Never Use the Crop Tool
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- čas přidán 20. 05. 2024
- I’ve been using Photoshop since Day 1. Anymore, I never use the Crop tool. Don’t get me wrong, I crop, but not with the Crop tool. Let me explain.
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[CHAPTERS]
00:09 A Quick Look at the Starter Image
01:32 Working with the Crop Tool
02:35 Cropping to a Preset Aspect Ratio
03:28 Cropping to Specific Pixel Dimensions
05:01 Introducing the Canvas Size Command
08:05 Doing Some Basic Math in Photoshop
10:02 Sizing the Image to Fit the Canvas
13:13 Exporting a Flat JPEG or PNG File
14:14 You Have the Exact Result You’re Looking For
So much talking I got LOST I still don't know what to do
Try the Canvas Size command. 5:01
I always use the Canvas size to rescale it but have never thought of converting it into smart object, thanks for the tips Master Deke!
Excellent news! (More on Smart Objs TK!)
I've always used the Canvas Size tool, but only to make the canvas larger, so seeing this trick was definitely an "of course!" moment for me. Many thanks.
With regards to the guide, here's a trick for you: if the ruler is enabled (I always have it enabled), you can just drag from the ruler to the canvas and the guide will follow. Plus, it snaps to the centre, once you get close enough.
Another great way to work!
That ruler trick alone is sooooo useful
Guide 50% is a trick that was suggested to me by an attendee at a trade show long, long ago. I love that one.
Fascinating video! I too have been a pro PS user since the glaciers receded and I make a lot of social-media-sized image for clients (YT thumbs and such). A super-simple, non-destructive method that I use frequently is to edit my PSD to my liking, grab the marquee tool and make a 16x9 selection (or whatever size the client needs), position it where I want, turn on the layers I want to copy, use the "Copy Merged" command, paste all that into a new document, export as a JPEG with the desired specs, close the new file without saving, save and close the PSD, and go make coffee. This takes less than a minute, gives the client what they need, and doesn't endanger the original file. This IN NO WAY detracts from the excellent points made in this video; it's just another option that works pretty darn well.
I was about to say the same thing. The Marquee tool has been my method of choice for quite a while now. I was getting wonky results with Crop tool a few years ago and my first thought was to use the marquee. I’ve had good luck with it, although I am intrigued with using the Canvas size command now that I watched this video.
Thanks for this! Especially the part about making coffee. I left that step out. 😂
If I recall correctly, you explained a long time ago the advantages of Preserve Detail v2 over Bicubic. You didn't use it here because it doesn't say "v2" in the export window, or for some other reason?
Preserve Details (whether v1 or v2) is designed exclusively for upsampling. Here I’m downsampling, so Bicubic is the way to go.
Very clever Deke - thanks a ton!
My pleasure!
Thanks Deke for another very informative tutorial. I wondered is there any use for the crop tool or should I always use the canvas tool instead?
Well, for the reasons I laid out, I lean toward Canvas Size + smart object + nondestructive transform. That said, I sometimes use the Crop tool to experiment, as when I’m not sure exactly where I’m going.
Hi Deke, if you remove the letters px in the crop tool, you get exactly what you want and you don't have to resize twice. Pretty sure you know this, but wanted to let you know in case you didn't. Just start with ratio instead of 1280x720 and fill it in yourself. Like you do in image size.
You taught me everything in photoshop on VHS!! how cool would it be if I could teach you something 😂 Cheers!
VHS?? That’s awesome! As for removing the “px,” that gives you a ratio of 1280:720 (identical to 16:9, incidentally), which is not precisely what I want in this case. I want twice 1280 x 720px, with a downsample at the end.
Interesting, I always thought the meaning of "clipping" in the canvas tool (for true layers of course), was something akin to a clipping mask, therefore nondestructive.
In the context of this particular alert message, “clipping” is intended to warn you about permanently deleting pixels (altho it’s only true of the fixed Background). In other contexts, it can mean highlight/shadow clipping (which is also destructive) and clipping masks (which are, as you say, nondestructive). That’s one of those words that gets bandied about differently according to the software as well.
@@dekeNow Indeed. I learned something new here. Thank you! Side note: so good to find your channel here and see you're still around! I have fond memories of learning from your works going back to the early '90s (remember Corel Draw? Lol).
@@jakeperl5857 Nice! (CDraw for Dummies?)
very cool deke, thanks
Excellent!
