G1 Tech Specs Photoshop Template!

Originally Posted by ShadowStitch

Okay, well...here's a quickie tutorial on how to use this PSD...assuming you have at least basic competency with Photoshop.

Step 1: Download and open the zip. Drop the included fonts in your font directory, such as c:\windows\fonts ... else Photoshop will throw a hissy fit and try to replace the fonts with something wholly unappropriate. Then open the PSD in Photoshop. I use CS3, but it should be compatible with older versions.

Step 2: You'll see 6 Folders in the Layers pane: Outlines, Text, Decepticon Ver, Autobot Ver, Portrait, and Attributes. You'll never need to mess with the Outlines folder, so forget it exists.

Expand the "Text" folder, and you should see four layers inside. Using the Text Tool, select and edit the text on each layer to whatever you want it to read for the character's name, function, motto, and bio text. You shouldn't necessarily need to move the existing text or change the size or anything, just select each existing text field and change their content, being mindful of the edges of the white area.

If you have the option, you might consider changing the text antialiasing to "Smooth," especially if you're going to shrink the resulting image when you're done.

Step 3: Make either the "Decepticon Ver" or "Autobot Ver" folder in the layers pane visible, using the little 'visible' eye icon next to he folder icon. These folders contain the color and faction title, and there's no need to expand them or tamper with their contents. If you make them both visible, the Decepticon theme will overlap the Autobot one, and you won't see it. In other words, if you choose "Autobot Ver", you have to hide the "Decepticon Ver" folder.

Step 4: Expand the "Attributes" folder in the layers pane. You should see three layers. First, you'll want to select the line tool, because we're about to do a little graphing. The Tech specs always have a jagged blue line hidden among the red lines, showing the appropriate stats.

Using the Dropper, (or an alt-click) suck up the muted blue from the little square where the portrait should be, so the blue is now your primary color. Select the "Put Blue Lines here" layer, and switch to the Line Tool, preferably around 10px wide. Now start at the left edge of the stats readout with your line tool, and draw a straight line from anywhere on the left edge to the appropriate numbered tier on the strength stat column. From there, continue from stat to stat until you've got that jagged blue line connecting the points for all your stats. The black lines will hide messy connect points, so don't worry if it's not perfect.

Finally, choose either Specs Type One or Specs Type two, and make one or the other visible by selecting the 'visible' eye icon. Don't worry about the blue square -- the portrait image will overlap it in the end anyways.

Step 5: You have two choices for the portrait; you can either resize a picture to 600 x 850 pixels and drop it in, or you can stick a larger image inside the "Portrait" folder, and use the free transform tool to resize it within the confines of the portrait window.

If you drop an image in the "portrait" folder, the layer mask will hide all of the image except the rectangle where the portrait should be on the tech spec, like a cutout in a piece of paper, or a window. This way, you can move your image around to center it inside the box without worrying about overlapping or cropping. You can also use the free transform tool to resize your portrait image, behind the mask, and get a perfect framed fit.

And that should just about do it. Now just save it, then resize and export for web or whatever.