How to add a Frame to your Picture?

Written by: Siegfried Seierlein
Last Edited: 8th April 2008

There are various different options available of how to add a frame to your picture. This short article will fit the theme we have this and last month plus I was keen to show you this interesting technique.

To date I learned 4 to 5 different techniques. One does not need much more to have variation with your pictures plus for you to add something different to the frame.

In time I will add a few more ideas. If you have a interesting technique, please take the time and write us a small article in the new article section in the forum area.

Step 1

Open the picture you like to frame and do the post processing you feel necessary. When ready click on the new layer symbol indicated by “A”.

That will open a new layer that will automatically sit above the Background layer.

Next step is to press Cntr and A together. That will put a selection round the picture. With the picture selected go to the “Edit” menu and in the drop down select “Stroke (Outline) Selection”.

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

When the stroke outline selection was selected, the window on the left will open.

Select a width of 2 or 3 and the color you like the frame line to be. Next you can decide where the frame should be, inside, outside or center. Select “Inside”.

You will now see a nice thin frame or line round the picture.

Like in the 1st step, click on the new layer button to create a new layer. Next is to rename the bottom or the background layer. Double click on the background layer and the window on the left will open. Type in “Image” in the Name box and press OK. Double click on the top new layer and type into the Name box a new name “Canvas”.

Next step you will point your mouse onto the top layer and drag it so that it sits below the Image layer.

Your layer pallet should look like this. Before going to the next step make sure that the bottom layer is selected by clicking on that layer. You will see that it is selected because it will be high lighted, blue with the older elements versions and gray in V6

Step 6

Step 7

Step 8

Now we need to build space round the picture. To do that go to the image menu on the top menu bar. In the drop down menu select, “Resize” and then select “Canvas”.

The window on the left will open. This will be done in two steps. In Step 1, first select “cm” in the drop down boxes and then type in 3,0 in both the Width and the Height boxes and press OK. You will see a sort of frame is added right round the picture.

In step 2 again select “Canvas” and select cm. Next click at point B on the arrow to have the arrows look like the picture. Then type in 3,0 in the height box only, and press OK

When done a frame will be round the picture. Now you need to fill it with a color. To do that, go to the “Edit” menu on the top and select “Fill Selection”.

A window will open that will allow you to select a color of your choice. Select that color and press OK.

Next step is to select the Text tool on the left and to type in a name for your picture at the bottom. As text I selected “Trajan Pro” from the drop down menu at the top of the screen. I selected black for the text color, this is important for the next step.

Next step is to select the “Selection” tool right at the top of the tool bar on the left. When selected you will see that your text is selected. Next is to go to the “Effects” pallet on the right of the screen. Make sure “Drop Shadows” is selected. Next is to click on the basic drop shadow and to then press apply. Now your text will have a drop down shadow.

Next you again select the Text tool on the left tool bar and go and click 3 times on the text you added. That will select all the text. On the top you will have the text bar like in the picture on the left. With the text selected, select your “new” text color “white”. That’s correct, select white. The white will give the nice effect with the drop down shadow you previously selected.

Step 9

The final step is to again make sure the “Canvas” layer is selected and then to repeat Step 1 & 2.

Select the picture with Control A and put in a Stroke Outline selection of 2 or 3 pixels. That will place the final outline of your frame.

That’s it, your picture is now ready to be presented.

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