A form of website promotion that you cannot overlook is banner advertising. Banners are eye-catching and can quickly draw people to your website, so creating them is an essential skill to learn. Design custom banners in Photoshop using colors and elements relating to your website. Photoshop CS3 includes the "Animation Palette" introduced in Photoshop CS2 so you can add movement to your banner. Use your banner to bring attention to products, services, information or special promotions you offer.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy Instructions
Create the Design
1
Launch Photoshop. Go to "File," then click "New."

2
Choose a size for your banner. Set the width and height to pixels and use a common banner size, such as "728x90" or "120x600." The resolution should be "72 pixels per inch." Click "OK" to create the file.

3
Click on the foreground color swatch and pick a color to use as the background for your banner.

4
Go to "Edit," then "Fill" and then choose the "Foreground Color." Click "OK."

5
Choose "File," then "Open." Select and open the images you want to use on your banner.

6
Click and drag the images into the banner file to import them on separate layers.

7
Click on the first image, and press the "Ctrl" and "T" keys to use "Free Transform" to resize and position the image layer. When you are satisfied with the changes, double-click to apply the transformation. Repeat this step to position any additional image layers.

8
Choose the "Horizontal" or "Vertical Type" tool and set the font, size and color in the "Options bar."

9
Select within the banner to add a text layer, and then type to create text.

10
Repeat Step 8 and Step 9 to create additional type layers.

11
Select the "Move" tool and then click on individual layers to arrange them for the design of your banner. When you are planning to add animation to your banner, place your images and text in the position you want for the first frame of your animation.

Animate the Banner
1
Go to "Window," then "Animation" to display the "Animation Palette." The "Animation Palette" will appear below the document window and will show a single frame identical to your layout

2
Choose the "Duplicates Current Frame" button at the bottom of the "Animation Palette." This icon resembles a piece of paper with a folded corner.

3
Reposition the layers for the next frame using the "Move" tool. To make text or images appear and disappear, select the eye icons next to the layers to toggle their visibility.

4
Repeat Step 2 and Step 3 to add additional frames to the animation.

5
Test the animation by clicking the "Play" button. If it plays through too quickly or too slowly, click on the time at the bottom of each frame and adjust the frame delay.

6
Go to "File," and then choose "Save for Web and Devices" to export your banner as an animated GIF.