How do you cut...

[daddog]

I am looking to cut some pictures out with the specific dimensions of 960x350.
I am using the cropping tool (free form), but it does not show me what the dimensions are as I drag it across.

Anyway to set a crop to that size and then I can just move it around the picture till I have it just where I want it?

Thanks for your time.

James

[daddog]

Never mind. Figured it out.

[peppinl]

Hi James, I have the same question as you, can you tell me how you figured it out.

Thanks

Linda

[lata]

Hi Linda
and welcome to the forums


Don’t use PSP that much, the only way I can set an aspect ratio to crop is to set the “print size”

This is what I do.

1 / choose the crop tool, drag across your image.
2 / tick “Specify Print Size” (Properties panel at top)
3 / set the width and height, I set 16 x 9 for a widescreen aspect, or use a preset size this will set Print Size as in 2 above.
4 / cropping area can now be adjusted by dragging the corners.
Curser changes to x-hair+square.
5 / crop the image.

6 / If you need a specific pixel dimension use Shift+S to resize.

I am sure there are other ways, but I cannot find how to crop and change the resolution, that is resample whilst cropping. So have to re-Size.

[peppinl]

Thanks, I'll give it a try.

Linda

[LindaSue]

In the Tool Options for the Crop Tool, set the Units to pixels and then enter the size you want. Click anywhere inside the crop margin to drag it around your image. There is an option to maintain the aspect ratio if you need it.

[peppinl]

Thanks LindaSue but this isn't doing what I want.

Example:
I have an image which is 3264 x 2448 and I want to cut out an image 960 x 300. I don't want to resize to 960 x 613 as it removes too much of the original image.

Does this help?

[lata]

Hi

Not sure I fully understand but try this.

Select crop tool
Deselect Specify Print Size.
Set units as Pixels
Set size as 960px x 300px, looks quite panorama shape
Tick Specify Print Size.
Resizing the crop area will retain the aspect ratio.
Crop your image, will retain the crop pixel dimensions.

If you require 900 x 300, Shift+S to resize

[peppinl]

Thanks for your help lata,

I tried this but when I resize the crop area, although it retains the aspect ratio, it increases the size to the full width. Also, you say to set units as pixels but the only units available are inches or centimeters. The size is definitely in pixels though.

I have just moved to PaintShop from Adobes Photoshop where I can do this type of cropping quite easily.


Linda

[LeviFiction]

Peppini, can you describe how you did it in Photoshop? I always hated their crop tool but maybe it can give a hint as to what you're used to doing.

See in PSPX5 the crop toolbar has both a Pixel Dimensions area and a Print Size area. If you're using an older version you probably only see the Print Size. If that's the case then you need to define the print size as being the same ratio as your final result.

In this case you want a Width of 3.2 and a Height of 2.043 in Inches. Turn on "Maintain Aspect Ratio" and you can resize.

I can then crop and resize perfectly to 960x613 with no stretching.

-----
If you're trying to actually cut out a 960x613 piece of the larger image into a new one. There is an option on the toolbar that appears under the crop rectangle, or if you right-click on the crop rectangle, for cropping onto a new image.

[peppinl]

Thanks LeviFiction,

Here's how I do it in Photoshop:
Choose crop tool
Enter desired width and height in the boxes at the top remembering to add px for pixels or it defaults to cm
Pull out the crop area to the desired position and shape
Double click within the crop area and it crops to the shape and also resizes it to the width/height entered at the same time

I can see the pixel dimensions area which I can use to enter the size I want but when I pull out the crop area it just resizes to the original width this also happens when I use the print size as you suggests.

Linda

[Forriner]

Hi Linda,

Just to be sure about your question: You have a large image, and you want crop out an image that will ultimately be 960 × 350 pixels. Right?

1. open the crop tool and the Tool Options palette (View/Palettes/Tool Options) or F4.

2. you want to measure in pixels, so do not check 'Specify print size'. Specifying print size means you can only choose inches or centimeters as units, unchecking it opens up the pixel choice.

3. type 960 in Width and 350 in Height. After that click on Maintain aspect ratio.

4. now you can click anywhere in the middle of the crop outline to move it around the original image. You can also click and drag a side or corner to increase or decrease the size of the crop area. Because you ticked 'Maintain aspect ratio' the aspect will stay the same.
So move the outline around, and expand or contract it until it surrounds the image as you want to have it. You'll see the size in the toolbar.

5. right click in the crop area and chose 'Crop as new image' instead of Apply just to be safe. You'll see a new image, and the focus of PSP will be returned to the original image.

6. click on the new image to activate it. If it's already 960 × 350 you're done. Otherwise...

6.Shift+S and resize the new image. Click 'advanced settings' and make sure 'Lock aspect ratio' is checked. Then In the 'width' box above type 960 or 350 in the Height box. First make sure the Dimension drop down is Pixels, not percent.
That should leave you with a 960×350 image of the part of your original image that you want.
Or you can resize to any print size on the same dialogue box.
Apologies if I misunderstood the question.

[lata]

Hi Linda

The option to choose Pixels is available after De-Selecting the Specify Print Size

Once the Pixels are set choose to Maintain Aspect Ratio
You can now resize the crop area keeping it in proportion, the pixel settings will increase, ignore this.
Cropping the image will retain the selected pixels, then use Re-Size (shift+S) to resample to 960 x 300.

LeviFiction

The adobe crop tool can also re samples the image as well as cropping.
Can be quite destructive.
So you can choose a crop area, set the dimensions in pixels.
Leaving the resolution empty and the crop will choose the correct pixels without re-sampling, as PSP does.

[peppinl]

Hurray!!!

Thanks Forriner and lata - I get it now.


Linda