Using templates in CS4
In this tutorial I have used "Solo No 1" and paper and elements from "It's Spring" kit.
Open your template and highlight the background layer like this:
Open the background paper you want to use. Press cmd+a to select the whole paper and then cmd+c to copy it.
Now go back to the template where you selected the background layer and press cmd+v to paste your chosen paper above the background layer.
Let’s start to fill the template with photos. Click on the layer called Photo 1 on your template to highlight it. Open a photo you would like to use. Then press cmd+a to select the photo and cmd+c to copy it, just as you did with your paper. Now go back to the template again and press cmd+v to paste the photo into the template.
Your photo will land right in the middle of your template like this. Press the letter V to select the move tool(or click on the icon on the top of the left side menu). Click and drag your photo to the top of your page. Make sure that you have checked the «Show Transform Controls» so you can see these little handles on your photo.
Now you can resize your photo by click and drag on the corner of your photo. To make sure your photo constrain proportions you need to hold your Shift key while you are dragging.
When your photo is about the size you want it, double click inside your photo to accept the transform. Then press cmd+alt+g to group your photo with the Photo 1 layer.
Your layer palette should now look like this. A little arrow shows that the photo is grouped with the previous layer. With your photo layer selected you can still resize or move your photo around until you are satisfied with the position.
Now repeat these steps until you have placed all your photos. Always place your photo right above the clipping mask(called Photo 1, Photo 2 etc) then resize your photo and press cmd+alt+g to group your photo with the mask. Your layer palette will now look like this.
You can now merge the photo layer with the mask by highlighting both layers(press cmd and click on both layers), then right click and choose «Merge layers». This is not a necessary step, but it can make it easier to keep control if your layout has many layers.
If you want to color the leaves in this template there is several ways to do that. Select the layer you want to color by clicking on it. Then click on the color picker in the bottom left corner of the tools palette. Choose a color and click ok. Then press alt+shift+backspace to fill the shape with the foreground color.(cmd+shift+backspace fills shape with background color) You can use the same method to fill the dotted lines with color too.
Or you can delete the layer with the leaves and drag some real leaves into the layout instead.
