Friday, January 16, 2009

Making a web banner using your own pictures

** Picasa will not let you resize to 100. Only the 760. I would recommend that you resize your picture(s) that you want to use to 100 before hand. You can do this by using picnik.com , keep proportions when you do this so that picnik will not distort your picture(s).

Another way you can do it is to keep the Picasa window open, insert your banner to your shop. If if need to be cropped some more to fit then go back to Picasa and do that. The former way seems like it would be the easiest to me but there are your options.

Good Luck

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This is something that I have always wanted to do. However I did not have the fancy expensive programs to do it in. And with this economy, I would rather try to do it on a free program. If you have read my blog for anytime you know that I have an Etsy store. I wanted to make a banner that used my products and looked nice and sharp. Here is how I did mine.

First download Picasa. It is free and it is here.

Here is the banner I made.

First step is to select the photos you want on your banner. When they are all collected in the selection tray (you can just click on them and they should show up there), click the collage button in the tool bar at the bottom to your right. Make sure to select the ‘Picture Pile’ type of collage so you can drag the photos into just the right order. Don't worry about them being the same size as you will be cropping them. Just make sure that you have them how you want them. Another cool thing with Picasa is that if you wanted one to be crooked you could do that.


When you finish, hit create collage and close your collage. You have a new picture. Next is to crop it, using the ‘manual’ size setting, into a banner, short and wide. Hit Apply when you have it cropped how you want. Now you can add writing if you would like also.


Here it is after cropping and adding some writing. Last step is to go under File and Export to folder. This will make a Folder in My Pictures just for your banner. When you export it make sure to size it to 760 for Etsy.


Your done! Aren't you proud of yourself?

23 comments:

Vinyl Rocks My World said...

Great tutorial! I recently made the upgrade to the newest version of Picasa, and I LOVE that feature.
Thanks!

Diana (Ladybug Limited) said...

I already posted my thanks in the forums, but really, thank you! I'm going to try this tonight!

LadybugLimited.etsy.com

Leah said...

Awesome tutorial!!! Thanks so much!

Unknown said...

I think you did an amazing job and thanks so much for the tutorial! WTG!!!
~ Ux

Blooming Lily said...

I am going to try it now! Thanks for sharing...I have been using picasa for awhile now...but have not updated to version 3!!

Rosemary said...

Nice job! I had read your post in the thread earlier and looked at your new item that you had listed. Your banner had caught my eye right away when I clicked into your shop. Thanks for the tutorial. I'm going to try it out tomorrow. (Yeah, I have something to look forward to tomorrow)!

ceejay said...

great tutorial..and great blog background too!

ceejay
www.ceejaybags.etsy.com
www.ceejaybags.blogspot.com

Kay-The Rustic Cottage said...

This is so awesome! Thank you so much. I have been looking for photo editing program that would be easy to use. Go check out my banner at http://therusticcottage.etsy.com.

NewLifeDesigns said...

Awesome, thanks, I've been wanting to do this for my blog also, so I got the GIMP program, but it is taking so long to learn how to use it, I can do this quick!

moosewinks said...

Rachel,
Thanks again for the tutorial on Etsy and your great blog. I mentioned you on my blog moosewinks.blogspot.com (I didn't think you'd mind). I will work on my banner for http://moosewinks.etsy.com
You have lots of useful information, and you are a believer too! I'll be back!
Barb (Moosewinks)

Jeff said...

This is great! Thanks for posting!

Laurie said...

You rock! I was making my banner yesterday and found your tutorial! Check out the banner I made indulgeyourshelf.etsy.com It's not as crisp as yours for some reason but is such an improvement over the last one that I'm supremely happy with it for now! Also: I have added you to my list of "blogs we love to read" on my site: www.indulgeyourshelf.blogspot.com
Thank you so much, again!

Unknown said...

Wow, thanks so much for this tutorial! It never occurred to me to make my banner in Picasa.

Jen's Pens said...

Thank you so much for sharing!! Can't wait to try it and create some of my own banners!!

Anonymous said...

can you tell me the size of the banner?? thank you..

Rachel said...

Etsy's banner is suppose to be 760x100. When you Export to Folder you set the banner to 760. For the 100 part you need to play with it and crop it some, depending on you pictures sizes when you first put them in. Hope that helps.

lizet frijters said...

Thank you so much for this, I will play with it later and bookmarked your blog.
http://lizetfrijters.etsy.com
http://lizetfrijters.blogspot.com

Punky N Munky said...

Thank you! I can't wait to try this!

TheClayMuse said...

Oh a free editing program to play with! Nice tutorial! I've been using paint.net for everything (also free) it's pretty good has some good features but nothing like "collage" Thanks for the tips!

Mia Sophia said...

Great info, thanks! I'll put it on my to do list. I'll try it out for my majaba ad!

Unknown said...

Thanks - you helped me two years later than your original post! My new shop banner: http://www.etsy.com/shop/heliumstudioandpost

Rachel said...

Kim,

Wow! 2 years later. I am so glad that it was able to help you. Your banner looks awesome! Seeing this and reading all the comments wakes up my writing spirit. I have not been back on here since the birth of my 4th kiddo.

Anonymous said...

THANK YOU!! I was totally lost after someone requested that I try Picasa. You walked me right through it, and now my banner is beautiful!

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