Creating an Index Card:

Tools Required: PSP, I am using 8, but I am sure it can be done in other versions too!

There are several parts to this tutorial.

i.   Creating the Card
ii.  Adding Embellishments
iii. Adding Borders
iv. Adding Text

Creating The Card

1. Open a new image , 4x6 inches @ 300dpi.

2.  Flood fill the layer with white (#ffffff) or whatever color you desire. 

3.  Go to effect/texture effects/texture, and apply these settings.

4.  Add new Raster Layer , layers/add new raster layer.

5.  Select your pen tool with these settings:
 

6.  Turn on rulers if they aren't already. (View Rulers or CTRL+ALT+R).  By default rulers are set to show pixels, so I will explain this in pixels.  Starting 100px down, and 600px across, draw your first line across.  While drawing your line, hold down the shift key, this will force the line to be straight.

            You should have something like this:

(Drop shadow added to this one for viewing)

7.  Now draw another line starting at 200px down draw all the way across your canvas. (Did you remember to hold the shift key?)  Repeat this every 100px to get a uniform of lines for you index card. (100 is a suggestion, you can do closer, or further to suit your taste.)

(Drop shadow added to this one for viewing)

Now, if that is all you were looking to do, you can stop here.  Save this card as a .pspimage file, that way you can alter the card anytime you like.  Line color for example, or just click on your first layer again, flood fill with a new color, and add new texture, and you've altered it to match what you want.  If you've left your vector layer in place you can even get rid of some of the lines to make a more spaced out card.

Would you like to do more?

Decorate that Card?

Well, I can't tell you exactly how to decorate it, as well, everyone will want something different.  You could use tubes, photos, brushes, etc.  Here is an example of one using a brush.

(Drop shadow added to this one for viewing)

1.  Open the .pspimage file from above.
Now all I did here, was add a new raster layer , added my brushes where I wanted them.  Then I went back to the vector layer, converted it to a raster layer. (Right click on the vector layer, and choose "convert to raster layer".)

Once it was raster, I took my eraser tool and erased the part of the lines that I could see through my lilacs, well, and a bit more for softness...this too is done more to a persons taste.

Still A Bit Plain?

How about Borders?

Once you have your main card done, like the one above, adding a border is quite simple. 

1. Using your image from above, go to layers/merge/merge all (flatten).  You should be left with one layer.

2.  Now go to image/add borders.  Choose the size you want your borders to be, I went with 10px, and chose a color from the lilacs.  This is what I have now:

(Drop shadow added to this one for viewing)

Still pretty basic, want more texture or a pattern to that border?

1.  Using your magic wand , set to 0 tolerance, feather 0.  Click on the new border you added.  (Remember, to be able to select the border to change it to something patterned or textured, the border MUST be a different color then the paper, or when you select you will get more then you bargained for!)

Now, you can either texture it, or pattern it.

Pattern:

a.  Open a square of pattern that you like.  For this example, I will be using this one, but on a much smaller scale. (4px by 4px)

b.  Now I choose my pattern tool, from the color palette:

When the settings box comes up, find you pattern in the list, then using your flood fill tool, fill in the selected area from step 1.  You now have a border to your card...mine looks like this...

(Drop shadow added to this one for viewing)

Texture: (did you remember to do step 1 from above? do you have a selection on that plain border we added?)

a. Go to effects/texture effects/texture and find a texture you like.  I used this one:

And this was the result:

The possibilities when you combine textures and patterns are endless.  You can find both texture and pattern files on the net, just search for them! ;o)

Now...did you say TEXT?

Adding Text:

I know that sometimes adding text after the fact is a pain....it never seems to line up in them lines right????  Well there is a trick to that...

I don't know if you have ever seen this part of your text tool? 
Ever wonder what it does?  Well, this is where it comes into play.  Leading bring the lines of your text either closer together, or further apart.  (Just in case your wondering about kerning, kerning brings your letters closer together or further apart.)

So, lets try it.  Select your text tool , let's add a few lines of text to this card.  I am going to add this text to my template I have been using to make the lilac card.

"Lilac is one of my favorite flowers. I love the multi-colored petals.  I think if I could I would have an entire garden of different varieties of lilac bushes. I love the smell of lilacs too!!"

I am going to use Times New Roman (48px) for this example, its more just to give you the idea of how to use leading anyway.  So if you follow along with the same settings you should get the same results, and see how it all works.  Now this takes some 'eyeing' and some trial and error.  PSP's text tool is not my favorite tool.  First, remember you have to tell PSP how many words you want on a line of text, so you will have to hit enter when you have 'eyed' your text to width of the page.

So go ahead, add that text to the card.  Now at 0 leading, it's not going to fit the lines to well, it will look something like this:

Not very aligned is it?  Now, change the leading on the text to 350.  It should bring your text down to touch each line. Something like this:

That is how you get your text to 'fit' your index card.  Now each font will be different, as each is built with different specs.  So each time you will have to play with it. 

Hope this tutorial gives you some ideas of places you can go while building these.  I have to thank Dorilynn for getting me inspired to do another tutorial, as it's been pretty busy lately with everything else, I just haven't made time till now.

Thanks Dorilynn!