Home | The Graphics | Tutorials | PSP8 Information | The Tube Collections | Blade Pro Presets | Resources | Terms | 

How to Create a Simple Web Button in PSP8 - Page 2

7.  Click on the text tool, which you'll find on the toolbox. You'll notice that the tool ribbon has now changed to show the Text tool. Make sure you have these settings:

Create as: Floating;
Font: Arial Black;
Size: 16;
Stroke: 0.0.

Tip: You don't need to worry about leaving the 'Remember text' box checked unless you intend to make several buttons with the word 'Home' on them. This feature is useful for when you need to re-use the same text over and over.

Mouse over your image and the Text entry box will open. Key in the word 'Home' and it will appear on top of your image as it appears inside the text box (see below left). Click 'Apply' to place the word on your button (see below right).

                         


To center it properly, use the Move tool on the tool box, and drag it into position with your mouse. Important: Do NOT deselect....leave selected for our next step. (Little pet gripe of mine: Yes, I know there are alignment settings on the tool ribbon, but they NEVER work properly....dunno why, it's just one of those little mysteries of life :) Anyway, the Mover tool is more reliable for this job, IMHO.

Tip: The Mover tool also appears as you mouse over the new text you've just placed on your image....watch carefully and you'll see the cross (cursor) turn into the Mover tool. When it does you can simply drag the text into place). OK! Almost finished, just two more steps to go.......


8.  While the text is still selected, let's give it a little definition huh? A drop-shadow will make the letters stand out a little more. Go to Effects>3D Effects>Drop Shadow, and enter the following settings:
Offset Vertical: 3
Horizontal: 3
Opacity: 50
Blur: 5
Color: Black
(leave the 'Shadow on new Layer' unchecked).

Hit 'OK' and then go to Selections>Select None to deselect our text.




9.  Hmmmmm......it's not looking too bad at this stage eh? But, let's make it even more distinctive. The perfect way to do that is to give it a tiny little border around the edges so it'll stand out even more from the webpage's background. Go to Image>Add Borders (if the Auto Actions box pops up, just hit OK to make it disappear). Now if the color box is already black, that's fine......but it probably won't be. To change the color of the borders, just run your mouse over the color that's already there, and right-click. This brings up a small pop-up with the Recent Colors box. Left-click over the black to change the color. Make sure the 'symmetric' box is checked, and go to the 'Bottom border' settings (because they're the closest) and change the settings to 2 (like I have, below). Hit 'OK'.



Tip: You'll notice that if you have 'symmetric' checked, you make one change, and everything changes. To work with just one border at a time always make sure the symmetric box is unchecked.


10.  Ahhh.....nice huh! I don't know about you, but that button looks too good to waste. Why not press it and see where it leads you?!






© Graphic Allusions 2003-2005.