1) Open your existing artwork. Make sure to use a copy of the original file!
2) Look at the "Layers" palette. If there's more than one layer you'll need to flatten the image...
Notice how our file has two layers, "Layer 1" and "Background". Our image needs to be flattened.
3) Flatten the image by selecting "Layer > Flatten Image"
4) Make the background into a layer...
Double click on the new "Background" layer in the layers palette. The "New Layer" window appears...
Leave the default settings and click "OK". You now have Layer 0 and are ready for editing...
5) Use the Magic Wand tool to remove the white background...
a) Click on the magic wand icon in the Tools Palette
b) Make sure "Anti-aliased" and "Contiguous" are selected in the toolbar. You can experiment with the tolerance, but the default of 32 should work for most images with obvious borders between the image and the background. If you deselect contiguous all areas of white will be removed (including the white within your design). In our example image, the "Arizona" text inside our design will become the same color as the shirt if we deselect contiguous!
c) Click within the background area to select the background for removal. You should see "marching ants" around your design
d) Expand the selection by one pixel to avoid "the jaggies" and "halos" that might remain around your design...
Go to "Select > Modify > Expand"...
Type "1" into the box and click "OK"...
e) Hit the "Delete" key on your keyboard to remove the background...
You should see a "checkerboard" pattern everywhere except your actual design.
6) Preview your design on a dark background
Create a new layer underneath your design and fill it with a dark color like Black or Navy Blue. This will give you an idea how your design will look on a dark colored shirt! If you still see a "halo" around your design you might need to manually edit the border of your design or experiment with the tolerance setting in step 5b. Make sure to delete this layer before saving your image.
7) Make sure you've deleted the black/dark background layer and then save your file.
a) On the Photoshop toolbar select "File > Save As"
b) Under the "Format" drop-down menu, select "PNG"
c) Click "Save" and the PNG Options window will appear...
Leave the default setting of "None" and click "OK".
Now you're ready to upload your PNG file to Printfection. Congratulations!
|
