The iPad has arrived, so let the design fun commence! Featured here is an iPad wallpaper template in Photoshop (PSD) format (download), allowing you to easily create & test your new background creations with minimal layer nightmares.
The PSD is setup to let you view a single wallpaper layer (or layer group) in several common scenarios:
As you can see, you’ll need to take into account how the app icons, bottom dock, and lock screen UI will interplay with your wallpaper – while also throwing the orientation variable into the mix (horizontal or vertical). Before we dive in, here is a crash course on how iPad wallpapers work. Quite simply:
The coolest thing about this PSD template is that you can view a single wallpaper layer in four different iPad viewing scenarios – all with absolute minimum in layer visibility headaches. How it works:
First, open the attached Photoshop template and paste/insert your 1024×1024 wallpaper image into the “Wallpapers” layer folder. Ensure your image is perfectly aligned within the template guides. Note: you’ll want to hide the “iPad” layer group so it doesn’t get in the way.
Once your image is in place, make the “iPad” layer group visible again. Enable visibility in either the horizontal or vertical layer sub-group, and then make visible either the lock screen or home screen layer — all of the above to suit your desire.
Voila! An iPad of your desired viewing scenario will be overlayed on top of your wallpaper. Next, you can simply hide/show layers within the “iPad” group to see how your wallpaper looks in different situations. You’ll never need to move your wallpaper layer.
With any hope, this template will be of great service to you. Download the PSD here.
Finally, I must give acknowledgements to teehan+lax for their excellent iPad GUI PSD, which was a helpful resource. DigitalCitizen.ca also has a helpful article I used to learn up on the subject. Check out both of these sites if you want to read more. Otherwise, go forth and design!
