Rule of Thirds Overlay?

I'm looking to put a Powerpoint presentation together on the principles of composition. I'd like to be able to show an image and then overlay a "rule of thirds" grid over the image.

Any idea how I can do that?

Well, the simple answer would be a second slide of the same shot, this one with the overlay PSed in. Now that wouldn't give your audience any sort of fancy animation (that is, the overlay would not fly in and settle down on the shot) but it would be the easiest way to make the point.

And what would be your idea for PSing the overlay?

nicshow wrote in post #4208581
And what would be your idea for PSing the overlay?

Danny's 3x3 Action at http://www.atncentral.​com/download.htm can do it automatically.



Rad

Can that action be used in PSE5?

This might be too simple a solution for you, but you can easily make a grid in PS Elements.

- Open a new document that is the same resolution as the images you will be using it with and transparent.

- Set the Elements Grid Preferences to 33.3, percent and 1 sub-division.

- Display the grid on your transparent document.

- Use the Line tool to draw (trace) the grid lines onto your transparent document.

- Flatten and save this document. You can either use it alone or drag it on top of your images as a layer, to display as part of your image.

Hope this helps.

OK, I see the problem.

IF I were trying to do the same thing, I would do the following:

WARNING: There may be an easier way, but I cant think of any now.

ASSUMING you do the arithmetic on YOUR shot - for this example, I will use a fictional image that is 900 pixels wide by 600 pixels tall.

I would use the rectangle selection tool and select an area 300 x 200 pixels (1/3 each dimension)

I would copy (CTRL+C) and paste (CTRL+V) some part of the image. It will paste into it's own layer. Then move that layer into the upper left corner.

(CTRL+V) again and move that NEW layer next to the one you just did (top middle).

(CTRL+V) again and move that NEW layer next to the one you just did (top right).

Do that a total of 9 times till you fill up the area of the shot. It should look like a wonky tick-tack-toe board.

Then "Merge Visible" all layers EXCEPT THE BOTTOM LAYER which is your original photograph.

You should now have 2 layers, the original and the tick-tack-toe one.

Create a new (empty) layer. On the empty layer use the pencil tool, red, about 6 pixels. What you need to do is follow the "lines" of the tick-tack-toe, in red, on the empty layer.

To get the pencil to draw a straight line, click (once) the pencil where you want the line to start, then move the pencil to where you want the line to end, press and hold the <SHIFT> key, then click the pencil again. That just made a straight line from the first to the second point.

Do that with all 6 lines, all on the "empty" layer.

Delete the tick-tack-toe layer.

Flatten the "lines" layer into the original photo and save with a new name.

Just to note, it takes about 9 times longer to type up the steps as it does to perform them. It sounds complicated, but it is really easy, once you are doing it.

Rad

I understand pibb's idea but when I went to draw the line, it keeps giving me some rectangle or box shape - even though I AM clicking on the "line" tool.

At first I got one line drawn but when I went to make the 2nd line, the first went away so I'm assuming each line will have to be in its own layer? And then flatten all the layers to have a transparent image with a grid on it?

Hi,

The Line tool is a shape, so it will automatically make a layer for each line you draw. I have elements 3 and it is under shapes. I have Version 5 but not as familiar with it, perhaps it is a little different?

For a horizontal line for example... hold down your mouse key and drag out a line to the other side and release the mouse. You should see your line and see a layer in the pallette for that line. Continue with the next one.

I'll open up 5 and have a look...

I think what is happening is that the default "weight" or size of the pen is so small that you cannot see the line. It's there. (I thought it was gone too until I magnified the canvas and could then see the very thin line, 1 px)

I took the weight of the pen up to 20 pixels so that I could see all the lines and also changed the colour.

The pen tool is still under Custom Shapes and after you open it, colour and size etc can be changed at the top of the screen, in the same manner as brushes.

That pen line has to be big enough to see as when you drag it out it looks all jaggy until you have it lined up straight - snap to grid should help with that.

Turn off the grid here and there and check your progress.

You are probably more versed than me in all of this.....

nicshow wrote in post #4209445
I understand pibb's idea but when I went to draw the line, it keeps giving me some rectangle or box shape - even though I AM clicking on the "line" tool.

At first I got one line drawn but when I went to make the 2nd line, the first went away so I'm assuming each line will have to be in its own layer? And then flatten all the layers to have a transparent image with a grid on it?

The line tool is a pain in the ass...

The PENCIL tool might be better. As I mentioned above:

Radtech1 wrote in post #4209389
To get the pencil to draw a straight line, click (once) the pencil where you want the line to start, then move the pencil to where you want the line to end, press and hold the <SHIFT> key, then click the pencil again. That just made a straight line from the first to the second point.

Rad

Rad,

That's a slick trick using the pencil with shift to get a straight line! This most certainly works great too.

Nic,

If you are still having trouble you may find the pencil tool easier, as described above by Radtech.

Why not show rulers, set them to percentage and hand-draw lines at 33 and 66%. Doesn't need to be exact, heck - eyeballing it would work fine in such an instance.

milleker wrote in post #4210841
Why not show rulers, set them to percentage and hand-draw lines at 33 and 66%. Doesn't need to be exact, heck - eyeballing it would work fine in such an instance.

Yep
This is the best way to do this. Just set your percentage to 33.333% and you will have an automatic grid overlay dividing the image into thirds.
If you then use the crop tool, the grid will automatically re calculate your thirds.