Thank you, Deke! :D
My pleasure!
I've carefully done your whole Lynda series, ie I do love your presentations, but I don't see in this where you sufficiently teach why the crop tool should not be used. It's purpose IS to get rid of pixels you do not want. If you want to save all the pixels you simply save the original too. Why convert to sRGB?
I work this way b/c I want one layered document that I can edit and export as many times as I like. (If you start treating your cropped document as an independent file, you limit your long-term options.) Convert to sRGB b/c most sites don’t pay any attention to embedded profiles, and sRGB is the industry assumption. (I can investigate that one in a future video if you like.)
@@dekeNow - That's sounds good for continuous reediting of images you do not own, but if you are a photographer you do want to crop with a goal of getting rid of pixels, you create the image that way same as deleting words in an essay. For art, you edit edit, which means new files with permanent final changes, in Adobe RGB. PS I always take your advice as valuable, even if I disagree, cuz you Da Man.
@@johnsmith1474 Actually, have to agree with your reasoning. The photographer, artist, author should always have the final say on their work, and as such, permanent cropping is a birthright. I stand corrected. (And not just b/c you flattered me at the end, tho I do appreciate it!)
Thanks
Always my pleasure.
I find it easier to make a duplicate image and crop that to the output size.
I’m hearing that. And I get it (I duplicate for all kinds of reasons), but I’m not a big fan of multiple live documents. Possibly b/c I’m never quite sure I’ve got the composition right.
My idea of hell is a place where you are forced to check "Show transform controls" in the Move tool. 🥶🥵
My idea of hell is comments with emoticons.
@@johnsmith1474 🤦♂
Remember when the Move tool just moved things? 😁
I would never be able to make money on CZcams teaching. My video would be 30 seconds long and I would explain all these steps.
You described my Short: czcams.com/users/shortseaXlqXYu82Y
I got your point but I think you use wrong wording. There is nothing wrong with Crop Tool. It does its job exactly as expected. In many cases this is what people do need, and there is no need to go around using complicated processing.
Using resolution is pointless. When you are dealing with image in pixel dimensions, resolution is meaningless. There is option to state it just for the case if image is used in printing, because resolution affects image size when printed.
Method you described is good, and useful of you need better and finer control on details, and option to be able to change something later so you want to have elements saved in better resolution than output.
Other way to do it is to creating few project with needed output resolution and then placing elements of larger resolution (including moving and resizing as needed). The same effect with less fiddling around.
Changing image dimensions in export is no better than setting up project resolution at the first place. The only difference is if you do it in export that export has to do rescaling on the fly each time you do export. Changing resolution on export makes sense if you need same image in different dimensions.
Love the thoroughness of your reaction here! Lots to chew on. To address your last two paragraphs A) placing images into existing documents is fine, *unless* you care about creation dates, EXIF , copyright, and other metadata, which is a big part of what I do. And B) you want to be able to work with whatever number of pixels suit your purpose during the creation process, and then downsample to suit your destination purposes on export. The latter is such a common concept that it’s been built into the export process since exporting for screen work began.
Deke: This seems to be a very important and useful methodology.... However, you have talked so much, used too many words, taken a 7 minute tutorial to a 14 minute one, that I'm lost!!!!! Yeah, maybe it's just me.... But after 40 years in the radio and TV presentation business, I'm feeling that if you just CROPPED your presentation to the basics, eliminate all the extra words and side steps, it might be more understandable than it is. I get lost with your side steps that detract from the main focus of the tut! Take it One, Two, Three - DONE! This comment is really NOT INTENDED to he mean or anything like that... Just an observation from a new viewer on a subject that seemed extremely interesting but remains unfulfilled.
I appreciate your insight. For every full-length video, I include a shorter-than-1-minute Short: czcams.com/users/shortseaXlqXYu82Y
You're confusing two different features and don't seem to understand what clipping means. Also, there's a lock button on the background layer; it's there for a reason.
"Clipping" in the context of this error message means permanently removing pixels.
Why all this mouse fuss? 24 years in PS, but I have never seen such disgrace. I was hoping to see something useful, but I didn’t find it.
You may find this more helpful: czcams.com/users/shortseaXlqXYu82Y
sorry but you use the crop tool wrong! When using the crop tool you can change manually the value in ratio without changing the size/resolution of the image.
I am aware of that and cover that exact feature.