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How to Create an Awesome Facebook Profile

If you haven’t switched over to the new Facebook profile, you’re missing out!  The creative community (and techcrunch) are buzzing about Alexandre Oudin’s use of the new profile design to be creatively awesome and expressive.

So, here’s how to do it too and stand out in the blue and white that makes up Facebook.
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Automated Method

Photoshop and GIMP Method

Prerequisites

Download a PSD Template – Where the Magic Happens

Before we can get started, grab one of the following PSD templates. The template file will give you an idea how your profile will look once uploaded to Facebook AND automatically create all the images for you (if you’re using photoshop). Depending on how long your biography is on the top of your Facebook profile, you’ll need a different template.

Templates:

If you have a Facebook top Biography that is 1 line, download this:
[download id=”3898″]

If you have a Facebook top Biography that is 2 lines, download this:
[download id=”3900″]

If you have a Facebook top Biography that is 3 lines, download this:
[download id=”3902″]

If you don’t have a Facebook top Biography, download this:
[download id=”3904″]

Open the Template and Start Creating

Photohop Users (GIMP Users scroll down):

1) Open the template file in Photoshop.

2) Find the layer ‘Your Image’ and replace with the image(s) you’d like to use. The Mask layer should always remain at the top. This is where you can be creative.

3) Once you’re satisfied with the placement of your image(s), go to File -> Save for Web & Devices.

4) Click ‘save’ and choose a location to save all the images needed. An ‘images’ folder will be created with several images inside. The important images are the first 6, the rest are trash (and labeled so).

GIMP Users:

1) Open the template file in GIMP.

2) Find the layer ‘Your Image’ and replace with the image(s) you’d like to use. The Mask layer should always remain at the top. This is where you can be creative.

3) Once you’re satisfied with the placement of your image(s), you need to manually save each image.

4) Select the Mask Layer and pick the Fuzzy Select Tool (U). Select the big left image so that it is highlighted. With the left image selected, click theYour Image‘ layer.


5) With the left image selected, go to Edit -> Copy (ctrl + C). This copies the selection to the clipboard.

6) Open a new GIMP project. File -> New (ctrl + N). Click ‘ok’ to create the new project.

7) In the new project, go to Edit -> Paste. You should now see your left image in the new project. If not, go back to step 4.

8 ) Go to Image -> Autocrop Image. This will crop the project to the size of the image. Now, save the image!

9) Repeat step 4 – 9 for the other 5 small images.

Upload to Facebook

1) Go to your facebook profile and change your profile picture (or click this link).

2) Upload the ‘left-image.png’ that we created and check that it’s now your profile picture. Now we have the left side done!

3) Now, upload the other 5 images to an album (small_pic1.png, small_pic2.png, small_pic3.png, small_pic4.png, small_pic5.png). It’s best to upload them in order as it’ll make the next step (step 4) easier.

4) This part can be tricky! Listen close. You need to tag yourself on each picture starting with small_pic5 and working back through small_pic1. So, we’re going to tag from the last image, to the first.

5) You’re done! It was THAT easy. Check your profile. If the order isn’t correct, remove all the tags and go back to step 4 and re-tag yourself. If the location is off, make sure you downloaded the right template from above.

Alternative Methods – No Photoshop or GIMP Required

Important Notes

If a friend tags you after you’ve done this, their image will replace yours. You can remove the tag to restore your creation OR remove your tags and re-tag them so they’re back on top.

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