Graphical Titles

Try it

Prepare the file

• Open Photoshop
• Click File>new
• Create a new file with a transparent background, 300 px wide by 100 px high

Create the text

• Click the Text tool (the one with the T on it) on the Toolbar
• Select a font in the Tool information bar below the menu.
• Some fonts will let you choose italics or bold -- others don't
• Select a font size of at least 48 pt
• Click the center align button to center the text on the file
• Type the title text, starting in the middle
• If the text is too small or too large, highlight it with the mouse and change the size.
• If you don't like the font, highlight the text with them mouse and experiment with different fonts in the font dropdown list

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style the title

• You can apply one of the styles in the styles palette to your text
• Open the Styles palette (Window>Styles)
• Be sure the text layer is highlighted in the Layers panel
• Click on any of the styles in the styles palette to see how they change the text

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Save title graphic as a PSD file for reuse

• When you find one you like, save your file in Photoshop format (psd file type) which preserves the text layer and makes it easy to change the text.
• Leave the extra transparent area of the file alone, since you may need it for a longer word later

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Crop the graphic

• Crop any extra area of the file that does not contain text
• Be sure the Width and Height input boxes are blank or you will be limited to a certain size crop
• Resolution should be 72 pixels/inch
• Be sure you leave any dropdown shadows in the graphic

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Example of Crop

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Save for Web as transparent GIF

• Then do File>Save for Web and Devices
• Click on one of the versions of the file in the 4-up window
• Select GIF in upper left dropdown list in window on right
• Choose Adaptive in the dropdown list below it
• Experiment with different levels of color in the Colors dropdown list -- the fewers colors the smaller the file size
• When you find a color level and file size that is acceptable (file size is displayed at the bottom of the window you have selected), click the Save button and save the image as a .gif file in your images folder

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Save for Web Window

Reuse your title graphic with different text

• To reuse the title graphic with different text.
• Open the PSD version of the title graphic
• Click the Text layer in the layers palette to be sure it is selected
• Click the Text tool on the toolbar
• Highlight the text and type the new text over it.
• Then follow the above instructions to crop the text and save for web

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