Finished training "Layers in Photoshop Elements"

[cajainga]

Hi

I am really new to Photoshop Elements anf editing photos. I just finished layers online training.

I wanted to create the look of the bride and the little girl (bonus tutorial) on one of my photos.

first all my photos are jpeg, I assumed I had to save it as a psd file????

when I do that and open it in standard edit I have my picture in my layers palette labeled as layer 1. In your video Matt opens his photo and he has
- the Picture labeled Layer 0
and
- A Blank labeled Background.

Not sure what to do

Also, All my photos are jpeg. your downloads are psd files. I'm told if a file is psd file in order for wolf to print it I need to save it as a jpeg. Is that true and does saving as a jpeg change any of my editing?

Thanking you in advance
Jeannie

[Wendy]

Hi Jeanie ...

First thing is it doesn't matter for this effect if you start off with a jpg (and most of us do) ...

Look in the layers palette ... create a new layer (Layer>New>Layer), fill it with white (Edit>Fill) and then drag it below the image in the layers palette. That will start you off on the effect ... (rename the layers so that they match Matts if you wish.)

Don't worry about it :) ... Matt started his off in a different way.

When you need to save this file ... save it as a psd as that will keep all the layers you are creating :)

Sorry I donlt know anything about the printer ...

Wendy

[skstarkiller]

When you open a jpg in Elements, in the layers menu it will be called Background and have a little lock on it. To make it editable, you double click the lock and an option box will pop up asking you what you want to name that layer, the default is Layer 0. By doing this, you make that layer more editable and allow other layers to be dragged below it.

Also, ,ost photo printers will want a jpg file as they are usually unable to open and print psd's.

[gordie]

Not sure if this is where I post my question. I just finished the layers training (I still have to go back and review all the lessons, very overwhelming, but well worth it).

I just viewed and practically typed out the entire lesson of the Bonus lesson. I just started to test this out, I am barely at the beginning and already I am stuck. Why is it that once I created the rectangular marquee, then created a new layer (layer 1) and fill with white then go to the styles and effect to apply the inner shadow, and selected the “high” option, the white filled in layer (layer 1) turns completely grey, not just the right outline area, but the entire area is all grey.

I am really not sure how to go about asking this question. I hope you understand what I am trying to explain. Like I said this is at the very beginning of the bonus lesson.

I read the tips on how to start off the project to get the same layers as Matt started with. What I did was open my photo then I created a new layer and filled it with white then moved it to the bottom of my background photo layer and renamed the white layer to “background” and the photo layer to photo “layer 0”.

I hope you can let me know what went wrong when I tried the inner shadow
Effect.

Thank you

[Wendy]

Hi Mary ...

Are you using PSE4 ??? ... I will take a look at the Video and come back to you :)

EDIT: ... Just noticed that you are using your own image. I suspect that it is a different resolution and size to the one Matt used so some of the setting will probably need to be adjusted.

Try this ... just go to the next part of the tutorial where Matt shows you how to change the style settings (the angle of the light). Change the Shadow distance in there ... I suspect that the shadow distance may be too high for your image.

Let me know if that helps :)


Wendy

[gordie]

Thank you I will try that, yes it has to be the resoluation of my image. I am not at home right now so I will try it when I get a chance.

Yes I am using PSE4.

I think I did play with the style setting, light angle, and never did get it quite the way I want. I guess it will just take more trys.

Thank you so much for your quick response.

[Wendy]

Hi Mary ...

I'm pretty sure that changing the distance to a small number will sort it out ... but let me know when you get a chance to try it out :)

Wendy

[Danielle]

Wendy, Would it be possible to just post the steps to the bonus tutorial on Day 11? I LOVE the effect and find it so elegant for note cards, etc. I'm going to attempt it, too. Thank you !! You're a great help!

[Wendy]

Hi Danielle ...

When you view the Video just write all the steps down and keep then so that you can do the effect later. Because its from the online classes we can't really post the steps on the forum ...

Wendy :)

[Rohini Tumuluri]

Hi ! Matt,
I just stated to take on line class ' Layers ".. I'm learning a lot and enjoying it too.. by the way i don't know whether I can deviate from the Thread subject... I'm not able to Download the Share.studio.adobe.com/daf/.asp.default.asp Custom Shape files as you stated in the Bonus class...When I click that link the folders are looking different and I'm not able to see what you are showing in the class... I appreciate any help. I'm relatively New to Photoshop Elements.. Thanks,Rohini.

