For George – Alternate Framing Technique

At least I think all of the pieces are here! When I tried typing out the instructions, I realized I couldn’t remember exactly how to do it, so it took some time to refresh my memory and commit it to paper. I’ve also included the steps needed to resize an oval selection. Both parts are now in Word docs, so if you’d rather I e-mail them to you, post your address.

Customizing the size of an oval selection:

Quite a while ago, there was a thread about creating oval selections. For some reason, the elliptical marquee tool is kind of hard to use. If you don’t get the area defined the way you want it while using the tool, you can’t expand the height or width without distortion. We finally figured out how to do it. Remember to always work on a copy!

1. Have the Layers pallet open on the desktop along with the image you want to work on.

2. Double click on the background layer to simplify it.

3. Choose the Elliptical Marquee tool and select an oval shape on your image. Get as close as possible, and then leave the marching ants to do their thing.

4. Go to Layer>New Adjustment Layer and pick anything. I use ‘Levels’ because it’s the first one on the list. Click OK and then OK again, without actually making any changes to the image. You’ll notice the marching ants have disappeared, but don’t worry.

5. Command/Control click on the Levels adjustment layer, and the ants will reappear.

6. Select the Move Tool and make adjustments to the width or height of your oval selection until it suits you.

7. Activate the background layer, then go to Image>Crop. This will reduce your image down to a rectangle the same dimensions as your oval.

8. Go to Select>Inverse, and then hit the Delete key. This will give you an oval selection on a transparent background.

9. Go to Layer>Merge (or Flatten) to reduce the image down to one layer.

An alternate way to make a frame and matte:

I got really frustrated one day trying to frame an oval selection I made, because I was having trouble coming up with a standard sized finished image that included the frame. I used Nancy’s frame instructions and modified them so the frame turned out exactly the size I wanted it, and then I inserted my image – more like what would be done if I was working with the separate pieces on my counter at home and framing a picture. These instructions are based on a one inch wide frame, but that can be changed easily in step #4. And I never would have figured this out without Nancy’s help!!!

I work on my image first, and then I either close it or shove it out of the way on the desktop.

1. First, pick a color for your frame and have it set as the Background Color at the bottom of the Tool Bar. I usually use the Color Picker and choose something out of the image, but I don’t have a good "eye" for this, so I stick with something simple.

2. Create a new canvas equal to the finished size of your picture – 4 X 6, 5 X 7, etc. Set the resolution to match the image you want to frame, and choose "Background Color". When you get it open on your desktop, also make sure the ruler is showing around the canvas.

3. Simplify the Background image in the Layers pallet.

4. Use the Rectangular Marquee tool and the ruler to make a selection one inch from the outer edges of the new canvas. Hit Delete, and you should have a band of color around only the edges.

5. Go to Layer Styles>Bevels and choose a style. I use the Simple Inner a lot, but I also like the Inner Ridge. Keep testing until you find something you like.

6. Double click on ‘f’ in the background layer – set angle to 130 and bevel to 27, or your choice.

7. Go to Layers>New Fill Layer>Solid Color. Choose a color for the matte.

Edit: I just ran into the same limit that somebody else mentioned a couple of days ago. The rest of the instructions are in post #1!