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MCP Actions Quick Purchase

Since posting the DAD freebie and then my storyboard on some photography forums, I have gotten questions about how to make a storyboard. The finished product is above.

To start making a new template/storyboard, go under FILE - NEW.

In order to cut holes into your canvas, you need to rename your background layer - so it is editable. To do this, double click on the word “background” and name it template. Then you will use your marquee tool to make the boxes (squares, rectangles, etc) where the photos can go time after time.

If you want to line up things perfectly, you can use VIEW - NEW GUIDE. Then you will pick where you want guides and it will line guides up for you to work from. You can add these both horizontally and vertically.

Once you have your guides, or if you do not want to use guides, select the marquee tool. Make your boxes where you want photos to go. Once you have a box done, click delete on your keyboard. It will then look like a checker board underneath. This means it is transparent. And a picture can be placed underneath. Add as many holes as you want.

If you want to add a border around each, this is what you do next.

Next go under EDIT - STROKE. That will pull up this dialog box:

Now when you click ok - you will have your border. If it is too thick or thin, go back and do it again with a larger or smaller number.

Make sure to save your file as a PSD. You can change the color of the background or the stroke by selecting the appropriate layer and dumping paint from the paint bucket into the area. You can also turn off the border for a more simple storyboard.

MCP Actions Website | MCP Flickr Group | MCP Reviews

MCP Actions Quick Purchase

I decided to make a DAD frame for everyone instead of doing an actual tip this week. It is a 20×10 photo with a frame that spells out DAD. It is a layered PSD file and can be found here:
http://www.gigasize.com/get.php/-1100122867/DAD_FRAME_for_ILP___Blog.psd

All you do is add your photos on top of where my sample photos layer is by using the Move Tool and dragging them in. Then make sure in the layers palette that the are under the frame you are using.

You can use the black or white frame and have an opposite color outline or no outline if you prefer. You can resize photos by clicking CTRL (or command) and the letter T. Hold the shift key before resizing so that you maintain the ratio and do not distort the photos.

MCP Actions Website | MCP Flickr Group | MCP Reviews

MCP Actions Quick Purchase

This week my tip is some quick shorcut keys you can use to save you time.

These are my top 10 most used short cut keys. If you have a MAC, substitute Command Key for Ctrl, Option Key for Alt. Oh and most actually have 2 under each number since many kind of go together.

10. “Ctrl” and “L” to bring up levels
9. “Ctrl” and “M” to bring up curves
8. “Ctrl” and “A” to select all
7. “Ctrl” and “D” to deselect all
6. “D” to reset swatches to default and “X” to swap the swatches
5. “Ctrl” and “Shift” and “N” to make a new blank layer
4. “Ctrl” and “J” to make a duplicate copy of a layer3.
3. “Ctrl” and “C” to copy and “Ctrl” and “V” to paste
2. ” [ key" to make a brush smaller, " ] key” to make a brush bigger
1. “Ctrl” and “+ key” to zoom in on a picture, “Ctrl” and “- key” to zoom out of a picture

PLUS you can make your own shortcut keys. Go under EDIT. Then KEYBOARD SHORTCUTS. And you can actually assign keys to do new things. For example - if you always use adjustment layers, you can make “Ctrl” and “L” pull up a curves adjustment layer instead of straight layers.

Have fun with these and let me know how you liked the tip.