Step One: Add a Custom Shape To Your Header

One of the remaining tools that we haven't yet covered in Elements is called the CUSTOM SHAPE TOOL, located on the TOOLBAR near the bottom.

If you're creating an abstract design for your graphic header then you'll find the shape tool to be quite handy.

Here's an example of how the SHAPE tool can add some nice details to a "high tech" header graphic.

Step 1.1: To try out a few shapes on your graphic header just go to the MENU BAR and choose FILE > OPEN, then select "header.psd" from the "My Web Site" folder.

Step 1.2: Go to the TOOLBAR and click on the CUSTOM SHAPE TOOL

That brings up the OPTIONS BAR on the top of the program:

Step 1.2: Now click the small black arrow (outlined in the image above in red) next to the shape that's selected and that brings up the other default shapes you can use:

Step 1.3: To switch to another shape just click on the one you want and make sure it's selected, then click outside of the shape selection window and it'll close the window.

Step 1.4: Now click with your mouse on the canvas where you want to START drawing the shape, and while holding down the mouse button, click and DRAG across the canvas.

NOTE: If you HOLD DOWN THE SHIFT KEY while dragging the shape tool across your canvas, it creates a perfectly proportioned shape.

Here's a rough example of how the shape is drawn from starting small, to big as your mouse moves across the canvas:

Step 1.5: To load more shapes just click on the little round black arrow on the SHAPE SELECTION WINDOW and that brings up the list of other shapes you can use:

Mess around with the shapes until you get something you like. You can apply one shape, then another. And end up with a combination of the two!