There are two no-nos to avoid when using templates that have angled clipping masks. I'll demonstrate the two no-nos using this template called ql-grayscale-template-06.psd. You'll find it in the Part 5 practice folder for lesson eight, along with the other images I'll be using, including these two photos.

I'll be using guides in this lesson, so I need to turn on the rulers. In the menu bar, choose View, Rulers. Here's no-no number one: forgetting to angle a photo that's clipped to an angled clipping mask. Select the clipping mask you want to use. I'll click on the right photo clipping mask, open the Photo Bin, and click and drag the gull photo onto your document above the right clipping mask. And let's move this over a bit so we can see the gull. I'll use my favorite clipping mask method of pressing Alt in Windows or Option on a Mac and clicking on the line between the two layers in the Layers panel.

Before I resize the photo, let me show you that the gull is perfectly straight. If I click and drag a guide from the left ruler and place it over the gull's leg, we can see that the leg is perfectly vertical compared to the side of my document, but not compared to the side of the photo clipping mask. The clipping mask is tipped, so logically, the gull photos should be tipped the same amount. Let's zoom out and resize our photo. Press Ctrl T in Windows or Command T on a Mac to get Transform options and I'll need to press Ctrl zero in Windows or Command zero on a Mac to see all the edges. Press Alt in Windows or Option on a Mac and click and drag from a corner handle to resize the photo. And I'm just going to click and drag from the corner handle there. And now let's angle the photo to match the clipping mask angle.

An easy way to do that is to line up one side of the Transform outline to the same side of the clipping mask. Let's actually line this side up with this one over here. And I'm just going to move it over next to it. So I'll go outside the bounding box until I get my curved double arrows. Then click and drag in the direction so that this line lines up with this edge of the clipping mask. Now I can move this over and put it into place. And I can even resize it a little bit if I want. I might make this just a little bit bigger and move that over some. Click on the checkmark to commit the Transform. To get rid of the guide, in the Menu Bar choose View, Clear Guides.

Here I've added the second photo. It has a clear horizon so you can tell just by looking at it that the photo is straight according to the document, but not according to the tipped clipping mask. Here it is after rotating it slightly to the left to match the photo clipping mask. The same is true of a paper clipped to a paper clipping mask. This paper is straight but it's on an angled clipping mask so it looks weird. It must be rotated to match the angle of the clipping mask. Or you can rotate it even further for special effect. Just don't leave it looking weird like you made a mistake.

No-no number two is using a side handle to resize an angled clipping mask. You can resize an angled to clipping mask proportionately. But if you click and drag from the sides, you'll distort it. Let me demonstrate with this clipping mask that has an exaggerated angle. Get the Transform tool and click and drag a side handle. I'm also adding the Alt key in Windows or the Option key on a Mac to resize both sides at the same time. Now that just looks weird.

Let me show you the right way to do it. To demonstrate I'll adjust the clipping mask of the Haystack Rock photo because I would like the photo to be wider. Adjusting the sides of a clipping mask is a two step process. Step one is to straighten the clipping mask. In the Layers panel click on the photo clipping mask for the photo you want to widen. Press Ctrl T in Windows, Command T on a Mac to get Transform options. Click and drag outside the Transform boundary to make the clipping mask straight again. When you get it where you think it's straight, then you'll want to zoom in a little bit and maybe even drag out a guide. And that's looking pretty good. I might move it just a hair about like that, and then click on the checkmark to commit the transform

Step two is to widen the clipping mask and then angle it. Now that the clipping mask is vertical, you can get the Transform tool again and click and drag from a side handle to make the clipping mask wider. When you're satisfied with the width, rotate the clipping mask again, before committing the Transform. I'll put it maybe just a teeny bit more... there, that looks good. And then click on the checkmark to commit the Transform.

Adjust the photo position as necessary. I like being able to see more of Haystack Rock. Let's move this over just a tad bit more. Adjust any other elements around the photo. In this case, I need to move the paper mat over a bit. So in the Layers panel, I'll select all of the paper layers and the clipping mask and just move those over. And let's go ahead and resize this. But I'm going to resize it proportionately by clicking and dragging from a corner handle. So we don't have to go through the same thing we did with the photo and I'll click on the checkmark to commit the change.

The same steps would be necessary if you want to increase the height of an angled clipping mask. Use this anytime you're changing the proportions of a clipping mask that's angled. And here is my finished project. Everything you need to recreate this project is in the Part 5 practice folder for lesson eight.

So that's how to avoid the no-nos when using angled clipping masks.