How to put an image inside a shape
We'll start by learning how to draw our shape and how to place the image inside it. Then I'll show you how to transfer the shape and image to a new background.
Step 1: Open the image
Start by opening the image that you want to place inside your shape.
I will use this image
Open the image.
In the Layers panel, the image appears on the Background layer, which is currently the only layer in the document. In fact, it will remain the only layer even after putting the image into a shape:
Layers panel.
Step 2: Open the Shapes panel
The easiest way to add a custom shape to your document in Photoshop CC 2020 is by using the new Shapes panel.
To open the Shapes panel, go to List Window in the menu bar and select shapes :
Go to Window > Shapes.
default shapes
If you haven't loaded more shapes into Photoshop yet, at first all you'll see in the Shapes panel are the default shapes. In CC 2020, skins are divided into groups, and each group is represented by a folder.
Click the arrow next to the folder to rotate the collection, open it, and view the shapes inside:
Rotate Open one of the default shape sets.
How to load more shapes in the Shapes panel
To load more shapes, including hundreds of brand new shapes as well as older shapes from previous versions of Photoshop, click here list icon Shapes panel:
Click the menu icon.
Then choose Legacy Shapes and more From the list:
Choose old shapes and more.
Back in the Shapes panel, a new "Legacy Shapes and More" folder appears below the default folders:
Old Shapes folder and more.
Rotate and open the folder inside, you will find two more folders.
و Figures 2019 The folder contains hundreds of brand new shapes. And All legacy default formats Folder containing all skins for previous versions:
New and old format folders.
Step 3: Drag a shape onto the image
To add a shape to your document, simply choose a shape in the Shapes panel and then drag a thumbnail from the Shapes panel onto your image.
For this tutorial, I'll be using the old heart shape. You will find it in a group Existing default old formats inside a folder All old default formats .
First, I'll click on its thumbnail to select it:
Choose a thumbnail.
And then I'll drag and drop the shape onto my image:
Drag the shape from the Shapes panel into the document.
Release the mouse button and Photoshop will instantly draw the shape.
The default shape color is black, but it's okay if the shape is filled with a different color. It won't make any difference once we fill the shape with our image:
The initial figure appears.
Step 4: Move and resize the shape using Free Transform
When you drag and drop shapes from the Shapes panel, Photoshop automatically surrounds the shape with Free Transform boxes and handles. Click and drag any of the handles to resize the shape. You can also drag inside the box to move the shape into place.
Don't worry about getting the size and position of the shape just right. We'll come back and polish things up later:
Resize and move the shape using Free Transform.
When done, tap check mark in the options bar to accept it and close Free Transform. or click on Enter (Win) / Return (Mac) On the keyboard:
Clicking the check mark.
And in the Layers panel, the shape appears on its own shape layer above the image. We'll use this shape to create our vector mask, which we'll do next:
A new shape layer appears.
Step 5: Open the Paths panel
To convert the shape into a vector mask, we don't actually need the shape itself. What we need is path (scheme) about fig.
Switch to Paths panel in Photoshop. You'll find it in the same group of panels as the Layers panel:
Open the Paths panel.
Step 6: Make a copy of the shape path
In a bit, we'll delete the shape we created. But this will also delete its path map. So before we delete the shape, we need to make a copy of the path.
Click on the shape path and drag it down onto the icon Create a new path At the bottom of the Paths panel:
Drag the shape path to the Create New Path icon.
A copy of the track appears above the original:
A copy of the track has been created.
Step 7: Delete the shape layer
After creating the copy of the path, go back to Layers panel . Then click on the shape layer and delete it by dragging it down in Trash .
Do not attempt to delete the shape layer by pressing Backspace (Win) / Delete (Mac) on your keyboard. This will delete the copy of the path we just created. You need to drag the shape layer itself to the trash for this to work:
Drag the shape layer to the trash.
The figure disappears, but its path outline remains in front of the image:
The path remains after the shape is deleted.
Step 8: Convert the Path to a Vector Mask
To convert the path into a vector mask, go to List Layer in the menu bar, and select VectorMask , then choose Current Path :
Go to Layer > Vector Mask > Current Path.
In this way, the image appears within the figure. The checkerboard pattern surrounding the shape is how Photoshop represents transparency:
The result after converting the path to a vector mask.
In the Layers panel, it appears Vector mask thumbnail to the right of the thumbnail. And this is how to put an image inside a shape using a vector mask:
Vector mask thumbnail.
