SO, follow the cut to learn how to make this banner (I also snuck in a quick saturation correction and sharpening tutorial):
**not actual size :p
**made in PS7, and fairly image-heavy, k? :)
1. Create a new file, setting the size @ 600x350 pixels, and create a new black fill layer. Pick whatever images you want to use, resize them and all that jazz, and fiddle around until you get an idea of what you want the layout to look like.

2. Now here's where you own creativity comes in. As you can see above, every image is a little different colour-wise, so any one tutorial isn't going to work for all of them. This is fine for me because I'm a fiddler, but I know this can be annoying so I'll give you a couple of hints.
First of all, take each image and play with it in its own file, then paste it back into the main file when you're happy with it.
a) a basic fix to neutralize images that are heavily colour-saturated (ie: really blue, really yellow, etc.): go to 'colour balance' (image > adjustments > colour balance) and do this:
blue: up the red and yellow
yellow/orange: up the cyan and blue
green: up the red and blue
b) for brightening the image, duplicate the base twice, set the first to screen and the second to soft light, then play with the opacities (and you can do this more than once if you need/want to). For these I also did a white layer set to 'overlay', and a light pink/lavender layer set to 'colour burn' (among other things), then lowered the opacities and fiddled until they looked good. But as I said, this is really all up to you. :)
c) here's my quick little sharpening tutorial: duplicate your image, select the bottom layer, go to filter > sharpen > sharpen edges, and sharpen edges twice. Reduce the opacity of the top layer to between 70 and 75%. Now, I usually like to do a bit of selective sharpening (ie: eyes and lips) so select a round brush at a small pixel size, select your sharpening tool, set the strength at 10% and go over the areas you want to sharpen. Voilá!
Now that you've done that, follow
So now you've got this:

3. Now for the fun (and comparatively easy) part. :D Brushes!
I like to use brushes under the image to give some contrast against a solid background, and the flowery brushes just look pretty. The main blob/mask brush in the center is from
Now take your rounded rectangle tool, pick a few colours and make some little squares wherever you want.

Now you've got this.

4.Text time! The lyrics I used are from the song "Dance Me to the End of Love" by Leonard Cohen, for those who want to know. The fonts I used are Bookman Oldstyle and AL Afternoon Delight. With the Bookman, I like to space out the letters when I'm doing banners and wallpapers so that way you can actually see what it says and it doesn't looked so squished and clumpy.
5. Now, you can't really see the text that well against the background, so go back to your rounded rectangle tool, pick a light/medium colour and draw rectangles under the text. Set them to multiply. This accomplishes two things: a) it allows you to see the text better, and b) it also gives a little added interest and texture to the whole thing. :)

6. I do like my tiny text brushes so add a few of those by
So that's that. If you have any questions about something specific, ask away and I'll do my best to answer. And you may use this banner if you'd like to. :) Now go be creative! ^_^b
:: images credit to purejorja.net
:: you don't have to credit me for the tutorial unless you feel a burning desire to do so :p
:: rules
:: resources
:: friend? :)
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June 14 2006, 19:43:33 UTC 5 years ago
June 14 2006, 20:15:32 UTC 5 years ago
this was very helpful.
June 14 2006, 20:40:26 UTC 5 years ago
Jorja Fox is le sex!
5 years ago
June 14 2006, 21:02:39 UTC 5 years ago
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June 14 2006, 21:48:52 UTC 5 years ago
This is what I came up with :D Great tut x
June 15 2006, 20:26:39 UTC 5 years ago
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June 14 2006, 23:01:31 UTC 5 years ago
oh, and darkangel, your banner r0x.
June 15 2006, 05:31:03 UTC 5 years ago
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October 17 2008, 05:32:46 UTC 3 years ago
June 15 2006, 09:39:46 UTC 5 years ago
I just really want a header of Vanessa with those pictures and lyrics.
Too bad I don't like the way it turned out or I would use it. =[
But here's what I cam up with:
June 15 2006, 09:43:31 UTC 5 years ago
5 years ago
June 15 2006, 11:21:17 UTC 5 years ago
Oh, and yummycherries? Your header kicks arse! Very nice indeedy! :D
June 15 2006, 12:42:47 UTC 5 years ago
& thanks, i'm not a big fan of mine.
i love the one i just made like it though it's my header at my journal.
5 years ago
June 15 2006, 12:43:11 UTC 5 years ago
June 15 2006, 20:32:00 UTC 5 years ago
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June 15 2006, 20:09:00 UTC 5 years ago
June 15 2006, 20:32:37 UTC 5 years ago
June 17 2006, 01:43:06 UTC 5 years ago
June 18 2006, 10:56:23 UTC 5 years ago
If I find the time maybe I'll create something myself, and it's always great to have a starting point when you're kind of clueless how to begin. ;)
June 19 2006, 20:45:54 UTC 5 years ago
hi, i'm a random person asking a question
hello!my name is amanda, and i've come across your clone high mood themes, and i was wondering if you would mind at all if i used them for my journal. and while i'm on that, i was wondering if you knew how i could make them my mood theme (i have the sponsored account)? i can't seem to find the answer anywhere else.
thanks!
amanda
June 20 2006, 22:35:39 UTC 5 years ago
Re: hi, i'm a random person asking a question
Hi rendom person! I'm glad you like the mood theme, and I certainly don't mind if you use it. :)Hm, I'm not sure exactly how it would work with a sponsored account, but I would think that it would be the same as what you do to specify a mood theme with a paid account. I know you would have to so the same thing (ie: downloading the images and setting them all up like it says in my post here. It should all require the same steps, so poke around in my post there and follow the instructions, and hopefully that will work! If not, let me know and I'll see if I can figure out what's going on. :) Good luck!
June 25 2006, 14:00:35 UTC 5 years ago
Random question not related to this post-LOL!
Sorry if this is inappropriate-but I was wondering if you'd like to affiliate with my icon communityJune 27 2006, 02:54:48 UTC 5 years ago
Re: Random question not related to this post-LOL!
It's not inappropriate at all! And sure, I'd love to! I'll add you in my userinfo. :)5 years ago
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July 25 2006, 04:23:16 UTC 5 years ago
i'm a Fall Out Boy fan <3
July 29 2006, 04:57:56 UTC 5 years ago
Haha, I noticed that. :p
That's okay! The tutorial is there to be a guide, so keep trying things out and you'll eventually stumble upon something you like. ^_^b
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