Note: Tutorial Created using Photoshop CS3 on a PC with Windows XP.

Sometimes you get tired of the old, rectangular-shaped photo. The great thing about digital scrapbooking is that you are free to change your photo shape, without using a pair of scissors. This tutorial outlines how to add interest to your layouts by using a fun and easy method to create a different shaped frame. I use circles, but you could easily use any shape that sparks your interest. (This tutorial will work with any program that allows circular-shaped marquees and the cut and paste or mask option.)

 

First, open a photo that you are interested in working with. It is best to choose a photo with oddly shaped subject matter. My rectangular photo is of my daughters posing on a statue. Of course, I don’t care much about the trees in the background, just my subject.

 

Grab the Marquee Tool and change it from a square (default) to a circle by opening the sub-menu within the Tool Box.

 

Now, go to the top of the page where the settings are located for the tools. Select "Add to Selection" (the second choice showing the two shaded squares) and under Style, select "Fixed Ratio." This will keep all of your circles proportional.

 

Using the Circle Marquee Tool, create a series of circles to outline your subject. Since you selected "Add to Selection," all of your circles will merge with a circle that it intersects with. Remember to use all different sized circles to give it interest. Also, make sure ALL of your subject matter is covered. (Since it is hard to see on the screen, I made this example above, shading out the part that will not be in the final photo. You will not see the rendering above during your trial.)

 

When you are finished, go to your Layers Palette and make a duplicate of your photo. Select the duplicate on your Layers Palette and hide your original photo.

 

Click on the Add a Layer Mask icon. (It is gray with a white circle inside.) This will work for Photoshop CS3. If you have a program that does not allow this option, then just “cut” from the photo and “paste” in a new layer.

You can shadow this photo cutout, frame it or do anything to it that you wish. Then, simply drag it onto your paper, add elements and text. Now, you have a fun layout!

Layout by Theresa Kavouras
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Tutorial written by Theresa Kavouras