Using PrintShop for publishing is easy, but it’s set up a little differently than the Microsoft Office applications. This packet explains how to create signs, but banners, cards and other publications follow a similar format.
Basically, there are two ways to create something in PrintShop. One is to Personalize (alter) a QuickStart project. PrintShop offers ready made publications for you to “tweak”. The other method is starting a publication from scratch.
**Please read each section in its entirety before creating your publication. Some sections are NOT step-by-step, but include different options!
8 Opening PrintShop
-Double click on the PrintShop icon. Most likely, it is only installed on one of your classroom computers.
-Click on “Teachers” to highlight it, and then scroll down on the right hand side to find your name. Click on your name and then click OK. If you don’t see your name on the list, click the very bottom box, “Login as a guest”. There is no password.
8 Saving Work
-PrintShop has it’s own saving method. I’m not sure how it works, but as always, the safest way to save your work is to choose your H: drive in the drop-down menu!!
Personalizing a QuickStart Layout
-Click on the Project that you’d like to create. (During the workshop, we made a sign.) Click the Next button.
-Choose Personalize a QuickStart Layout and click the Next button.
-If you are looking for a specific category of sign, select it. Otherwise, click on All to see the entire collection of pre-made signs. Then click the Next button.
-After taking a moment to load, you can browse for a setup that is similar to what you are looking for. (ex: the background is a color you like, the text is an appealing style) Select a style and then click the Finish button.
8 Altering a Headline
-Some of the text in PrintShop is under the category of Headline. (Headlines are a lot like WordArt in Microsoft Word.) To change text, double click on the words you want to change. If a new window opens up (Creating a Headline), it is a Headline and you can make it very fancy if you’d like to.
-When the words are highlighted in the upper left corner of the window, you can delete them and type your own words.
-To change the font, use the drop-down arrow to select a desirable style.
-To change the color, click on the color box on the left. Choose your color or gradient and then click OK.
-Next, click on the shape tab. Choose the shape in which you’d like your words to appear. If you would like to highlight your words with a color band, choose a color in the color box, or leave it as none.
-It is fun to experiment with the other tabs as well, Position, Outline, Shadow, Depth and Proportion. You will always see a preview of your headline after you make a change.
-When you are happy with your headline, click the OK button and you will return to your sign.
-When the corner points are visible on the headline, you may click and drag it to the position you want or resize it.
8 Altering a Text Box
-Double click on the words. If you see a blinking cursor, it is not a headline, but a regular text box.
-Delete the words and type your message.
-To change the color of your text, highlight the words and then click on the “rainbow bar” on the tool bar. Click “Object” and then select a color.
-To change the font style/size, highlight the words first and then make the changes as you would in Microsoft Word.
-To delete a text box, backspace the words in the box, then press the delete key.
8 Altering Clipart
-Click on the picture you want to change. When you see the corner points are visible, use the delete key to delete it.
-Click “Insert” then “Graphic/Image” then “All types”.
-The left hand bottom of the window gives directions, “Enter Search Words and then Click Go”.
-Click on the picture you would like and then the Select button at the bottom of the window.
-You can resize the picture by “pulling” on the corner points and move it by clicking and dragging in the middle of the picture.
-To change the layer of the picture, right click on the clipart. Click “Layer” and then “Send to Back” or “Bring Forward”.
8 Altering Backgrounds
-As in Publisher, a background in PrintShop is typically an enlarged Shape (like a rectangle) or enlarged clipart.
-Double click on the shape. Be sure the corner points are around the background shape and not your clipart/text boxes.
-To change the color, click on the color box in the middle. (Remember, you can do gradients or textures as well.)
Create a Project From Scratch
-Click on the Project that you’d like to create. (During the workshop, we made a sign.) Click the Next button.
-Choose Start from Scratch and click the Next button.
-Choose Tall or Wide (Landscape or Portrait) and click the Finish button.
At this point, you can create anything you want. Here are the basics:
8 Inserting (Creating) a background
-Click “Drawing Tools” on the left hand side tool bar.
-Click “Insert Shape”. A new window will open.
-Choose the shape you want. For a background, choose a square.
-Click on the Fill Color button. Choose a color or gradient. Click OK
-You will be able to preview your new color. Click OK.
-Enlarge the square so it fits the entire page.
8 Inserting (Creating) a new Clipart
-Click Insert, then Graphic/Image and All Types
-Enter a search term at the bottom and click Go.
-Click on the picture you want, and click Select.
-Resize the picture by pulling on the corner points. Move the picture by clicking and dragging on the middle of the picture.
-To edit, double click on it.
-To delete, click on it once to select it and then press “backspace”.
8 Inserting (Creating) a new Headline
-Click Insert -> Headline
-Delete the words “Ready Made” and type your own headline.
- You may choose a ready made style by selecting a style from the choices at the bottom.
OR you can click the Customize button and make changes yourself.
-Don’t forget to click on the different tabs in the headlines window to make a variety of changes.
-When finishes, click OK.
-To edit, double click on it.
-To delete, click on it once to select it and then press “backspace”.
8 Inserting (Creating) a new Text Box
-Click Insert -> Text Box
-A large text box will appear. Double click on it in order to type.
-Once you have typed your message, you can resize the box or move it to a new location on the page.
-If you need to adjust font size/style, highlight the words first and then make the alterations. You can also center, bold, italics and underline you text.
-To adjust font color, highlight the words and click on the color bar new the tool bar at the top. Click on “Object”. Then choose a color. Click OK.
-To edit, double click on it.
-To delete, click on it once to select it and then press “backspace”.
Create a Project from Scratch: Extras
8 Inserting (Creating) a Border
-Click “Borders and Frames” on the left hand side tool bar. Click Insert Border.
-For a picture border, click on the Art Gallery Photo Frame button under the tool bar. You can choose any clipart picture to be repeated for your border. Resize the border to fit the edges of your publication.
-For a Corners Only design, click on just a corner and then select a picture.
-For a color border, click on the Paint Can button under the tool bar and select a color. Resize the border to fit the edges of your publication.
-To edit, double click on it.
-To delete, click on it once to select it and then press “backspace”.
8 Inserting a Photo Into a Publication
-Click Insert -> Import. A window will appear entitled “Open Picture from Disk”. Use the drop down menu to find where you have the picture saved (ex: your H: drive or A: drive if it’s on a disk) Select the picture. Click Open
-You can resize the picture by adjusting the corner points. To flip the picture or turn it, click on “Arrange” on the tool bar and try one of the options listed.
8 Cropping a Photo
-Select the photo by clicking on it once.
-Click on “Edit Photo” on the left side tool bar. Click Crop/Orientation.
1. You can select a preset shape from the chart. (a square for simple cropping)
-Resize the square/move the square on the photo until you are satisfied with the crop. Click Apply Crop. If you are satisfied, click OK. If not, click Remove Crop to try again.
OR
2. Click Freehand Crop under the shapes. With your mouse, click once on a starting point in the picture. You’ll notice that a “string” is now attached to your mouse. Every time you click, you will be “dropping” the string to make a corner or rounded edge. Click all around your picture until you have “drawn” an enclosed shape.
-Once you have enclosed the shape, you will be able to click on the “Apply Crop” button, to see what the crop will look like.
(SEE EXAMPLE ON THE NEXT PAGE)
-Click OK and the picture will be added to your publication.