Monday, August 17, 2009

CoffeeShop Blog Diptych PS/PSE Action!


I promised I would start desiging blog storyboard/template actions and here is the first, the CoffeeShop Blog Diptych. This action builds a Diptych (2 photo) storyboard, prompts you to load your images, lets you free-transform them to taste on the fly, and then crops the final template to the width you need for your website or blog. It will take you only a few seconds to build this template.

This is a new storyboard action design for me. Rather then have the action crop your images, I have it build clipping masks and you can free transform your images to fit as the action runs. The best part of this method is you can further adjust the image after the image runs. I plan on using this method to design my future storyboard actions.

The zip file contains both a Photoshop and PSE version of the action and full instructions. Feel free to comment on blog template/storyboard versions you would like to see me create! I am coming out with a triptych (3 photo) version next.


CoffeeShop Web Diptych PS/PSE Action

1.  Load action.  If you have PSE, make sure you have a random image open before starting the action (it won't work otherwise).  In PSE, the action will close the random image and start building the storyboard.  If you have Photoshop, start the action without any images open.

2.  The action will build the storyboard and prompt you to load the left-side image.  Then it will prompt you to free-transform the image to fit in the cutout.  If you can't see the free-transform bars, click on Ctrl-0 (that is zero) to expand the view so you can easily adjust the image to fit.  Hold down the shift key (in Photoshop) or make sure "Constrain Proportions" is checked (in PSE) so your image does not warp.

3.  The second image will load on the right side; follow the direction in step 2 to make it fit.

4.  Finally, the action will prompt you to enter the final desired image width in pixels.  Enter the width only, the height will automatically adjust.  For example, I crop my storyboards 600px wide so they fit the middle column of the CoffeeShop blog.

5.  After the action is finished you can move the images around to make final adjustments.  Then flatten and upload to your favorite website/blog!


Download the free CoffeeShop Blog Diptych PS/PSE Action HERE!

Do you want to download thousands of professional CoffeeShop PSE/Photoshop actions (including exclusive ones not found anywhere for free), textures/overlays, scrapbooking papers, clip art/design elements, photo storyboards and frames, and Lightroom presets from this site in one convenient zipped file AND help support this one-woman blog?

Just click here for my CoffeeShop Mega Download Pack!

27 comments:

  1. Thanks so much for this Rita.. I have been looking around for something like this.. anyway you'd be willing to give a tutorial?

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  2. thank you! in regards to an idea, i am always looking for something with three horizontal images, even if they have to be smaller, it would be so nice!

    tamsen

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  3. Wonderful.....thank you for sharing your amazing actions.

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  4. thats very much informative thanks for it.

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  5. Thank you so much for this Freebie. I want to let you know that I posted a link to your blog in Creative Busy Hands Scrapbook Freebies Search List, under the Page 8 post on Aug. 18, 2009. Thanks again.

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  6. WOW!! thanks so much for sharing! looking forward to that triptych!

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  7. Thank you! Your blog post will be advertised on the DigiFree Digital Scrapbooking Freebie search engine today (look for timestamp: 18 Aug [LA 07:00pm, NY 09:00pm] - 19 Aug [UK 02:00am, OZ 12:00pm] ).

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  8. Again - your talents and generosity are amazing. Thank you. I love this.
    As far as what I think would be good in the future: How about some of those long web storyboards - the kind that go on and on and on . . . like the kind professional photographer's use - for example, check out some of Jasmine Star's posts or Tara Whitney's posts - I would LOVE to be able to post picture after picture in a storyboard type fashion.

    Thanks Again Rita. You are amazing!

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  9. I was wondering if you could recommend a starting place for beginners using some of what you offer! I cant seem to make sense and have the feeling I m missing some key starting point..thank you!

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  10. Thanks! I'm looking forward to playing :)

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  11. THank you !!!! I am so excited to try this out. I have been learning to create storyboards for print and I want to see if these will work.

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  12. Must doing something wrong...when I save it as a png file...it shows the grey and white checkered background rather than being transparent. What am I doing wrong?

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  13. thank you so much for your action freebies, I am making a donation to you.

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  14. I really like this but wanted to make the background black, is there a way to do this? Thanks so much for all the stuff you give

    Synthia

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  15. Rita,

    Finally, someone has thought of something like this. You are an inspiration to all of us. I hope you will continue to share your wisdom with us. Thanks!

    http://dslrbagstore.com/

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  16. Everytime I try to run the Diptych action, it shuts down my PSE (9)...?

    Any thoughts on what's going on?

    Thanks!
    m

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  17. Everything works great until I click "ok" for the image sizing. My PSE 10 will then encounter and error and shuts down. Any ideas?

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  18. Some of my older storyboard actions didn't work on a Mac, are you using one Bethany? You could also try resetting your preferences. I will revisit and update this action soon just in case! Rita

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  19. THANK YOU!!!! Tested it using CS5 and worked beautifully. You're awesome.

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Thank you for taking the time to leave a message, I love reading them! All comments are personally moderated by me and I will post and answer them them as soon as possible.
Rita