Digital Scrapbooking Tips

In Photoshop CS3:

Open a document.
Using the Move tool, drag a Photocut Mask onto your document,

Drag a photo on top of the mask (covering the mask completely.) 

In the Layers Palette, the photo layer should be directly above the mask layer.  If it isn't, drag the photo layer on top of (one layer above) the mask layer.

Right click on the photo layer and select “Create a Clipping Mask.”

This will glue your photo to the Photocut Mask.  

Alternate method:  Drag a Photocut Mask onto your document, then drag a photo on top of the mask (covering the mask completely.) Press Opt+Cmd G on your keyboard (Mac: Alt+CtrlG)

To resize the photo, get the Move Tool. 

Move your cursor to one of the 4 corners of the photo.

Hold the Shift key, click and drag the corner toward the center of the photo to make it smaller.  Or hold the Shift key and drag the corner away from the center of the photo to make it larger.

Do not resize by using the side handles – you will stretch the photo, creating a funhouse effect.

In Photoshop Elements:

Open a document.
Open a Photocut Mask.  Using the Move tool, drag the Photocut Mask down onto your document in the Project Bin.

Next, open a photo and drag photo down on top of the mask in the Project Bin (covering the mask completely.)

Note:  in PSE 6 ane PSE7, never drag an item UP from the Bin onto your document.

In the Layers Palette, the photo layer should be directly above the mask layer.  If it isn't, drag the photo layer on top of (one layer above) the mask layer.

Select the photo layer and press Ctrl G on your keyboard (or Cmd G on a Mac). This will glue your photo to the Photocut Mask.

To resize the photo, get the Move Tool. 

Move your cursor to one of the 4 corners of the photo.

Click and drag the corner toward the center of the photo to make it smaller.  Or click and drag the corner away from the center of the photo to make it larger.

Do not resize by using the side handles – you will stretch the photo, creating a funhouse effect.

For more information, check out HTDT? No. 14: Mask Making