Cropping picture into an oval with a smooth edge

MT
Posted By
Melissa_Toledo
Dec 14, 2007
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1153
Replies
11
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Closed
I’m using Photoshop CS2 version 9.0 for Windows. I am having trouble cropping a picture into an oval shape with a smooth edge. I’ve used the Adobe Help Center but I get confused with so much stuff. I use the ellipse tool but it doesn’t crop it out. I play around with the Mode and Opacity but it only makes the pic darker or lighter(what’s inside the ellipse). I’m trying to make an invitation with an oval picture in the front cover that has a smooth edge. I hope someone understands what I’m trying to do. I would really appreciate any help.
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crop edge picture smooth

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Andrei_Doubrovski
Dec 14, 2007
Melissa,
Just pull down "Image > Crop" (while your oval selection is active).

SimplePhotoshop.com <http://simplephotoshop.com/>
P
Phosphor
Dec 14, 2007
Uh, no. That will crop to a rectangle, as all cropping does. That’s what Crop means.

Use your ellipse selection to make a Layer Mask by clicking on teh Mawsk icon at the bottom of the Layers palette.
JJ
John_Joslin
Dec 14, 2007
Or do Ctrl+J while your oval selection is active.

Then delete the background layer.

Edit: Or turn it off, flatten and do a "Save as…" thus preserving the background in the original.
JR
John_R_Nielsen
Dec 14, 2007
After drawing your ellipse, use the Paths palette menu to turn it into a clipping path.
P
Phosphor
Dec 14, 2007
Not sure a Clipping Path would be appropriate. I try to avoid them at all costs.

How is the printing going to be done? Are you planning to use a page layout or illustration program? Is there type? How is that going to be done?

The reason I favor a Layer Mask is that you can tweak and edit it non-destructively, in case you want to reposition or change something.
Z
Zog
Dec 14, 2007
There are many ways to get similar results in Photoshop. Here are a couple more for your project:

Make your oval selection for the card.

From the menu at the top of the PS window, click .

From the submenu that appears, click <Inverse>.

Press the Delete key.

OR,

Make your oval selection.

Hold down the Shift and Ctrl keys and the I key.

Press the delete key.

Sounds like you’re a beginner, Melissa. Lots to learn, eh? Keep exploring Photoshop. Let your intuition guide you along with the manual and help topics. There are lots of people in the forum who like to help out, too. Good luck on your project.
JO
Jim_Oblak
Dec 14, 2007
The first obstacle to understanding this is learning the term used to describe it: vignette.

Google leads to several detailed/visual tutorials.

<http://www.google.com/search?q=photoshop+vignette>
GD
george_dingwall
Dec 14, 2007
Hi Melissa,

I use a script to create an elliptical matte for an image. It might help you do what you want.

You can find the script here.

<http://www.georgedingwall.co.uk/pages/Downloads.html>

It’s the first one on the page.

You might not want to keep the matte, but the underlying image layer has a clean ellipse in proportion to the dimensions of the image.

Hope this helps.
MT
Melissa_Toledo
Dec 16, 2007
Thanks guys! I was getting confused with the ellipse tool and the ellipse marquee tool.
MD
Michael_D_Sullivan
Dec 17, 2007
Use the ellipse marquee tool, invert, press Delete.
JJ
John_Joslin
Dec 17, 2007
I always try to avoid destructive edits.

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