Expert: LizaL - 12/2/2004

Question
Thanks for all your help, I finally got it! Just one  or two more quick questions. How do I  make  the edges of a picture feathered? I want to place an oval border around an image so that it looks  feathered, and when I print this from photoshop do I always need to flatten the image?  TIA Leon

Answer
Hey Leon, I knew you'd get it!! Great!!

There are several ways to feather a selection. Probably in your case, I'd first make sure you have a backup copy of the completed image, in layers -- this way you can always go back to it if you need to. So once you have this copy made, work on either it or the original. Just keep that extra with the layers as a good backup.

Anyway, in your case, since you've completed the job, I'd flatten the image in the file you're going to work with. Then use your oval selection tool -- but before you actually use it, just select it and look at the options for that tool. You'll find them below the pulldown menus.

I forgot -- are you using Photoshop CS? If so, set the option for the oval selection tool to about 4 or 5, to experiment with. Then make your selection with the tool. With the image still selected, go to the Select pulldown menu, select Inverse, and then go to the Edit pulldown menu and select Cut.

So what you've done is make a selection, and then you've told Photoshop to invert that -- in other words, select everything *outside* of that selection. Then with the Cut command you trimmed all that outside away.

You should be left with a feathered oval! Experiment with the number you use for the Feathering option to get the look you want.

About flattening an image before printing -- no, you don't have to do this, and it has no bearing on your printing. But when you save the file, it will be bigger if it has layers than if you'd flattened. So for file size sake, it's best to flatten.

That's why I always say make one copy of your file flattened, but leave one as a straight .PSD file, complete with layers. You never know when you'll want or need to go back and edit a separate layer, and once you've flattened, you can't go back.

Hope this helps! Let me know how it turns out!

Lisa