[karen donnybrook]

Rohini,

Welcome to the forum. The layers course is great, isn't it? Hopefully Matt, or someone else, will come along and help you with the download issue.

Karen

[kayser]

I no longer have access to the class, but you should be able to clink on the link at studio exchange and follow the instructions at the studio exchange to download the specific custom shapes. I couldn't follow the link you included- if you post that link, we can test it out and see if it's working for us.

[Rohini Tumuluri]

Hi ! Kay,Thanks for the reply..It is
" Adobe Studio Exchange " and the link is
share.studio.adobe.com/Default.asp
Thanks, Rohini.

[Wendy]

Hi Rohini ...

Matt gives you the link to :

http://share.studio.adobe.com/Default.asp

Then says to go to the custom shapes section and download some shapes ... but he doesn't actually show you any shapes there. What he shows you is some he had already downloaded and put into his Elements folder.

Is it the Sealife ones you are trying to find ... ?? they are there.

I just did a search (left hand side ... ) using Sealife and this came up:

http://share.studio.adobe.com/axAssetDetailSubmit.asp?aID=11244&back=http%3A%2F%2Fshare%2Estudio%2Eadobe%2Ecom%2Fa xQuickSearchSubmit%2Easp%3Ftxt%3DSealife%26allprod s%3D0%26submit1%2Ex%3D13%26submit1%2Ey%3D12

Wendy

[Rohini Tumuluri]

Hi Kay, Thanks to you and Wendy for helping to get to the custom shapes....Finally I think I got it !!!!!...I downloaded them just now I didn't check them yet... I hope I did OK...
Now I have another problem.... In the second Bonus class Matt was suggesting to download
Elements_Chrome.asl..... Where can I find it ???....
Is it adobe.com or photoshopelements.com ????
I see you are on line......
Thanks, Rohini.

[kayser]

Rohini- I thought those elements were an extra download for that lesson? Can you see if they're with the pictures to download (sorry I can't check b/c my class expired.)

[Wendy]

Hi Rohini ...

Elements Chrome is on this site ... Just click on Subscriber Area at the top of the page and then click on Downloads ... you should see it there :)

Wendy

[kayser]

Yeah, Wendy, I thought of that, but I figured they had to make them available to non-subscribers who are taking the layers class? :confused:

[Wendy]

Hi Kay ...

I just went for another look ... it is indeed also in the Day 14 zip file download.

I didn't think about none subscribers :p :p

Wendy

[Rohini Tumuluri]

Hi Wendy,
I tried to post a reply.. It didn't go through...I forgot what i'm asking...Oh ! Yeah.... I opened the Day 14 Zip File.. I see Elements_Chome.. When I clicked . I just see the Elements Editor Blank screen... How do I get the contents ????

Also can you or anybody help me to get the two pictures side by side like in trainig session ....I saw a refference to "Cascade " . How do I use it ??...

Lastly I see the title to this thread ' Rohini finished training
"Layers in Photoshop Elements "...How did that happen?? I still have to take 5 or 6 classes....
Thanks, Rohini.

[Wendy]

Hi Rohini ...

The name of the thread is just because you posted you message in an older thread that was already called Finished Training ... so don't worry about the name :)

Things like Elements Chrome need to be installed in Elements ... its a Layer Style and you will see that it has an .asl file ending.

First close down Elements
Go to your Adobe software folder and look in the folder marked presets.
Inside there you will find a whole series of folders. You need to put it in the one marked Styles ...

Then just restart Elements and you will be able to access it via the ?Styles & Effects Palette>Layer Styles ....

There are other thing that you will be able to install in Elements ... and here is a list that you can use to make sure that you always install them in the right place :)

Files ending in .abr go in the Brushes folder
.aco in the Colour Swatches folder
.csh in Custom Shapes
.grd in Gradients
.pat in Patterns
.asl in Styles

Hope it helps .... :)

Wendy

[Rohini Tumuluri]

Hi ! Wendy,
Finally ..... I just got them....Thanks to your detailed step by step directions....Now I have to learn to use them... Even though I am not really participating in forum thread discussions.. The FORUMS are GREAT as they are Fantastic Learning Places...
I'll try to participate in live discussions at a later date. Rohini

[NRiceDesigns]

Welcome Jeannie