Where Do I Start?

You’ve duplicated your template and saved it as a copy. Now what?

I’ll tell you exactly what to do first and why it’s important. In this lesson you’ll create a project from start to finish using a fun template.

Video 05-03: Where Do I Start? (4:27)

We've duplicated our template and we're ready to get started. So where do we start? I recommend always starting with your photos because everything else you do depends on the topic of your photos and the colors in your photos.

I've already opened the three photos I plan to use on this template. They're different shots of baby Evan. My plan is to clip one photo to each of the three photo clipping masks on the template. I'll start with this photo right here. To drag from the Photo Bin make sure the destination document is the active document. In this case, the destination is my template and it is the active document. When you drag a photo from the Photo Bin to your document, you don't have to select the photo clipping mask layer first, just make sure that you let your mouse go over the clipping mask you want to use. So your photo will land above that clipping mask in the Layers panel.

Now you can clip the photo to the photo clipping mask. Remember, there are several ways to do that. One way is to go to the Menu Bar and choose Layer, Create Clipping Mask. Now the photo is only visible over the clipping mask. I can use the Move tool to move it around, but it's way too big, so I'll need to resize it.

Press Ctrl T in Windows or Command T on a Mac to get a transform outline. If you can't see all the handles on the outline remember, you can press Ctrl zero in Windows, or Command zero on a Mac to fit your document or a transform outline to the available desktop. Click and drag from a corner handle to resize while maintaining the original proportions. I can also press ALT in Windows or Option on a Mac and click and drag from a corner handle to resize all four corners at the same time. I'll move this down a little bit and over. And then when you're satisfied... I'll bring that down a little bit with my arrow keys... click on the checkmark to commit the change. You'll want to do exactly the same thing with the remaining two photos and clipping masks.

Here's how my template looks after adding all three photos. Now all that's left is to make any changes to the design, color, or type. This template is a simple graphic design and the shades of gray actually work well with my photos so I'm not going to change that part of the design. We'll talk about changing color in future lessons. But right now the only thing I want to change is the title. Get the Type tool and open Tool Options. Click and drag over the type to highlight it. And then in Tool Options, you can open the font menu and choose a font. But I'm just going to type in a font that I want to use that I already know. And then I can click on it to accept that font.

Now let's go ahead and type in our new title, "Hello World." I'm also going to highlight this and change the size to 36 points. And click outside of that to accept it. And then with the Type tool when you move away from the type, you get a move tool icon which means you can click and drag the type into place and I'll just scoot it over a little bit to the right. And when I let go of the mouse, Photoshop Elements automatically commits the type. So this would make a great postcard right here, you can type some things out or write some things and send it in the mail. And so it's a very, very simple template. Remember to choose File, Save to save your changes.

So that's how it works with a template. You start by clipping the photos to the photo clipping mask layers and then make any other desired changes to the type or design. This is a very simple but cute little card that gives you space at the top to write a note or a baby announcement. Remember to choose File, Save to save your changes.

So that's how to work with the template. Start by clipping the photos to the photo Clipping Mask layers and then make any other desired changes to the type or design.

Complete and Continue