How to Make a Quote-Banner Image in a TPT Store

How to Make a Quote-Banner Image in a TPT Store?  I’ll show you how, step-by-tiny-step.

Here's my first little masterpiece--it ONLY took 2 hours.   Here's how it looks in my TPT Store.  I hope my instructions help you go faster:

Revised and improved on 10-18-15; now it only takes me 15 minutes--sweet!

Create a banner in Powerpoint:

You can also use Word, Photoshop, or any other tool.

1)      Powerpoint/ landscape/ w = 2.95” h= 1.38”

2)      Background color to blend with TpT quote section: background fill/ more colors/ custom color/ color model RGB/ 241, 241, 241 (or: f1,f1,f1)

3)      Design your banner.  I used a product cover, some word art and clip art.

4)      Print Screen (Hold CTRL/Print Screen)

5)      Open Paint/ Paste the image/ Crop it to the exact shape/ Home/ Resize/ Maintain Aspect Ratio (ie, retain proportions)

6)      Resize to approx. 450w X 210h PIXELS

7)      File/ Save as/ [Name]/ jpg

Go to your teacherspayteachers store:

My account/ Store profile/ Edit (at the bottom of the page) / Personal quote/ Browse for your jpg image and insert it in the space given.  Just below that, insert the URL of your chosen TeachersPayTeachers product-page.  When visitors click on your banner they will be directed to that page. / Save

You’re done!  Check your TPT store.  If the quote area image is too big or small, you may have to repeat steps, and change the pixels.  Don’t feel bad—I had to do this 5 times—yes 5!!!

I’m so glad I did it.  Learning new tech = creating new brain cells.  Who doesn’t love that? 

NOTE: To insert a picture at the TpT forum: 

Find the image online, right click, "copy image address" 
This is the image URL 
Paste it here, replacing the text that says insert the image URL:

       [img]insert the image URL[/img]

Place the above code in a forum entry

SEE BELOW FOR THE OLD INSTRUCTIONS FOR A QUOTE BOX-- 
THEY ARE NO LONGER NEEDED SINCE TPT SIMPLIFIED THE PROCESS.  THANK YOU, TPT!!!

Go to Photobucket.com *

1)      Open an account if necessary (it’s free)

2)      Upload/ Browse/ Select the jpg image that is approx. 450 X 210 pixels/ Open

3)      Left click on the image in photobucket

4)      Click to add title/ [Add a title]/ Check the blue check box

5)      Share links/ [Click on:] Direct/ Copy the URL
6)      You now have a "Direct Link" to your jpg

*  UPDATE: Photobucket is no longer free to use.  Imgur is a free photo storage site.  

*  Here is an alternative:  Create the jpg as shown above.  Insert it into a blogger blog post.  Then...

1)   Go to your blog

2)   Right-click on an image (from the blog page, not in edit mode)

3)   Left click on: Copy Image Location

4)   Paste the URL text where needed (continue the steps below)

Go to bit.ly.com

1)      No need to open an account

2)      Just click on: BIT LINK (to shorten a URL)

3)      Paste the link from Photobucket, Imgur, or your Blog

4)      Copy the new shortened link and paste it into a word document

If you want your quote-banner image to link to a particular product page at your TPT Store:

1)      Go to your TPT store product page

2)      Copy the URL address for your TPT product (the http…, link at the top of the web page)

3)      Paste the Tpt product URL into bit.ly/ copy the shortened URL/ Paste it into your word doc

In a Word Document

1)      Copy this html into a word document:

2)      <a href="http://bit.ly/1gpOhaY"><img src="http://bit.ly/1KCwBma"</a>

3)      NOTE:  the first http is from my TPT store product page.  The second http is from my quote-banner image from photobucket [or from my blog image URL]. 

4)      YOU MUST: Replace my http’s (The Blue Writing as shown above; i.e., all the writing within the quotation marks) with your own.

5)      IMPORTANT: don't leave ANY spaces--especially check before and after your quotation marks!

6)      This is your prepared URL that you will paste into your TPT store quote section.

Go to your teacherspayteachers store

1)      My account/ Store profile/ Edit (at the bottom of the page) / Personal quote/ Paste the Prepared URL for your image and link to a product/ Save

You’re done!  Check your TPT store.  If the quote area image is too big or small, you may have to repeat steps, and change the pixels.  Don’t feel bad—I had to do this 5 times—yes 5!!!

I’m so glad I did it.  Learning new tech = creating new brain cells.  Who doesn’t love that? 

Thanks to Teacher's Resource Force for their template and ideas on quote images.

Oh, and a big shout out to Paula Kim from TPT, for the beautiful gold arrows on my banner picture.  Paula’s clip art is arrestingly gorgeous!  Right?