How to Create a Grid in Photoshop

I wanted to make a grid to lay up 32 cm (1.25") squares with a space of 1 cm between each square. The Photoshop Help was no help, so here's what I figured out to do in Photoshop (this assumes you know the basics about Photoshop as I haven't gone into complete detail):

1. After much trial and error, and being decidedly mathematically challenged, I created a new document 35 mm by 35 mm. (to get about 1 cm of space betweeen the squares)
    
2. I went to: Select » All
    
3. I chose Edit » Stroke. For Stroke, I entered a value of 1 px; in the Color box I chose black, because I wanted to be able to easily see the gridlines. For Location I chose Center, then clicked OK. I then created a second line using the rectangular marquee tool to create a marquee 1 cm inside the edge & again Edit » Stroke (using all the same selections in the dialog box.)
    
4. I chose Edit » Define Pattern and named it 35 cm grid, then clicked OK.
    
5. I created another file that's 8 1/2 x 11 and 300 dpi.
    
6. I created a New Layer.
    
7. I went to Edit » Fill, chose Pattern, then chose my pattern. (Under Blending the Mode is Normal and Opacity is 100%)
    
8. I then manually centered the image on the page.
    
9. Choose File » Print. I got a notice that the image is larger than the paper, but it doesn't matter how it crops since the image is centered on the page.

If you'd like to just use the grid I made, here's a .pdf file of the 8 1/2 x 11 sheet.

Free e-book on Copyright Issues for Artists

Interweave Press has recently posted a free e-book titled "Know Your Rights: Copyright 101 for Artists".

image is from the Interweave Press website

(According to my reading of the book I can use the photo above, from their website, since I credited them, plus I don't profit in any way from using it. Hopefully, I'm interpreting it correctly....)

The relatively short (11 pages) pdf file uses a q & a format and covers, an an understandable and not-too-legalese way, the issues around copyright as it applies to artists, knitters and designers. Seems like a good thing to have on your computer to refer to when questions arise.

Free Online Tools to Enlarge Photos

I'm working on an etching project and wanted to incorporate imagery that I found on the web. Unfortunately after I cropped it down to the small part of the image I actually wanted to use it was too small to be visible. Enlarging it required more time & Photoshop expertise than I have, so I searched around for online solutions and came up with the following:

Reshade is a  quick and easy online resizer. You can choose to use files from your computer or from the web. Without an account you can upload up to 3 images a day, and you can't crop them. It's quick, easy & had not downsides that I could find.

I also found PhotoZoomPro 4, a program that seems to do the same thing, but at  $219 is more than I want to spend for just an occasional need.

I also read about SmillaEnlarger. The author's website was down when I tried to look into it, but I read so many things about it online that I decided to try it and found a free download here http://smillaenlarger.en.softonic.com/. (Just be careful to read all the messages when you download it here, they try to get you to add a bunch of extra stuff that probably makes money for somebody but I didn't want cluttering up my desktop.) So far it's been amazing. You just drag an image from your computer & decide how big you want it to be based on a percentage zoom factor, specified height or width,  or other options to stretch or fit within boundaries. I haven't used it much, but what I've done as been surprisingly easy and straightforward for a free program. I highly recommend it!

image before enlarging

Free ATC Templates and Artwork in jpg Format

Go to ATC Templates and Artwork, a set on Flickr, to download jpg files of ATC templates and artwork if you'd like to be able to work on the files in a photo editing program.

To download .pdf files of these free ATC templates click here. 

Click on the captions of the images below to go directly to that individual image file on Flickr:

ATC Blank Template with Grid Lines

ATC Backs

Blank ATC Template

Birthday Bird ATC Background

Zentangled Alphabet ATCs

These ATC's represent my first attempts at "Zentangle", "an easy to learn method of creating beautiful images from repetitive pattern" developed by Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas. It's lots of fun, and in the case of these letters, a bit of a challenge to come up with the balance I wanted between the letter not having enough pattern and having so much pattern it was indecernible from the background.

