Resizing Pictures for Ovals
by Maureen Williams

In egg artistry there are many times when you need an image to fit a specific sized oval. For example, on the lid of a trinket box or maybe on the door of a diorama. Using your computer you can resize an image to fit any size oval. This short tutorial will show you how to do it.

Sizing a Picture to Fit a Specific Sized Oval

Open the picture you want to place an oval around. (e.g. To fit on a door or to put in the back of a diorama.)

SHIFT+D to copy the picture (Edit, Copy) Close the original picture. If necessary, in the Layer Palette right click on the Background Layer and Promote to Layer.

Click on your Oval image (select whichever layer has the oval colour you wish to use) CTRL+C to copy.

Click on your picture image to make it active and press CTRL+L to paste the oval as a new layer on top of your picture.

Select the image layer (layer 1), go to Image, Resize. Make sure you uncheck "Resize All Layers"

Click on the Actual/print size - this will give you an indication of how much you will need to resize your image to fit the oval.

Depending on the size of your print you may need 75% or maybe 50%. Make sure when you resize that the image is similar but slightly larger than your oval.

Effects, Sharpen, Sharpen (you should do this after you resize or use the Deformation tool to restore the crispness of the image) Click on the image layer and move the print under the oval until you get the best view for what you want.

Click on the Oval layer. Select the Magic Wand tool and click outside the oval. You will notice the marching ants around the outside of the oval.

Click on the Image layer and hit Delete. This will remove the excess image outside the oval.

Turn off the oval layer by clicking on the eye glasses in the layer palette. You will see a red cross on the glasses and the oval will disappear from around the image.

If you are happy with the results you can now delete the oval template layer. To do this, make sure the oval layer is selected and then click on the rubbish bin icon in the Layer Palette.

Click on the image layer that remains, hold down the left mouse button and drag the cursor to a blank area on your workspace. (You will see a small rectangle with an arrow and a + sign) This will give you a clean image, resized to the size of your oval shaped picture.

Save your image.

Printing Multiple Images

To print multiple images, whether multiples of a single image or a page of different images, click on File, Print Multiple Images. In the window that opens you will notice any images you have open on your work space listed down the left hand side.

Drag out the image you wish to print. If you want multiple copies of a single image just drag it out as many times as necessary.

Check the printout using Print Preview.

Print as required. If you are intending to print onto material or some speciality paper I would suggest doing a test print in draft quality to check the image size etc.

Resizing the Ovals to a Specific Size

If you want a specific sized oval, open one of the oval templates as a starting point. (SHIFT+D to copy and close the original)

Click on Image, Resize. In the Actual/Image Size enter the dimensions of the required oval, in decimal.

For your information I've listed the fractions with their relevant decimal equivalent.

1/8" = .125
1/4" = .25
3/8" = .375
1/2" = .50
5/8" = .675
3/4" = .75
7/8" = .875

Horizontal Oval

If you want a horizontal oval rather than a vertical one, follow the above procedure to copy and paste the oval.

Go to Image, Rotate. Make sure the "All Layers" is unchecked. Select either Right or Left, and check the 90 box and then OK.

Continue as above.

If you have any problems with this procedure don't hesitate to contact me.