Image border

mentos_007 · May 3, 2005

actually I duplicatedmy layer 3 times. The first was 10% and black, second was 2% and white and third was 10% black again... it looks quite interesting but the actions seem to go crazy with bigger images...

rallyxe · Jul 30, 2005

bring the screenshots back!!

Meysha · Jul 30, 2005

OH my god guys, i'm so sorry, i accidentally deleted them from my photo bucket account. I didn't realise people were still using this.

I'll try and get them back up later today. Sorry again. But make sure you read the comments in the replies underneath - it suggests some easier ways of doing it. The screen shot way is complicated and messy.
They'll be back up in a few hours.

AlmightyWa · Jul 31, 2005

Another way to do borders

Create a new layer
Select all (Ctl+A)
Edit- Stroke
Select the size of your border (in pixels)
Select the colour of your border
Select 'Inside' from the 'Location' box
Click OK
ta da!

To add multiple colours, say black first then white, stroke once with black, then again with white, but half the number of pixels. e.g. 20 black, 10 white.

Hope this is useful

Meysha · Jul 31, 2005

Ok well because that last tute with the screen shots basically sucked - because it was to have the frame on a whole different layer. Which I personally think isn't necessary coz I only put frames on my web stuff and never on things I'm going to print out.

So here is a nice new tutorial I've done up. This is a pretty basic frame but it's one I always use.
I've also got instructions for creating an 'action' so you just click once and it automatically puts the border on. If you've ever recorded a macro in Word or something like that - it's exactly the same. And very easy to get the hang of.
If you don't want to create the action - just ignore anything written in blue. If you want to create the action - do everything that's written and the things in blue. Good luck!

Tutorial

1. Open your document and edit it to how you would like. The frame should be your final step in editing - just before saving.

2. Change your image size so it's web-friendly. (I set my portraits to 440px wide and my landscapes to 650px wide). So to resize click Image -> Image Size. Then make sure the "Constrain Proportions" Box is ticked. Then change the width to 440 or 650 pixels depending on the format of your picture. Hit Ok.

Ok so now we have something we can put a frame on.
3. Select your 'background' layer (or the bottom-most layer in your layer list)

4a. Only do this step if you want to create the "action"!!
Click on the "Action" tab which is behind your history tab on the right side of your screen. If you can't see it. Hit Alt+F9 and it'll pop up.
Then click on the "New Action" Button.
Put in a title for the action like "Frame". Hit Ok

The little red record button (2nd button in from the left) will have now lit up red. If it's not red - click it. Now it is recording your mouse clicks and the action.

4b. Click Image -> Canvas Size.
- Change width and height to 5.
- Set Units as Pixels
- Check the "Relative tick box"
- Select colour of border -> black. (this option is only available in Photoshop CS and CS2. To select the colour in previous versions.. Before getting into the Canvas Size dialog box change your brush colours to black or colour you want.)
- Hit Enter.

5. Repeat Step 4b, but instead of changing the width and height to 5, this time set it to 2 pixels.
And select the colour as "white".

6. Repeat Step 4b yet again, but this time change the width and height to 30 pixels.
Select the colour as "black".

7. Now you can hit the stop button to finish recording your action. The stop button is on the far left side of your actions window.

7b. Now you should end up with something that looks like this.

Optional 8. If you want to change the colour of the white part of the border - you can just use the "Fill bucket".
Select the colour you want.
Select the "Fill bucket".
Zoom in on a corner of the frame.
Click on the white part.

Optional: You can change the size of the frame by changing the numerical values in step 4b.

Actions Help: To run the action on future photos. Just select the 'background' layer. Then select the action from the list. Then hit the play button. (third from the left)

Force of Nature · Sep 20, 2005

great tut there. fantastic! That would save me sooo much time!

doenoe · Sep 20, 2005

wow, this is excellent. Thats a nice timesaver. Good tut, thanks

Meysha · Sep 20, 2005

Why thank you! *takes a bow* I'll be here all week. hehehe

If you want any others just let me know and I'll see if I can do one up.

Peanuts · Sep 20, 2005

I think I will add some applause! Thank you! I have always wanted to learn how to do that. Now everyone watch out for borders mania from me

Now... do you happen to have a similar tutorial on how to make watermark signatures.. because everyother one I get lost half way through in. :lol:

bethany138 · Oct 5, 2005

I followed your instructions reallllllyyy closely but my white border on the left is like 1 pixel smaller than my white border on the right!! What am I doing. This kinda wierd stuff always happens to me.

woodsac · Oct 5, 2005

Might sound silly, but make sure that after you place the border around your picture, view the picture at 100%. Sometimes, the borders won't show up equally at smaller resolutions? But once you start to increase the size, it's visible.

Meysha · Oct 5, 2005

Yeah what woodsac says, is probably the reason it 'looks' different to the other side. I sometimes get that. Or sometimes I'll get weird black lines in spots on my picture, but when I change the zoom it's all good.

Hmm a watermark?? I never use them, but yeah I'll see what I can do if I have a chance.

bethany138 · Oct 6, 2005

I set it at actual pixels and it is still that way...ugg....I'll just play till I figure it out. Thanks anyway tho.

Meysha · Oct 6, 2005

When you set the canvas side... in the little boxy grid below, were all the arrows pointing away from the middle square? That little grid, tells PS where to put the extra pixels. If you click on the middle square, it tell the program to add the pixels equally all around the canvas.