Libby Weifenbach
04-15-2007, 09:01 AM
Hi everyone! I'm new to the site, but my friend Jessie Baldwin suggested that I post my tutorial here. I typed up instructions for a friend on how to cut a curve using PSE4. I shared it with Jessie, and she thought some of you might find the information helpful. I don't claim to be an expert or even a writer. I was just trying to help a friend learn to do this. If someone else can use this information, then that's great! Please feel free to contact me with any questions.
I'm going to try to go step by step.
First, open the patterned paper from which you want to cut the curve.
Click on the "Custom Shape Tool" This is located on the tool bar that runs down the left side of the page. On my screen, it's the 3rd icon above the color picker. You may have to right click to bring up the menu so that you can choose "custom" if it is set to rectangle, elipse, etc. The "custom" tool looks like a little speech bubble.
Once you've opened the "Custom shape tool" you'll see an option bar across the top of your work space. Look for the box that has a picture of a shape in it with a little drop down arrow next to it.
Click on that little arrow, and then look for the drop down arrow in THAT window. Click that and then make sure "All Elements Shapes" is checked.
Next, you're looking for the wave shape. (I've sent a screen shot showing what it looks like)
Draw the wave shape onto your paper and really stretch it out until the top edge of the top wave creates the curve you're looking for.
You now have to fill in the spaces between those curvy lines with a solid color. I use the paint bucket (sending another screen shot). Before you can do this though, the layer has to be simplified. Find the layer in your list over on the right, and right click on it. Choose "Simplify layer."
The black area on your page is the shape that you'll be cutting out. Here's where it gets kind of tricky.
In your layers list, may sure that your background (patterned paper layer) is selected.
Holding down the Control key, click on the shape layer in the list. This puts "marching ants" around your shape on the layout.
Now choose the following from the menu: SELECT -- INVERSE. This will put the marching ants around the rest of your paper (instead of the black shape).
Press Delete on the keyboard.
You can now drag your black shape layer to the trash can.
This leaves you with your patterned paper curve on a white background. The white part of the page should still have marching ants around it.
Go back to the menu and choose SELECT -- INVERSE again. This puts the marching ants back around the pattern.
Now, with your selection tool (the little plus with an arrow on it from the left-hand tool bar), you can drag the cut out pattern onto a new layout.
And that's pretty much all there is to it! :)
I'm going to try to go step by step.
First, open the patterned paper from which you want to cut the curve.
Click on the "Custom Shape Tool" This is located on the tool bar that runs down the left side of the page. On my screen, it's the 3rd icon above the color picker. You may have to right click to bring up the menu so that you can choose "custom" if it is set to rectangle, elipse, etc. The "custom" tool looks like a little speech bubble.
Once you've opened the "Custom shape tool" you'll see an option bar across the top of your work space. Look for the box that has a picture of a shape in it with a little drop down arrow next to it.
Click on that little arrow, and then look for the drop down arrow in THAT window. Click that and then make sure "All Elements Shapes" is checked.
Next, you're looking for the wave shape. (I've sent a screen shot showing what it looks like)
Draw the wave shape onto your paper and really stretch it out until the top edge of the top wave creates the curve you're looking for.
You now have to fill in the spaces between those curvy lines with a solid color. I use the paint bucket (sending another screen shot). Before you can do this though, the layer has to be simplified. Find the layer in your list over on the right, and right click on it. Choose "Simplify layer."
The black area on your page is the shape that you'll be cutting out. Here's where it gets kind of tricky.
In your layers list, may sure that your background (patterned paper layer) is selected.
Holding down the Control key, click on the shape layer in the list. This puts "marching ants" around your shape on the layout.
Now choose the following from the menu: SELECT -- INVERSE. This will put the marching ants around the rest of your paper (instead of the black shape).
Press Delete on the keyboard.
You can now drag your black shape layer to the trash can.
This leaves you with your patterned paper curve on a white background. The white part of the page should still have marching ants around it.
Go back to the menu and choose SELECT -- INVERSE again. This puts the marching ants back around the pattern.
Now, with your selection tool (the little plus with an arrow on it from the left-hand tool bar), you can drag the cut out pattern onto a new layout.
And that's pretty much all there is to it! :)