Shapes


Making shapes is not particularly difficult and this is how you make one to apply the Rule of Thirds to any Photoshop image.

Create a new image.  The size doesn't matter as long as it is easy to divide into thirds.  300 pixels by 300 pixels will do as will 600 pixels by 600 pixels.

shapes new file

Select View and make sure Rulers, Snap and Snap To (Guides and Document Bounds) are selected (they will have a check mark in front of them).

Zoom out to about 80% so you have a view of the full of the document on the screen.

The next step is to put the cursor over the vertical ruler and drag out a guideline to the left margin.  When it's in place, drag out another one one-third across the document (at 100 pixels if you have a 300 pixel document).  Drag out a third guide two-thirds across the document and finally drag out a fourth to the right margin.

Now do the same with the horizontal ruler.  This is what you have when it is all done ...

shapes document


Now grab the Rectangular Tool and set the options bar like this ...

shapes options

The left outlined box is Paths and the right outlined rectangle is Intersect Path Areas.

The next step is to select each of the little rectangles one at a time until all nine of them have been selected like this ...

shapes all rectangles


After all the rectangles have been selected get the Path Selection Tool - shapes path selection tool - and select all of the squares starting at the top left to the bottom right.  After they are selected go to the Options bar and set it up like this ...

shapes option bar 2From left to right the two buttons are Exclude overlapping shape areas and the Combine button.  This combines the nine rectangles into a single path.

Creating and Using


With the paths that you just selected go to Edit > Define Custom Shape ... which brings up this screen where you give your creation a name - I called mine ROT (Rule of Thirds).

shapes name

The little preview window is black  rather than showing the actual grid - don't be concerned because it is in your palette

Select the Shapes Tool (keyboard shortcut - U) - shapes tool .

Drop down the Shapes and select your shiny new Rule of Thirds.

Open an image and loosely cover the area you want to select.  

The rule of thirds can be re-sized and moved around with the Path Selection Tool (keyboard shortcut A) and make sure the Show Bounding Box has a check mark in it.  Hold down the Shift key to maintain the aspect ratio.

shapes example2

When you are finished moving and resizing open up the Paths Palette - Windows > Paths.

Load path as a selection by clicking on the little button at the bottom of the Paths palette (outlined in red) and the grid will be replaced with a selection.

Now go to Image > Crop and admire your new image ...!

shapes final image


This is a rather long procedure but you only need to create it once once and it can be used over and over again.




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