How can I change the frame around a title created with the Rectangle Tool?

Question

In PrE 7, I have been creating titles (e.g.: Title > New Title > Default Still, etc.) for a long time and using the many ways to manipulate the text (type, color, size, animation, etc.). Today, I tried to use the Rectangle Tool (or the Ellipse Tool, or the Line Tool) and they created a beautiful 'frame' (like a picture frame: artistically designed and colored) and I can change the background color within the frame and place any text (also background picture, etc.) in it. However, I couldn't find any way to change the 'frame' or the general style of these title objects. Is there any way to do this, or this is the only design that can be created with these tools? I would greatly appreciate any help (couldn't find any in this u2u site). Thanks, Laci.

Answer 1

Laci,
Yes, you can apply Styles to several Rectangles (or other Shapes), to simulate a "frame." The Styles should appear as Text in the Styles Panel. Since you are working with Shapes, but viewing the Styles applied to Text, it is not perfectly intuitive as to what those Styles look like with the Shapes.
Personally, I find that doing things like "frames" in Photoshop and then Importing the PSD's into PrE is far, far easier. In that case, I would place the PSD on Video Track 1 (unless I wanted it to appear superimposed over my Video (like a PiP), and then do the text in a PrE Title, and place it above the PSD.
Here is an example:
This is a simple "picture frame" created in PS. I used a still image, instead of text in this case. These could be "wood-grained," "granite," etc.
Much more control and tons of Effects and Filters that can be applied.
Good luck,
Hunt
PS - that is from PrPro, so the GUI will look quite different, but things work the same way.