Resizing canvas also increases size of cropped image.

[Jilli]

I want to place 2 images side by side in 1 document.  I have cropped the 2 images to the same pixel dimensions.  With the 1st image, when I try to resize the canvas, width only, the cropped image is also increased in size?  Then when I copy and paste the 2nd image, it also is larger than the cropped version.  How can I keep the 2 cropped images at the same size?

[Old Bruce]

Not sure if you are using Photo but I am guessing you are because you mention Pixels and Images (which I am guessing means photographic images).

So this applies to Photo, use the Document > Resize Canvas item in the menus. It sounds like you are using Resize Document. And take notice of the lock icon between the dimensions input fields, should be unlocked.

If you are not using Photo please let us know which application you are using.

[smadell]

Cropping is non-destructive, by default. If you crop and then resize the canvas, you will reveal areas that you had cropped (which were simply “hiding” behind the borders of the canvas). To solve the problem, choose Rasterize and Trim… after cropping. This discards the cropped areas, and will avoid the “image getting larger” problem you’re having.

[carl123]

After cropping images use Layer > Rasterise & Trim to prevent unexpected behaviour when resizing the canvas or copy/pasting

[Old Bruce]

I am a fan of Document > Flatten as that will utterly destroy all separate layers and give me the final result on one layer which is frequently what I want/need.

[smadell]

Instead of flattening the document, I more frquently use Layer > Merge Visible to create a new pixel layer containg the sum total of all layers done to that point. If appropriate, I also turn off the visibility of layers beneath the merge visible one (so that they don’t tie up the computer processor(s) unnecessarily). This lets me maintain a copy of all adjustments, filters, and so forth, and gives me a mechanism to return to a non-destructive workflow if I need to make further edits.

[Old Bruce]

Full disclosure: I too use Layer > Merge Visible, much more often than my Flatten choice. I will use Flatten only when I need the image to be the size of the canvas. Once I am happy with all the adjustments and cropping I will flatten and then perhaps use a tiny bit of sharpening to get the final result.