cutting up a picture

Hi, hope someone can help me.

I created a picture in Photoshop 10.5in X 4in now i would like to cut it into 6 picture all 3.5 X 2 (like a business card size) I was creating a fridge magnet for my Church. Each week we will hand out one piece of the picture and after 6 weeks they will have the full size of the picture to put on there fridge. So, how can I cut the picture into 6 pieces and when they are reassembled they will all fit. I use Photoshop 6. I am also fairly new to photoshop. So, please answer me as if I haven't got a clue.

Thanks chuck
[email]chuckw@shaw.ca[/email]

Make sure your rulers at the top and left side are visible (Command-R/CTRL-R).

Now, drag out guidelines (by clicking and dragging them out from the rulers) , keeping your eye on the Info Palette so you can set them where you want them, both horizontally and vertically. If necessary, zoom in so you can more precisely align them to the 3-decimal-place location you'll be seeing in the Info Palette. Remember, if you keep holding that mouse button down, and keep dragging the guideline, the window will scroll when you get to the right side or bottom edge of a magnified image.

When you have the guidelines set, make sure they're locked in place. "View" Menu...Lock Guides (Command-Option-semicolon —or, for Windows— CTRL-ALT-semicolon)

In the "View" Menu, scroll down to "Snap To..." and select "Guides" This may help you for the next step.

Choose your rectangular Marquee Tool, and in the Options Bar, set "Style" to "Fixed Size"" and enter your "3.5in" & "2in" dimensions where appropriate. Type those measurement values in just as I have in between the quotes, and tap the "Enter" key. Make SURE the "Feather" numeric field in the Options Bar is set to "0 px".

Now, when you click on the upper-left corner of an area that is delineated by the guidlines a perfect selection, the size you want, will be made. Hold the mouse button down until you move that fixed size marquee into place. Again, if you need to zoom in to place the rectangular marquee selection properly, you can.

Now, execute the following sequence of shortcuts:
Command-C, Command-N, Enter, Command-V, Command-E.
(((Of course, if you're running Windows, substitute CTRL for Command)))

This will give you a new, flattened document with just that Marqueed selection. Save it, and repeat with the 5 other sections indicated by the guidelines.

Now, if you're having these done professionally by someone, you'll need to contact them and ask this question:

"Will I need to bleed each individual image over the edge boundries of the magnet's printing surface?" They will instruct you from there...(Actually, when having ANY print job done, it's ALWAYS a good idea to talk with the production house BEFORE YOU GET STARTED WITH THE DESIGN and talk to them about how they want jobs submitted, and to ask about EVERY specification they require. This will save everyone time, money and aggravation)

My suggestion? And carry idea this to whomever is in charge of the project: If you make smaller pieces—Say 1.5" X 1"— people might be more inspired to return to your church more times.

And DO NOT give them out in order— Left-to-right, top-to-bottom!!! Give them out randomly. Present it as being an allegory of slowly-revealed mystery, just like their quest to understand their spiritual presence in the world. That would take a 28 week commitment instead of 6.

The only real extra expense you may incur for making smaller puzle-pieces, if I'm sussing out the fridge-magnet production process correctly, is a few more bucks for cutting charges. Plus, it'd make a fun, but not too difficult puzzle for the kids. And, for an extra piece of money-making merchandise, you could promote sales of magnet-backed metal trays, printed with the church logo, just big enough to fit all the pieces. It could be stuck to the fridge-door, or used on a table.

And this would certainly be all the better for the collection plates! Gotta pay for the programs and building upkeep somehow!

Cool idea, by the way....

wow, what a detailed reply :D

That orta do it for ya

That's why I don't hang here much...I'd get exhausted answering them all as thoroughly as I'd like to, and you guys would get tired of reading...I keep readin' about you youngins and yer short 'ttention spans!!!!
;)

Utopian23,

Thank you so much for all your time and help. I did what you said and it worked perfectly!

I will be sure to tell everyone of your help and the great suggestion of making smaller pieces 1.5 x 1 over a longer period of time and giving them out randomly. I love that idea!

Thank you once again and God Bless.

chuck

Hey, you're welcome, Chuck.

I used to design and print gigantic banners, billboards and building wraps, and had to tile out images every day, so I described a simplified version of that process. I created Photoshop actions to do the drudgery, but getting that Action properly recorded the first time was a mindbender, because I had to also allow for overlap.

I hope the job goes well, and when it's finished I'd like to see some quick DigiPhotos of the pieces laid out on a table, or even stuck on a fridge door, for that matter!

Cheers!