For: Photoshop 6 and higher

Level: Intermediate
This tutorial will show you how to create an image with rounded corners.

Step 1
Load your image in Photoshop. If the rulers are not visible, press Control+R.
Double click the background layer to turn it to a floating layer (you may want to
rename
it
to
'Photo').

Step 2

We will now add 4 guidelines, on each one of the four image edges. Later, in step
5 we will use them to position a vector shape by snapping it to the guidelines.
To add the first vertical guideline, click on the vertical ruler and drag to the right,
the way the small red arrow shows. Similarly, add the second vertical guideline
(drag the way the longer red arrow shows). Finally add the two horizontal
guidelines
(the
way
shown
by
the
2
blue
arrows):

Step 3
We will now embed the rounded corners shape. Right-click (MacOS: Control+Click)
the custom shapes tool (arrow 1) and then click the rounded rectangle tool
(arrow
2):

Step 4
On the options bar, make sure the path icon is selected (arrow 1). Then type in a
radius value (arrow 2). Higher values produce more rounded corners.

Step 5

Now use your mouse to drag from the top left image corner to the lower right
corner. The guidlines will help you position the vector shape exactly around the
image edges:

If you decide that this vector shape's corners are not round enough, press escape
and start again from step 4 by typing a higher Radius value.

Step 6
On the main menu, select Window>Paths to show the paths palette. The rounded
corners path is there. Click the Load path as a selection button, to create a
selection
from
this
vector
path:

TIP: you can Alt-click (MacOS: Option+Click) this button and check the Anti-Aliased button in
case it is not automatically checked. This way the produced selection will be smoother.

On

the

main

menu

select

Step 7

Select>Inverse

to

inverse

the

selection.

Step 8
Then press the delete button. The effect is ready! Press Control+D to deselect
(MacOS:
press
Command+D).

You can also create an image with only two rounded corners (like the banner at the
beginning of this tutorial). To do this, first follow the steps 1 to 7.

Step 9
Then on the toolbar select the rectangular Marquee tool (select it with your
mouse or press Shift+M as many times as needed to pick the tool).
On
the
options
bar
click
the
Subtract
from
selection
button:

Step 10
Use your mouse to draw a selection that 'covers' the two selected areas at the
bottom
of
the
image:

Step 11

Press the delete button. The effect is ready! On the main menu choose
Select>Deselect:

few

comments

for

the

more

experienced

Photoshop

users:

1. You can avoid adding the 4 guidelines. In fact while drawing the vector path,
you can press both Control+Space keys, in order to position the path with your
mouse,
exactly
where
you
want
to.
2. If you want to create an image with only 2 rounded corners you can avoid steps
9-11. In fact when you have finished drawing the shape (as it is described in step
5) you can press Control+T and then drag the low middle trasnformation handle
downwards, till the sloppy corners fall outside the image. Then you need to load the
selection from the paths palette, inverse it and press delete.