Today I thought I’d do something a little different, and show you how I created the template I used to make this little watering can.
I found the watering can template pdf on a paper stamping website and knew I wanted to use it with Penny’s 12 Months: August kit. Instead of printing out an entire sheet of the patterned paper and the solid paper and then printing the template on the back side of the papers, I decided I would create clipping masks and clip the papers to the masks.
I used Photoshop CS5 and went to File > Open. Then I selected my watering can pdf file and clicked open. The Import PDF dialog box opened up with Select: Pages already selected. I clicked on page 4, which contained the lines for the template. I accepted the page options defaults, and I clicked OK.
The document canvas wasn’t 8.5″ x 11″, so I went up to Image > Canvas Size and changed the document size to be 8.5″ x 11″. Doing so caused some cropping to occur, but since the lines of the template were inside the 8.5″ x 11″ area, it wasn’t a problem.
There were four main pieces to the template, so I needed four separate layers in my document. I also needed a layer for the lines, and wanted a background layer. I went up to Layer > New > Layer and then typed in the name of each layer. I named the lowest layer “background” and then used the paint bucket tool to fill it with white. I named the lines layer “lines” and moved it to the top layer.
Next, I selected the wand tool, and clicked outside the body of the watering can. After that, I went to Select > Inverse so that each piece of the template was selected with the marching ants. In order to isolate each piece of the template, I used the lasso tool while holding down the ALT key and went around each other piece of the template to deselect it.
Once that was done, the marching ants only remained around the body of the watering can. I clicked on my “watering can body” layer, selected the paint bucket, and filled the interior of the body with a grey paint. I deselected the layer, and repeated the steps for the remaining three pieces of the template.
My document then looked like this:
Now the template was ready to use as a clipping mask. I clipped two papers to the four pieces. I turned off the lines layer by clicking the eye that’s to the left of the layer. I didn’t want this layer to print, or I’d have words on my pretty paper. When I was ready to assemble the watering can, I turned the lines layer back on by clicking the box on the left of the layer in order to figure out what folds to make where.
I printed the document and then cut out each piece and adhered them together using red line tape. Finally, I embellished the front of the watering can with a scalloped circle I punched out, along with a metal medallion, some flowers, a button, and some twine I had in my stash.
I hope this tutorial helps you convert a pdf template to a clipping mask template; if you create something using this tutorial be sure to leave your gallery link so I can see!
oh this is great-thanks a bunch!
what a great idea!
This is so cute!! Great idea! Thanks!!