Basic instructions for using quote pages…
1- Open the template image you want to use. Open the quote page you want to use. (The quote pages with black backgrounds have white text and vice versa, so choose which text color you will need for your layout).
2- Highlight the background layer in your template (remember that whatever you drag on to your template will automatically place itself above whichever layer is highlighted). Then highlight the layer on the quote page with the quote you chose. Simply drag if over to your template. Another option is to drag the quote directly from the page on the desktop by grabbing it and dragging it over. Either method is fine, but sometimes it is difficult to “grab” text so often the layer palette is easier.
3- Once you have your quote on your page, you can move it to the desired place and resize it. You can do this several ways. First you can hit CONTROL/COMMAND T to transform it. (Don’t forget to hold down the shift key to keep it’s proportions.
4- You can move the quote up or down in your layers palette if you need it to be placed above or below photo elements on your page. You can also change the opacity of the words just by changing the opacity in the layers palette. Sometimes playing around with it is the best option.
5- If you want to change the color of the quote, all you have to do is to make sure it is highlighted in the layers palette. Choose the “T” text tool in the tool palette, then click on the color block up on the top menu bar and a color picker will pop up. Then either using your eyedropper, choose colors from your photo or background, or hand choose a color from the color guide and click ok.
6- I include the fonts with all of my quote pages, but if you want to change the font to something else, using the same steps above to get to your text menu on top, manually choose your font from your font library. You can also highlight the font name in the menu on top and using your up and down arrows, just scroll through the fonts. Your words will change right in front of you and it is an easy visual way to find just the right font.
Basic instructions for using design elements…
Follow steps 1-4 above to add your design element to your template.
5- To change the color of an element, make sure it is highlighted in the layers palette. Then click CONTROL/COMMAND U to bring up the hue/sat pop up. Click on “colorize” in the bottom right corner. Then just using the sliders, adjust to get the color you want. I always start by lighting it since they are originally black. Then play with hue and saturation. It is a good idea to have the element layer at full opacity to do this, then lower it later if you want it less.
6- Don’t be afraid to play around with these design elements. By experimenting, we often find unexpected amazing things.
