RangerRick
20th of January 2007 (Sat), 13:48
One of the things I’ve been wanting to do for quite some time is have a way to add my “sample” or “proof” logo over an existing 4x6 size jpg image that I normally produce from my Rebel 350D. I’m usually wanting to do this so I can post these images on my website as rough or final proofs for customers to view or select from.
First off… I’m not a Photoshop expert. Have used it a lot… but, that does not qualify me in any way. The good news it that I’ve finally found a reasonable (cheap) way to automatically add custom logos to any number of files using only Photoshop 7.0 (Yes… I know. I need to upgrade. When CS3 is out… I’ll probably bite-the-bullet. And then I can use batch processing in the Bridge.) This may be old news to some… but, for me… oh boy... it’s slick!!
Basically, you’re going to Automate a Batch of files using an Action sequence. Here’s how.
1a) First, create your logo in a layer of a 4x6 PS file. Use a type size of around 100 points for the text word “sample” and rotate it. Save this file.
My logo (with a blue background) looked like this… (This will give you the relative size of the logo. Placement is not important.)
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e382/RangerRick56/POTN/FrostPhoto-Sampleexample.jpg
1b) Using the rectangular marquee tool from the Tools Window… copy just your logo (on that layer) to the clip board.
File>edit>copy
2) Open up any full-sized (not been heavily cropped) sample 4x6 jpg image. Here's mine...
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e382/RangerRick56/POTN/IMG_3508.jpg
3) Open up the Actions Window in PS.
Window>Actions
4) Click on the circle-triangle (top right hand corner of the Actions Window)…
And click on “New Set…”
Type in: Sample on 4x6 and click OK.
5) Click on the circle-triangle (top right hand corner of the Actions Window) again…
And click on “New Action…”
Let the default Name stay as is (or you can change it if you wish to)
but, make sure the Set is selected to “Sample on 4x6” If not… change it. Then click Record.
From here on out… everything you do is “recorded” to this Set. You can stop & start “recording” by pushing those buttons at the bottom of the Actions Window. However, my experience has been that if I do something wrong… it’s better to “stop recording” and delete the whole “action”. Just highlight the “action” in the Actions Window, and click on the circle-triangle, click on delete and agree to do so. Then go back to step 5 in this list to start over.
6) Click on your 4x6 image to select it.
7) Create a new layer on your 4x6 image
Layer>New>Layer… and click OK
8 ) Copy your logo that is already in the clipboard (step 1) onto this new layer
Edit>Paste
Now you've got...
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e382/RangerRick56/POTN/IMG_3508-withsample.jpg
9a) Change the Opacity of this layer to 50% or to your choosing.
Click on “Opacity” in the Layers Window and slide it over to 50%
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e382/RangerRick56/POTN/IMG_3508-withsampleat50.jpg
Note… instead of only changing the opacity above… I had earlier created a “style” for this text. I used drop shadow, outer glow and 50% opacity to make this look nice. If you wanted all of this… you would do substitute the step 9b below for step 9a.
9b) Click on your style in the Style Window.
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e382/RangerRick56/POTN/IMG_3508-withsamplestyle.jpg
10) (Skip this step for now)
11) (Skip this step for now)
12) Now you need to flatten the image back into one layer.
Layer>Flatten Image
13) Now save the image as a jpg
File>Save As…> and click on Save
Note... it really does not matter where you save this too during the recording of these actions. You will be selecting that location later when you batch automate your files.
END) Stop recording this process
Click on the “stop recording” button in the Actions Window.
Da…Daaaah!
You’ve create your automate action steps. Now let’s test it out.
Somewhere in on your PC create two file folders. Label them… “Original Test Files” and “Completed Test Files”. Now copy two vertical and two horizontal full-size (not heavily cropped) 4x6 jpg picture files into the “Original Test Files” folder.
Now to run the test…
A) Open up your logo file you created in Step 1
B) Then using the rectangular marquee tool… copy just your logo on that layer to the clip board.
File>edit>copy
Note… this is critical. You have to have your logo in the clip board for this to work. And now you also might realize that you can put any logo you want now! What ever is there will be placed on your pictures. So you can customize it for each client if you wish.
C) Bring up the Automated Batch Window.
File>Automate>Batch…
D) Select your Play Set “Sample on 4x6” in the drop down
Note that the Action you defaulted to will now be in the drop down below it.
E) Select your Source Folder... (Change it to Folder if necessary)
Click on “Choose” and find your “Original Test Files” folder. Click on it.
F) Select your Destination Folder... (Change it to Folder if necessary)
Click on “Choose” and find your “Completed Test Files” folder. Click on it.
G)Click on OK in top right hand corner to start the process.
If you’ve done everything right… Photoshop will now add logos to your files and save them to your new folder. Check them out when PS stops processing.
