SUBJECT: Creating a quick page from a layout
PROGRAM: PSCS3 (works in other versions of Photoshop)
PREREQUISITES: A digital layout still in layers, basic understanding of the layers palette and move tool.
Creating a quick page from a layout is a quick process when you make use of layer styles. Start by opening the page you want to turn into a quick page. The layout needs to be in layered form to make use of this technique.
Start by deleting all layers that are specific to your personal page (except the photos). All journaling, dates, titlework and other word elements go in the trash. You can do this by clicking on the layer in the layers palette and dragging it to the trash icon at the bottom of the layers palette. Alternatively, you can right click on the layer and select ‘Delete Layer’ from the fly-out menu.
Repeat for each layer you want to delete. Remember to keep your photos in place for now.
Double click on one of your photo layers in the layers palette to bring up the layer styles dialogue. Alternatively go to Layer>Layer Style>Blending Options.
Click on the down arrow to the right of ‘None’ in the Knockout field and select ‘Deep’ from the drop down menu.
Move the Fill Opacity slider all the way to the left so it reads ’0′. Click ‘OK’ to close the Layer Style dialogue box.
If your layout has more than one photo, right click on the photo layer in the layers palette that you just worked with (the one that is now transparent) and select ‘Copy Layer Style’ from the fly-out menu.
Right click on one of your other photo layers in the layers palette and select ‘Paste Layer Style’ to apply the transparency layer style. Repeat for all photo layers.
At this point your quick page is just about ready. You should see the PS grayscale check pattern where all the ‘photo holes’ are on the page. If you happen to see white or some other color in those holes go to the very bottom layer in the layers palette. It is likely labeled ‘background’. Right click on the layer in the layers palette and select ‘Layer from Background’.
Now go to Layer>Merge Visible to merge your layout into a single layer.
When you save your quick page (File>Save As), be sure to save it as .png file to preserve the transparency of the photo holes.
Here is my finished quick page. Click on the preview below to download it.
This quick page was created using the Look at Me page set available at Sweet Shoppe Designs.