I want to open an element I already have into photoshop elements.

Opening an element

 

I am taking this a simple step at a time as photoshop can be confusing. If this is too simple then you can go to one of my other tutorials :)

 

Ok, so you have opened the program, and you now know how to open a working space for elements. Time to put one of your elements into photoshop.  On the left hand side of your computer screen will be your start button to open your options, I am sure you have been there many times. Click on this and choose the pictures option, and then the folder where your element is stored. One tip, I usually make the window smaller by clicking on the box in the top right hand corner. This is so I can see both the files, and photoshop.

 

Left click on the element you wish to use, holding down the button drag it on to the working space of photoshop. If photoshop is happy with the file format you will see a plus sign appear where your cursor is. Let go of your mouse button to drop the element. It will then open in its own window. You will now be able to edit or make a page for your scrap booking.

 

If you haven't made your window smaller you can still drag and drop, but this time look for the photoshop icon in your menu bar at the bottom of your screen. I have made a picture showing where both start and the icon should be. As you hover over it photoshop will open on the screen and you can drop into it. You can't drop on the icon, because it doesn't work :)

 

Once the file you have your element in is opened it should also be accessible from your folder icon.

 

I hope this has been helpful, I like things to be explained to me one step at a time :) probably because I'm old lol

 

 

Shortcuts using the control button in photoshop elements

Shortcut controls Glossary

 

Short cuts using the control button makes life so much easier when making elements. If you have used word processing then you are bound to have learned a few. What about control A to select all the text. Or control C to copy text. Here I am going to write a list of all the control shortcuts I know and use. This way if you are reading a tutorial and get confused you can check what it does here.

 

Control A: this will put a selection box around the whole page, so basically select all as with word processing.

Control C: this is copy, to copy and paste an item select it with control A as above, then click control C to make a copy of it. Go to the new window, click in it and then do control V

 

Control D: if you have selected an item and have marching ants around it, or have put a marquee box on the page this control will get rid of them. D basically stands for deselect.

 

Control G: this is used when you want to clip a top layer to the exact shape of the bottom layer. For example you have some text and you would like it to be covered in a nice pattern. Take the pattern layer and put it above the text layer. Now click control G. The pattern will now only show where the text was, giving you patterned text. Another example is when you have a nice picture and you want to clip it to a mask shape. Put the picture in a layer over the mask and click control G. Voila! It is clipped. 

 

Control I: this stands for inverse. Click on an object and click control I and the picture will change to the inverse, like a photograph transparency. I use this when I am making textures and sometimes for backgrounds when I want different texture overlays. I doubt you will use it a lot but it does have its uses.

 

Control button, up arrow (above control) and i: instead of changing an element this changes a selection. Once an element is selected and has marching ants around it, click on these keys and the selection becomes inverse. Instead of having a selection of your element you have a selection of everything but your element. This is used to great effect in  'Making scalloped edge' tutorial.

 

Control J: this one is awesome and I use it a lot. It takes whatever is selected by marching ants and creates it in a new layer. For example if I selected a cow shape, then clicked on a layer with cow print and clicked control J I would have a new layer with a cow shape in the cow print. This has advantages over using control G in that the new shape is more editable.

Control K: this brings up your preferences menu. This is where you can change your settings to make photoshop your own. You can change rulers and grids from cm to inches. Change the cursor size, add a cross hair for accuracy.

Control L: this brings up the levels menu.

Control N: this brings up the new window menu, I use this one all the time :)

Control O : this opens the last folder you saved into. So if you are saving lots of things and you need to get back to them click this shortcut.

Control P: this is the same as word processing and brings up the print options.Nice and simple to remember :)

Control Q: this is quit...so be careful! However, if you want to close everything in a hurry, click on this and it will ask if you want to save each of the items in your windows. If it was a mistake click cancel. If it wasn't...well save away!

Control S: another easy one, this is save, just like in word processing.

Shift+ control + S: this is save as, when you are making elements there are a few different options you may like to choose. Save as a PNG file. This saves an individual element on a transparent background. This is necessary if you wish to use it as a layer over a page you are making. Save as JPG. This is useful if you are saving a background. As there is no transparency this option is suitable and also uses less memory. Save as PSD. This is important to know. If you save as PSD it will save all the layers you have used as they are separately. This way you can go back in a modify single layers or parts of your element.

Control T: is transform, this is used to change the size or perspective of the selected area.

Control U: this brings up the hue/saturation menu. I use this a lot if I am making elements and I want to change the color. Simply click on the element, then control u and move the sliders to change the color, intensity or brightness.

Control V: this is paste just like in word processing...see control A and control C above.

Control W: this also closes the window you are using.

Control +ALT+ W: this closes all the windows you are using.

