Photoshop Kung-Fu: Evenly spaced columns and rows

Posted by: Josh Walsh in Design.

When mocking up a web design or creative of some kind I often find myself dividing areas into equal spaced rows or columns.   This is a simple task when dividing into 2 parts, since your guides snap to the center of a selected object.  Dividing into 3′s is a little more difficult.  Dividing into 4′s isn’t too bad since you can just divide by 2, then subsequently split the divisions by 2.  There’s got to be a better way, and alas… there is.

Note: This applies to Photoshop CS2.  There may be a more prominent way to do this in newer versions.

Dividing into 2 Sections

Dividing into 2 sections is simple.  Draw guides on the outer edges of your object to divide:

Next, with your objects layer selected (the pink square, in my case), drag a guide toward the center.  When it gets close to the center, it should snap to the center.

Dividing into 3 or more sections

Before stumbling across this feature today, dividing into even sections was a mathematical test.  While the math is simple: Use the rulers to calculate the distance, then divide that distance into the number of segments you require.

Don’t worry, this tip doesn’t require any math skills.

The first step is to pull our your slice tool. and draw a slice around the object you wish to divide.  If you select your object layer first your slice should snap to the bounds of the layer.

Next, right click on the slice you created and choose “Divide Slice.”  I chose to divide my slice into 3 vertical columns:

After clicking “OK,” you should have 3 slices in place of the one you had previously.  Grab some guides and snap them to the edge of the slices.

The only thing left to do, is to erase the slices we just created.

There you have it, a simple visual way to divide a section of your photoshop document into multiple rows or columns which are spaced evenly for you.