The Fundamentals
Part 1, Working With Templates, Welcome

• Download the all-in-one manual for this section.
  • The videos in this section are not downloadable.
• Download the FREE template used in this section.
  • Get the coordinating template pack by Jenifer Juris. (coming soon)
• Download the FREE mini kit used in this section.

Here's what you'll find in Part 1:

• What Is a Template?
• How To Remove Color In a Template
• Popup Boxes When Opening Templates
• How To Duplicate a Template
• How To Work With Groups In a Template

Watch the video:

What Is a Template?

A template is a layered document that provides clipping masks, placeholders, editable text, and more that help you create a digital project faster with less decision-making.

Around the web, a "template" can come in many different forms. There are templates for greeting cards, scrapbook pages, photo masks, and much more.

Popup Boxes When Opening a Template

When you first open a template, you are likely to encounter at least one popup dialog box.

• The Update Text dialog box will pop up if the template was created in a different software program than the one you're using. Click Update. This will not change the appearance of the template.
• The Missing Font dialog box will pop up if the font used in the editable type layers is not installed on your computer. Click OK. If you try to edit a type layer that uses an uninstalled font, you will be asked to choose a different font.

How To Duplicate a Template

Templates are intended to be used more than once. For that reason, you should never work on the original of a template. Instead, work on a duplicate. To duplicate a template:

• In the Menu Bar, choose File > Duplicate (PS: Image > Duplicate) and click OK.
• Close the original template without saving.

How To Remove Color In a Template

The colors, or lack of colors, you see in a template are simply designer preference and are usually only for decorative purposes. Some people love having the pretty colors to inspire them, while others would rather not have the colors influence their design decisions. To remove color from a layer in a template:

• In the Layers panel, activate a layer with color.
• Press Shift Ctrl U (Mac: Shift Cmd U).
• Repeat for any other layer with color.

How To Work With Groups In a Template

Grouping in the Layers panel can help you stay organized when working with templates. Some designers include groups in their templates and some do not.

• To expand or collapse a group, in the Layers panel, click on the arrow directly to the left of the group name.
• If you click on the Visibility icon of a group to hide it, all layers within that group will also be hidden.