Control X: this will delete a layer. Click on the layer you wish to delete and click control x and it will delete it.

Control Y: if you undid something and you changed you mind then click control Y as this re does it.

Control Z: this undoes the last move you made. There is a limited number of stages that can be undone. I am not sure how many exactly, but you can undo quite a few.







 

Opening a new window in photoshop elements to make scrapbook elements

Opening a window for the first time

 

Open the photoshop programme and choose the edit option. This will be your opening screen.

 

 

This is your opening screen with a few pointers on it that I have helpfully doodled all over it. Click on it if you want to see it bigger.

 

With your programme now open and this screen in front of you click in the middle of the window. Look for the control key on your keyboard. Mine is the very first key bottom left. Hold this down. Now find the N key. Click on it while still holding down control. A new menu will pop up it will look like this. Click to see a bigger picture.

 

 

This menu asks you for the parameters for your new window. What do you want to call it. This is obviously your choice, pick something that will remind you what is going in it.

 

Then go down to size. I work in centimetres because I'm British, we all have our quirks :) so I have selected 10cm by 10cm as my page size.

 

Resolution is how good the quality of the image will be. I use 300 per inch as this is good for printing images. I have heard that it does not need to be this much but generally people use this setting.

 

Color mode click RGB color, this stands for RED GREEN BLUE the colors used to make the spectrum. If you want to make elements in color then you need this setting.

 

Background contents. This will decide if you have a transparent window, or one with a solid background color. If you are making an element then there will be areas which you will want to be transparent so you can layer them over other items. So choose transparent.

 

All that is left is to click ok on the top right of the box.

 

You will now have a new window ready to make elements in. Tada!

 

Opening an element into photoshop elements

 

Opening photoshop elements for the first time to make scrapbooking elements

Starting from the beginning click on the photoshop elements programme. A widow will pop up asking you if you want to organise or edit.

 Click on the edit option.

You will now have a screen layout which looks like this. Click on this picture to make it bigger so you can really look at it.

Except I have drawn all over mine in lovely colorful writing. I could use text but it's boring. I have tried to highlight some of the key areas you will be using as a beginner.

Top menu tabs.

Dont be shy, click on each one and read the menus. Some will be really familliar, the sort you find in word processing. Like open a new window, or save. Some less familliar at the moment like distort.

These tabs I will refer to as the top tabs. So if I say go to edit in the top menu, you will be looking here.

Under this is the options menu for the side tabs. These change depending on which side tab is selected. Try it, click on each of the side options and see how they change. This is just a space saving way to give you options to hand. Nice huh?

Left side menu will be refered to as the tools. So if I say go to the left side tool menu for the shape tab, this is where you will be looking. Just go all the way down and you will find it. I think the most important tool for that menu is the move tool. It is the first tool and I will refer to it as the move tool. This is used to select and move things around.

I have highlighted some of the other popular tools in colored writing.

Marquee tool is used to put a box of flashing dots or as people call them 'marching ants' on the screen. You click and pull and it leaves a box.

Erase obviously rubs things out

Pencil (right click for brush) gives you something to draw with

The two squares with the colors in shows forground color and background color

Project bin. At the bottom. Will show all open windows that you are using. These can be clicked on and dragged into the open window on your desk.

Layers pallette on the right side arrowed in red is where you will open new layers and see how many layers you have open. A layer is just the window you are working on. And you can then hide that window if you like by clicking on the tiny box next to your layer. Layers sound confusing but they are not. Think of it as a pad of paper with lots of pages which you can move through. The only difference is with a computer you can hide the pages if you want and you can make them transparent, awesome :)

You can open new pages by clicking on the tiny box labelled new layer at the bottom left of the layers palette. Why they make it so small is beyond me.

So that was a quick lay mans tour of the first screen. I am sure the real instructions are more thorough but also a bit confusing.

Now go to opening a new window for an element

I have never used photoshop before and I want to learn scrapbooking

Hello, my name is Claire,

Like you I bought a copy of photoshop elements (I have elements 9) and didn't have a clue what to do with it. I remember opening it and not even knowing how to open a new window. It was a scary, frustrating evening.

I am 43 and have been using elements for nearly a year now to make elements for scrap booking. I am by no means an expert. What I am is a down to earth housewife that can give you a few tips in down to earth explanations. Hopefully in a years time you will be where I am now. Confident to play around with the programme.

First thing to remember....this is your programme,you bought it,it is yours to have fun with and create. Don't be afraid of it, click on the different buttons and see what they do. It will not judge you, or criticise you and if you give it a chance ( and yes you will get frustrated and think it is a piece of ****) you can make some really nice elements...for free!

So I am going to start with the real basics on the assumption that you want to make elements.

Opening photoshop for the first time