Making a Photoshop Longboard Cutout

This instructable is part of my comprehensive longboard design instructable. This article relates to making a simple printed scaled longboard cut out.

For this instructable you will need photoshop which can be downloaded as a trial for free and a printer.

If you would like to make a longboard based on a preexisting longboard, the first step is to find a large flat view picture of your chosen board. For this guide I am basing the longboard design on a Loaded Dervish longboard.

This is the photo I chose:

http://kickflipboards.com/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/L/o/Loaded-Dervish-tp-large.jpg

The rights go to the owner of this picture

Start off by adding the chosen picture to photoshop.

Duplicate the layer so it is no longer locked

Select the area around the board with the selection tool. Include the areas of white in the drop through cut outs (if the board has them).

Once all the white is selected, right click in the white area and select Layer via Copy.

Select background layer and delete it, then click on the eye symbol next to layer 1

Then select the background copy layer (should now be highlighted).

Select the brush tool. Change the size to 30 then trace the outline of the board and around drop through cut outs (draw half in the white and half in the board. Does not need to be perfect), Use the zoom button to make it easier to trace.

Use the select tool to select the coloured inside of the board, then right click and select Fill. Select colour in the content drop down box, then select the colour white.

Click the eye button to show layer 1.

The board design is now ready to be scaled

To scale the board to the correct size for the cut out. Go to image and click canvas size and change the width and length to the specs of the board. In this case the width of the board is 23cm and the length is 95cm. Make sure the relative box is not clicked.

Highlight both layers by holding control (ctrl) then right click and select merge layers.

Drag the corners of the image so that the board lines up with the canvas sides.

Go to image again and click canvas size. Change the width to 2cm wider and the length 5cm longer, to create a border.

EDIT: Adding a boarder changes the final board size throwing out the scale, so it is up you to chose whether or not to add a border

The board is now ready to print. But first it must be formatted to be parts to be printed on A4 sheets of paper. An A4 sheet of paper is 30cm x 21cm.

First save the file as a Photoshop file .PSD which will save the project

Click the crop tool and enter 25 for the width and 20 for the length. This sets the crop box size so the board will print to scale.

Once the crop has been dragged over the image, click the tick.

The first A4 part is ready to be saved. First make a folder to save the parts to.

Click file, save as.

Save as a JEPG and call it part 1

Click save, then Ok.

Once saved, press CTRL+ALT+Z to retrieve the full design.

Then click the crop tool again and drag back over the board. Select the box and drag down to create another part.

Save the new part again as a JEPG and repeat until you have saved the whole board as printing parts.

Tip: If you are having trouble lining up the parts, when you crop the board, overlap to make lining up the parts easier.

Once all the printed parts are finished, line up the parts and attach them together with tape and cut out the longboard. Your scaled longboard cut out is finished.