Birthday Card
Birthday cards can either be mass-produced by a card company or customized keepsakes especially for the birthday person. Using photos to make birthday cards is a perfect way to make your card into something the recipient will likely treasure for years. Use a graphics program and a great photo or two to make your birthday cards into works of art.
Instructions
Make the Outside of the Card
1. Browse through your digital photographs to select one or two to use on a birthday card.
2. Open your graphics program, and create a foundational layer that is 10 inches wide and 7 inches high. This will be the background of your birthday card. Choose a color for this layer, and fill the layer with this color.
3. Open the digital photo to place on the front of the card. Resize it if necessary so that it will fit onto the 5x7-inch front of the card. A suggested size for the picture is 4.75x5 inches.
4. Position the picture at the top, center, or bottom of the front of the card.
5. Choose a font and a font color. Select a color that will be visible over the background color. Make sure the font is large enough to make a bold statement on the front of the card.
6. Enter the text for the birthday greeting, and position it either above or below the picture.
7. Add any other desired graphics or decorations around the photo.
8. Proofread everything, and when you're satisfied, merge the layers. Save the file on your hard drive.
Make the Inside of the Card
9. Open a new raster layer (working layer) that is 10x7 inches high. This will be the background of the inside of your card. Choose a color for this layer, and fill this layer with this color.
10. Open another digital photograph using the same method described in steps 3 and 4 of the first section. Position the photograph where desired.
11. Select a font and a font color, and add a birthday message using the same method described in steps 5 and 6 of the first section. Personalize the message. Use song lyrics or visit poemsource.com (see resources) for ideas for birthday card messages.
12. Add any other graphics or decorations around the photo and the text as desired.
13. Proofread everything, and make sure the card layout looks the way you wish. When you are happy with it, merge the layers and save it to your hard drive.
Printing
14. Print out the cover of the card onto card stock with your color printer.
15. Replace the card stock into the printer, and print the inside of the card onto the back side of the card stock. Make sure the card stock is positioned correctly in the printer so that the card will be printed properly.
16. Fold the card, and sign your name.
Tags: card stock, front card, card Choose, this layer, around photo, birthday card, card Choose color