Photoshop card templates and other creative designs

[jc77]

Ok.. as if being a photographer isn't enough, I now want to add my own personally designed greeting cards, calendars, and other such press printed items as options for my clients. I have a pretty general idea about designing my own, but I am going to have to use templates for the most part.
My questions is, do any of you design templates and then sell them to other photographers? I've seen some really neat ones out there and I want to learn how to do it for myself.
I made this one last night just playing around, but I want to know how to add more stuff to it, like ripped edges and such. Any suggestions?

Thank you!
Jamie

[asysin2leads]

I do about 95% of all my own designs. A fellow NILMDTS photographer walked me through the process and I've been doing them ever since. I have not sold them to other photographers, but did offer them for free to some close photographer friends of mine. As of now, I don't have any intention on selling them. I might change my mind later. Here's a couple of the simpler Christmas ones I did for this year.

[KmH]

Become a member of the National Association of Photoshop Professionals, NAPP.

They have tutorials written and demonstrated by some of the top Photoshop professionals. They also have an active photoshop users forum.

I looked at a couple of ripped/ragged image edge tutorials just last night, plus some other pretty amazing techniques.

A NAPP membership includes 8 yearly issues of Photoshop User magazine, discounts on software and hardware and other perks. The one I like best is free regular shipping from B&H Photo Video and Adorama. That alone saves me yearly shipping costs well beyond the NAPP membership fee of $99 a year (about $8.25 a month).

There is a referral link down in my siggy. When someone uses my link when they sign up, I get points towards a short extention of my membership.

Another place for video tutorials on making image edge effects, is YouTube.

[ohenry]

I like to use layers and clipping masks for templates. Makes it real easy to change photos, move them within the frame, resize them (if smart objects).

And I second a NAPP membership for anyone that truly wants to make Photoshop second nature.

[lightandimages]

3rd for NAPP and I would also suggest a membership with Kelbytraining. Some do not care for Kelby but I find many of the online courses to be of good value, enough to where I bought the DVD version afterwards.

Clipping masks and smart objects are your friends in making templates. Learn both well. I also find that being able to lift a subject out of the background and drop in a new background quickly is a sales getter.