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This tutorial demonstrates how to create a heart shaped cut out, utilising a Custom
Shape.
Extend Canvases Utilising The Crop Tool Here
Undo and Navigation Steps
Two ways of undoing steps are from the top menu, Edit then Step Backwards. Alternatively, click a previous snapshot in the History Palette.
Navigate (zoom in and pan) your image using the Navigator Palette,
or the Zoom Tool. 
Activate The Hand Tool by tapping the Spacebar, keeping the Spacebar pressed, pan your image in the usual way. 
1/
Open your choice of photograph onto Photoshop’s workspace, then drag its upper menu diagonally upwards, to display its grey workspace. Additionally, quickly resize the image’s grey workspace by pressing Ctrl then tap the Plus or Minus keys.
2/
Now, double-left-click the Background layer, to unlock it. Reply OK to the New Layer prompt. The layer will change from Background to Layer 0.
3/
Activate the Custom Shape Tool. 
Custom Shape Lesson!
And set the following attributes - ensuring Paths is clicked. Note: Later, experiment with different Custom Shapes, and create your own cut outs!
4/
Now, drag a heart shaped Path over the area you wish to keep, as illustrated below.
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To reposition the heart shaped path, from the top menu, choose Edit then choose Free Transform Path - or press Ctrl then T. A transformation bounding box will surround your heart; and you are able to transform it, making it larger - or smaller, by
(left-clicking) and tugging the tiny square handles.
When your heart shaped path is in its final position, press your Enter key to commit the change. You are now ready for the next step.
6/
From the Layers palette, click the Paths tab. If you cannot see Paths; from the top menu, choose Window, then click a tick before Paths. In the Paths palette, click the tiny black arrow circled below, and in the subsequent drop-down menu, click Make Selection.
In the subsequent Make Selection dialogue box, set the following attributes, then click OK.
Your heart shaped path has been converted to a selection marquee.
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From the top menu, choose Select then choose Invert.
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Now, press your keyboard’s Delete key. Then press Ctrl then D to remove the marquee.
Congratulations, you have created your heart shaped cut out.
9/
To outline your heart with either a Solid Colour, Gradient or Pattern, first click the Layers tab (in the Layers palette), to return your layer.
Then click the tiny arrow next to the following Add a layer style (f - fx) icon - and click Stroke from the subsequent drop-down list. 
In the subsequent Layer Style dialogue box, you will see the following Stroke Structure menu; click open the Fill Type menu, and click your choice from the drop-down list. I am applying a Gradient Stroke, with the following settings - however, experiment, and find a look you prefer. Apply your choice, then click OK.
10/ Optional - extend your canvas using the Crop Tool
To enlarge the transparent area around your heart; activate the Crop Tool.
For a transparent resize, ensure the layer is not locked. Now, surround the heart image with a crop bounding box (marquee). Then enlarge the bounding box by left-clicking and pulling outwards (one, or more), of the eight vector handles attached to the bounding box. This enlarges the bounding box, as demonstrated below - and in turn, enlarges the canvas size accordingly.
Note
To extend your canvas with a solid colour, for example red. Before extending your
canvas, first ensure the Background colour swatch is set to red - or to a colour of your choice.
When you are happy with the bounding box’s size, press your Enter key. The transparent canvas will then enlarge to fill the extended bounding box.
Canvas Extension Notes
When enlarging a layer that has a transparent background, (such as the heart), it is the transparent background that will be enlarged. If your layer has a Solid Colour, Pattern or a Gradient Fill - the Fill Layer will be enlarged. However, if your image has no
layer, for example, it is a single Background layer - the canvas extension will represent the Background colour swatch; this of course, can be altered to any solid colour of your choice. 
11/
Now, from the top menu, choose Layer then choose New Fill Layer, and fill your new layer with either, a Solid Colour, Pattern or Gradient, as demonstrated in my lesson Here.
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Then drag the heart image layer (Layer 0), above the Fill layer.
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Double-left-click Layer 0, and in the subsequent Layer Style dialogue box, click Drop Shadow (from the left-side menu), then apply a Drop Shadow of your choice, I chose the following settings.
14/ Optional
Activate the heart cut out layer, then from the top menu, choose Filter then choose Texture then choose Texturiser. I chose the following Canvas settings; however, experiment with your filters, and find an effect you like.
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To finish, from the top menu, choose Layer then choose Flatten Image, then save your work.
Wendi E M Scarth. Top of Page - Home.
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