How to Create a Simple 3D Welcome Banner in PSP8 - Page 2

5.  OK, now for the fun part - doing the text! Click on the text tool (located on the toolbar):

This will open up the tool ribbon, which you'll see appear at the top of the workspace. This is where all of the control settings are. Make sure you have these settings:

Create as: floating;
Font: Arial Black (you may have to scroll down the font menu to find it - see below);
Size: 30;
Stroke width: 1.0;
Anti-alias: checked;
Alignment: centered;
Leave everything else on their default settings.

6.  OK, now run the cursor directly over your image and click once. This opens up the text entry box (shown below right). Type in the word Welcome. and click 'Apply'. If it's not applied directly in the center of the image, click on the mover tool to drag it into place. Leave the text selected.

Tip: It's a good idea to leave the 'remember text' box checked. If you need to re-apply the text for whatever reason, it'll save you from having to type it in from scratch. Also, when using the mover tool make sure you always place it directly over what you want to move, otherwise you may get the auto-actions pop up warning (more on that below).

7.  Ok, now we're going to apply a couple of effects to make our text really stand out. First of all, let's start with a drop-shadow. Make sure your text is still selected, and go to Effects>3D Effects>Drop Shadow. Change to these settings and hit OK:

Vertical: 3; Horizontal: 3; Opacity: 50; Blur: 5.00; Color: Black Hit OK and deselect by going to Selections>Select None.

8.  Let's give our banner a frame which will make it really stand out on any web page. Go to Image>Add Borders. (Note: if you get the auto-actions pop-up box, just hit OK to make it go away. What are auto-actions?? You can read an explanation of those right here.)

The first thing we're going to have to do is to change the color. Right-click on the color square and click on white on the pop-up. Make sure you have the same settings as I have, Left:4, Top:4, Right:4, Bottom: 4 and click OK (shown below):

Note: For this step, it doesn't really matter what color we use for the border, because we're going to change it again in a minute, however I believe it's always good practice to use white as a base for anything that needs a fill. When you become more adept at using PSP, you'll be using plug-in filters more (such as Super Blade Pro etc.) and in many cases, the color of the base you apply the filter to will matter, as it effects the overall appearance of the final image. Also, white is a great color to use when adding borders, because it stands out more and makes it just that bit easier to select with the magic wand.