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Hopefully this short tutorial will help those of you who want to create your own iPad wallpapers.
I've heard many users complain that they can't just use any image, because when the iPad is rotated, so is the wallpaper. This sometimes causes desired parts of the wallpaper to be cut off, or the image to be resized and displayed out of proportion. For this reason, some who would love to create and share iPad wallpapers are a little intimidated by the auto rotation.
When creating a wallpaper for the iPad, ideally you would select / create an image that will display well both when the device is locked, and as the desktop wallpaper. This will allow your downloaders to set the wallpaper in either mode with a pleasant appearance.
In locked mode you will have your status bars, clock and slide, over your image. In portrait mode you will lose the sides of your image, and in landscape mode you will lose the top and bottom of your image.
The best overall result will be attained when you end with a 1024x1024 image, that has a centered focal point which won't be obscued by status bars, or missed when it is cropped off by the auto rotation.
- In landscape you will have a wallpaper of 1024w x 768h.
- In protrait you will have a wallpaper of 768w x 1024h.
- Your lock screens will be obscured by status bars.
- You will ALWAYS have a visible center of 768w x 556h.
I am posting for download, a .png template for making your own iPad wallpapers.
[attachment=15256:T7 iPad Wallpaper Template.zip] --- To use:
- Download and open the template in your image editor.
- There should be faded and fully transparent areas.
- Create a new layer underneath the iPad template.
Choose an image which is 1200x1200 or larger if possible. Do not resize a small image to fit unless it is .svg.
Enlarging .jpg and other formats will pixelate and leave you with an undesired result.
If using a smaller image, decorative borders and embellishments can be added for a pleasant finish.
I've started with this 1966x1422 image of the Doctor and Donna, from the popular BBC series, Doctor Who.
[attachment=15257:001 example 1.png]
- Select your starting image.
- Copy paste your image into the new layer you created.
- Move it around until your desired focal point falls nicely under the ALWAYS VISIBLE portion of the template.
Notice, getting the couple well centered has left the top portion of my wallpaper blank!
[attachment=15258:001 example 2.png]
Happily this is an easy fix in this instance. The empty spot falls perfectly under the clock status bar. Whew!
I'll just pick up a color from my wallpaper and fill it in.
[attachment=15259:001 example 3.png]
There, that'll do!
You can test what the final look will be by using these templates.
Download and open them in your image editing program.
Delete your T7 template and paste the portrait test template as a new layer.
If it does not pop in exactly where it should be just center it.
Will this look nice on the iPad?
Use the undo feature and back up a step to repeat the process with the landscape test template.
[attachment=15260:T7 iPad Test_templates.zip]
This is how my wallpaper will display in both rotations:
[attachment=15261:001 example 4.png] [attachment=15262:001 example 5.png]
Hmmmm...
This is nice in locked mode, but it would be far too busy and bright for a user to see their desktop icons.
If yours is also too busy, try this:
- Add a new layer and fill it with the same color from the earlier fix. Or choose one you like.
- Set this layers transparency until the image shows as a well muted version of itself.
Here, if your image still covers the full 1024x1024, you may stop and proceed to FINISHING YOUR iPad WALLPAPER.
Or you may continue to add fades or borders if you wish.
Here's what mine will look like in desktop rotations.
[attachment=15263:001 example 6.png] [attachment=15264:001 example 7.png]
Oh no! While it was nicely hidden in locked mode, notice that big blank spot.
It stands out sorely as the desktop wallpaper.
I'll do a quick fix by adding the words DOCTOR WHO with a bit of diffent color striping to divide this part off as if it were an intentional part of the wallpaper. If I had more time I might add a quote here from the series, or make the title more elaborate. But this should do:
[attachment=15265:001 example 8.png]
If your image does not cover the full 1024x1024, you should play with adding elements to extend the full template. Consider using blocks of color, lines, borders, and frames. You can also try gradients, or use quotes or complimentary art. Just get all artistic, and have fun!
- Undo until you have your T7 iPad template layer back.
- Create a new layer between your image and the T7 iPad template.
- Use this layer, and as many as you wish, to get artsy and extend your wallpaper to the full 1024x1024.
I hurried here for the sake of the tutorial making, but it's not a bad finish if I do say so myself!
This is what my finished iPad wallpaper will look like.
Download: Tenth Doctor and Donna iPad Wallpaper by Jeannie
It's the proper full 1024x1024 size, and will display pleasantly set in any mode and used in any rotation.
I can save this one now to share.
FINISHING YOUR iPad WALLPAPER:
- Delete the layer with the iPad template.
- Merge all desired layers into one finished layer.
- Save this as a .png image, test, and share!
We've made an iPad wallpaper which will get lots of downloads, and bring iPad users back to our profiles for more fully functional iPad content! We rock!
An important note:
Because iPad wallpapers can be used as desktop backgrounds, terribly busy or animated images are not highly desirable. There are many icons and apps on the desktop, that the owner needs to access on a regular basis. Consider the user when selecting and embellishing your images. Learn to execute fades and transparencies to manipulate loud images into muted, more user friendly, versions of the original.
Animations should be avoided. If you simply must animate, think "zen". Not "BAM IN YO' FACE". Cannot stress this enough: Animations should be very slow transitional scenes. Such as snowfall, a gentle breeze, water rippling, or slowly morphed abstracts. You get the idea. Incredibly slow and very smooth.
Now, go have some iPad fun and make your Mama-san proud!
i like the layer idea 
