Any tutorials on how to create header graphics?

[Sbabb]

I have Corel Draw Graphics Suite 12 and The Logo Creator. I also have lots of photos.

What I don't have is the innate talent to use those things to create decent looking web page headers. I'd like to be able to create the "feathered images layered on top of faded images with nice text standing out in the middle" headers that I see on so many sites.

I can do an OK job with a logo using The Logo Creator, so that's what I have now. But what I'd really like are professional looking headers with photographic images.

Does anyone have pointers to tutorials that will help me learn to do that? Or how about a site where I can get stock photo-type headers that I can customize with my own text?


Thanks,
Scott

[iwebgeek]

I don't use Corel so I'm not of much help.

But you can google the web for tutorials on using Corel.

I don't use Corel either (tried it and hated it!)...my advice: Ditch Corel and get Adobe Photoshop (Photo editing) and Adobe Illustrator (for vector graphics and text)


Best of luck!

[intelliot]

I've been using Macromedia (now Adobe) Fireworks 8, and it has been just what I need.

[jannmirch]

While I respect the opinions of others, it seems a huge waste of money to dump one software suite, which costs hundreds of dollars, to buy another, that will cost more hundreds of dollars.

I use Corel Draw 12 and am quite happy with it, though I realize it is not the most commonly used software out there.

To create a "drop shadow" effect as you describe, first create your text and format it with the color, font, etc. that you want. Next, click the Interactive tool on the tool bar. Click "Interactive Drop Shadow Tool" from the flyout menu if it is not already selected. Click and drag your text. The shadow will appear behind it.

You can now edit the shadow, or select a preset from the property bar.

There is a definite learning curve with Corel, but I haven't found anything that I can't do - yet!

[dianaStathakis]

I love using the tutorials at www.vtc.com there are 100's of video's showing all type's of software out there.

d.

[debase23]

I haven't used Corel for over a decade, so this is only a vague stab. If you can do layers, then do text on one and your graphic elements on another. If the tools are anything like they used to be and like Illustrator, you'll find the fade fill through the paint bucket. Double click and look for options that let you fade from color to transparent, color to color, circular etc. and apply to a drawn shape. As far as photos go, the easiest way is to place them on a layer under the color fades, and change the shape with the fade fill to follow the shape of the image in the photo by using the node tool (used to be represented on the toolbar with a squiggly line with a little square on it - it lets you pick up the little squares that make up a shape and move them around and thereby change the shape). Or, once you're really handy with node editing, you can draw a shape around the photo that tightly follows the image you want to use, then select both the shape and the photo, and create a mask - check your help file to find out where the command is. With a masked photo, you'll have the effect of a paper doll cutout. To give a photo the fade out look, draw a box (or whatever shape you need) over the edge of the photo and fill with a color to transparent fade. You might also have decorative frames and edges as part of the program's effects and tools.
Frankly, you need to play around with the program a bit to familiarize yourself with all the cool stuff you can do, instead of fretting over what you don't know how to do... yet.

[Sbabb]

Wow, talk about fast response!

Thank you all for your suggestions.

debase23: I'm OK with Corel Draw, but fairly clueless with Photo Paint. I'll look into what layers are and how they work in Photo Paint. Incidently, I'm in southern NH.

dianaStathakis: Thanks. I'll check out the videos.

jannmirch: Thank you. Drop shadows are definitely something I'll want to do.

I think that part of the problem may be that I'm technically gifted but artistically challenged. I guess that's why I'm functional in Draw (nice technical vector graphics) but I've pretty much avoided Paint. I'll dive in an play with it for awhile to see what I can do.


Scott

[jnoneiliv1]

Sbabb,

I'm artisticaly challenged also, and I have found some great inspiration at www.csszengarden.com or http://www.mezzoblue.com/zengarden/alldesigns/

Actually, I'm not that fond of the website and the book is really much better. In the book version "the Zen of CSS design", they completely deconstruct and explain how some of the very best examples of good CSS design were created in CSS. As every design uses the same html source code, you can easily follow along to see how different designers addressed layout while using the same html. The book is deceptively technical as the first time I flipped through it I thought there might not be much meat and potatoes. But, again I was wrong.

Many of the designs use very pleasant headers to anchor the graphical theme and the whole point of the excercise was to see how some of the best designers would approach the project. Since many of the headers are actually several images, the deconstruction of the CSS code is really helpful to see how a composite is assembled. It's a great resource and full of inspirational ideas.

Alas, I have not been able to find a free stock photo site worth the effort, but my Canon Powershot does the trick just fine.

Cheers,

James