I found a tutorial on You tube to learn how to do this but they refer to a custom brush setting. Does Elements have this, I cannot find it. So I'm wondering if this tool is just for CS3 users. Anyone know? Thanks in advance.
Jacque

Jacque,

Hi,

Could you please pose some more info - maybe the link to the tutorial or details on the brush setting recommended.

Chances are that if it isn't available, there is a work-around.

I think what she is looking for is a rule of thirds grid. I have one, will have to google it to find out where I found it.

This site will show you how to make one in elements

http://www.photokaboom.com/photography/ ... thirds.htm

This one shows you where there is a grid in elements custom shapes
http://www.alibony.com/graphics/def_rule_of_thirds.html

Suzi, Jacque:

I found a bit of a tutorial on this in Scott Kelbys book for CS3 and I was able to replicate it in Elements 5.

It involves using the Custom Shape Tool, selecting All Shapes, then looking for a Grid - the same on is in Elements 5 as in CS3.

You draw out the shape using the info palette as a guide to get a 4x6 shape, then use the Move Tool to reposition/expand/contract the grid to the area you want. Then Crop and delete the shape layer.

Works, but cludgy. I would rather just draw out the crop box using the crop tool and position it by eyeball.

The rule of 3rds doesn't have to be that rigorous and you should be able to eyeball it with the crop tool.

Maybe I've missed something here, but why not just show the grid? In the preferences, choose Grid. In the Gridline Every field, put 33.33 and choose percent from the popup menu on the right. In the Subdivisions field, change the number to 1 and click OK. Then, when you want to do a Rule of Thirds crop, go to View, Show Grid.

Sarch, that is exactly what I've done, but when I go to move the picture is leaves a space to the side that if just white and I cannot move the picture around to fill it. I am moving the picture to the right to crop it to the rule of thirds but what is happening is the left side of the screen is filling in white. Then I double click on the picture to have it fill but what I'm afraid of happening is the picture being distorted. I hope this makes sense.
Jacque

Are you moving your picture were you want it and then using your crop tool within the confines of the picture? I just opened Elements to try that, and nothing was distorted. Maybe I'm not understanding exactly what you are doing. Is this what you are doing (click on it for a larger version)?

I think jspauld is trying to move the picture to line up to the grid - something that's not actually an easy thing to do, but possible - though I'm not sure it's worth the trouble.

Right click on your background layer (in the layer palette) and select "Layer from Background". Go to Image > Resize > Canvas Size. Add a good amount of extra, perhaps 20% on either side of the image. You'll now have your image sitting in the middle of a transparent layer.

Go to Edit > Preferences > Grid and select "Gridlines every" and enter 33.3, changing units to percent, and then Subdivisions 1.

You should be free to move (with the Move tool) your picture around your thirds grid and also resize a little if necessary, on top of the canvas.

Suzi posted a link to a tutorial in this thread and it in turn links to a tutorial on cropping to a rule of thirds that is based on Photoshop but is equally doable in Elements.

The tutorial link is to http://photos4clix.com and looks like it gets added to weekly. I tried a combination of using the 33.33 Percent method and what it recommends and was easily able to create a grid on a transparent layer. You will have to scroll down a bit and there is thr tutorial as well as a following tip.

All that being said, I don't believe the precision that is achievable with this technique is really necessary. If I am cropping to a rule of thirds, I use the crop tool, drag out the image size I am trying to achieve, then position the crop box by eyeball to a rule of thirds position.

I do keep my grid set to give me a guide to check my crop, but I also just eyeball it. Like in horseshoes close counts.