READ ® Posters Made Easy:
A How-to Demonstration with Adobe®
Photoshop® Elements
January 26, 2011
2:00pm (CST)
Presenter: Katharine Fronk
Moderator: Diane Buck

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• READ DVD Genres & Subjects, READ
CD Box Set with Adobe Photoshop
Elements, READ CD 1, and READ CD 2
• a user license to create customized
READ posters, bookmarks, and projects

• Adobe Photoshop Elements
• 34 READ type treatment files
• 12 bookmark files
• 44 poster files:
• 32 .jpg
• 12 .psd
Mix and match!
layered (.psd) poster
background (.jpg) poster

• 5.0 MP camera for 8.5” x 11” poster or larger
• Consider final poster before taking photo:
– For a quick READ poster compose the background
– For a layered READ poster, snap photo against high-
contrast backdrop
• solid-colored wall
• green screen/sheet
• high-res photo
Special thanks to Jean DiMatteo from Twinsburg High
School (above) and Jane Feldman & New Lebanon
Library (left) for their posters.

• Open Photoshop Elements, choose Edit and
Enhance Photos.
• File > Open to find and open photo of your reader.
• Insert READ disc of your choice and File > Open
to select .png, .psd, or .eps READ type treatment.
• Should see both photo and type treatment.
– If not: Window > Images > Cascade
• Using the Move tool, drag the type treatment onto
your reader’s photo and release. Resize by
holding Shift key and using corner arrows.
• Press Enter.
• Save READ poster.

• Select Magic Wand Tool.
• Click image’s background to highlight large
portions with dotted line. Continue
highlighting background by holding Shift
and clicking unselected portions.
• Hold the Alt key to remove accidentally
highlighted portions (i.e. parts of your
reader).
• After background is selected, select Magic
Eraser tool. Click until entire background is
erased and reveals a gray checkered
pattern, meaning the area is now
transparent.
•Choose File > Save As

• Select Magnetic Lasso Tool.
• Trace reader by clicking at reader’s bottom left
and clicking cursor along their silhouette.
After completing outline a small circle will
appear next to lasso to indicate starting point.
Click and dotted line will appear.
• Right click on reader and choose “Select
Inverse. Dotted line will now outline the
background.
• Select Magic Eraser Tool and click until entire
background is erased, revealing checkered
pattern.
• Choose File > Save

• Select a layered READ poster (.psd), insert
corresponding disc, and choose File > Open to locate
and open chosen READ poster in Photoshop Elements.
• File > Open to find and open photo of your reader.
• Ensure both photo and READ poster are visible on
screen.
• Extract reader from background using one of methods
outlined in previous slides
• Once background is removed, click on reader’s window
to make active then select the Move tool. Click and drag
reader onto to READ poster and release. Resize reader
by holding Shift key and using corner arrows to adjust.
• Press Enter.
• In the Layers Box, click eye icon appearing next to the
placeholder layer so wooden figure disappears.
• Save READ poster.

• Don’t forget Shortcuts!
o Zoom in = Ctrl + +
o Zoom out = Ctrl + -
o Undo = Ctrl + Z (If mistake is made while resizing image,
hit Enter so unwanted change takes effect, then hit Ctrl +
Z to undo mistake.
o Deselect = Esc
• To have multiple windows appear at once choose
Window > Image > Cascade.
• Bring a layer to the foreground by clicking and
dragging layer to the top of the Layer Box.
• Save finished work as .jpg file for a smaller but
non-editable poster or as .psd file for larger but
editable poster.

Additional Resources:
RDS Info Page with links to video tutorials,
creative ideas, and archived webinars.
READ Design Studio Blog for tips and trivia.
READ Poster Flickr for inspiring images.
ALA Store purchases fund advocacy, awareness, and accreditation
programs for library professionals worldwide.