Add frame to photo

Question

Hi I have a picture of my great-granddaughter and would like to place a frame around it. I was able to use the magic extractor to isolate the part I wanted, but can not seem to figure out how to access the frames and/or the backgrounds I want. Please, can someone help me. I need step by step instruction. Thanks Nadine

Answer 1

Nadine,
Here is a way to make your own frame if you don't like any of the built-in ones.
http://www.pixentral.com/show.php?picture=1Wtv9zTHYA1bm5jvUBftlyasptvlAM0
Method 1
1. Set Background color to default white. (see Note 1)
2. Image>Resize>Canvas Size, and increase Height and Width by the same absolute amount (not percent, see Note 2). This creates a white frame.
3. Select the frame using the Magic Wand tool with the Contiguous box checked.
4. Add new layer.
5. Set Foreground color to frame color.
6. Edit>Fill, using Foreground Color option.
7. Window>Layer Styles. Choose a Bevels styles (a good one is Simple Sharp Inner).
8. To modify the bevel, double-click the "f" symbol in the Layer's palette, or from the menu bar Layer>Layer Style>Style Settings. You can also modify the bevel via Layer>Layer Style>Scale Effects.
If you want the frame inside the picture (not expanding the canvas):
1. Use the Rectangular Marquee tool to draw out the frame.
2. Invert the selection.
3. Proceed with step 4. above.
Note 1: The Background color can be anything as long as does not match any color on the border of the picture; the goal is that when you use the Magic Wand it doesn't select anything within the picture. That's also why you check the Contiguous box.
Note 2: If the picture is not square, expanding the canvas by a percent rather than absolute value will result in the top/bottom borders a different width than the left/right borders.
Method 2
1. Duplicate Background layer, or rename Background layer. The purpose is to create the transparent frame in the next step.
2. Image>Resize>Canvas Size, and increase Height and Width by the same amount. This creates a transparent frame.
3. Ctrl-click the picture in the Layers Palette to select just the picture, and invert so that the frame is now selected.
Remaining steps same as Method 1.
Mark