How To Create Simple Header Graphics

In this tutorial I’ll discuss how I create simple image headers for my blogs using Adobe Photoshop (you can also use Photoshop Elements with these steps).

The headers you will create will look sort of like this:

Note: You can also use a program called XHeader, which is a free program by the creators of Xsite Pro, or any other photo editing program (you could create headers using GIMP.org’s free tool as well). I personally prefer to use Photoshop as it creates a much cleaner looking header images (I use it to edit ALL of the photos I publish).

 

Before you get started you need to figure out what your niche is… (I know it’s obvious, but it had to be said). Once you’ve decided on a niche, I generally go to iStockPhoto to find a suitable image for my header.

I generally use iStockPhoto, but it is a premium stock photography site and can get a bit pricey. You could also use pictures from sites like Stock.Xchng, which is a free stock photography site. You will have to create an account (it’s free) and then enter your search terms to find a suitable image.

 

Look for images that are in the landscape format:

Once you find a suitable image, click on it and check the terms of the image and look for something that is at least 400 – 500 pixels wide (this is not really an issue with most photos if you get them from a stock photo site).

(the first number in the “screen size” area refers to the width of the picture, so in this case the photograph is 1396 pixels wide)

Once you’ve found some potentially useful photographs and downloaded them to your computer, open Photoshop (Elements)…

 

I won’t get into a long Photoshop tutorial, but you can find quite a few on YouTube if you have a question about anything.

Step 1 – What’s the size?

Find out the size of the header image you need for your blog theme. The header is generally a fixed size or dependant of the width of your theme…

For this example we’ll create a header that I’ll use with the iThemes Flexx theme (2-column layout), which requires  a header that is 780 x 146 pixels.

Once you know the size, you want to create a “NEW IMAGE” template for your header using the header size information you’ve dug up:

Step 2 – Add your image

Once you’ve created your basic image template, you want to open the picture you downloaded from the stock photo site.

Once the image is open, you want to go to the IMAGE -> IMAGE SIZE option in the menu bar (at the top of your screen) and resize your image to fit your header image.

So, in the example below we’ll edit the image size to 780 pixels (width)…

Once you’ve resized this image, which will be your “background image”, you simply DRAG the image to the template you created earlier (by clicking on the image you want to move and dragging it to the new image template)…

You can re-position the image within the new header template by clicking on it and move it into position (while holding the button down on your mouse).

Once you’ve positioned your image into your newly created header template, it’s time to add some text.

Step 3 – Add Main Header Text Element

For the main text, I like to use the IMPACT font (it’s generally included as a default font – if it’s not, you can download it very easily from the web), and I use about a 40pt font and select the color (the color I used in the example above is #cc0000), and style of your font as well (whether you want it italicized, bolded etc.)

For the other text in my header, I generally use Arial font… (I play a bit with the sizes for this to make sure it’s legible)

So first, select the type tool, then click on the image and start typing. If you don’t have the right font, simply use the character menu (either above in the menu bar, or in the ‘character’ window):

Once I’ve typed into the box, I will double-click on the layer it created in the layer window to engage the “Layer Styles” options:

Once you’ve selected this, simply hit OK, which will close the layer styles window.

This will create a nice thin outline of white around your text. Position your text to where you want it (I often off-center the text, but that’s your choice). In case you don’t know how to position your text layer: just select the “Move Tool”, click on the text element and move it around (you need to keep pressing the mouse button while moving the text. Alternatively you can also use the arrow keys on your keyboard once the layer has been highlighted).

In case you’re wondering, this is the move tool:

Step 4 – Adding Additional Text Elements

Next, you will add the two additional text elements (that you saw in the example at the beginning of this post).

For the title “For the best in Golf Course Reviews”, I used an 18pt ARIAL font in “Extra Bold”. I also used the “Faux Bold” option (the bold ‘T’ near the bottom left of the character window):

Again, I go into the layer style option for this layer (see image below). However, in addition to adding a stroke (for this I use a 2 pixel stroke in black around the white font); and I also add a “drop shadow” by checking the radio box under this option.

You may want to edit the options here (it’s up to you)… but here are my settings (I’ve circled the important areas in red):

Once you’ve set the “Stroke” and the “Drop Shadow” options, click OK and make sure there were changes to your text. Position the text where you want it (I chose to put this in the upper left).

Now you can choose to add the final text element in the header (bottom right in the example header in the beginning of this article), by choosing a 14 point ARIAL font with the same character options as in the previous line of text.

With this particular line of text I didn’t add a stroke (but you can obviously change it to your liking)…

Now you’re header is finished, which means you need to save it in the right format.

 

The easiest way to do this is by selecting the “Save for Web & Devices” option under “File” (in your menu bar):

Once you select it, you will be presented with another window with a lot of options and a live preview of your file.

I generally save my headers into either a high quality jpg or a GIF 128 Dithered setting (usually I’ll choose a JPG for headers):

As noted in the image, be sure to SAVE your file!

That’s all folks!

PS – While this may seem tedious… it actually only takes a few minutes to do once you get the knack for it.

This Post Is Sponsored By:

• Get My Micro Niche Blogging Course! - Last chance to get your hands on my micro niche blogging course. Ends on March 31st!
• Micro Niche Blog - Let Me Build You A Niche Blog!
• Proven Niche Manifesto - Tested & Proven Profitable Niches - stop wasting time and start making money today!
• Immediate Cash Blueprint - Super Simple Profit Formula | Earn Money This Week!

Share and Enjoy

Tags: blog creation, blogging, header, header image, niche blogs, site creation