Creating your own frame in PS , need help!

[guitarbug]

A little while ago someone was kind enough to give a sort of action or steps on how to create a background layer and use it as a frame by making your image a little smaller than the new background layer! I am a absolute beginner in layers and I want to create a frame using layers and some kind of lasso tool to make a border. Can whoever told me how to do that or someone else help me? I just dont know how to pull up the right kind of layer and how to switch backgrounds to layer my image on the bigger layer. I have a image waiting to frame on screen now! Thanks.

[RandySmith]

Chris,

This is how I build a simple black frame with white matte. I use a p.c., so I think the Ctrl key is the Command key on an Apple. And the following is based on a "vertical" 8x10.

1. Press Ctrl-A ... put's a dancing ant banding around your image
2. Right mouse click, and select "stroke"
3. Choose a size of 5
4. Choose a slight grey color 218,218,218
5. Choose "center" for location
6. Then choose "okay"
7. Press Ctrl-J to duplicate the layer
8. Select image canvas size ... increase the canvas by 2" in both axis, select "relative"
9. Press Ctrl key and point mouse in the picture in the "new layer" and left mouse click ... this will put the dancing ants around the picture.
10. Right mouse click and choose "transform selection"
11. Increase "W" by 103%, "H" by 102%, then double-click to set this new size.
12. Right mouse click again and select stroke again. This time choose black 10,10,10 and "inside", press okay.
13. Press Ctrl-A again to select outside border area of the photo.
14. Right mouse click again and select stroke. This time choose size of 55, black, 10,10,10 and inside.
15. Right mouse click again and select stroke. Change the size back to 4, grey 218,218,218, and click okay.
16. Flatten layer and you're done !!

Hope this works for you.
Randy

[guitarbug]

I think I may be able to work with this Randy! Thanks so much!

[RandySmith]

Chris,

I've done some other things with filling in another top layer with some patterns, that gives the "white matte" a textured look. I haven't done it in awhile, so I'd have to play with that again to figure it you but just another option you might want to try (this is before you do that last stroke to create the outside black frame that is.

Randy

[guitarbug]

Thanks again Randy! I have not had time to try it yet, but will leter!

[DavidsStudio]

Originally Posted by guitarbug

A little while ago someone was kind enough to give a sort of action or steps on how to create a background layer and use it as a frame by making your image a little smaller than the new background layer! I am a absolute beginner in layers and I want to create a frame using layers and some kind of lasso tool to make a border. Can whoever told me how to do that or someone else help me? I just dont know how to pull up the right kind of layer and how to switch backgrounds to layer my image on the bigger layer. I have a image waiting to frame on screen now! Thanks.

Check out this link: atncentral.com and take a look at the Frames and Matts section. I think you will find something there that will work wonders for you.

David

[guitarbug]

Thanks David, just looked at it! Tons of stuff there! Can any of those be used with Elements? I am about to get CS2, but not for a few days maybe a week. Thanks again!