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Last Updated:
Jan 20th, 2007 - 12:55:03 |
Waves, curves, circles and more…digital scrappers are getting their layouts in shape! Have you browsed through the Members Gallery and admired the layouts featuring unique shaped papers and elements and been left wondering how to create the look yourself? Armed with a shape template and Photoshop’s clipping mask feature you can “cut” your papers into a shape in no time. I have provided 4 shape templates I created as a freebie download attached at the end of this tutorial. After you have downloaded and unzipped the files, let’s experiment with using them:
1. Open a new 12 x 12, 300 dpi, transparent document in Photoshop.
2. Open two digital papers of your choice and drag them into your new document.
3. Open your shape template and drag it into your document so that its layer is positioned between the two patterned papers with the paper you want for the background underneath the shape and the paper you want to “cut” into the shape above the shape.
4. Click on the layer containing the paper you want to create the shape from in your Layers palette to select it. (For the purposes of this demonstration that would be Layer 3 in the image above.)
5. As with everything else in Photoshop, there are several methods you can use to create a clipping mask:
a. Choose Layer>Create Clipping Mask from the menu bar at the top of the screen as shown
b. OR use the key combination Ctrl-G shortcut: (NOTE: If you are a PSCS2 user the shortcut is Ctrl-Alt-G)
c. OR Hold down Alt (Windows) or Option (Mac OS), position the pointer over the line dividing two layers in the Layers palette (the pointer changes to two overlapping circles ), and click.
d. OR Link the desired layers in the Layers palette. Then choose Layer > Create Clipping Mask from Linked.
6. The transparent pixels of the bottom or base layer mask out the content of layers above it that are part of a clipping mask. The name of the base layer in the mask is underlined, (Layer 4 in the example) and the thumbnails for the overlying layers are indented (Layer 3 in the example.) Additionally, the overlying layers display a clipping mask icon.
7. Your document should now look something like the following example:
Credits: Lauren Bird & Dana Zarling - Papers from SBB Elements Team – May Kit #2 - Available in the Digital Bytes Store:
http://scrapbookbytes.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=11&products_id=937
8. If you cut your shape from a patterned paper you can use the Move tool to position it inside the shape you created in a manner that will show the exact portion of the paper that you want included in the shape. (I.e. you may wish to do this if you are using a paper stamped with words and want a certain portion to show.)
9. Link the shape layer and the paper layer above it. (Note: To link layers in PS versions prior to CS2 click in the column immediately to the left of any layers you want to link to the selected layer. A link icon appears in the column. In CS2 you link layers by Ctrl-Clicking on each layer to select and then clicking on the link icon on the bottom of the Layers Palette.)
10. Merge the layers into one by choosing Layer>Merge Linked. (The shortcut keystroke is Ctrl-E.)
You can experiment with effects such as drop shadowing, bevel and emboss, or adding a stroke to your shape for a unique look.
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD SHAPES
**Previously published in Tid-Bytes November 2005***
© Copyright 2003-2005 by Scrapbook-Bytes; & original creator/s of tutorials/articles
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