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<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nOne of my biggest hopes is that my blog content is interesting enough for people to pay attention. I always try to offer tips & tricks that I believe could make things easier for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I want to remind you that I use Photoshop Elements (PSE) so every tip\/trick I post about is done using that software. Also keep in mind that some things behave differently in full Photoshop than the way I see things in PSE. I point this out because this difference is actually the root cause for this quick tip.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
A very dear friend of mine uses full Photoshop and was very recently trying to help me figure out a better way to do something I\u2019ve been doing (for a while) in PSE. Anyway, this old dog learned a new trick as a result of that little teaching lesson. If only I\u2019d known before last week\u2019s post. Read on to see what I have to share this week\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Clipping Papers<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
So, in last week\u2019s post about reducing file sizes<\/a><\/strong> I talked about how to manage the papers we clip to shapes\/elements. I mentioned that any time you clip a paper\/photo to a shape you very likely won\u2019t need to keep the full-sized original. I went into detail about how to best cut that paper\/photo down to only the size required.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Today I\u2019m going to give you a better (hopefully easier) method of doing that. I\u2019ll be using the same \u201cLighthouse\u201d layout as last week to discuss the new tip. Again, for more information about that layout you can view it in \u201cmy gallery<\/a><\/strong>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n Now, looking at the PSD file for this layout, you can see the \u201coutline\u201d of the full sheet of paper still visible in the layout\u2019s workspace? Clearly, the entire piece of paper is not needed. But it will remain full size when we save the PSD file.<\/p>\n\n\n In cases like these the best thing to do is create a new layer of that paper with only the portion required to cover the shape to which it will be clipped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The twist to my directions from last week is about making the selection for that new layer. Instead of using the Rectangle Marque Tool and drawing a selection around only the portion of the paper needed, I\u2019m going to show you a different method.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With the paper layer selected, I Ctrl+Click on the shape layer\u2019s thumbnail in the Layers panel:<\/p>\n\n\n Once I do that you can see I now have those \u201cmarching ants\u201d around the shape to which the paper is clipped:<\/p>\n\n\n Ensuring that the paper layer is still selected, I then create a new layer via copy. And just like last week\u2026in order to preserve the name of the original paper, I rename the new layer to the same name as the original paper. I then delete the original paper and clip the new layer to the appropriate shape layer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n No more fussing about not being able to see exactly what portion of the paper needs to be kept. No longer will I be making a selection \u201cbox\u201d that typically is larger than what I might need. And I\u2019ll always be sure its exactly the right size (and no more) to cover the layer to which it is clipped!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes, it\u2019s still basically the same number of steps but I do find this new method to be easier and more efficient (from a size reduction perspective) than the old way. Which oh by the way, I\u2019ve been doing for years!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Note:<\/strong> I do want to mention that this method may not always work well with objects that have “fuzzy” edges. Things like paint, transfers, stamps, etc., having very diffuse edges can make it tricky. Still give it a try. If you find that not all of the object gets selected you can revert to the method I described last week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It turns out that human adults\u2014the most senior ones among us included (like me)\u2014are capable of learning new skills, whether it\u2019s learning a new scrapbooking trick or how to play a musical instrument. Our brain may get rusty with age in some ways, but it doesn\u2019t lose the ability to pick up new tricks. There\u2019s promise for us all!<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s never too late for people to learn a new skill\u2014let\u2019s blow that thinking out the water, shall we?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Remember always to only start cutting clipped papers down to size AFTER<\/em><\/strong> you\u2019re certain the layout is finished.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As usual, if you have any questions or need a bit of help, please don\u2019t hesitate to \u201cMessage Me<\/a><\/strong>\u201d for some assistance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thanks for reading this week\u2019s Tuesday Tip. <\/em>If you want to stay informed about next week\u2019s post, just click \u201cFollow Me<\/a><\/strong>\u201d to get an update. I hope you have a wonderful week!<\/p>\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\nMost Important Tips About New Tricks<\/h3>\n\n\n
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