How to Use Bar code in design

Below I will show how to make and use a barcode in a design. Please note it's a bitmap and Adobe Photoshop is used. At the end of the How To... I also shows how to use a Encapsulated PostScript (*.eps) vector image in Adobe Photoshop. Bar code used it a 100% Height and Width.

First I will make the canvas used for the design.

Click on the File menu and New in Adobe Photoshop

In the New dialog I fill in the following

Name: MyDesign (Optional)

Preset: Custom

Width: 6472 pixels (137 mm, 5.393 Inch)

Height: 5575 pixels (118 mm, 4.646 Inch)

Resolution: 1200 pixels/inch (dpi)

Color Mode: RGB Color and 32Bit

I have filled in 1200 pixels/inch as it's the resolution of the printer (1200 dpi) I am going to use. The file is 412.9 MB

I have selected Green and Black, if you would like to select a color you could double click in the square with the color to change.

Select the color and then click on the OK button.

Now the color looks like this.

Select the Gradient Tool, Start at the left upper corner and the hold down the left mouse button and drag it to the lower right corner and then release the left mouse button and now you have a gradient background.

Now it's time to make the barcode, please run/start Barcode Image Maker Pro. I am going to make a UPC-A barcode. It's going to be the same barcode as shown in How to make a UPC-A barcode

As I have saved the barcode in 1200 dpi the canvas in Adobe Photoshop and the barcode is 1:1 (same resolution)

Back in Adobe Photoshop, we now have to open the saved barcode image, click on the File menu and then click on Open

The barcode will look very big, but it's okay. I used the unregistered version, that's why the barcode image contains the "Made by Barcode Image Maker Pro"

Click on the Image menu and then click on Image Size. If you would like to see the size of the barcode.

The size of the barcode, it's a 100% UPC-A at 1200 dpi.

Now we are going to Paste the barcode into the Gradient background

Click on the Rectangular Marquee Tool

Select the barcode, start at the upper left corner of the barcode, click on the left mouse button and the drag it to the lower right corner of th barcode and release the left mouse button

Click on the Edit menu and then click on Copy. I used the unregistered version, that's why the barcode image contains the "Made by Barcode Image Maker Pro"

Click on the Tab in Adobe Photoshop that contains the the background (If you named it, in my case MyDesign) and click on the Edit menu and the click on Paste.

click on the Move Tool to move the barcode to the position you would like to place the barcode. Click on the barcode image and hold down the left mouse button and then drag the barcode image to the position and then release the left mouse button.

The final result, please note that the image is shown at only 7.5% of the original size.  I used the unregistered version, that's why the barcode image contains the "Made by Barcode Image Maker Pro"

If you have any questions, please e-mail info@barcodemaking.com

Using the Encapsulated PostScript (*.eps)

Below I am going to show show you could use the Encapsulated PostScript (*.eps) vector barcode with a transparent background.

Make the barcode as shown in How to make a UPC-A barcode but please save it as a Encapsulated PostScript (*.eps) and please also make sure it's saved with a transparent background.

Open the *.eps file in Adobe Photoshop

The Rasterize EPS Format dialog is shown in Adobe Photoshop. The vector *.eps will be converted to a raster image (bitmap).

As the printer is 1200 dpi I fill in 1200 Pixels/inch also the canvas is 1200 dpi.

Click on the Rectangular Marquee Tool

Select the barcode, start at the upper left corner of the barcode, click on the left mouse button and the drag it to the lower right corner of the barcode and release the left mouse button

Click on the Edit menu and then click on Copy.

Click on the Tab in Adobe Photoshop that contains the the background (If you named it, in my case MyDesign) and click on the Edit menu and the click on Paste.

click on the Move Tool to move the barcode to the position you would like to place the barcode. Click on the barcode image and hold down the left mouse button and then drag the barcode image to the position and then release the left mouse button.

The final result, please note that the image is shown at only 7.5% of the original size. Please read the Please Note!! below.

If you have any questions, please e-mail info@barcodemaking.com

Please Note !!

Please make sure that the barcode scans !, if it doesn't scan then make the background brighter so that the contrast background / bars are improved. Don't use dark colors as the background in the canvas for a transparent barcode. For optimal contrast use White background and Black bars.