Modify The Template Size
You can turn any template into a different size or aspect ratio if you follow my instructions on how to modify a template.
For example, you can turn a 12 x 12 inch template into:
8.5 x 11 inches
11 x 8.5 inches
7 x 5 inches, etc., or any other size.
Video 05-09: Modify The Template Size (7:06)
In this lesson we'll learn how to modify a template to make it a different size. We'll use this template called ql-grayscale-template-07.psd as an example. You'll find it in the Part 5 lesson nine practice folder.
There are two kinds of modifications. The easy one is to keep the same proportions but change the overall size either larger or smaller. The second kind of modification is a bit harder but still easy to do. And that is to change the size and proportion of the template without distorting it but still keeping a similar design. You can do this with just about any size, or orientation of document.
We'll start with the easier modification first, resizing a template using the same proportions. I'll turn this 12 x 12 inch template into an 8 x 8 inch template. In the menu bar, choose File, Duplicate. When the dialog box comes up, give the duplicate a new name. I'll remove the word "copy," and tag -8x8 to the end of this name and click OK.
In the menu bar, choose Image, Resize, Image Size. When the dialog box comes up, check all three checkboxes in the lower left: Resample Image, Constrain Proportions, and Scale Styles. Let me tell you why these checkboxes are important.
Resample image tells Photoshop Elements that it's okay to change the number of pixels in order to change the document size. Photoshop Elements will delete or add pixels to create the new size of document. Constrain Proportions tells Photoshop Elements to keep the image in proportion. When this is checked, I can change the width to 8 inches and the height automatically changes to 8 inches to keep the image proportional. Scale Styles is important because if you don't check it, the styles will stay the same size when you resize. This makes the styles way too big if you want the documents smaller, or it makes them too small if you make the document larger. By checking Scale Styles, you give Photoshop Elements permission to adjust the styles for the size of the new document, which is a good thing.
The menu at the bottom gives you several choices for the best kind of algorithm when enlarging or reducing the size of your document. This isn't as important for a template because most templates are made of vector shapes that don't lose quality when reducing in size or enlarging. Don't worry about what vector means. We'll go over that in a later lesson. Since I'm reducing the size though, I'll choose Bi-cubic Sharper. Click OK and your duplicate document will change to an 8 x 8 inch size. So that kind of change is pretty simple.
Now let's try the second kind of modification, changing the size and proportion of a template. I'm starting with the original 12 x 12 inch template that's in the practice folder for this lesson. Let's say you want to change this template to an eight and a half by 11 size. Start by making a new document that's eight and a half by 11. In the Menu Bar Choose File, New, Blank File. When the dialog box comes up, enter the new size you want. So I'm using eight and a half by 11. Keep the same resolution as the original template which is 300 pixels per inch. Give your document a new name. I'll use the same name but add a -8.5 x 11 at the end. For the color mode, use RGB color and use white for the background contents. Then click OK.
Activate the original document. In the Menu Bar, choose Image, Resize, Image Size. When the dialog box comes up, make sure all three checkboxes are checked. Choose the longest side of the eight and a half by 11 document, which in this case is 11 inches and enter it in either the width or the height field. Since Constrain Proportions is checked, both size fields will change to 11 inches. Click OK.
Now it's time to move the layers from the original template to the destination document. In the Layers panel of the original document click on the bottom layer and Shift click on the top layer to select all the layers. Get the Move tool and click and drag the layers to the new document via the tab down into the document, or if you're using the Floating Window view you can drag from one floating window to another. Press Shift, let go of the mouse, and then let go of the Shift key to center the layers on the new document.
Because the proportion is different on the destination document, you'll most likely need to make some adjustments. I like to start by selecting groups of layers that go together and moving or resizing them. You can use the Move tool to quickly select a group of layers if you have the right parameters. Auto Select Layer must be checked in Tool Options for this to work and you can't have any layers between the cluster and the background layer. So in the Layers panel, click on the Visibility icons of any large papers in the background. So I'll do these two here at the bottom. Now you can click and drag over a group of layers with the Move tool to instantly select their layers in the Layers panel. I'll press Ctrl T in Windows or Command T on a Mac to get the Transform tool and press Alt in Windows or Option on a Mac and click and drag from a corner handle to make this a little bit smaller, resizing all four corners at the same time. I could also move it anywhere I wanted, but I'll just leave it in the center and click the checkmark to commit the Transform.
Now I can turn on the visibility of the two larger papers and deal with them separately. I'll select both layers and move them down a bit so the papers cover the bottom of the document. I'm not going to open up the left side, like the original template because I have less room on this template. Because of the different proportion some of the paper will be outside the bounds of the document, which isn't a big deal. But if you want to adjust that you certainly can. Because these are only clipping masks, it doesn't matter if you change the proportion. Since these two layers aren't the same size I'll resize each one separately using the Transform tool. I'll just drag each side to the edge of the document and commit the Transform. And I'll do the second paper as well.
So that's how to quickly change the size and even the proportion of a template to suit what you need.