Photoshop Project: Bookmarks

Goal: Create a set of five personal bookmarks.

Instructions

Make your bookmarks

  • Create a new blank document that is 1.75 inches wide, 7.5 inches high, and 150 pixels per inch. You could also switch the width and height if you plan to make a sideways bookmark (like the example below).
  • Design an attractive bookmark that encourages reading and/or promotes a book. You may use any photoshop techniques you wish. DO NOT SIMPLY PASTE IMAGES ONTO THE BOOKMARK. Any image you use should be adjusted and edited to  work within a balanced design.
  • place all of the layers of your bookmark (including the background!) into a group.
  • Save your first bookmark with a meaningful name such as  bookmark 1.psd.

Get your bookmarks ready for printing

  • Create a new document: 7.5″ x 10″, 150 pixels per inch
  • Make sure your bookmark documents are open.
  • Make sure you have the move tool set to Auto-Select Group.
  • Drag your bookmarks, one at a time, onto the new document.
  • Line up each of your bookmarks on the document. There is enough room for all five, with a small amount of space between them. If a bookmark is turned the wrong way, you can use the transfom command (command-t) to rotate it. DO NOT RESIZE THE BOOKMARKS- just rotate them if needed. If you hold down shift while rotating, it will be easier to turn the bookmarks exactly 90 degrees.
  • Save your completed bookmarks file.

Example bookmark

Source image:

Completed bookmark:

Notice I did not just cut out the people. I chose two of them, and did an image trace on their faces and and hands. I installed a new font. I added two text layers. Both of them have a gradient and stroke effect. The larger one has a fisheye effect as well. THen I sampled colors from the original image to create a custom background gradient, and I applied the gradient so that it radiates from the tip of the finger. This single book mark has roughly 15 layers, two groups, and multiple layer effects.

I don’t expect you to do the same effects I did, or to use the same subjects I did. I do expect you to put real effort into each bookmark.