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How to Use the Custom Shape Tool for Decorative Photo Overlays

4 min read

Add Playful Decorations to Any Photo in Seconds

Sometimes a family photo needs a little something extra — a heart around your grandchild's face, a decorative banner for a birthday announcement, or a whimsical arrow pointing to the family pet hiding in the corner. The Custom Shape Tool in Photoshop Elements gives you instant access to hundreds of ready-made shapes you can drop onto any photo.

Unlike clip art you might find online, these shapes are vector-based, meaning they stay crisp and smooth no matter how large you make them. You can colour them however you like, resize them freely, and stack them in creative combinations. Best of all, PSE includes shapes organised into helpful categories — from simple arrows to ornate frames — so you can find exactly what you need without hunting through folders.

Where to Find the Custom Shape Tool

The Custom Shape Tool lives in the toolbar on the left side of your screen. In Advanced mode, look for the icon that looks like a small irregular blob or star — it shares a spot with other shape tools.

  1. 1Open your photo in Photoshop Elements and switch to Advanced mode using the mode selector at the top of the screen.
  2. 2Click and hold the Rectangle Tool icon in the left toolbar.
  3. 3From the fly-out menu, select Custom Shape Tool (the icon looks like a small free-form shape).
  4. 4Look at the Tool Options bar that appears along the bottom of your screen — this is where you'll choose your shape, colour, and style.

Choosing the Perfect Shape for Your Photo

PSE comes loaded with shape libraries organised by theme. Here's how to browse them:

  1. 1In the Tool Options bar, click the Shape dropdown — it shows a small preview of the currently selected shape.
  2. 2A panel opens displaying shape thumbnails. Click the small menu icon (four horizontal lines) in the corner of this panel.
  3. 3Choose a category such as Frames, Ornaments, Arrows, or Talk Bubbles.
  4. 4Scroll through and click any shape to select it.

For family photos, the Frames and Ornaments categories work beautifully for decorative borders. The Talk Bubbles category is perfect for adding speech or thought bubbles beside people in the photo.

Drawing Your Shape onto the Photo

Once you've selected a shape and chosen a colour from the Color swatch in the Tool Options bar, you're ready to draw:

  1. 1Position your cursor where you want the shape to begin.
  2. 2Click and drag diagonally across your photo. The shape appears as you drag.
  3. 3Hold Shift while dragging to keep the shape perfectly proportioned (no stretching).
  4. 4Release the mouse button when the shape is the size you want.

Photoshop Elements automatically places your shape on a new layer, so it sits above your photo without permanently altering it. You can see this new Shape Layer in the Layers panel on the right.

Adjusting Colour, Size, and Position

After drawing your shape, you might want to tweak it:

  • Change colour: Double-click the shape layer's colour thumbnail in the Layers panel, then pick a new colour from the colour picker.
  • Resize: Go to Image → Transform → Free Transform or press Ctrl+T (Windows) / Cmd+T (Mac). Drag a corner handle while holding Shift to resize proportionally. Press Enter to confirm.
  • Move: Select the Move Tool from the toolbar, then drag the shape anywhere on your canvas.
  • Rotate: With Free Transform active, hover just outside a corner until you see a curved arrow, then drag to rotate.

Layering Multiple Shapes for Creative Effects

You're not limited to one shape. Try combining several for richer designs:

  1. 1Draw a decorative frame shape around your subject.
  2. 2Add a small heart or star shape in a corner.
  3. 3Use the Layers panel to drag layers up or down, changing which shape appears in front.

For a birthday photo, you might place a banner shape at the top, then use the Type Tool to add text on top of the banner. Because each shape sits on its own layer, you can adjust them independently until everything looks just right.

Making Shapes Semi-Transparent

Sometimes a solid shape feels too heavy over a photo. You can soften it:

  1. 1Select the shape layer in the Layers panel.
  2. 2Lower the Opacity slider at the top of the Layers panel — try 50% to 70% for a subtle overlay effect.
  3. 3The photo shows through the shape, creating a gentle decorative tint rather than a solid block.

This technique works wonderfully for frame shapes — you get a decorative border without hiding too much of your image.

Practical Ideas for Family Photos

  • Baby announcements: Use a heart frame around the newborn's face, add the baby's name with the Type Tool.
  • Holiday cards: Layer snowflake or ornament shapes around a winter portrait.
  • Pet photos: Add a playful arrow pointing to your dog with a speech bubble saying Woof!
  • Anniversary photos: Frame the couple with an ornate decorative border from the Frames category.

Continue Learning

Now that you can add decorative shapes, explore more creative projects: