Photoshop Elements: Create a Badge Template

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Adobe® Photoshop® Elements 6

January 25, 2008

Suppose you need to create 15 badges of the same shape, size, and style, but each badge must contain different contents. You can create a layered file to use as a template for your badges. You will create the badge effects once in a layer mask and apply the mask to any content you add to the file. In this example, we are using an American flag image as the source for the badge.

Sample Badge
Sample Badge

To create a badge template:

  1. Create a new image with a white background layer.
  2. Open a photo that you want to use for the badge and copy it your new image:
    1. In the photo, press Ctrl+A to select all pixels.
    2. Select the Move tool and click-and-drag the photo onto the new image. A new layer is added to the image.
  3. Use a Selection tool to select the portion of the image that you want to appear in the badge.
  4. With the selection active, create a Levels adjustment layer above the image layer:
    1. In the Layers palette, click the Adjustment Layer icon and select Levels.
    2. In the Levels window, make no changes. Click OK. An adjustment layer with a layer mask is created. Notice that the layer mask is black and contains a white area for your selection.
  5. Add a bevel layer style to the layer mask:
    1. In the Levels adjustment layer, click on the layer mask to select it.
    2. In the Effects palette, click on the Layer Styles icon.
    3. Select Bevels from the drop-down list.
    4. Drop-and-drag the Simple Emboss bevel on top of the selection. If you have the Move tool set to "Show Highlights on Rollover," you will see a highlight of the selection's edges on the image when it moves over the selection. Note: Do not click Apply to apply the effect because that would apply the effect to the entire mask, not the selected area.
    Screenshot of layer effects
  6. In the Layers palette, double-click the fx symbol on the image layer. The Style Settings window opens:
    1. In the Style Settings window, adjust the layer style settings. For example, check Drop Shadow and adjust the sliders to create a drop shadow.
    2. Click OK when you are finished.

  7. Move the image layer above the Levels adjustment mask layer. Then, press Ctrl+G to create a clipping group. The layer mask is then applied to the image layer to show only the badge.

    Clipping group

  8. Save the image as a Photoshop PSD file. You can later open the template and change the image layer to apply the badge effects to another image.

Tips

To change the badge background color, add another solid fill layer under the mask layer.

To move or resize the badge, link the image layer to the mask layer.

To use a different section of the source image for the badge contents, make sure that the image layer and the mask layer are unlinked. Then, move, resize and reposition the image layer inside the badge.

To apply the badge effects to more images, add additional image layers and Press Ctrl+G to clip the image layers to the layers below. You can then show or hide layers to see the badges you have created.

Badge template layers

Updated on April 1, 2009