Web Domination Using Photoshop

Resizing a Document

Solution

Bring up the Image Size dialog box by selecting Image > Image Size or pressing Ctrl-Alt-I (Command-Option-I on a mac). You can resize the document by altering either the Pixel Dimensions or the Document Size. Use the former when resizing images that will be used on screen (such as images that will be used on a web page), and the latter when resizing images that will be printed.

Image Size dialog box

You can maintain the original document proportions as you resize the image by checking the Constrain Proportions checkbox. To scale layer styles (drop shadows, strokes, etc.), check the Scale Styles checkbox.

Resizing a Layer or Selection

Photoshop also lets you resize layers or particular portions of a document without affecting the overall size of the document.

Resizing an element using corner handles

Solution

From the Layers palette, select the layer that contains the element you wish to resize. If the layer contains other elements that you don't wish to resize, select your element using one of the selection tools.

After making your selection, use Edit > Free Transform or press Ctrl-T (Command-T on a Mac). A bounding box with handles will appear around your selection. Click and drag these handles to resize the element, as shown in this example. To keep the transformation in proportion so that the image does not appear squashed or stretched, hold down the Shift key and resize it using the corner handles.

You can also resize the element to a specific width or height using the options bar. In the example below, I clicked the Maintain Aspect Ratio button (signified by chain links), then specified the width -- this changed the height of my element automatically. If I had not maintained the aspect ratio, only the width of my rose would have changed.

Press Enter or double-click inside the bounding box to apply the transformation.

Using the Free Transform options

Discussion

When you resize different layer types, you get different results. Vector shape layers, such as text or shape layers, can be resized larger or smaller without loss of quality.

Smart Objects can also be resized larger or smaller without loss of quality, depending on the original file. If the original file is a vector graphic, the Smart Object can be resized without ever losing quality. If the original file is a GIF or similar, the Smart Object can be resized up to the size of the image dimensions, above which it will start to lose quality.

Raster layers or selections can only be resized smaller. Resizing them larger will usually result in loss of quality.

Rotating a Layer or Selection

Earlier, you may have used the Free Transform command to resize layers and selections, and thought it was pretty swell. What you probably weren't aware of at the time is that the very same command can also be used to rotate layers and selections!

Solution

Make a selection or choose the layer you'd like to rotate. Select Edit > Free Transform or press Ctrl-T (Command T), and move your cursor outside the bounding box.

You'll see that it turns into a curved, two-headed arrow as shown in this example. You can click and drag this cursor to rotate the elements within the bounding box.

Rotating a selection

Hold down the Shift key to constrain the angle movement to 15-degree increments. You can also set a specific angle of rotation (between -180° and 180°) in the Angle text box in the options bar.

Setting the angle of rotation in the options bar

Rotation Alternatives
For 90- or 180-degree rotations, you can select Edit > Transform and choose from Rotate 180°, Rotate 90° CW, or Rotate 90° CCW.

Press Enter or double-click inside the bounding box to complete the transformation.