Easy and quick framing

[Carbone]

:arrow: Open an image (make sure to work on a copy)

:arrow: Create a new empty layer over the image.

:arrow: Change the foreground colour to RGB values of 128, 128, 128 (that is, plain boring gray).

:arrow: Make this new layer active

:arrow: Fill this layer with the foreground colour (either with the Paint Bucket tool or Shift - Backspace, or Option-Backspace for Mac, or Edit / Fill)

:arrow: Apply a bevel layer style to this layer. For example, choose the Scalloped Edge.

:arrow: Let the magic be visible... Change the blending mode of this layer to Overlay.

:arrow: Double click on the little "f" to adjust the bevels (usually boost it a lot for a nice effect).

You have a nice framing effect, easy to apply.

I've uploaded an example :
http://www.pbase.com/carbone/image/51060733

Have fun!

Ray

[Carbone]

I forgot to mention that you can acheive the same thing by just applying a bevel layer style directly on the image. What I wanted to show is that the Overlay + Gray make some stuff disapear.

Probably not a good example. It's Friday... my brain is off I think ;-)

Ray

[kevq]

Hi Ray,
Love the effect, have printed out the instructions and will be trying it out later.
Thanks for posting it.
Kev.

[kevq]

Ray,
Have just tried out you framing procedure.
I am most impressed with my first attempt.
See photo below.
It looks as if it is a very complicated process but it is so simple it's unbelievable.
Magic indeed!

Kev.

http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1E05HQb1uYQjULOf2Dw4rKXDfPSty1

[Carbone]

Nice image!!

You can achieve the same thing by just using the layer style directly on the image.

But.. what I was working on is to create textured copyright logo signature.

Using the type mask tool, create a layer with your signature (i.e. (c) Ray 2005). Then, create a pattern adjustement layer, using this mask. Choose a gray like pattern (satin looks cool).

At this point, you have a pattern adjustement layer with only your signature visible, textured with satin (if you picked this one).

Then, change the blending mode of the pattern layer to Overlay. Add a drop shadow layer style.

What this will give is a very nice looking signature which will be different from the standard signature we see on the net. The signature will be half transparent, you'll be able to see the image below, with a nice soft drop shadow. Adjust the pattern scale (sometimes, bigger pattern looks better, don't hesitate to scale up).

That was my first idea. I should have waited and posted only this one. I ran out of time and thought to show that Gray colour on Overlay layer makes the gray disapear, and the other colour visible. Kind of a mask!

Ray

[e-mailsucks]

Geez Ray, there's a whole lot more to Montreal than fancy restaurants. That's a beautiful frame. I think I'm going to have to start a binder of good forum idea's. Yours will be page 1, so far.

Brian

[CarolLHB]

Ray,
Thanks so much-this is a pretty versitile effect...I chose and inner ridge bevel, selected a color from the photo and then lowered the opacity of the "frame" layer. I haven't fixed the original picture yet, but you get the idea. What fun! :D

http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=17qHeSMjiGgLnOtQ0bo7xlCsacnqX

[CarolLHB]

Brian, didn't read your post completely :oops: , a binder is a great idea. I ususally cut and paste the forum brilliance into a word document and then print them for mine. You'll be amazed at how quickly you have a bunch of great stuff to back to :D .

[e-mailsucks]

Hey Carol, great idea with the copy & paste idea. Didn't think of doing it that way. I was going to use Canon Webprint, but I like your idea better. I think I should of started doing this a long time ago, because there has been some great tut's shown here. Have to figure a way to copy Ray's video tut's that he does.

Brian

[CarolLHB]

Hey-if you do figure it out, will ya share??? :lol:

[GaryK]

Ray

Looks good

One thing to try ..or not :) to fill the blank layer with grey go to

Edit>fill layer in the "use" dropdown pick 50% grey.... don't have to type 128,128,128. that way. I hate typing numbers :lol:

[e-mailsucks]

Sure I'll share Carol. There has to be a way...

Brian

[e-mailsucks]

CAROL!!!! I did it. Ray's video is now in it's new home of my Video Tips from PSE. After watching it, I right clicked on it and selected, "Save as Quicktime Movie". After that, it was sitting on my desktop ready to renamed "Ray's RAW Conversion". It really looks good in my folder. Ray would be proud. Bonjour Ray if you're reading this. I think it was Mike that said I should buy the full version of Quicktime, which would allow me to do this kind of stuff, and I'm glad I did. If it wasn't so big (6.5 mgs) I'd email it to you.

Brian :D

[Carbone]

To copy my videos, you simply have to look into your browser's cache and copy the files to some place else. That's it. Quicktime Pro is not required. I don't encode my videos with any anti-copy measures.

The best way to copy them, though, is to right click on the link and choose Save Linked File as... (or something like, Save Target File, etc.)

Glad you liked my idea :)

Ray

[Carbone]

Carol, that picture is wonderful !!!

Ray

[Carbone]

Ok, for the other idea I had, the textured signature, have a look at this video.

I used a different compression method and the video is much smaller is size (but the screen size isn't). Hey, the guy is getting better at this :-)

Sorry, no sound. I'm back from a party and my voice is really not in good shape. I'm young, but not that young anymore.. ;-)

http://homepage.mac.com/carbmac/Textured_Signature.mov

Ray
P.S. To save this video locally, right-click (Win) or Control-Click (Macintosh) and choose Save Target As or Save Linked File As... (or a similar option).

[Wendy]

Ray ...

Hey thats brilliant ... thank you :)


Wendy

[Carbone]

Thank you Wendy :-D

Ray

[Mary]

Thanks Ray - that is great! :)