Yesterday I gave Photoshop ELEMENTS users a quick tip for adding interesting design to digital scrapbooking photos. However, while many tips work similarly in both Photoshop and Photoshop Elements, yesterday day’s tip is an example of a tip that doesn’t! The reason why you ask? Well, unfortunately Photoshop doesn’t have the “easy-peasy” Cookie Cutter Tool, which obviously changes things!
Not to worry though, as we do with many of our blogs by splitting up a tip for Photoshop and Photoshop Elements, today is all about our Photoshop friends! Let’s review how you can apply the same interesting photo effect to your own pics within Photoshop!
Photoshop-Users: Follow these steps to add a little bit of fancy design to your special digital scrapbooking photos:
First, open a photo in Photoshop and duplicate the layer once within the Layer Panel.
Next, make sure you are on the top photo layer and then select the Shape Tool. Once you select the Shape Tool, select the heart shape (or what ever other shape you prefer). See the image below:
Once you have the shape you like, such as the heart shape, pick a color for the shape that contrasts with your photo’s colors. In this example, I have left the default color, black, for my shape’s color.
Next, use your mouse to draw the shape across you photo and make sure the shape covers the areas of the photo that you want to emphasis.
If need-be, you can always select the Move Tool and adjust the size or shape and move the shape to fit over the photo accurately.
Next, right click on the shape layer and select Rasterize Layer so that the shape will be simplified.
After you have done this, drag the shape layer below the middle photo layer. Now, you should not be able to see the heart- it is hiding behind the photo layer. Next, click on Ctrl + Alt + shape layer to select the heart shape layer, and if it is done correctly you should see a heart border that sort of flashes (the flashing is often referred to as “marching ants”).
After you have done this, go to the layer panel and select the top photo layer.
You should still see the outline of the heart shape and the marching ants! Go to the top menu and choose: Select > Inverse.
After you do this, you should see not only the marching ants around the heart shape, but also around the whole photo edge!
If you do, you know you have done this step correctly!
So, still staying on the top photo layer, click on the Delete button on your key board. When you do this, only a copy of the heart part of the photo should be there.
You will need to turn off the the visibility of the heart shape layer and original photo layer to see how the the photo has taken the shape of the the heart (which you do by selecting the eye icon next to the layers).
Select your photo heart and then click: Ctrl + D to turn off the marching ants and deselect selection tool.
We’re not done yet!
Make the bottom photo layer visible again and click on it. If it is locked, then turn the lock off in order to adjust that layer. Tip: One easy way to get an unlock a layer is to just duplicate the layer that is locked – the new one will be unlocked.
Remember, make sure you are on the bottom photo layer that is unlocked (see #1)!
Pick the color that you would like to have by clicking on the Color Chip Tool (See #2). In the example above, I chose a light blue color. Next, go up to the menu and Select: Layer > New Fill Layer > Gradient. Make any adjustments and click OK.
This bottom photo layer turns a blue with a transparency.
Click on the top heart-shaped photo layer again and add a drop shadow to the heart-shaped photo so that it will look a little more 3-D and “pop” out above the blue photo layer below!
Whew! We did it!
At this point, you can save your photo as a JPEG file and add the new photo design to some of your digital scrapbooking pages. Add a few embellishments, and you are good-to-go with your very interesting digital scrapbooking photo!
This fun photo-effect adds a special look and feel to your digital scrapbooking page, just with a few clicks of your mouse! A regular photo has been transformed into something especially unique; a great option for special digital scrapbooking projects in need of new design!
Try this quick little photo design tip in Photoshop to “spruce up” your own photos and digital scrapbooking pages!
Have a Happy Day!
-Cheri
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