sure you optimize your images properly.
2. You can add as many layers as you want.
3. Don’t over use the effects.
4. It’s ok to create an image and to have a play with the software
and do lots of things. After all it’s about learning and you can
delete what you don’t need

Adobe Photo Shop or Photo Plus- This tutorial is about Familiarizing yourself  with the FREE Photo Plus image editing program.

This FREE program is very easy to use and I am surprised . This is one key area I am truly passionate about because if you don’t use the correct tools then it can effect the look and feel of your website and it could effect your webpage download speed on your visitors computer.

Photo Plus Screen Shot

Screen Shot Meanings

1. This is the Photo Plus toolbox is similar to the one Adobe Photo Shop has. You have a selection of tools you can use including:

• Crop Tool

• Paint Bucket

• Draw Tool

• Slice Tool

• Smudge Tool

• and many others.

2. This is the Properties Screen which you can change the effects to most of the tools that are available in the tool box.

3. Photo Plus Color Chart - change any color you need from this properties box

4 Photo Plus Layer Manager - This is where you can copy and delete layers or you can change the opacity and apply layer effects to any of your images.

5. This is the screen that appears when you need to create a new file. The choices are:

• An option to open saved work

• Create a new Picture

• Create new Animation

• import from Twain

• View Samples

• Online Resource Link

As you can see this software program is jam packed with neat features that will enable you to create images for your website.

Capturing a Screen Shot of your Computer Screen

If you want to capture what you have on your computer screen you can do this by pressing the PRT SCN button on your
keyboard. To create this screen capture into an image all you to open Photo Plus do not create a blank image and just paste
(ctrl v) into Photo Plus and the software will create a new image  with your captured screen shot.

Golden Photo Section of an image - by using this technique it will help you to take better photos for your web site. This is the hidden secret many professional photographers don’t want you to know.

I have discovered its not a matter of aiming and shooting an image for your web site but to know where to put the subject in the frame. Many new people to photography make the same mistake by putting the object in the centre of the photo but its not the way to do it because your eyes set focus on 1 of 4 golden sections of an image.

Lets take a look at an example.

Which photo below directs your eye to the subject with ease?

Is it image 1 or image 2?

image 1

image 2

If you take another look at both images you will find that with image 1 you look straight at the object and with image 2 you just look at it attempting to take a grasp of where to set your focus on.

So what are the 4 golden points you should set focus on
when you’re taking a Photo?

Here is your answer.

Golden Sections of an Photo

Above the red dots represent where you need to sit your object in the frame.

Experiment and take a few photos and compare what works well with what I have suggested and next time you pick up a magazine notice carefully here the subject is placed in the photo. You should notice its not dead enter and the photo has been taken by placing the subject in one of the golden sections.

Tip - Never place your subject dead centre and if you can not place it in the Golden section slightly place the object off centre.

Graphic image and photo for website design are graphical images designed to be viewed in web pages. There are a few software programs that will help you to achieve this. My favorite is Adobe Photo shop 6.0 but I have realized that not everyone can afford to purchase this software.

So I decided to search for a program that was FREE and had 2 important features that was required and lacked in other FREE Image editing programs. These two features I looked for were Layers and image optimization for websites. After many endless searches I hit pay dirt and found Photo Plus which to me seems to be very similar to Photo shop minus the powerful features Photo shop has which for now you can do without. The layout is similar and the program comes with layers and image optimization for websites and if you ever want to use Photo shop the transition should be easier than most other software programs.

Just a word of caution - the program download file size is 20 mb and you need to provide an e-mail address to activate the software. My suggestion is to create a dummy e-mail account and once you finish the registration process delete this e-mail account so your not spammed with newsletters and other unwanted material.

If you decide that you want to receive newsletters and other offers then keep this e-mail active.

Befor your start to make a graphic image and photo for website design there are a few things you will need to learn which starts before using the software and commences when you take a photo. You will first need to learn how to take the perfect photo by shooting your frame in the Golden Photo Section of an Image.

Once you have your photos you need to import them onto your Computer.
If you’re thinking how do I change that 5 mega pixel photo into a photo below is a quick step by step guide on how to fix this.

Generally to fix this issue all you need to do is transfer your photo to your computer and open the photo with Photo Plus.

Step by Step Process to Import a Photo into Photo Plus for Graphic image and photo for website design.

1. Import your photo to your computer.
2. Go to Image in the Toolbar and click on Image Size. To give you an idea an image size of around 300 x 300 pixels at 96 DPI should be a good size for a web site web page and should give you an idea what it will look like in a web site web page.
3. Adjust the pixel size for the width and height.
4. If you wish to have a go at playing with the other settings. You don’t need to alter anything with the Print Size option.

Thats all you now have resized your image in the correct size for a web page.