Creating a Semi-Transparent Graphic

Please excuse my apparent ignorance of Photoshop techniques and functions. I am an experienced user of Photoshop but only in terms of creating simple graphics - I have never been able to master or even understand anything more advanced. I have Photoshop 7, FlashMX & FireworksMX available to me.

I am trying to create a graphic that appears as a semi-transparent canvas (about 300 x 200 pixels) upon which some solid text and images are overlaid, something like the one shown in the following URL:

http://www.fortunecity.com/westwood/alaia/354/tutorials/backscreen/

How do I create such a graphic?

What file format can such a graphic be saved as? i.e. can the layers be merged or not?

Can such an image be exported into FlashMX?

Ultimately I want these images (there will be many slightly different versions of this basic design) forming info panels that will pop-up in an interactive FlashMX Movie. The pop up will be triggered by a roll-over.

Hope someone with much more knowledge can point me towards a relevant site or tutorial that explains how to create this type of graphic

Peter Davidson
Alderley Edge
NW England

Welcome to the forums
That file is just a jpeg. It could be a gif, a bmp, or anything else. All you have to do to make something like that is:
1. Create a file in photoshop.
2. Put some image in your background layer.
3. Create a filled shape (box) on a new layer.
4. On the bottom right of your screen, go the layers window, click on your shape layer, and change the opacity.
4. Create a new layer with whatever text you want.

[QUOTE=Galaphile]Welcome to the forums
That file is just a jpeg. It could be a gif, a bmp, or anything else. All you have to do to make something like that is:
1. Create a file in photoshop.
2. Put some image in your background layer.
3. Create a filled shape (box) on a new layer.
4. On the bottom right of your screen, go the layers window, click on your shape layer, and change the opacity.
4. Create a new layer with whatever text you want.[/QUOTE]

Thank you for your assistance.

I will follow your instructions and let you know the results


Peter

[QUOTE=Galaphile]Welcome to the forums
That file is just a jpeg. It could be a gif, a bmp, or anything else. All you have to do to make something like that is:
1. Create a file in photoshop.
2. Put some image in your background layer.
3. Create a filled shape (box) on a new layer.
4. On the bottom right of your screen, go the layers window, click on your shape layer, and change the opacity.
4. Create a new layer with whatever text you want.[/QUOTE]


I have now discovered the root cause of my problem

I was using a GIF as the background image.

Following your instructions I have achieved a very good result

Thanks again for your help and patience


Peter Davidson
Alderley Edge
NW. England