how to do this (no, not make the baby): clipping masks

After the last post I was asked about the border I used. It was something I purchased a looong time ago...pre digital scrapbooking. I'd sinced changed it from a white border that you place on top of a photo to a black mask that you form your photo to. Much cooler and I just find that method more versatile. I wanted to show you a tutorial but needed to point you to a mask to use. I can't share her file so I made my own.

And sorry other people, I only know Photoshop so this here is a Photoshop tutorial.

Part 1: RESIZING THE FILE (the part you will only have to do once to get it all nice and ready)

1. Download alliemask.png

2. Open the file in photoshop

3. Open a vertical photo from your own camera in photoshop

4. control-alt-i  on your photo and take note of the width, height and resolution (either pixels or document size works)

5. Go back to the mask file and hit c

6. See the empty boxes at the top? Enter in the width, height and resolution followed by 'px' if you chose pixels or 'in' if you wrote down inches

7. Drag a crop box around the whole image. If the dimensions are off for you grab a corner box and adjust until you've got it surrounded and hit enter

8. Save this file just over top of the other one. You won't need the other one anymore. Save this one as a png rather than a psd if it asks. And now...

Part 2: USING THE MASK

1. Open the mask and open a photo thusly (yes, I want to be like Alton Brown)

 

2. Hit v to select the move tool

3. Multi-tasking here (beware, men): Hold shift but also click and drag the mask onto the photo creating this beautiful blob

   

The order of these next steps doesn't matter entirely. Just do them until you're comfortable and then I'll set you free, little birdies

4. Hold alt (which lets you bypass the upcoming dialog box so you don't have to spend time clicking OK...I'm all about saving you time you know) and double click on the word Background. Now you should have a Layer 1 and a Layer 0 underneath

5. Hold control and click the Make a New Layer Button (the little turning page next to the garbage). Holding control makes the layer pop up underneath whatever you were on rather than on top...so we don't have to move it later

6. Hit d. Now hit x. Now alt-backspace. Layer 2 just changed to white

7. Grab Layer 0 (the photo) and put it on top of Layer 1 (the mask). Ya with me?

8. Magic time. Point your mouse right in the middle of Layer 0 and Layer 1. It will transform into a tiny arrow with 2 circles joined together (kind of like a Nintendo trick or something). Hold your breath and click.

 

The top layer morphs itself onto the layer underneath. You just created a clipping mask! Way to be. You could also do this by clicking on the top layer and then hitting alt-control-g.....or even being lame and going to the Layer menu.

9. Before you finish, take note of where the little speckles from the mask hit your photo. Really quick: click on Layer 1, hit b, hit x....and then paint away any speckles on faces that bother you. I missed a couple but I'm not too bothered as it's a tutorial

10. right-click one of your layers and select Flatten Image (at the bottom)

11. save AS so you do not overwrite your original photo please and then show me :)

SUPERSPECIAL Tip for Cool People

*Rotate canvas on the mask and save that as a different file to give yourself a horizontal version that you won't have to change every time.

Comments

[jacki janse van rensburg]

hi allie. i did it, and blogged about it here: http://scrappintimes.typepad.com/scrappin_times/2008/10/12345.html

thanks!

[Image Clipping Companies]

Great tutorial! Nice blog!!

[Cathy]

looks great.... I think I must give this a try

[sarah]

OK. . . you rock. How about a tutorial on rounding corners? That would be so SWEET!!

[michelle]

allie allie allie...i luv ya. Wasn't your last post about how you are going to STOP having mercy on us little people and enjoy your own life more?

In other words, thanks for not going cold turkey completely.

And although I don't have photoshop and I use that as my excuse for not trying anything this hardcore (you laugh at my wussy version of hardcore, I know), I know there are ga-jillions of other people so happy to have it. hooray for you, and thank you.

by the way, I too want to be like alton brown. it happens to the best of us.

[Nicole Martin]

Hi Allie, I found your blog a couple weeks ago and its great to see that you are doing so well!! Lily is beautiful. I just emailed you with a question.

Love,
Nicole (Cox) Martin

[Mchilly]

Great work, I love it....

[Lillie]

I miss you...

How 'bout a belly shot?

[Sarah Parris]

Hello! Would you mind emailing me the file for this mask? My mac is cooperating with just saving it - pretty please???
Thanks!