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Using Custom Shapes for Digital "Die Cuts" in Photoshop CS
By Cristina Blomberg
Aug 10, 2005, 09:57

1.Open the file you want to shape. In this example, I’m using a background from my Hot Peppers Kit, available at the Pages of the Heart Digital Scrapbooking Store. To begin, let’s prep our original item (you can also use a photo if you like).

a.In the layers palette, duplicate the background by right clicking on the layer and choose the “Duplicate Layer” option.

Duplicate the background layer.

b.Now you should have 2 layers, one with a lock on it.

c.Right click again on the layer with the lock and choose the “Delete Layer” option.

Right-click on the blue area of the layer.

d.You should now only have one layer, without a lock.

2.Click on the Custom Shapes tool, and select the shape you want your “die cut” to be… I used a heart. You can select your shape by clicking on the small down-pointing arrow on the right side of the shape.

This is the Custom Shapes tool.

Click here to select your shape from a list.

NOTE: It doesn’t matter what color your shape will be, as you only want the shape and will see the background (or photo, if you’re using a photo) in the shape. You may want to choose “no style” as your style for now, you can always add Blending Options later.

This is the "no style" symbol.

3.On your background (or photo) click and drag until you have made your shape the size you want. This can be adjusted easily with Edit>Transform.

You can also use your rulers as a guide for the size of your shape.

NOTE: Your layers palette should look like this:

The shape is automatically put onto its own layer.

4.Rasterize the custom shape by right-clicking on its layer in the layer palette and choosing the “Rasterize Layer” option.

Rasterize from the Layers Palette

You can also do this from the Menu bar. Choose Layer> Rasterize>Layer.

Rasterize from the Menu Bar

Your layers palette should now look like this:

Your rasterized shape layer.

5.Click on your shape layer in the layers palette and drag it below the other layer. Your layers palette should now look like this:

Change the layer order in the Layers Palette

6.On your keyboard, hold down the CTRL and ALT keys together while moving your cursor to point between the two layers in the layers palette. When your cursor changes to resemble a pointing snowman, click it. (Sorry, can’t seem to get a screen shot of this!) Your layers palette will look like this, after clicking.

A created clipping mask.

7.Photoshop will use your shape as a guide and make a “die cut” for you.

The "die cut" shape!

8.With the shape layer selected, you can right click on it, select the Blending Options and add a bevel, emboss, drop shadow, pattern, texture, etc. Here’s my heart shape with some texture and bevel:

My "die cut" heart (with options).

9.When you have the shape layer selected, you can also use the Edit>Transform features to rotate, enlarge, shrink, etc. Be sure to save your new element as a png file (File>Save As, then choose the Save As Png option) so you can use it on a layout or other project.

10.This works great for cropping photos, too! With all the different shapes, you’ve got tons of possibilities… Happy Scrapping!!!

In my scraproom on a good hair day! LOL!