Tutorial: Creative Cropping

[Christine]

Thanks for visiting my blog! (Feel free to download here, or to just look at it off of my blog. - the link is in my siggie below!)

Make sure if you want to download the pdf to get it right away, I take it down when I put the next one up, but the tutorial will still be on my blog for reference.

Here's a fun way to crop your photo, to give more depth and definition. Plus you can do all kinds of fun adjustments, after you have done the cropping.

IF YOU USE THIS TUTORIAL FOR A PAGE, I WOULD LOVE IT IF YOU WOULD LINK IT HERE SO I CAN SEE!!! :D

The tutorial is now available in The Campus, here at DSP, here's a link:
http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/university/tutorials/ps_creativecropping/creativecropping.shtml

[Betsyfru]

Chris, this looks like a really cool idea! I'm gona try it out soon, maybe after I get week 4's assignment doe! LOL!

[Christine]

LOL Betsy, yeah don't tell your teacher you are slacking off. :lol:

[tg13]

Thanks for visiting my blog! (Feel free to download here, or to just look at it off of my blog. - the link is in my siggie below!)

Here's a fun way to crop your photo, to give more depth and definition to your photo. Plus you can do all kinds of fun adjustments after you have done the cropping.

IF YOU USE THIS TUTORIAL FOR A PAGE, I WOULD LOVE IT IF YOU WOULD LINK IT HERE SO I CAN SEE!!! :D

www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/freebies/Goodies/CreativeCropping_PS.zip

This is a great tutorial I´m working on a layout with it and will post a link here when I´m finished. Thank you for this Christine, this is so much fun to work with:tup:

[Christine]

Yay Tora! Can't wait to see!

[Raphne]

Oooooh, nifty idea, Chris! I'm gonna have to try this out!

[mcbowersox]

Ok, I have a tip for anyone doing this in Elements.

As far as I can tell we can't do stroke the same way as in PS. We have to go to edit>stroke etc. And here's where the problems come in. Once you add the stroke and go on you can go back and change it to something different (unless you use undo).

What you CAN do, though, is do your stroke on a separate layer.

Here's the step by step (I hope) Tell me if this doesn't work:

- Follow Christine's tut until ctrl J
- ctrl click on the thumbnail in your layers palette (marching ants around your selection)
- create a new layer
- with the new layer active and the marching ants on your selection go to Edit>Stroke and make your selections
- ctrl D to deselect

You now have your outline on a separate layer so if you want to change it later you can delete that layer and repeat the steps above.

Hope that helps someone!

Thanks for this tut Christine! I've wanted to know how to do this. Who knew it could be so simple?!

[Christine]

THANKS Christy! Awesome!

[Ted]

Chris, I can't wait to try this technique on a couple of photos I have and do a layout! :) Thanks for making this tutorial.

It got me thinking... is it possible to add drop shadows to each "section" of the photo? Or is that not possible using this technique? Or does it make it look not very good? :) The possibilities!

Also, it's the first time I've visited your blog! What a well-organized blog! :) I can't wait to put a C-Box in my blog - it's the first time I've seen it. Thanks! :)

[tg13]

Ok here is my try at this tut, really a cool tutorial and I´m sure I´m going to use it again and again and again....................
http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/forum/../gallery/data/500/thumbs/tilraun.jpg (http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/forum/../gallery/showphoto.php?photo=305162&ppuser=117264)
Not really a layout (http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/forum/../gallery/showphoto.php?photo=305162&ppuser=117264)

Thank´s Christine:hug:

[tg13]

Chris, I can't wait to try this technique on a couple of photos I have and do a layout! :) Thanks for making this tutorial.

It got me thinking... is it possible to add drop shadows to each "section" of the photo? Or is that not possible using this technique? Or does it make it look not very good? :) The possibilities!

Also, it's the first time I've visited your blog! What a well-organized blog! :) I can't wait to put a C-Box in my blog - it's the first time I've seen it. Thanks! :)

Ted I did use drop shadow in every "frame" :yes::yes:

[MrsC]

Ok, I have a tip for anyone doing this in Elements.

