In order to use styles you must activate the style menu. You can do so from the task bar at the top of adobe photoshop :

When you activate the drop down menu as shown on the left make sure that you select the menu option called styles. Once you have activated it you will see the following pallette appear : Do not be alarmed if you see your style pallette docked with the swatches or color pallettes. This is normal.

In order to load the styles that you have just installed click on the little arrow on the top right of the style pallette :

Once you click on that arrow you will see the all of the styles that you have available. You can just highlight any of our styles

Once you have selected your styles - they will become available in your pallette. From there applying styles will require just one click! Choose the layer with the element you want to apply the style to. Suitable elements are text, shapes, brush strokes, etc. Once click on the style of your choice and you will have the special effect!

Our primary use for contours is for special effects within the Blending Options menu. In a nutshell - we use it in the section of photoshop where we make our cool styles! To access the contour menu go to blending options from the layer pallette :

Once you load that menu - Click once the contour option under bevel to activate the contour console

Now click on the arrow to open the "loaded" contour menu.

The contours that you see in the little boxes are the ones that have been loaded already. You can click on any of them to use them or you can load new ones.

Now click on the little arrow and a drop down menu will appear. Any of the new contours you installed will appear in the menu .You can just highlight one of the contours you see to load the contour. They will then be available for use in the small boxes you see.

Click on the little arrow on the right to open the listing of gradients. Once you have opened the listing highlight the gradient set you would like to use. Click on it once and it will appear in the gradient box for your use.

In order to access your custom shapes you will need to access the custom shape menu. Go to your launcher, click and press the shape tool. Select the custom shape tool.

Now that you have activated the custom shape tool Click on the black arrow to open the custom shape listing. Then highlight the shape set you would like to use and click once. Now that shape will be available to you .