I started out by creating a generic blank ATC card template in Photoshop because much to my surprise I couldn't find one already available. I'm happy to share my blank ATC  template here here.  Next I played with the template and the letter "F" in different fonts, manipulating the height, width, weight etc.  Get the template for the blank letter f ATC's here. I've added a blog page with all my templates in one place, including blank outlines of each of the letters I've used here.

I print these templates out onto 110 lb.  Card Stock and it's pretty much like coloring in a coloring book. When I'm finished I use a template that I've made for an ATC back, also printed onto 110" stock, and glue the front to the back. I like the weight and stiffness of the double card stock.

Zentangled Alphabet ATCs: Letter A

Zentangled Alphabet ATCs: Letter B

Zentangled Alphabet ATCs: Letter C

Zentangled Alphabet ATCs: Letter D

Zentangled Alphabet ATCs: Letter E

 Zentangled Alphabet ATCs: Letter F

 Zentangled Alphabet ATCs: Letter G

Zentangled Alphabet ATCs: Letter H


 Zentangled Alphabet ATCs: Letter I

 Zentangled Alphabet ATCs: Letter J

 Zentangled Alphabet ATCs: Letter J

 Zentangled Alphabet ATCs: Letter J

Zentangled Alphabet ATCs: Letter K

Zentangled Alphabet ATCs: Letter L

 Zentangled Alphabet ATCs: Letter M

 Zentangled Alphabet ATCs: Letter N

 Zentangled Alphabet ATCs: Letter O

Zentangled Alphabet ATCs: Letter P

2012-5: Zentangled Alphabet ATCs: Letter Q

 2012-6: Zentangled Alphabet ATCs: Letter R

 2012-7: Zentangled Alphabet ATCs: Letter S

 2012-8: Zentangled Alphabet ATCs: Letter T

 2012-43: Zentangled Alphabet ATCs: Letter U

 2012-44: Zentangled Alphabet ATCs: Letter V

 2012-45: Zentangled Alphabet ATCs: Letter W

 2012-48: Zentangled Alphabet ATC's: Letter X

 2012-46: Zentangled Alphabet ATCs: Letter Y

 2012-47: Zentangled Alphabet ATCs: Letter Z

Free ATC Templates and Artwork for ATC's

After searching fruitlessly on the web for a template for blank ATC cards, I've created one in Photoshop that I'm sharing here as a .pdf file. It's got 6 cards on an 8 1/2 x 11 sheet. 

Download the free template for blank ATC cards.

My favorite books to inspire my ATC'ing:

Download the template for ATC's with upper case letters & punctuation.  Each letter is in a different style type. Print the .pdf file onto 110# card stock and decorate the Artist Trading Cards in any way that inspires you.Cut them out, label them and they're ready for trading.

Download this template for Artist Trading Card backs. They can be printed on 8 1/2 x 11" card stock, plain paper or full sheet sticker and completed with your information.

Download the template for different type letter f ATC blanks.

Blank ATC's with Grid Lines

Since I began Zentangling on ATC's I've realized that my work is much neater and easier to execute if I have a grid to follow. I went into my blank ATC sheet and added grid lines at 1/4", 1/2" and 1" (with a 1/4" border). I also did a card with a 1/4" border, one divided into 4 equal rectangles and one divided into eight equal rectangles. To use the cards I either place them under a blank card on a light table and trace them, or go over the lines by hand with a pen that's slightly larger than the line. Download a .pdf of the Blank ATC's with Grid Lines.

I recently broke down and purchased a small light box and have been really happy that I did. I've used it even more than I expected I would. I checked prices at local arts stores and online, and found t this one on Amazon, which with free shipping and no sales tax was the best deal. 

Originally a watercolor of a bird with the handwritten inscription of Happy Birthday, I scanned this image and have used it to make ATC's for birthday wishes. And for those who don't collect ATC's I've attached it to the front of a plain card. The image can be downloaded here.

Or you can order the card, Birthday Bird by crafting_with_style on Zazzle.
See more Watercolor Cards