As far as I can tell we can't do stroke the same way as in PS. We have to go to edit>stroke etc. And here's where the problems come in. Once you add the stroke and go on you can go back and change it to something different (unless you use undo).

What you CAN do, though, is do your stroke on a separate layer.

Here's the step by step (I hope) Tell me if this doesn't work:

- Follow Christine's tut until ctrl J
- ctrl click on the thumbnail in your layers palette (marching ants around your selection)
- create a new layer
- with the new layer active and the marching ants on your selection go to Edit>Stroke and make your selections
- ctrl D to deselect

You now have your outline on a separate layer so if you want to change it later you can delete that layer and repeat the steps above.

Hope that helps someone!

Thanks for this tut Christine! I've wanted to know how to do this. Who knew it could be so simple?!

I'm using Elements 5. Here's what I did. On the photo layer click to add any type of layer effect. (Doesn't matter what it is at this point just pick something simple) After you have the effect click on the sun/starburst for that layer in the layers palette. Uncheck the effect that you just did and then go and check the box that says Stroke at the bottom of the Style Setting Box. Pick the color and size you want and voila! Then I just continued on with the rest of Christine's tut. (Hope I explained that OK)

[mcbowersox]

I tried out drop shadows and couldn't decide if I liked it better or not. . .

Just thought I'd say to the Elements users that if you want to add drop shadows you'll want to add them to the stroke layer, not the photo layer. . .

Anyhow, here's my LO

http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/gallery/data/500/thumbs/Laugh-LO.jpg (http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=305163&ppuser=33630)
Laugh-LO (http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=305163&ppuser=33630)


Thanks again, Christine!

[JenniferG]

Thanks Chris! Going to be trying this out after I put the girls down for a much needed (for me) nap. Right now I can smell the someone left me a fragrant present in their pants. yay for me...

[MrsC]

I'll post my LO when I get it done. Have to go pick up the little one from school right now. BTW . . . great tut, Christine. Thanks!

[Christine]

Chris, I can't wait to try this technique on a couple of photos I have and do a layout! :) Thanks for making this tutorial.

It got me thinking... is it possible to add drop shadows to each "section" of the photo? Or is that not possible using this technique? Or does it make it look not very good? :) The possibilities!

Also, it's the first time I've visited your blog! What a well-organized blog! :) I can't wait to put a C-Box in my blog - it's the first time I've seen it. Thanks! :)

Thanks! and absolutely. Once you have the pieces separated, you can take the stroke off and mat them, recolor them run a filter, shadow, pretty much your imagination is the only limiting factor! The big thing to keep in mind is make sure to move all of your pieces as a block, to keep everything lined up. If you see in my layout that I did, I took off the stroke, added a mat to each piece and put a drop shadow on each mat. The only reason I put the stroke on when I did was to make it easy to see where you had already chopped.

[Christine]

I'm using Elements 5. Here's what I did. On the photo layer click to add any type of layer effect. (Doesn't matter what it is at this point just pick something simple) After you have the effect click on the sun/starburst for that layer in the layers palette. Uncheck the effect that you just did and then go and check the box that says Stroke at the bottom of the Style Setting Box. Pick the color and size you want and voila! Then I just continued on with the rest of Christine's tut. (Hope I explained that OK)

I am so glad all of you PSE-ers are piping up. I came over to PS from PSP, so I have never even used PSE. Thanks for all of your input! :D

[wuvie]

Thank you Chris! :hug::hug:

[Christine]

Thanks Chris! Going to be trying this out after I put the girls down for a much needed (for me) nap. Right now I can smell the someone left me a fragrant present in their pants. yay for me...

lucky you! :lol:

[mcbowersox]

I'm using Elements 5. Here's what I did. On the photo layer click to add any type of layer effect. (Doesn't matter what it is at this point just pick something simple) After you have the effect click on the sun/starburst for that layer in the layers palette. Uncheck the effect that you just did and then go and check the box that says Stroke at the bottom of the Style Setting Box. Pick the color and size you want and voila! Then I just continued on with the rest of Christine's tut. (Hope I explained that OK)

Cool! Thanks! I didn't know how to do it that way! I knew I had seen stroke somewhere else! LOL! I just couldn't remember where.