The only drawback I’ve found to this method is that if you heavily crop your pictures… the logo will get much bigger. (It fills up more area if the canvas is smaller.) The fix for this is to use a smaller logo to start with.
Next up… adding your personal logo to the bottom… right-hand corner!
First off… I’m not a Photoshop expert. Have used it a lot… but, that does not qualify me in any way. The good news it that I’ve finally found a reasonable (cheap) way to automatically add custom logos to any number of files using only Photoshop 7.0 (Yes… I know. I need to upgrade. When CS3 is out… I’ll probably bite-the-bullet. And then I can use batch processing in the Bridge.) This may be old news to some… but, for me… oh boy... it’s slick!!
Basically, you’re going to Automate a Batch of files using an Action sequence. Here’s how.
1a) First, create your logo in a layer of a 4x6 PS file. Use a type size of around 100 points for the text word “sample” and rotate it. Save this file.
My logo (with a blue background) looked like this… (This will give you the relative size of the logo. Placement is not important.)
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e382/RangerRick56/POTN/FrostPhoto-Sampleexample.jpg
1b) Using the rectangular marquee tool from the Tools Window… copy just your logo (on that layer) to the clip board.
File>edit>copy
2) Open up any full-sized (not been heavily cropped) sample 4x6 jpg image. Here's mine...
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e382/RangerRick56/POTN/IMG_3508.jpg
3) Open up the Actions Window in PS.
Window>Actions
4) Click on the circle-triangle (top right hand corner of the Actions Window)…
And click on “New Set…”
Type in: Sample on 4x6 and click OK.
5) Click on the circle-triangle (top right hand corner of the Actions Window) again…
And click on “New Action…”
Let the default Name stay as is (or you can change it if you wish to)
but, make sure the Set is selected to “Sample on 4x6” If not… change it. Then click Record.
From here on out… everything you do is “recorded” to this Set. You can stop & start “recording” by pushing those buttons at the bottom of the Actions Window. However, my experience has been that if I do something wrong… it’s better to “stop recording” and delete the whole “action”. Just highlight the “action” in the Actions Window, and click on the circle-triangle, click on delete and agree to do so. Then go back to step 5 in this list to start over.
6) Click on your 4x6 image to select it.
7) Create a new layer on your 4x6 image
Layer>New>Layer… and click OK
8 ) Copy your logo that is already in the clipboard (step 1) onto this new layer
Edit>Paste
Now you've got...
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e382/RangerRick56/POTN/IMG_3508-withsample.jpg
9a) Change the Opacity of this layer to 50% or to your choosing.
Click on “Opacity” in the Layers Window and slide it over to 50%
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e382/RangerRick56/POTN/IMG_3508-withsampleat50.jpg
Note… instead of only changing the opacity above… I had earlier created a “style” for this text. I used drop shadow, outer glow and 50% opacity to make this look nice. If you wanted all of this… you would do substitute the step 9b below for step 9a.
9b) Click on your style in the Style Window.
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e382/RangerRick56/POTN/IMG_3508-withsamplestyle.jpg
10) (Skip this step for now)
11) (Skip this step for now)
12) Now you need to flatten the image back into one layer.
Layer>Flatten Image
13) Now save the image as a jpg
File>Save As…> and click on Save
Note... it really does not matter where you save this too during the recording of these actions. You will be selecting that location later when you batch automate your files.
END) Stop recording this process
Click on the “stop recording” button in the Actions Window.
Da…Daaaah!
You’ve create your automate action steps. Now let’s test it out.
Somewhere in on your PC create two file folders. Label them… “Original Test Files” and “Completed Test Files”. Now copy two vertical and two horizontal full-size (not heavily cropped) 4x6 jpg picture files into the “Original Test Files” folder.
Now to run the test…
A) Open up your logo file you created in Step 1
B) Then using the rectangular marquee tool… copy just your logo on that layer to the clip board.
File>edit>copy
Note… this is critical. You have to have your logo in the clip board for this to work. And now you also might realize that you can put any logo you want now! What ever is there will be placed on your pictures. So you can customize it for each client if you wish.
C) Bring up the Automated Batch Window.
File>Automate>Batch…
D) Select your Play Set “Sample on 4x6” in the drop down
Note that the Action you defaulted to will now be in the drop down below it.
E) Select your Source Folder... (Change it to Folder if necessary)
Click on “Choose” and find your “Original Test Files” folder. Click on it.
F) Select your Destination Folder... (Change it to Folder if necessary)
Click on “Choose” and find your “Completed Test Files” folder. Click on it.
G)Click on OK in top right hand corner to start the process.
If you’ve done everything right… Photoshop will now add logos to your files and save them to your new folder. Check them out when PS stops processing.
The only drawback I’ve found to this method is that if you heavily crop your pictures… the logo will get much bigger. (It fills up more area if the canvas is smaller.) The fix for this is to use a smaller logo to start with.
Next up… adding your personal logo to the bottom… right-hand corner!