Creating a New File

In some cases, you may want to start the creative process with a blank canvas ”a new, blank image file. Photoshop doesn't open a blank file by default when you start the program, so you must do it manually. When you create a new file in Photoshop, you can specify the file size , whether it includes a background color , and more.

1. Click on File . The File menu will appear.

   

2. Click on New . The New dialog box will open.

3. Type a name for your file in the Name text box.

4. Set the image settings in the Preset box as follows :

   

   Tip

   Rather than specifying image dimensions, you can opt to choose a predefined image size from the Preset drop-down list.

5. Click on the down arrow beside the Background Contents box option . A list of options will appear.

6. Click on the desired option. The options work as follows:

   

   Note

   Resolution refers to the number of pixels (dots) printed per measurement unit (commonly per inch). The color mode controls how many colors define the image, as required by a particular type of display and output. See Chapter 15, "Understanding Colors and Channels," to learn more about color modes.

   • White. Fills the image with a default white background.

   • Background Color. Fills the image with the background color currently selected in the Photoshop toolbox.

   • Transparent. Gives the image a transparent background so that, when you use the image in a document or Web page, the page background and page elements can show through the image file.

7. Click on OK . The New dialog box will close, and the new image file will open onscreen.