Photoshop Tutorial

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Creating Files in Photoshop | Save the artwork

Creating Files in Photoshop

Please note the dimensions shown are for landscape cards and should be transposed for portrait cards.

Select File > New. Give your file a name, and enter the size.

For business cards set the size to 91mm x 61mm and for A6 post card to 151.5mm x 108mm. These dimensions include the bleed of 3mm (1.2pt) for and business cards and 1.5mm (4.2pt) for post cards.

Set the resolution to 300 pixels/inch, set the mode to CMYK and the contents to White. Click OK.

Ensure you have the page rulers showing, View > Show Rulers. Ensure your rulers are set to cm, Edit > Preferences > Units and Rulers. Now click and drag the guides from the ruler bars.

For business cards set the guides to 3mm, 6mm, 55mm and 58mm vertically and 3mm, 6mm, 85mm and 88mm horizontally. For post cards set the guides to 1.5mm, 4.5mm, 103.5mm and 106.5mm vertically and 1.5mm, 4.5mm, 147mm and 150mm horizontally across the postcard.

You are now ready to create your design within this template.

Please note, nothing should extend to the outside edge of the document other than items that bleed off the edge of your cards.

The first guide line 3mm (business cards), (1.5mm postcards) is where the cards will be cut and you should try to keep all your text and images within the inner line 6mm (business cards), (4.5mm postcards) to avoid the possibility of anything being ‘clipped’.

Avoid scaling up images, if an imported image is too small scaling up will reduce the resolution and therefore the quality.

When you are happy with your design, save the file as an Adobe Photoshop (.psd) file, this is your back up in case you need to make alterations at any time in the future. This file cannot be uploaded.

Save the artwork

Flatten any layers you may have (Layer > Flatten Image).