Installing Photoshop Styles

Adobe Photoshop is a relatively inexpensive image editing program which uses elements called filters and styles to jazz up your photos and other images. Nearly all image types are compatible with Adobe Photoshop, so let your imagination run wild.

A style, or layer style, is a special effect tool which allows you to click one button and add a particular special effect to your image. While there are a limited number of options to choose from as far as layer blending goes, the combinations of effects in using a style and then modifying your layer settings mean nearly endless fun for you and your images.

Before you can install a new photoshop style, you need to download new ones! About.com features a pretty good list of places to get styles. For easy extracting/installing let's make a folder on your desktop and name it "NewStyles." Download all your new styles to this folder, then follow the instructions below:

1. Most of your new styles will come in a zip folder. Simply unzip these folders one at a time, however the first folder you unzip will require a special procedure.
2. Make sure your Photoshop program is shut down before installing new filters, fonts, styles or plug-ins. Adobe Photoshop automatically searches it's program folders for new elements when it is loading.
3. When the prompt comes asking which folder you'd like to extract to, click the browse option. This will allow you to navigate through your computer's folders so you can place the extracted files in the proper place.
4. Here is the standard path for those of you who just install programs and go. C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop\Presets\Styles Keep in mind as you come in to the primary Adobe folder you will select the folder for your appropriate version of your Photoshop program.
5. Before you hit the key to extract the file, copy and paste this link to your styles folder. Now when you proceed to the next style you can just clear the default option for file destinations and copy in the proper link.
6. Unzip/extract all your brand new styles in this fashion.

Congratulations, you're now the proud user of tons of new Photoshop styles. Now make me a pretty image and leave it as a comment to this hub! Let's see you get creative.