Question for all you PS geniuses out there...

Jared Meyer

Jared Meyer

Veteran
I am such a Photoshop noob...I need an answer to this question sooner rather than later, so I'm posting it here rather than the no man's land that is the Photoshop forum.

Any volunteers to explain what I am sure is the most basic of basic Photoshop maneuvers....? :)

Question:

I'm trying to make a better DVD label template. How do I set up the layers/blend modes so that no matter how large of an image I throw onto it, everything outside the perimeter of the label will still show as white, or transparent? I can think of a couple really stupid, rinky-dink ways to do this, but I want to know the right way.

Thanks guys...
 
errr.... I'm not sure I understand what you're asking here. Do you want to make a template where people can only put content within the "confines" of the label itself? if so you are talking either masks or solid top layers. Either way is pretty non-satisfactory.

here's a question: if you want the image to go all the way to the edge, you need a bleed (or else you'll get nasty white edges if the printing and cutting isn't EXACTLY right). The normal thing to do when making a template like this is to have a locked top layer with the outlines of the finished product that the layout is designed "under". That way the designer can turn the top layer on and off to see how it will look.

or maybe I'm misunderstanding what you are asking?

mor10
 
I'm not sure what you're asking, but whatever you set the canvas size to, it stays that size. If you import a file in there, the canvas size doesn't change with the image size.

If you want a border around the image, then just do a white vector on one layer, and put another layer with the image and make it smaller then center it. If you want them to move together, just click on the "link" icon in the layers window next to your layer.

I'm not sure if that's what you're asking.

Morten is right about the bleed. I made that mistake once.

If none of these answer your question, try and re-phrase it with more details.
 
You can create a clipping mask to confine an item to the size of a specific shape. For instance lets say you have a picture that need to fit within the borders of some box. You would go and create the shape you need then put the picture on a layer above the box. Then right click on the picture and select create clipping mask. The picture will now be cropped to the edges of the shapes. Now you can drag the picture around or resize it and it will never leave the confines of the box
 
Jon Starr said:
I'm not sure what you're asking, but whatever you set the canvas size to, it stays that size. If you import a file in there, the canvas size doesn't change with the image size.
Click to expand...
If it is a DVD jacket and he has already completed it, he can increase the canvas size to get that extra border around the image.

Jon Starr said:
If you want a border around the image, then just do a white vector on one layer, and put another layer with the image and make it smaller then center it. If you want them to move together, just click on the "link" icon in the layers window next to your layer.
Click to expand...
This sounds similar to what I did for the DVD Disk Graphic. Created a layer with a transparent circle in the middle, then overlayed that onto the graphic.

Jon Starr said:
I'm not sure if that's what you're asking.

Morten is right about the bleed. I made that mistake once.

If none of these answer your question, try and re-phrase it with more details.
Click to expand...
:thumbsup:
 
Thanks for all of the input! Sorry I wasn't more clear.

Danny: Thanks for the link. I couldn't get the template to display properly. Seemed like all the layers were hidden or locked or something. Probably my lack of experience, so I'll check it out more later.

Morten and Jon: Thanks for the input. I think I have you guys barking up the wrong tree, which is definitely my fault. I was too vague. Here goes: I'm trying to make a template for the round label that goes directly on the DVD. Not a jacket cover or an insert. My DVD label images are not custom made to fit the DVD...they're not round, and they're usually much bigger than the DVD label. The only reason I want a mask of some sort to turn everything off outside the round DVD label frame is so that I don't have to use 10 times as much ink :)

I actually figured this out, through luck, the first time I attempted this in Photoshop last week. Like a complete moron, I flattened the image when prompted and now can't find out how I did it. Spent a couple hours messing around with opacity and layers and blend modes and couldn't figure it out. I know it was very basic.

SilverWolf, I think that sounds like it would work. I'm going to try it right now. I could swear I did it before just with opacity and blend modes, but who knows........
 
Cryogenic Filmworks said:
This sounds similar to what I did for the DVD Disk Graphic. Created a layer with a transparent circle in the middle, then overlayed that onto the graphic.


:thumbsup:
Click to expand...

Aha! :)

Are all the extraneous parts of the image that fall outside the DVD disk border somehow masked out? If so, that's exactly what I'm trying to do.
 
Ah, okay. Well if I understand correctly, try this.

Make the circle the proper size that you need (perhaps a bit bigger, measure it and use the measure markers in photoshop).

Make sure the circle is just one basic color on one layer with nothing else. On another layer, place the image you want on the DVD (resize, do whatever you want). EDIT: Forgot to mention, be sure to rasterize the circle.

When you have the layer with the circle selected (grey in the layers window), select the "magic wand" tool and click the circle. You should see a perfect dotted circle flashing now.

Now without deselecting anything, go select the layer of the image in the layer window. The dotted circle will still stay there. Now just go to edit->cut (or copy).

Now just make a new layer and click paste. Now turn off the other layers.

Is that what you're talking about? I should try Silverwolfs way of doing it and see if it works.
 
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