How to create a masked ellipse

[unfaithfulsfan]

This is sort of related to my last post but I thought it might be better to start a new thread because this is a bit different.

I want to mask off an elliptical area to isolate just the people in the group photo below for use in a similar layout (on the right) so the "yearbook" layout doesn't continue to look like a big pile of elephant puckey. I saw an example in this tutorial (Thanks, gwpriester!!) for creating a circle that looked like it would work. So I tried it but I can't seem to get the area symmetrical. Also, I realize it's two different group shots but the chief doesn't want the Village Board in the shot.

Is there any quick way to draw an ellipse and convert it to a mask in X9?

Should also point out that this was my first "formal" photography attempt. I usually just do "live" shots of people having a good time so this was a little nerve-wracking for me. (It didn't help much that the off-duty firefighters were already doing shots of Krupnick, a rather potent Polish honey liqueur) Therefore, I didn't realize before I took the shot that the woman on the left side should really have been on the right side to balance out the group.

Thanks so much for the help!!
Jack

[gwpriester]

Wrong tutorial. Wrong tool.

Try this.

[unfaithfulsfan]

Wrong tutorial. Wrong tool.

So I figured! However, I did try that before I posted. I thought that was the most reasonable way to do what I wanted. But it did not work. That's what led me to post. "Apply ClipView" was not active after selecting & moving the ellipse to the back & selecting the photo. I also double-checked to make sure 2 objects were selected.

I'll try it again to see if I missed something, as usual........ I'll post back afterward.

One of these days I'll get reasonably proficient with graphics software.

Thanks again!!

[unfaithfulsfan]

OK, now I'm pretty sure X9 is out to get me! I swear to you "Apply Clipview" was not active when I tried this before!!

I'm a victim of soicumstance!!

Needless to say, it worked. I really don't know what I didn't do before. Maybe I should have a couple of shots of Krupnick!

Thanks a million!!

[wizard509]

You could try creating an ellipse and move it where you want. if you cannot see the image under to position the ellipse, then simply set a line around it and clear the fill. Now you can either set the fill again and put it to the back, select both objects and apply clipview. Or you can leave it unfilled and in front and intersect shapes. If you want the edges soft like an vignette you could take the image created earlier and do an elliptical transparency. Either way you do not need to reapply the fill, simply having the ellipse as a line should cut out what you want

[angelize]

You could also do this quite easily by placing your ellipse on top of the photo selecting both and use the key board short cut Ctrl+3 to intersect shapes.

[unfaithfulsfan]

Actually I have found the safest thing to do is to, after I move the ellipse/shape to the back, just hit CTRL+A to make sure everything is selected!

On to my next conundrum.....

[gwpriester]

You could also do this quite easily by placing your ellipse on top of the photo selecting both and use the key board short cut Ctrl+3 to intersect shapes.

Same thing except with one you put the mask in front and the other (Clipview) you place the mask behind.

Both are non-destructive but it is a bit easier to remove a clip view than an intersected shape.