Help with rounded photo corners & templates

[tanbanan]

OK. . .most times these things are so simple, I'm embarrassed to ask, but I just can't waste any more time messing with it myself.

How do you create rounded corners on photos. I have PSCS. I really like the look of having one rounded edge and the other one square.

My other question is how do you apply the templates to cut your paper into that particular shape. I'm sure it has to do with merging layers, but I'm just not getting it!

Thanks for any help you can offer! :o

Tana

[Nevermore]

There are umpteen ways to do this but this is what I do.
1. You should work on a duplicate layer of your photo. If you mess up, you can delete the duplicate and start again.
2. Under shapes there is a rounded rectangle tool (right next to the rectangle). You can actually put in the radius of the "roundedness" you want. Make sure "fill pixels" is pressed in on the options bar. It doesn't matter what colour because the shape will get "masked" in step 4.
3. Draw the shape ON A NEW LAYER. Put this layer underneath your photo and tweak until the photo sits where you want it to.
4. Now you are going to "clip" the photo to the shape. I do it by moving my cursor to the line between the shape and the photo. I hold down "alt" and the cursor turns into a funny unique shape. You won't mistake it. When it does that, click, and voila, the photo is clipped down to the rounded corner rectangular shape.

That, of course, will make all your corners round. In order to have 2 round and 2 square you will need to tweak you rounded corner rectangular shape in Step 3 by "derounding" or squaring off whatever corners you want square. Again, there are many ways to do this and if you need help, please holler.

This technique, create shape on layer, place underneath item you want to "fill" shape can be used for filled text or filled elements. In jargon, it is called a clipping mask and it is a very useful tool to have in your arsenal!

[tanbanan]

Thanks Nevermore! I got it to work! I think I will have lots of fun with this! :D

[Coffeebean]

I sure appreciate the tip. I used it today for a layout and it worked great! :D