katie's Shadow Styles

[jennaz]

So I ordered the shadow styles and followed the instructions to put them in the photoshop styles folder...now what? How do they become 'active' in the program. When I look in the FX I don't see them...also is there instructions on how to use it...or will it be self-explanitory?

Thanks
Jennifer

[BettyJoR]

I am not sure what program you are using, I have Photoshop CS5. In CS5 or even CS3, you should see the styles in the style palette on the right side of the screen. If you do not see the style palette on the right, from the top menu bar click on "window", you should see the word "style" on the drop down menu. Click on the word style which should then bring up the style palette on the right side of the screen.

You should see the shadow options there. They look like grey squares and you can see the depth and direction of the shadows on the squares. To make them work, select the layer you want to add the shadow to, then click on the shadow option you want in the style palette. It will add the "fx" effect to that layer and you will see the words "effect" and "drop shadow" below it and you should see that shadow effect on your layer item.

You can easily change the shadow just by clicking on one of the other shadow options in the style palette and it will change the shadow.

If you want to make changes to that particular shadow option, you can just double click on the word drop shadow in your layer and it will bring up the layer style box where you can make changes to the color, mode, etc.

Hope this helps and I have not totally confused you! Thanks.

[Lisa Pate]

You are going to love them! Which program are you using? If it's elements I can help you out.

[muddygirl]

You need to load the styles in your program. If you tell us the program we can give you instructionns

[sarahorton]

Hi Jenna,

Here's how to load the styles into PSE9 on a Mac.
Once the styles are loaded, here's how to use them.

Let us know if you have any questions or get stuck along the way

[jennaz]

Thanks everyone...I have a Mac and am using PSE9. Sara I will check out those directions.
Thank You

[maureenreynolds]

The instructions on this site are correct but don't include everything that needs to be done to SEE the styles. It usually isn't the loading the styles that tends to be the issue with Katie's drop shadows, it's the creation of the metadata.xml file. This thread goes into that http://www.designerdigitals.com/digi...pse-8-mac.html Be patient and make sure to follow the directions to the letter in the creation of that metadata file. It really will work.

I believe this subject comes up at least once a year!

[jennaz]

Ugghhh.....I think I messed this up. Okay, got to en US and then I thought I was clicking on a Meta whatever and changed the name to shadow. Nothing popped up, so I went back and looked and I don't have anything called "meta"something they are called mediadatabase.db3. NoW I can't find an undo option to revert the thing back. Prior to the directions telling you change the name of a metadata thing it says to go to en US, photo creations and layer styles. There is a shadows in there but I think that is what comes with PSE9.
Did I tell you I am totally computer dumb! When you start talking about 'meta' things and xml files, my eyes glaze over.
HELP! I hope I don't have to go back to the Genius bar so they can figure out how to undo what I just did. I think they all flee to the back room when they see me coming. So far this whole Mac thing has been a real pain!

[jennaz]

I should also say that when I changed the name on that Mediadatabase thing I opened pse and it did say rebuilding whatever...but I can find the shadows. Am I looking for a flower or are they the squares?

[sarahorton]

I don't bother with the metadata.xml and here's what mine look like:



On the right side of the screen, above the layers panel, select the Effects panel.
Choose Layer Styles and Show all from the drop-down menu.
The styles typically load in alphabetical order.
Scroll down to find the styles labeled KPertiet_(name of style).

Hope this helps

[jennaz]

Thanks for the screen shot....mine didn't load! BUMMER! So, if you don't do the whole Metadata thing...how do you load them? I am going to try again an see what happens.

[jennaz]

Okay...so i went back and re pasted the file in the photo Creations, layer styles...Nothing.
Left it there, then went to the locale..en US Photo Creations layer styles and pasted it there too....nothing!

[jennaz]

YES!YES!YES! They are finally there! I forgot to go in and change the name of the media database to mediadatabaseold. Anyway I did it and now they are there!

Thanks for everyones patience

[Lisa Pate]

Have fun using them!!!