Crop and size to standard frame sizes

[cbutton69]

I want to crop and size images so they fit it standard picture frames, e.g., 4 x 5, 5 x 7, 8 x 10. I couldn't figure out how to do it with Photoshop Elements, Xara Picture Editor, or any other photo software I have. In order for the it to happen, I believe the cropping and sizing must be done simultaneously. I found a way to do it with XaraXtreme, but I wonder if anyone can tell me an easier way.

Here's how I do it:
1. Import the image.
2. Create a rectangle the size I want, e.g., 5 x 7, with no fill.
3. Move the section of the image I want so it is beneath the rectangle.
4. Using the corner handles (with the "preserve aspect ratio" button selected), reduce the size of the image, moving it as necessary, so the desired part fits inside the rectangle.
5. Select both the image and the rectangle.
6. Combine shapes => Intersect shapes.

This works, but I'm hoping someone can give me a better method.

[Scotty]

Or you could create rectangle size you want, Import your Image, then use it as a fill...you can adjust the 'tile' image within the rectangle to fit, this way if you resize the rectangle the image scales with it.
Jim

[cbutton69]

Jim, I'm still pretty new at XaraXtreme. Can you flesh out your procedure for me a little bit?

Charlie

[gwpriester]

Create the rectangle to the desired size.

Import your photo into Xtreme.

Select the rectangle.

Open the Bitmap Gallery (F11), select the photo and then press Fill.

Select the photo with the Fill Tool (F5). Click on one of the outside squares.

Use the left and right arrow keys to increase or decrease the size of the photo in the rectangle.

TIP: Once you have the photo cropped in the rectangle the way you want it, make several duplicates of the filled rectangle.

Import your other photos. When you fill the rectangle with a new photo, it will automatically scale to the size of the current photo.

Gary

[Scotty]

Hi,
Gary saved my 'ass' he just saved me the trouble of tryign to explain myself ( I ain't good at explaining). Just Follow gary's instructions and ignore my flimsy excuse for a description. gAry you are the MAN!
Thank you Gary!
Jim

[mg.architect]

I'm missing something here...when I fill the rectangle with my pic only a portion of the pic shows, not the whole pic. Then when I use the fill tool I have an L-shaped arrow with boxes on the ends of the arrows (not this one right?) and one tiny little black box in the upper left corner of the picture/rectangle. When I click on that tiny box with the fill tool and then use the arrow keys to move things the whole picture moves, not the picture within the rectangle. So how does one resize the pic so as to crop the pic?

mg

[Christine Farrelly]

"Use the left and right arrow keys to increase or decrease the size of the photo in the rectangle"

Arrow keys on the keyboard.

Christine

[mg.architect]

Yes, those are the arrow keys I used.
mg

[stratocast]

I'm missing something here...when I fill the rectangle with my pic only a portion of the pic shows, not the whole pic. Then when I use the fill tool I have an L-shaped arrow with boxes on the ends of the arrows (not this one right?) and one tiny little black box in the upper left corner of the picture/rectangle. When I click on that tiny box with the fill tool and then use the arrow keys to move things the whole picture moves, not the picture within the rectangle. So how does one resize the pic so as to crop the pic?

Click on one of the boxes at the end of one of the arrows, not the one in the top left corner. Also, if you don't want the image to tile (I think this may the default behaviour) you can change it on the fill toolbar. By the way, the up/down arrow keys will rotate the image in the frame.

If you select the box where the arrow lines intersect, then the arrow keys move the image left, right, up and down.

[gwpriester]

I meant to post this image yesterday but had to go out and forgot all about it.

Click either outside control point with the Fill Tool then use the left and right arrow keys to enlarge or reduce the size of the image.

Use the up and down arrow keys to rotate and scale the image.

Select the center control point and use any arrow key to move the image around inside the rectangle or any other filled shape.

The Exception: Occassionally, and I am not sure why this happens, the left and right arrow keys will rotate instead of resize the fill. If this happens, use the up and down arrow keys.

Gary