Using Alphas in layouts

[jenrou]

I've never been one to use the Alphas, and in the slow scraps we have to use them. They seem to be so much trouble, getting them into PSE, lining them up, etc. Anyone have an easy way? Thanks in advance for any tips.

[MariJ]

There is a way to line up in PSE by top, bottom, center - but even when I use it then I usually end up with the space in between not exact.
My best tip is I try to use the alpha letters in a word in a haphazard fashion.  Like first letter up, second down - I slant them a little too so that it doesn't matter if they don't line up.  
I also normally throw all the letters I need on a page, then highlight the layers and size them all at once so the sizes are the same.

[MariJ]

Haphazard kind of like this - 

[jenrou]

Thanks! You always help.

[Marie-Christine]

If I want to have my alphas line up in a straight line I grab a guideline from the ruler I set up (view tab) and  place it exactly where I want to place my alpha. Basically I have a horizontal and/or vertical guideline on my page to help and then remove it again by dragging it back to the ruler.

I'm not sure of the set up in PSE as I use PS but it I find it very useful for straight lines. Hope this helps.

[MariJ]

18 minutes ago, Marie-Christine said:

If I want to have my alphas line up in a straight line I grab a guideline from the ruler I set up (view tab) and  place it exactly where I want to place my alpha. Basically I have a horizontal and/or vertical guideline on my page to help and then remove it again by dragging it back to the ruler.

I'm not sure of the set up in PSE as I use PS but it I find it very useful for straight lines. Hope this helps.

Oh this is a neat way to do it Marie!  I know how to activate rulers, but never know how to grab a guideline, how exactly do you do that, I've always wondered?

And, Jean - Marie made me think of something else I'll do - under the "view" tab on top you can click on "grid" which will give you a grid/lines where you can manually line up the letters.   I usually line them up along one of the lines, then lock them together and then move/turn them as a unit however I want.

[MariJ]

6 hours ago, jenrou said:

Thanks! You always help.

My pleasure, Jean...  Ok, now for what I do in PSE, sorry I was so tired I couldn't think straight last night and had to go to bed!

First - add all the letters you want to your page.
Next - with the Move tool activated (shortcut "v") activate/click on ALL of the letters together in the layers panel (in Mac it's hold "Command" while I click, not sure about Windows)

Then, look at the "tool options" for the Move Tool (in PSE13 I have to click on "tool options" at the bottom to get out of the Photo Bin)
Under Tool Options you will see "Align".  With all of your letters still activated, I usually click "Top" or "Bottom" and the layers will magically align to either their top or bottom!  There are other options, I've never tried them.   
I just tried this now and I had to click on the little photo of "Top", not the word or it didn't work.

I hope this makes sense and helps!

[Marie-Christine]

7 hours ago, MariJ said:

Oh this is a neat way to do it Marie!  I know how to activate rulers, but never know how to grab a guideline, how exactly do you do that, I've always wondered?

And, Jean - Marie made me think of something else I'll do - under the "view" tab on top you can click on "grid" which will give you a grid/lines where you can manually line up the letters.   I usually line them up along one of the lines, then lock them together and then move/turn them as a unit however I want.

In PS, select the move tool and hover over the ruler and left click on the mouse and drag down/sideways. As if by magic a line appears and stops once you stop dragging and release the left click on the mouse. To remove it, select the move tool again and hover over the line with the mouse , left click on the and the cursor will change and just drag it back to ruler, it will or should disappear. I really find this very useful for lining and centering anything on my layouts.

We use this at work a lot to ensure that the graphics line up with other items on a page.

Sorry not sure if it is the same for PSE. 

[Brandy M]

Here's just a thought... but I like to use Alphas as just an initial. So nothing to line up.. just one letter!

[Marie-Christine]

1 hour ago, Brandy M said:

Here's just a thought... but I like to use Alphas as just an initial. So nothing to line up.. just one letter!

I like that - just one letter.

[MariJ]

7 hours ago, Marie-Christine said:

In PS, select the move tool and hover over the ruler and left click on the mouse and drag down/sideways. As if by magic a line appears and stops once you stop dragging and release the left click on the mouse. To remove it, select the move tool again and hover over the line with the mouse , left click on the and the cursor will change and just drag it back to ruler, it will or should disappear. I really find this very useful for lining and centering anything on my layouts.

We use this at work a lot to ensure that the graphics line up with other items on a page.

Sorry not sure if it is the same for PSE. 

Thanks so much Marie.  I am going to see if I can get that to work in PSE as soon as I get to my computer. 

[A-M]

Marilyn, make sure you have your rulers showing... click on view up the top and select rulers. Then do as Marie says - have your mouse hover over the ruler up the top and click and drag down a fine line and as it comes over your canvas it should be blue.  You can do the same for vertical lines - dragged from the sides. 

These lines do not show up on your saved layout when saved as JPEG.  Unless you move them back they will remain on that PSD file. 

[jenrou]

Wow! Such good ideas. Thanks all of you.   

[CRS]

I don't use alphas all that much either. I usually do the title towards the end of the process and by then, I'm too lazy to deal with alphas!