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Creating Frames
When you create the selection that becomes the layer mask (and even-tually the frame) in Step 4, remember that not all frames are rectangular. They can be elliptical, triangular, or even shaped like a heart. Besides using the selection tools as I describe in Step 4, think about what other tools you could use to create interesting selections. For instance, you could use the Custom Shape tool to create a path in the shape of a star or musical note, and then change the path into a selection by clicking the Load Path as Selection button at the bottom of the Paths palette. You could also use the Type Mask tool to create a type-shaped selection. The shape of the frame can be anything — use your imagination!Here’s how to create a frame with a layer mask:Open the image that you want to put a frame around.For this example, I’m using the photograph of the sock monkeys shown in Figure 42-1. If the image is contained on the Background layer, convert the Background to a regular layer by selecting Layer>New>Layer from Background.
Figure 42-1: These sock monkeys are going to be framed.
Click the Create New Fill or Adjustment Layer button at the bottom of the Layers palette and choose either Solid, Gradient, or Pattern from the menu.This fill layer is going to be used to color the frame. If you select Solid, use the Color Picker to select a color. If you select Gradient, use the Gradient picker in the Gradient Fill dialog box to select a gradient. If you select Pattern, use the Pattern picker in the Pattern Fill dialog box to select a pattern.
| Tip | If you decide later that you don’t like the color, pattern, or gradient that you select in this step, you can always change it. Just double-click the layer thumbnail to access the dialog box. To find out more about how flexible fill layers are, turn to Technique 21. |
In the Layers palette, drag the new fill layer that you just created to below the layer containing the image that you want to frame.You should now have two layers, the fill layer on the bottom and the image layer on the top, as shown in Figure 42-2.
Figure 42-2: Two layers should be in the Layers palette: the image layer on top and the fill layer on the bottom.
Use any of the selection tools to select the area that you want to place the frame around.You could use the Rectangular Marquee tool to create a rectangular selection, the Elliptical Marquee tool to create an oval selection, or even the Lasso tool to create a freeform selec-tion around the image area. Figure 42-3 shows the sock monkeys selected. If the selection isn’t centered, don’t worry about it. You can correct that later.
Figure 42-3: The selected area is going to create the layer mask.
At the bottom of the Layers palette, click Add Layer Mask.A layer mask appears linked to the layer containing the image in the Layers palette, as shown in Figure 42-4.
Figure 42-4: You’re using the linked layer mask to create the frame.
In the Layers palette, click the layer mask to select it.
Choose Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur.Using the Gaussian Blur filter creates a blurred edge around the image. You could also use many other filters, including those on the Filter>Distort and Filter>Texture menus, to create different frame edges (a few are shown in Fig- ure 42-6).
Use the Gaussian Blur dialog box to set the Radius to 50.Depending on the size of the image, you may want to fiddle with this setting. Lower settings create thinner blurred edges; higher settings create wider blurred edges.
Click OK to close the Gaussian Blur dialog box and apply the blur to the layer mask.As shown in Figure 42-5, the sock monkeys are surrounded by a blurred gradient frame. However, they aren’t centered yet.
Figure 42-5: The Gaussian Blur filter creates a soft blurred frame.
If the framed image isn’t centered, use the Rectangular Marquee tool to select around both the image and the frame.Make sure the frame and image are centered in the selection.
Choose Image>Crop.The image is cropped down to the selected area and the image is centered, as shown in Figure 42-6. In Figure 42-6, you can also see the effects created by applying different filters in Step 7.
Figure 42-6: The finished, framed sock monkeys.
