How to Create Digital Snowflakes

Create a new image with dimensions of 2400x32400 with a black background (so you can create a Negative Image white snowflake). Then on the Layers palette choose to Promote Background Layer so the square is a raster layer. Then, change the Image > Canvas Size... to 3600x3600. The end result will be a square in the center of a transparent image. This will give you room to manipulate the square.

Use the Custom Selection tool and set the parameters to select the left half of the image, then delete the selection.

Then use the Image > Free Rotate... (Ctrl+R) tool to rotate the raster layer 30 degrees to the left. Make sure to selection "Rotate single layer around canvas center" option.

Now use the Custom Selection tool again and set the parameters to select the right half of the image, and delete the selection.

Important: Do not move the remaining portion of the square from the position it is in at the center of your raster layer. My sample image is zoomed in to show detail.

Imagine that this digital creation is folded paper and instead of cutting out bits and pieces, use the Freehand Selection Tool with Point to point option and begin to delete the holes in your snowflake. In this triangle, the hypotenuse is the long edge down the center and will become a line of symmetry. If this were a folded paper snowflake. That line would be a fold that you'd have to be careful not to cut to shreds to speak, because in a paper snowflake you need to keep it sturdy.

To create your cut-out snowflake, continue to pick custom selections with the Freehand Selection Tool and virtually snip away at your snowflake. Keep in mind that hypotenuse of the triangle will provide the structure, so make sure to leave some portions of that line intact.

When you have finished deleting all the bits and pieces you'd like to cut away, you can virtually unfold your snowflake.

Duplicate the raster layer and then mirror the new layer. Then in the Layers pallet choose to Merge > Visible Layers. Now you have one sixth of your snowflake.

Now duplicate your merged "crystal" and use the Image > Free Rotate tool to rotate the new raster layer 60 degrees to the left. Do not merge these layers yet, leave these "crystals" as two separate layers.

Duplicate the new "crystal" that you rotated to the left. With the third layer, use the Image > Mirror (Ctrl+M) tool. The end result will be that you'll end up with one half of your snowflake. You can use the Layers palette again to Merge Visible layers.

The final step will be to duplicate your merged half-snowflake. Then you can use the Image > Flip (Ctrl+I) tool to flip the second half around. Again in the Layers palette Merge Visible, and you have a whole snowflake that you can rotate, re-size, recolor, use to create a pattern, or any number of ideas for your digital scrapbooking projects.