Photoshop Tutorial: Making an Etsy Banner

I had a request from a new seller a few days ago who needed help making a new Etsy Banner.  She wanted a background image, some other images layered over the top and to be able to add her shop name.  I decided that the best way to answer her question was to write a tutorial and share it with the blog, because I know she is not the only one struggling with this.  This tutorial is made using Photoshop CS5, but other versions of Photoshop will be very similar to this.

(Be sure to click the images to see them larger.  Numbered steps correspond to numbers on the images.)

Part One: The Background Image
Open up a photo in Photoshop that you would like to use as a background.

1.  Choose the Rectangular Marquee tool.  It looks like a box drawn with a dotted line.

2.  We need to first make this photo the right shape for our banner, by making it a rectangle that is the right ratio.  Choose Style -> Fixed Ratio.

3.  Now enter the right ratio for the rectangle you need.  For an Etsy banner that is width 760 height 100.

4.  Your cursor will look like a little plus sign.   Click and drag a box (dotted line) to select the part of the image that you would like to use.

Then choose Image -> Crop.  This will take away the rest of the image and leave you with the rectangle you selected.

Next we need to make that rectangle be the right size, or the right number of pixels.

Choose Image -> Image Size.  It will bring up a new window.
A.  Make sure that "Constrain Proportions" is checked.  This means to keep the image at the same ratio.  No squishing or stretching.
B.  Now type in the number of pixels you need:  width 760 height 100
C.  Finally make sure the resolution is 72 pixels/inch.  (That's all you need for a web based graphic.)

(More after the jump...)

Next, I looked at this image and thought, "I would like this image to be a little lighter so it fades in to the background more."  So what we need to do is make it less opaque.  To do that, we need to make the image have some layers.

Choose Layer -> New -> Layer.  It will pop up a window.  Click OK.

5.  Now you will have Layer 0 (your background image) and Layer 1 (a new blank layer) that show up in your Layers Palette (shown on right above).  You will probably see a lock icon on your background layer.  Just double click that layer and click OK to unlock it.   (If you don't see a Layers Palette on your screen, go to the very top menu on your screen and choose Window -> Layer)

6. Click and drag the layers to move them up and down.  Your image should be on top and your new layer on the bottom.

To fill in that new layer with white, choose Edit -> Fill...  Then "Use: White" and click OK.

 

7.  To make the photo layer less opaque, first click on the layer with your photo. (Make sure it is highlighted.)

8.  Click the triangle next to Opacity and slide the slider until the image looks the way you want it.  (you can see how it is lighter in the image below.)

Part Two: Adding Another Image on Top

Choose File -> Place...  A window will pop up where you can find the image you want saved on your computer.  Choose it and click OK.

9.  You can click on the image and drag it where you want it on your banner.

10. Click and drag on any of the little squares on the corners to resize the image larger or smaller.

11.  Click the checkmark to confirm the changes you have made.  You can repeat these steps for any number of images.  You will see that it makes each image another layer.  You can also adjust the opacity of those layers (just like you did with the background) if you want to.

Part Three: Adding Text

Choose the Text tool from the tool palette.  Your cursor will change to something that looks like an "I".

12.  Click and drag to make a box where you want your text to go.
13.  Start typing the name of your shop.  (Don't worry about the way it looks, we will fix that in a minute.)
 Click and drag over the letters to highlight them.

14.  Choose the font you want.

15.  Change the size.

16.  Click the colored rectangle to change the color.  A new window will pop up where you can pick a random color.  Or if you move your mouse over another part of your image, it will turn into an eyedropper and you can pick a color from somewhere in the image.

17.  When you are happy, you can click the checkmark.

If you want to move the words around on the image, click the Move Tool (below) and then click and drag the words where you want them.

Part Four: Save It

Choose File -> Save for Web & Devices

18.  Make sure it is set to jpg for the file type.  (You can also use .gif and .png)

19.  Make sure the pixels are still 760 x 100.

20.  Save it!  Another window will pop up and ask for a filename and where to save it.  Then you are ready to log in to your shop and upload it at Your Shop -> Info & Appearance.

Photoshop is complex.  Don't be discouraged if it takes you a little bit to figure this out!  There are LOTS of ways to accomplish many of these steps or effects; this tutorial is just one example of a way to make a banner.  Hope this helps to get you started. 
-- Becka, SASsy Mentor & Team Co-Captain