The “Rotate View”

Another new feature in Photoshop CS4 is the “Rotate”.

We use this tool to rotate the canvas, not the photo.

This makes the photo editing easier in some circumstances.

Compare it with a piece of paper on your desk that you turn, to draw something easily.

To activate this tool to select the “Rotate View” option in the “Application Bar” or under the “Hand” tool in “Tool Bar”.

Click and drag the picture to rotate the canvas.

Once you’ve clicked a compass appears in the photo.

The red arrow of the compass points the the top of the picture. This does not lose the north.

In the options bar, we have three options.

In the textbox you can enter a rotation angle. The value in this box will also change when you’re turning the image with the mouse.

You can also click and drag the icon until it reached the desired angle.

Clicking on the “Reset view” button will return the canvas in its original form.

If you wish to rotate all the photos of the canvas simultaneously, select the check box “Rotate All windows”.

If you have rotared multiple pictures and you have the “Rotate All windows” unchecked, then when you click the “Reset View” button, only the selected images are restored.
If you want to see all photos in the original display, then you must leave this box unchecked.

Of course, with this you need to repair each photo.

If you would like use this option while you are working with another tool, you need to hold the R key on your keyboard while you click and drag the picture to rotate the canvas.

When you leave the mouse button, the last used tool is selected in the toolbar.

Of course, you will not have the “Reset View” option available in the options bar.

To bring the canvas back into its original position, click the Esc key on your keyboard.

There is not much to tell about this, just perhaps, this option also requires the OpenGL technology on your computer.

Canvas Size

Now that I’m on the canvas, perhaps, I can better explain the canvas and how to set the size of it.
The canvas in Photoshop is the editable region.

When you open a photo in Photoshop, the size of the canvas is equal to the size of the photo. So, when you open a photo, you can edit the picture with any tool, as long as you remain within the picture.

For example, I opened a picture where I want to add text.

The only option I currently have is to add the text in the photo. If I want to place this under, over or next to the photo, then I adjust the size of the canvas.

Just click the “Image” in the menu bar and select “Canvas Size” in the drop-down menu.

For enthusiasts, this keyboard shortcut is Ctrl + Alt + C.

In the dialog that appears, you give in the “Width” and “Height”, the dimensions to which the image will expand.

Select the desired units by clicking the downward-pointing arrows.
I opt for an extension of 3 cm in height (1). The width should not be adjusted, so it may remain blank.

I select the checkbox “Relative”. (2)

If I do not, I need to enter actual height of the photograph to achieve the same result, which is the current height plus 3cm, that is 15.21 cm.

Then we choose one of nine blocks in the “Anchor” to indicate where existing image should be placed on the new canvas (3).

I want to place the picture at the top and the text at the bottom, so I click the upward pointing arrow to indicate that the image should be placed at the top.

Finally, I choose a color for the canvas (4), in this case “black” and click the OK button (5).

Now I have added the ability to drag the text to the bottom.

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