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Changing the Canvas Size
You can use the “Canvas Size” command in the Menu Bar to add or remove workspace around the actual image file. You can also use this command to crop an image by decreasing the canvas size.
To use this command, select “Image| Resize| Canvas Size…” from the Menu Bar. In the “Width:” text box, type the number that you want for the width and then use the drop-down to the right of the text box to select the unit of measurement that you want. In the “Height:” text box, type the number that you want for the height and then use the drop-down to the right of the text box to select the unit of measurement that you want. If you check the “Relative” checkbox, which resets any measurements that you have made, you can re-enter the numbers and units and it will adjust the canvas size in relation to the size that it currently is.
In the “Anchor” section, click the arrow to set the direction by which you want to anchor the image. The growth (or shrinkage) of the canvas will occur in the direction that the black arrows point. Below that area, use the “Canvas extension color:” drop-down to select which color you want for the canvas extension if you are extending the size of your image. You can also just click the small color box to the right of that drop-down to select a custom color using the “Color Picker,” if you prefer. To then apply the change that you set, click “OK.”
Rotating and Flipping Images
You can use the “Rotate Canvas” command to rotate and flip the image in the canvas. You can rotate or flip the entire image or just the currently selected layer. To either rotate or flip an active image, select “Image| Rotate” from the Menu Bar. From the side menu that appears, select the command that you want to perform: “180°,” to rotate the image 180 degrees (half of a circle); “90° Left,” “Flip Layer Horizontal,” which flips the selected layer horizontally, and so on. If you choose “Custom,” the “Rotate Canvas” dialog box will be displayed, where you can enter a value in the “Angle” textbox and then choose to rotate the image “Right” or “Left.” When you are done, just click “OK.”
Cropping Images
Cropping allows you to trim away parts of an image that are unnecessary, which can enhance the composition of your image. You can crop an image using the “Crop Tool” in the Toolbox, which has the most options for cropping available to you. To crop an image, first click the “Crop Tool” to enable that feature.
In the Tool Options Bar, you can then select a crop type by clicking one of the buttons. You can choose from “Rule of Thirds,” “Grid” “Golden Ratio” and “None.” If you select one of these overlays other than “None”, it will appear as you crop your image. Each of the overlays relates to commonly accepted compositional techniques in photography.
If you want to constrain your crop, you can use the “Crop Preset Options” drop-down to select one of the pre-set aspect ratios such as 3 x 5 and 4 x 6 which will restrict the crop you create to that size. If you select “Use Photo Ratio” the crop will be restricted to the same ratio as the current image. You can also create your own by choosing “No Restriction” from the drop-down and entering your own values in the text boxes to the right. Finally, you can also set the resolution for the cropped image by entering a value in pixels in the text box to the right.
Then, to make your crop, click and drag into the image. When you do, you will see a dotted line around the perimeter of the image and the lines of any overlay you chose, along with “handles” at the corners and sides of the image. Hover your mouse over any of these handles until your cursor turns into a double-sided arrow. Click and hold on one of the handles and you can drag it to change the size of the crop. Remember if you chose to constrain the proportions of the image, the other side will adhere to that setting. The area that appears inside the dotted line of the outside border is what you will keep. You can also move the crop by clicking and dragging inside the crop to move it around the image.
Once you have made a crop, you will also see two buttons appear at the bottom-right of the cropped image. You can click the “Cancel” button at any time to cancel the current crop operation altogether, or the “Commit” (checkmark) button to complete the desired crop.