How to independently adjust the image or shape
Before we transfer the shape and image to a new background, let's set the effect. I will show you how to change the position of the image within the shape, and how to resize the shape without resizing the image.
How to unlink the vector image and mask
By default, the image and vector mask are linked together. So if you move or resize one, the other will move or resize with it. To move the image or shape independently, first unlink the image and the vector mask by clicking Link icon Among the thumbnails:
Disengage the image from the vector mask.
How to move the image within the shape
Then to move the image within the shape, select move tool In Photoshop from the toolbar:
Choose the Move Tool.
Then click on the image with the move tool and drag it into position.
Here I move the image to the right while the shape stays in place:
Move the image without moving the shape.
How to change the size of the shape
If you need to resize the shape, select a tool Determination path (black arrow) from the toolbar:
Choose the Pathfinder tool.
Then click inside the shape to select it. You'll know the shape is selected because the path outline around it will reappear:
Click inside the shape with the Path Selection tool.
go to menu” Release in the menu bar and select Free conversion path . or click on Ctrl + T (Win) / Command + T (Mac) On the keyboard:
Go to Edit > Free Transform Path.
Then drag any handles to resize the shape. The image inside the shape will remain at its original size.
I'm going to drag the handles to make my shape a little bigger:
Resize the shape without resizing the image.
When done, tap check mark in the options bar. or click on Enter (Win) / Return (Mac) On the keyboard:
Clicking the check mark.
How to trim transparent areas
The last thing we need to do before moving the shape to a different background is to trim the transparent areas around the shape. This will make it easier to center the shape on the new background.
Go up to a list Pictures in the menu bar and select Trim :
Go to Image > Trim.
Then in the Trim dialog box, make sure to select Transparent Pixels at the top, and that TOP و Bottom و Left و Right are specified below:
Cutting options.
Click OK to close the dialog, and the surrounding transparent pixels will be cropped immediately:
The result after the transparent pixels have been trimmed.
In this last part of the tutorial, I'll show you how to transfer the shape and image to a new background. Then we end up adding a stroke around the shape.
Step 1: Open the background image
Start by opening your background image.
I will be using this image from Adobe Stock. The image will open in its own separate Photoshop document:
new background image.
Step 2: Go back to your shape document
Then go back to the original document (the one with the image inside the shape) by clicking its own tab :
Click the Original tab.
Step 3: Select the Move Tool
To move the shape to the background document, we'll simply drag and drop it.
Locate move tool From the toolbar:
Choose the Move Tool.
Step 4: Attach the image and the vector mask
In the Layers panel, make sure the image and vector mask are linked together. You must see Link icon between thumbnails. If not, click the empty space between the thumbnails to link them:
The link icon should be visible.
Step 5: Drag the shape to the Background document tab
Then click on the shape with the move tool and drag it up and over Tab For a background image document:
Drag the shape to the Document Background tab.
Step 6: Hold Shift and drag down on the background image
Hold the mouse button and mouse pointer over the tab until Photoshop switches to the background image.
Then press and hold a key Shift on the keyboard, drag the mouse pointer down on the background image, and then release the mouse button:
Hold Shift and drag down on the background image.
The Shift key tells Photoshop to center the shape within the document. We now have the shape and the image inside it in front of the new background.
use free transform (Click on Ctrl + T (Win) / Command + T (Mac)) To resize the shape if needed:
The shape and image are placed on the new background.
How to add borders around a shape
To finish off the effect, let's add a stroke around the shape. And we'll do that using the Layer effect.
Step 1: Add a Stroke layer effect
In the Layers panel, make sure the layer containing the original image and shape is selected.
Then click an icon Add Layer Style (“fx” symbol):
Clicking the Add Layer Style icon.
And choose Stroke From the list:
Add a brush stroke layer effect.
Step 2: Choose a border color
In the Layer Style dialog box, set the stroke color by clicking color sample :
Clicking the border color swatch.
Then choose a color from Color picker in Photoshop. I will choose the White . Click OK when you're done closing the Color Picker:
Choose the border color in the Color Picker.
Step 3: Adjust the stroke size and position
Back in the Layer Style dialog box, change Occupation from stroke to Out .
Finally, set the stroke thickness using an option Size . The value you need depends on the size of your image. I'll go with 24px:
Adjust position and size options.
Click OK to close the Layer Style dialog, and we have the final result:
The ultimate “picture in shape” effect.
