MY NAME MASK
MY NAME MASK Go online to find appropriately licensed images that represent you (what you like, what you do, etc.). You will need the same number of images as there are letters in your name…if you have a long name you may use a nickname if you’d like. You must cite all sources! 1. Create a blank document that is 16 in wide by 4 in. tall with a resolution of 72 px 2. Pick a wide, bold, font to use. The size will vary depending on the font you choose. For the most part, it will be 150 or so. Some of your photos will be larger than others. When you position your font over the photo you may not be able to get enough of the picture inside your letter. DO NOT increase the size of your font…simply decrease the size of the image until it fits within the letter. (IMAGE > IMAGE SIZE…) 3. Open each image separately into a new window in Photoshop. 4. Use the Type Mask Tool on each image to copy each letter and place into the long 16 in. banner you created earlier… 5. You might consider using the line tool to draw a horizontal line in order to aide you in getting the letters in a straight line again. Also, check for spacing between the letters. They should all be equally spaced. Try View > Show > Grid for another helpful aide. 6. Once you get the letters in a straight line and evenly spaced: LAYERS > MERGE LAYERS 7. Position your name so that it is the same distance from the left side of the canvas as it is from the top and bottom.
8. Use the CROP Tool to Crop the document so there is equal distance all the way around your name.
9. Insert a new layer and move the layer to the bottom. 10. Use the eyedropper tool to sample a color from one of the letters.
11. Make sure you are on the background layer and switch to the paint bucket tool and click to fill with the color you just sampled. 12. Now apply at LEAST two effects to the layer with your name. The example shows Drop Shadow, Bevel and Glow. 13. Position your mouse over the thumbnail view of your name in the Layers Palette. Press and hold the CTRL key. Click the Thumbnail view of your name. You should now see a selection marquee around every letter.
14. EDIT > STROKE (OUTLINE SELECTION) – Stroke size = 2 Sample a color in your letters that would be an appropriate colored outline. 15. The result is something similar – the letters are more defined and thus, easier to read. 16. Create a new layer at the top of the Layer Palette. 17. Use your rectangular marquee tool to draw a selection around your name. The “arms” of the crosshairs of the marquee tool should touch the edges of the canvas so that the selection starts away from the edge a bit….
18. Once you have the selection drawn – EDIT > STROKE (OUTLINE SELECTION) – Stroke size = 6 - Sample a color in your letters that would be an appropriate frame outline. 19. Repeat the last two steps except this time your selection will be smaller and the stroke size will be 2. 20. The result is something like this:
21. Save As classid_maskname. Export as a .jpg.
8. Use the CROP Tool to Crop the document so there is equal distance all the way around your name.
9. Insert a new layer and move the layer to the bottom. 10. Use the eyedropper tool to sample a color from one of the letters.
11. Make sure you are on the background layer and switch to the paint bucket tool and click to fill with the color you just sampled. 12. Now apply at LEAST two effects to the layer with your name. The example shows Drop Shadow, Bevel and Glow. 13. Position your mouse over the thumbnail view of your name in the Layers Palette. Press and hold the CTRL key. Click the Thumbnail view of your name. You should now see a selection marquee around every letter.
14. EDIT > STROKE (OUTLINE SELECTION) – Stroke size = 2 Sample a color in your letters that would be an appropriate colored outline. 15. The result is something similar – the letters are more defined and thus, easier to read. 16. Create a new layer at the top of the Layer Palette. 17. Use your rectangular marquee tool to draw a selection around your name. The “arms” of the crosshairs of the marquee tool should touch the edges of the canvas so that the selection starts away from the edge a bit….
18. Once you have the selection drawn – EDIT > STROKE (OUTLINE SELECTION) – Stroke size = 6 - Sample a color in your letters that would be an appropriate frame outline. 19. Repeat the last two steps except this time your selection will be smaller and the stroke size will be 2. 20. The result is something like this:
21. Save As classid_maskname. Export as a .jpg.
