Create a Greeting Card with Photoshop
This tutorial will walk you through how to create a create a greeting card with Photoshop. I have created a template to minimize the number of steps required. The template creates a "half-fold" card that is approximately 8 by 5 inches and will fit into an A-8 Announcement envelope. The card is printed on 8½ by 11 inch card stock.
Download the Card Templates for Photoshop
The zip file contains two templates - one for a landscape oriented card, and one for a portrait oriented card. The templates can be used with with Photoshop CS and CS2. I have not tested it in earlier versions.
When you open the file in Photoshop CS, you may get a message about text layers needing to be updated. Just press the "Update" button and it should work fine.
Open Photoshop and one of the card templates from the zip file. Go to File > Save As… and save the greeting card under a new name so you don't overwrite the template as you work through the tutorial.
You'll also need to find and open a photo to use on the front of your card.
Make sure your layers palette is showing (Window > Layers). If you look at the layers palette now, you can see I have several layers and layer groups set up already.
Make sure the following options are active in the View menu:
- Extras
- Show > Smart Guides (CS2 only)
- Show > Annotations
- Rulers
- Snap
At times, you may find it helpful to display Guides (View > Show > Guides).
You can see I have added several notes to assist you in using the template in the future.
Some notes are outside the borders of the page, so you may need to expand the document window to see them all. If you find the notes distracting, feel free to hide them (View > Show> Annotations).
We will create the inside and outside of the card in one file, and then show or hide specific layer groups before printing each side of the paper.
1. Open the photo you selected for the front of your card, if you have not already.
2. Active the document and choose Select > All, then Edit > Copy.
3. Switch back to the card template.
4. Hold the Ctrl key down (Command on Mac) and click on the layer mask thumbnail for the "Card Front" layer group.
5. With the Card Front" layer group highlighted in the layers palette, go to Edit > Paste Into.
6. A new layer will be created for the photo.
Double click the layer name, and give it a more descriptive name such as "photo."
7. If the photo does not fill the space designated as the front of the card, switch to the move tool and adjust the size and position as desired. (If it's a lot smaller than the front of the card, you may need to select a photo with a higher resolution.)
Note: The layer mask will ensure that the photo is clipped to the edges of the card front. You may size the photo larger than the card front and only the portions within the allowed space will be shown.
8. Drag the photo layer below the "Add text here..." layer in the layers palette.
9. If desired, create a new layer above the photo and add a decorative border or additional clip art.
1. Double click on the T thumbnail of the "Add text here..." layer in the layers palette.
2. Replace this text with your own text.
3. Adjust the font, size, and position as desired.
Optional: Use layer styles to enhance the text with effects such as drop shadow, glow, bevel, or pattern fill.
• Free Photoshop Layer Styles
1. Find the Logo layer, and either hide or delete the layer and add your own logo for the back of the card. You can hide the layer by clicking the eye in the left column of the layers palette. Make sure you new logo layer is in the "Logo & Credit Line" group. You can drag and drop in the layers palette to move it there, if needed.
If you don't have a pre-designed logo, Photoshop's Custom Shape Tool is a good place to find simple designs for the back of your card. Select the Shape Tool, then click the Shape picker, and from the small arrow in the top right corner, scroll down to "All" to browse the preset shapes.
2. Size and position the logo with the move tool. If you activated Smart Guides, it will help you position the logo in the center of the page.
3. For a landscape oriented card: Don't forget to rotate your logo with the move tool, or the Edit > Transform > Rotate 180° command.
4. Double click on the T thumbnail of the "Add your credit line..." layer in the layers palette.
5. Replace this text with your own text.
6. Adjust the font and size as desired.
7. With the move tool active, click on the "Logo & Credit Line" group in the layers palette, then click "Align horizontal centers" in the options bar. Double check to make sure the group is centered on the page.
1. Click the eye next to the "Card Front" and "Logo & Credit Line" groups in the layers palette to hide these layers.
2. Show the "Inside" layer group.
3. Double-click the thumbnail for the text layer and replace the text with your own.
4. Customize the text font and style as desired.
5. Add clip art or other design elements, if desired.
6. Hide the "Crop Lines" layer and print the inside of the card on 8½ by 11 inch card stock.
1. Turn your paper over and re-insert it into your printer in the proper orientation to print the inside of the card.
2. Hide the "Inside" layer.
3. Show the "Card Front" and "Logo & Credit Line" layer groups.
4. If you wish to print crop marks, also show the "Crop Lines" layer. You can change the color of the crop lines by double-clicking the red square on the "Crop Lines" layer.
5. Print the outside of the card.
Assemble the Card
1. Use a ruler and a pointed tool to score the center fold line of the card.
2. Carefully fold the card in half and flatten the crease.
3. Use a good quality paper trimmer to trim the sides and bottom of the card while it's folded.