I noticed a difference. When I did it my way I got squared corners. When I did it your way I got rounded corners. So now I have options!

[GrandmaCrys]

I've grabbed it, I've printed it; I can't wait for my life to get back to normal so I can try it! :D

[mcbowersox]

You in Indy Crys? Come play at my house! LOL!

[MrsC]

http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/gallery/data/500/thumbs/fountain21.jpg (http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=305180&ppuser=132619)
A Wish for Warmer Days (http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=305180&ppuser=132619)

Here's my attempt. Thanks again, Christine for the tut!

[GrandmaCrys]

You in Indy Crys? Come play at my house! LOL!

I wish! (I was there Tues & Wed, but very occupied getting that newest grandson! :D)

Between grandsons, taxes and inoperable card readers, I'm not getting any scrapping done! :mad: :mad: :mad:

This should change next week. Then, the following week I will be out of town (and yes, in your area) helping to care for that new baby's older brother! :D :D

[suvgal]

I haven't scrapped in a few months as I have been taking dsu classes. When I saw your tutorial I knew just the photo I wanted to use. I really enjoyed the new technique...thanks!


http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/gallery/data/6258/thumbs/Longwood-Orchids-gundi_s-tu.jpg (http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=305228)
Longwood Gardens (http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=305228)

[Scrappy Mama]

I'm going to try this tutorial. Looks really fun! I'll be back to post.

[Scrappy Mama]

OK here's mine. It was fun! Thanks Christine for the tutorial. It was so great to learn this.

Looking for some honest CC.

Grandad
http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/gallery/data/6770/thumbs/Grandad4.jpg (http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=305264&nocache=1)

[Ted]

Here's what I did with the technique. :)

http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/gallery/data/6900/thumbs/Boston_Layout1_FOR_WEB_ver2.jpg (http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=305340&ppuser=56828)
Boston, MA (http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=305340&ppuser=56828)

[tg13]

I just had to do another layout this is so much fun to do.
http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/forum/../gallery/data/518/thumbs/kam_na.jpg (http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/forum/../gallery/showphoto.php?photo=305366)
Kamína (http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/forum/../gallery/showphoto.php?photo=305366)

[Ted]

I agree...thanks, Christine, for a new addiction! LOL! :rofl:

http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/gallery/data/6900/thumbs/Riley_Warning_Nap_FOR_WEB.jpg (http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=305383&ppuser=56828)
Warning! Cat Napping! (http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=305383&ppuser=56828)

[Vallie]

Thanks for the tutorial!!! :yippee:

[Simply Hx]

Hi Chris... thanks for this fabulous fun tutorial! I've pretty much copied what you did on your LO but I am going to try it with another photo (and maybe another after that, and then a few more... !!!) and I'll try using a different style this time! I use PSP but your tut was so easy to follow and very transferrable, thank you very much :D

Here's my LO...

http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/gallery/data/6258/thumbs/First_Sign_of_Spring_Hx_4web.jpg (http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=305706&ppuser=117910)
Ladybird, Ladybird! (http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=305706&cat=500&ppuser=117910)

:) Hx

[Christine]

great one Helen!

[sailingsue]

Just loved the tutorial. So easy to follow. Will use it again and again. Really like the style. Thanks!!!!
Amaryllis (http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=306806&cat=all&limit=last7.html)

[jccamero]

Your tutorials are great; I've seen this technique and was floored that I actually pulled it off. Thanks so much for this.
http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/gallery/data/2624/thumbs/zooiiflat.jpg (http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=307534&ppuser=114389)
At the ZooII (http://www.digitalscrapbookplace.com/gallery/showphoto.php?photo=307534&cat=500&ppuser=114389)