READ ® Posters Made Easy: A How-to Demonstration with Adobe® Photoshop® Elements

February 25, 2010 2:00pm (CST)

Organizers: Katharine Fronk and Diane Buck

• 34 type treatment files, 12 bookmark files, 44 poster files:• 12 backgrounds (.jpg) • 20 READ (.jpg) • 12 READ layered (.psd)

• Photoshop Elements

READ background (.jpg)

READ layered (.psd)

• Check out Celebrity READ posters• Consider desired end result

– For a Quick READ poster compose the background– For a Layered READ poster snap photo against high-

contrast backdrop• solid-colored wall• green screen/sheet

Special thanks to Jean DiMatteo from Twinsburg High School (above) and Jane Feldman & New

Lebanon Library (left) for their posters.

• Open Photoshop Elements, choose Edit and Enhance Photos. • File > Open to find and open photo of your reader.• Insert READ disc of your choice and File > Open

to select .png, .psd, or .eps READ type treatment.• Should see both photo and type treatment. – If not: Window > Images > Cascade

• Using the Move tool, drag the type treatment onto your reader’s photo and release. Resize by holding Shift key and using corner arrows. • Press Enter. • Save READ poster.

• Select Magic Wand Tool.• Click image’s background to highlight large

portions with dotted line. Continue highlighting background by holding Shift and clicking unselected portions.

• Hold the Alt key to remove accidentally highlighted portions (i.e. parts of your reader).

• After background is selected, select Magic Eraser tool. Click until entire background is erased and reveals a gray checkered pattern, meaning the area is now transparent.

•Choose File > Save As

• Select Magnetic Lasso Tool.• Trace reader by clicking at reader’s bottom left

and clicking cursor along their silhouette. After completing outline a small circle will appear next to lasso to indicate starting point. Click and dotted line will appear.

• Right click on reader and choose “Select Inverse. Dotted line will now outline the background.

• Select Magic Eraser Tool and click until entire background is erased, revealing checkered pattern.

• Choose File > Save

• Select a layered READ poster (.psd), insert corresponding disc, and choose File > Open to locate and open chosen READ poster in Photoshop Elements.

• File > Open to find and open photo of your reader.• Ensure both photo and READ poster are visible on

screen.• Extract reader from background using one of methods

outlined in previous slides• Once background is removed, click on reader’s window to

make active then select the Move tool. Click and drag reader onto to READ poster and release. Resize reader by holding Shift key and using corner arrows to adjust.

• Press Enter.• In the Layers Box, click eye icon appearing next to the

placeholder layer so wooden figure disappears.• Save READ poster.

• Don’t forget Shortcuts! o Zoom in = Ctrl + +o Zoom out = Ctrl + -o Undo = Ctrl + Z (If mistake is made while resizing image,

hit Enter so unwanted change takes effect, then hit Ctrl + Z to undo mistake.

o Deselect = Esc

• To have multiple windows appear at once choose Window > Image > Cascade.

• Bring a layer to the foreground by clicking and dragging layer to the top of the Layer Box.

• Save finished work as .jpg file for a smaller but non-editable poster or as .psd file for larger but editable poster.

Additional ResourcesREAD Design Studio BlogRDS Info Page with links to video tutorials,

creative ideas, and soon these slides!

READ Poster Flickr

Thank you for attending! Please use the code WEBINAR to purchase the READ DVD or READ CD Box Set and receive $50.00 off list price! Valid thru March 19th.

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