Create your own Alphabet
The weeks are just flying by. Before you know it the kids will be back in school and we will all be decorating for the Holidays. I remember as a child I wished time would move faster, now I wish time would move slower. Isn’t that the way it goes? For the tutorial below UC = Upper Case and LC = Lower Case.
Create you own Alphabet, Numbers, & Symbols for Digital Scrapbooking
Open a new screen with the following settings:
- Pixels = 3600 x 3600 (12” x 12”)
- Resolution = 300
- Background = Transparent
Activate Type Tool (T)
Click on the Type Tool icon in top tool bar, and then the <Character> Tab and use the settings below.
- Font = your choice
- Size = (92pts – 100pts) usually works well
- Color = Black
- Set your letters to sharp, smooth, crisp, etc
- Crisp or Sharp work well
- Line Spacing = 102 (This can be adjusted later if need be. If you run out of room, select all the letters with the Select Tool and set line spacing lower.)
Turn on Caps Lock and type the alphabet. Be sure to leave space between letters so they do not overlap each other.
Once letters are typed use the Move Tool (top right icon) to center them on the page
Duplicate layer (I do this as a “safety net”) you won’t be using this duplicate layer so you can click on the “eye” icon to hide it.
Open a pattern or background you want to use for your letters
Make sure the Move Tool is selected
Drag the background on top of the letters
Make sure the Background Layer is selected
Choose <Layer> and then <Clipping Mask>
Merge visible layers
You can use <Layer Style> to enhance your letters if you like. (You can delete the duplicate alphabet layer at this point)
Once you have your alphabet finished you can now save them into their own files.
Save each Letter, Number and Symbol in its own file
- Click on the Rectangular Marque Tool. If yours is a different shape just click and hold on the little arrow to change to the rectangular shape.
- Select one letter by making the rectangular marque go around the letter.
- Go to Edit > Copy (if formatting doesn’t copy, choose Copy Merged)
- Go to File > New
- Resolution = 300 You do not have to chose the size just the resolution
- Background = TRANSPARENT
- Click OK
When new window opens click Edit > Paste
Save as a PNG
PNG Options Window = NONE
Here is a suggestion for naming the file of each letter:
File Name = kit name_your name_file name
EX: Checkered Flag Alphabet_KJDdesigns_UC – A
When you close the letter it will ask if you want to save a PSD copy, which is entirely up to you. If you want to be able to make changes then by all means save it as a PSD also.
Select the next letter and repeat instructions.
You will follow these same instructions to make a set of LC letters.
NOTES: Just a couple of things I have discovered. On my keyboard, if I hit <Enter> on my Numbers Pad it finishes my typing and I cannot make any more changes. If I hit <Enter> by my letters it takes me to the next line. Also, if you change anything on the Style you choose make sure to save that as a New Style for when you type the lower case letters, and symbols. I did not do this once and could not get the LC to match the UC. I make the duplicate layer of my black line alphabet in case I make any mistakes. Once you are happy with your finished product, you can delete the duplicate layer.
Be Creative and Have Fun
Make sure you save all tutorials you download into a folder named Tutorials or Instructions so you will have them all in one place for ease of finding them.
And now that you have reached the bottom of this post I have a FREE alphabet for you that I offered on my FB page a while ago. Checkered Flag Alphabet-Upper, Lower, Numbers, and Symbols. PU Only_KJDdesigns
Click on either preview to get everything. There is no need to click on both, just one.
Happy Scrapping and
See you next week.
One Comment
Nancy
Thank you for taking the time to write this tutorial. I have been looking for something like this!