Backgrounds using Brushes in Photoshop

Learn how to create beautiful backgrounds using brushes in Photoshop. Make unique designs for postcards and ecards. Try out these great background ideas!

Step 1 : Open a new file by clicking on File>New. Give a size of 300px by 400px. 

Step 2 : Select rectangular Marquee tool and drag it to make a rectangle of size 162px by 279px. Choose pink color with Eye dropper Tool. Click on OK. Select Paint Bucket Tool. Click on your canvas. It will fill the rectangle with pink color. 

Step 3 : Add a new layer by clicking on the Add Layer icon in the Layers panel. If your Layers panel is not open then go to Window/Layers. Name the new layer design. Go to Select/Inverse. 

Step 4 :Select Brush tool and this panel will appear.

Click on Brush drop down panel.

Select the drop down triangle. Select Special effect brushes/Azalea. Click on the canvas around the rectangle and fill it with scattered roses.

Step 5 : Add a new layer by clicking on the Add Layer icon in the Layers panel. Select Butterfly from the same drop-down menu and drag on canvas.

Step 6 : Now you can add text to your middle rectangle. Select Choose Horizontal Type Tool. A text layer is created automatically. Now enter the text as you want. Here it is "Become Someone' s Hero".

Your e-card is ready. 

We have created more backgrounds using the same steps given above.

Sparkling Star effect 

This brilliant postcard is having a fairy night look with shining stars. We have used in here the combination of Starburst Large and Star Large effect, which are both available in Assorted Brushes. Go to Assorted Brushes/Starburst Large and Assorted Brushes/Star Large.

Beautiful Rose with Chroma 

This beautiful card is having a pink rose which you can get from Brush tool-Special effect brushes/Large Roses with Chroma. Make the Brush size as 292px.

Attractive background with sunspots. 

This background design is used in this card by selecting Window/Styles and choosing Textures from the drop-down menu and then choosing Sunspots. 

Add a new layer, click on the style, choose the paint bucket tool and click on the canvas. Isn't it so simple and beautiful?

Try many many backgrounds with all the styles that are available in there.

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Retouch an image using photoshop

Photoshop is a very powerful image editing package. With the use of the Healing Brush Tool and the Stamp Tool you can remove patches, dots, pimples from a face. Transform your photo. Learn how to repair a photo.

Here we are going to remove all the red patches in this man's face. We recommend using an easier photograph with less patches. 

Step 1 : Open your photo which needs to be retouched by clicking on File>Open. 

Step 2 : Use Healing Brush Tool.

Click to select. A top aligned window will appear.

Choose your brush size to 24px. Then to use the Healing Brush Tool:
press alt+click to select the area you want to clone (1) and
then go to the area where you want to copy (2) and click or drag.
A plus sign will show you the previous area. View the demonstration below.

Move your mouse to the area you want to clone(1). Here we want to use the skin on the man's nose to replace the red patches on his face(2).

Now press alt+click on the area(1). The above sign will appear.

We want to clone the skin where the red patch appears(2). 
So click and drag the circle which appears to the area where you want to copy(2). The + sign is showing you the area(1) which is being copied. The + sign will come along with the circle.

Repeat the same method as many times as required to make the face look clear. 

Step 3 :Use the Clone Stamp Tool.

Click to select. A top aligned window will appear.

Select the brush size according to the area you want to retouch. Here we have chosen 24 pixels. 

Now to use the Stamp tool press alt+click to select the area you want to clone (1) and then go to the area where you want to copy (2) and click or drag. A plus sign will show you the previous area. 

Both the Stamp tool and Healing Brush tool will give you the same result as seen above. 

Repeat the same method as many times as required to make the face look clear. 

Congratulations! Your image is ready without any patches.

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Designing a simple website banner with a logo using Photoshop

Simple step-by-step tutorial on how to create a web site banner and logo in Photoshop. The sample .psd and completed website are also included.


A banner or a header is a graphic that is found at the top of a web site which usually displays the company name and the logo. It is often the first thing a person sees when they open the website. The blending of colors should be attractive, informative, comfortable for the eye and help to convince the viewer to stay on your site. 

Let's start with our banner. Here we have a general banner and the colors used are soothing to the eyes. It can be used for a fashion and beauty banner or a personal or holiday banner as well.

Follow the below steps to create the above website banner :

Step 1 : Creating the banner size
Open a new file by clicking on File>Open. Make the file size width of 780px and height of 120px. You can go till 140px for the height. You can make a banner flexible according to your design. 

Step 2: Giving the background color 
Create a new layer. Name it bgcolor. Give a background color by doing the following:

• Change the foreground color to #E4D1B8.
• Click on the Paint Bucket Tool seen in the tools panel on the right. 
• Click on the canvas with your mouse. Your background color is now changed to the new color.
  
  

Step 3 : Giving the inside background color 
Create a new layer. Name it insidecolor. Select Rectangular Marquee Tool seen in the tools panel on the right. Make the rectangle size width of 760px and height of 100px inside the background. Fill it with color # C64866 using the paint bucket tool. 

Step 4 : Creating the logo background
Create a new layer. Name it logobkg. Select Rectangular Marquee Tool. Make the rectangle size width of 120px and height of 100px. Put the rectangle in the left side of the banner. Fill it with black color # 000000. 

Step 5 : Creating a logo using the custom shape tool 
Create a new layer. Name it logo. Choose the custom shape tool seen in the tools panel on the right. Click on the Shape drop down menu seen on the top toolbar. Click on the arrow and select Ornaments. Look for the ornament which is in the banner. 
Drag it in the logo space and position it so it comes in the middle of the logo background. Now you have a temporary ornament as a logo which can be replaced with your company logo if needed. 



Step 6 : Creating the vertical lines in the banner 
Create a new layer. Name it band. Select Rectangular Marquee Tool. Make the rectangle size width of 7px and height of 120px. Put the rectangle in the middle of the banner. Fill it with color # E8B0BD. Make four copies of the layer band. 

To make a copy, right click on the layer and click on duplicate. A screen named Duplicate Layer will appear. 


Enter name of the layer as band copy. Click on OK. Do the same with band copy2, band copy3, band copy4. Place the bands properly in the banner. 

Step 8 : Creating the Logo Border 
Create a new layer. Name it border. Select Rectangular Marquee Tool. Make the rectangle size width of 20px and height of 100px. Fill it with color # A63D56. Put the rectangle on the right of the logo background. Make a copy and place the new rectangle on the left of the logo background. 

Step 9 : Creating the dashed lines 
Now select the Horizontal Type Tool (text tool). Type" _________" using the hyphen key. Place it on the top of the banner. Make a copy, right click on the layer and click on duplicate. Place it at the bottom of the banner. 

Step 10 : Adding your Company Name
With the text tool type your company name or website name with the color # FCF3E5.

Congratulations! Your website banner with the logo is ready!

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