So, as I am getting my blog set up, I thought it would be a good idea to share how you can make a blog button!
Actually, this can be a button for anything really, not just a blog.
First things first, you need a program to edit images. I use paint.net, since it is free. GIMP is also another good one, but it is a bit less user friendly if you are a newbie to these things. There are also many others out there, just Google if you don't like Paint.net.
Okay, step one.....get an image.
I often take a screen shot, which you can do by checking out the buttons on the right upper hand portion of your keyboard, usually in the line of the F keys. My computer, a Dell Inspiron, has the key "Prnt Scrn", but I know some computers have it as a CTRL function, just look. ;)
Step two, paste it into your image editor. I use the CTRL V command. Expand canvas if it asks, that way you can look at the whole screen.
Now, use the select tool to crop out what you would like to use as your button's image.
Then, copy the area you have selected. (Edit-->Copy or CTRL C)
Now....open a new image in your editor (it should just be a white square/rectangle) and make sure it is a square. To do this you can resize the image (image-->resize) unclick the box that says maintain aspect ratio.
Then paste the image you had selected (again, I use CTRL V to paste).
Now you should have an image like this:
Now, the next steps will all differ depending on what you want to do. If you selected a perfect square, and that is what you want your button to be, then you may be almost done. I, of course, do not want my button to be this, so I have to add some things using the tools section of paint.net.
Here is my completed button, mostly repeating steps I have shown you to do already, and adding text using the text tool.
So this is a little big, huh? Let's resize again, this time you DO want to maintain aspect ration (as long as it is a square like we did above). So check the box!
Then...resize. Most blog buttons are between 125 pixels across and 200 pixels across, so put a number that you would like in that range.
And there ya go!
Any questions?
