how can I change this?

[rick321]

hi I can't seem to get the picture behind the frame and this leaves the hard corners as you can see in this photo. http://www.photoshopelementsuser.com/gallery/view_img.php?id=9586 I tried to change the layer order but that didn't work. I'm learning how to make my own frames but I can't get the photo behind them. Also the color of the frame is uneven and I don't know why. In this pic I added .25 canvas size/control j/layer styles/ inner glows. Anyone have any ideas on how I can do this. Thanks Rick

[kevq]

Rick,
I think part of the trouble is the use of inner glow shadow. If I were you I would trash the frame you have and make a simple one in the colour you want. You frame should be on a layer above the nice sketch, you can then, using control T enlarge, if needed, the image so that the edges are hidden by the frame.
Hope this helps.
Kev.

[kevq]

Rick,
this is what I did with your sketch.

1 increased the canvas size on the image by 1" on width & height.
2 Using the magic wand tool selected the canvas size addition
3 Opened a new layer which I filled with black
4 With the marching ants still marching, control j, to give you a new duplicate layer.
5 Fill this layer with white. Control D to deselect.
6 Select the black layer, Go to Filters - Blur - Gaussian Blur and increase the amount of blur, in this case to about 8. Click OK.
Now when you look at the image it should seem that the photo is set into the frame.
If you click on the eye on the layer with the sketch you will be a able to save the frame as a PDF file. This means that you change the colour, add embellishments or do whatever you want to the frame.
I've posted a screenshot to let you see what I've been waffling about. I've also posted one I did using you image.
Hope this helps.
Kev.

http://img176.imageshack.us/img176/7383/scrn1qg.th.jpg (http://img176.imageshack.us/my.php?image=scrn1qg.jpg) http://img164.imageshack.us/img164/5320/9599w2cl.th.jpg (http://img164.imageshack.us/my.php?image=9599w2cl.jpg)

[jo]

A simple rounded and beveled frame:
http://www.chambersofmyheart.com/elements/rick9599a_t.jpg (http://www.chambersofmyheart.com/elements/rick9599a.jpg)
This technique uses select all, modify border, and stroke. I'll try to put together something more specific for how to do this.

[jo]

OK, let me try to describe the steps for that simple frame.

Duplicate the layer.

Erase the existing frame -- leaves the pic with 1/4" transparent area all around it. ctl click to select the pic, ctl I to invert the selection. Now there's a frame selection.

ctl J to make a duplicate of the selection for the frame, and move it above the pic.

If you lose the selection, reselect.

Fill that frame selection with 50% gray.

Deselect

Select all, modify border (I used 40 pixels here)

With the gray frame layer active, edit>stroke selection (I used white, 40 pixels here)

Now the drop shadow:
Make the pic layer (with the transparent edge) active
ctl click to get marching ants around the pic
layer styles>inner shadow>low

Play with it.

[Russinator]

Thanks for the instructions. I've been wondering how that was done. Now I can give it a try - Russ

[jo]

I see an oops or two in my message above -- but the frame is basically done on a layer by itself:

select all

modify border (play with the numbers to get the marching ants where you want the stroke centered)

undo and redo the modify border step if it isn't in the right place.

stroke -- any color, try a width and if it isn't what you want, undo and do it again with another width. I think I wrote down 40 for the width, then changed it to 10 -- I don't remember.

If you duplicate that layer it intensifies the color.

If you do this on a transparent layer and have the whole photo under it, the "frame" will have a little of the photo showing and won't look solid.

If you fill the "frame" with 50% gray before doing the select/border/stroke, the "frame" will look solid.

[rick321]

Wow!!! ask and ye shall receive. Thanks I copied all of that to my PSE3 folder. Thanks again. Rck

[kevq]

Rick,
only to pleased to help. Looking forward to seeing what you do to the sketch now.
Kev.