round curved images

[Nathaniel McInnes]

Hi. In photoshop how do i do something like this to an images

EG
http://media.forums.dmediashop.net/user_of_the_week_view.jpg

How do i get the curves around the image. Is there a quick easy way to do it?

Thanks,

 

[Axel Segebrecht]

Hi Nathaniel, it's simple:

- Create a new (alpha) channel
- Select the Rectangular Marquee Tool (m)
- When you are happy with the size, Select -> Modify -> Smooth
- Set a corner radius (i.e. 6)
- Fill the selection with white
- Deselect
- Add Gaussian Blur (i.e. 2)
- Press CTRL+L (or Apple+L if you are on a Mac)
- Change input levels to: 125, 1, 165 (for example)
- Click "Load Channel as Selection" or Apple+Right Click onto it
- Select all Channels again (i.e. RGB)
- Fill your smooth selection with a colour or gradient

...and you are done

 

[Tom Marshall]

Or...

Use the shape tool to draw a rounded rectangle. Make sure that you're in shape mode (left most button on the top control panel in Photoshop cs or cs2.) Once you have your rectangle drawn, move the image that you want to frame on top of the shape layer you just created and right click that layer. Click "Create Clipping Mask" and you're done.

 

[Matt Grunau]

Or...

Use the shape tool to draw a rounded rectangle. Make sure that you're in shape mode (left most button on the top control panel in Photoshop cs or cs2.) Once you have your rectangle drawn, move the image that you want to frame on top of the shape layer you just created and right click that layer. Click "Create Clipping Mask" and you're done.

Would creating an Layer Mask on the layer do the same thing in your method tommy? I don't work with Clipping Masks that often, so I am not overly versed on their function, apart for how they play in programs like Quark and Pagemaker (I think).


Edit:

Just tried your method. Very cool. Stays vectored too. Nice.

 

[NOMADIC]

does anyone else seem to think that the "smooth" function to make curved corners is kinda chopped edged sometimes, not very fluid of a curve.

just curious, happened to me today.

 

[Axel Segebrecht]

Well, the best way to create smooth corners is with an alpha channel

Of course there are many ways to lead to Rome but that one get's the best results IMHO.

 

[Tom Marshall]

Would creating an Layer Mask on the layer do the same thing in your method tommy? I don't work with Clipping Masks that often, so I am not overly versed on their function, apart for how they play in programs like Quark and Pagemaker (I think).


Edit:

Just tried your method. Very cool. Stays vectored too. Nice.

Yeah, a layer mask would work as well. But I think vectors are cool since they're so easy to edit. You can also get different curves and shapes with a vector mask which are much harder to do with a simple layer mask... or combine the two...