Expert: Kevin Stohlmeyer - 4/14/2009

Question
I am working on a yearbook and I need to create a "puzzle" piece in Photoshop (which is easy to do with the shapes menu)that has no background area attached. I would then place it in Adobe InDesign and fill the puzzle piece with a students picture. My problem is that although the shape appears with a transparent background, it always fills the puzzle piece AND a box in InDesign rather than just the puzzle shape. How can I create only the puzzle shape without it having a box around it? Creating the shape is the simple part...saving only the puzzle shape is the problem.

Answer
Hi Greg,

The easiest way to achieve what you are trying to do is to trace the shape using the pen tool in InDesign to create a custom image frame that you can place the photos into.

Otherwise, you will have to combine the photos and puzzle piece in PS before you place in InDesign using the Clipping Mask feature (under the layer palette). Apply the clipping mask to the photo layer while it is on top of the puzzle layer. The puzzle piece will clip out of the photo above.

Thanks

Kevin