On Mon, 28 Dec 2009 23:36:49 +0000, Dan <dan> wrote:
>How do I draw a thin black line around the edges of a rectangular
>picture ? I am using P.S. Elements 8 on Mac OSX Snow Leopard
>
>This may well be a simple request, but I have tried using the help
>instructions on drawing rectangles without success.
Select>All>Stroke and set the stroke to black and the thickness you
want.
tony cooper wrote:
> On Mon, 28 Dec 2009 23:36:49 +0000, Dan <dan> wrote:
>
>> How do I draw a thin black line around the edges of a rectangular
>> picture ? I am using P.S. Elements 8 on Mac OSX Snow Leopard
> Select>All>Stroke and set the stroke to black and the thickness you
> want.
Indeed that does work - easy when you know how - P.S."help" files never
seem to deal with these simple actions. I need a good book; any ideas ?
On Tue, 29 Dec 2009 16:26:00 +0000, Dan <dan> wrote:
>tony cooper wrote:
>> On Mon, 28 Dec 2009 23:36:49 +0000, Dan <dan> wrote:
>>
>>> How do I draw a thin black line around the edges of a rectangular
>>> picture ? I am using P.S. Elements 8 on Mac OSX Snow Leopard
>
>> Select>All>Stroke and set the stroke to black and the thickness you
>> want.
>
>Indeed that does work - easy when you know how - P.S."help" files never
>seem to deal with these simple actions. I need a good book; any ideas ?
I'll give you the same advice I always give to this question...go to a
Borders, a Barnes & Noble, a Books-A-Million, or whatever bookstore
you have in the area where you live. Leaf through all of the books on
Photoshop that they have and then purchase the book that you find the
easiest to follow.
Over the years that I've used Photoshop I've purchased dozens of
books. Some, that were highly recommended, were difficult for me to
follow.
Dan <dan@?.?.invalid> was inspired to say
>tony cooper wrote:
>> On Mon, 28 Dec 2009 23:36:49 +0000, Dan <dan> wrote:
>>
>>> How do I draw a thin black line around the edges of a rectangular
>>>picture ? I am using P.S. Elements 8 on Mac OSX Snow Leopard
>
>> Select>All>Stroke and set the stroke to black and the thickness you
>> want.
>
>Indeed that does work - easy when you know how - P.S."help" files never
>seem to deal with these simple actions. I need a good book; any ideas
>?
Interesting, I've been using Elements for about 6 years and never used
that command!
Having now tried it out (in PSE 5), it creates a border inside the photo
(all selected) but cannot create a border *outside* the existing photo
(ie outside the selection). That means that my carefully framed picture
is messed up by a selection.
I can see, however, that it's useful for a transparent border effect and
for drawing lines around irregular areas in the image.
But perhaps there's something I've missed.
I've been using the canvas size command;
Image/Resize/Canvas size with relative checked.
That gives me in two operations a thin white line inside a thicker black
one.
I really would like a Photoshop action set up for me to make this
easier! (One of the problems with Elements.)
Mike
--
Michael J Davis
<><
"I never have taken a picture I've intended.
They're always better or worse."
Diane Arbus
<><
>Dan <dan@?.?.invalid> was inspired to say
>>tony cooper wrote:
>>> On Mon, 28 Dec 2009 23:36:49 +0000, Dan <dan> wrote:
>>>
>>>> How do I draw a thin black line around the edges of a rectangular
>>>>picture ? I am using P.S. Elements 8 on Mac OSX Snow Leopard
>>
>>> Select>All>Stroke and set the stroke to black and the thickness you
>>> want.
>>
>>Indeed that does work - easy when you know how - P.S."help" files never
>>seem to deal with these simple actions. I need a good book; any ideas
>>?
>
>Interesting, I've been using Elements for about 6 years and never used
>that command!
>
>Having now tried it out (in PSE 5), it creates a border inside the photo
>(all selected) but cannot create a border *outside* the existing photo
>(ie outside the selection). That means that my carefully framed picture
>is messed up by a selection.
I can't figure out what you are doing. The Select>All>Stroke puts a
line the width of the number of pixels you designate completely around
the image at the outer edge of the photograph.
There two reasons I use this:
1. When the image is to be put up for view on the web, a fine line
around the image frames the image. If the image is to be displayed on
a white background, I'll use a black stroke. Here's an example of an
image with a 5 px black stroke.
If the image is to be displayed on a black background, I'll use a
white stroke. Since I usually put images up on SmugMug or in DGrin,
which has a black background, I usually use a white stroke.
I like a thin line, but any thickness can be set.
2. If the image is to be printed and framed, I'll use a wider stroke
so part of the image is not covered by the frame. Usually, I stroke
in white, but there are times I may select a color for this.
If the image is not the same ratio as the frame, I'll use
Image>Resize>Canvas Size and set the background color to the color I
want as the border.
However, sometimes - for this purpose - I'll use File>New and create a
new canvas of the appropriate size and fill with the color I want.
Then I go to Window>Tile and use the move tool to bring the photo onto
the new canvas and use Free Transform to position and size the photo
on the new canvas. Then flatten.
Note...I work in CS4, but I have Elements. All of the above steps can
be done in either program as written. The image above was stroked in
Elements.
tony cooper <tony_cooper213@earthlink.net> was inspired to say
>On Thu, 31 Dec 2009 13:02:29 +0000, Michael J Davis
><mjdusenet@trustsof.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>Dan <dan@?.?.invalid> was inspired to say
>>>tony cooper wrote:
>>>> On Mon, 28 Dec 2009 23:36:49 +0000, Dan <dan> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> How do I draw a thin black line around the edges of a rectangular
>>>>>picture ? I am using P.S. Elements 8 on Mac OSX Snow Leopard
>>>
>>>> Select>All>Stroke and set the stroke to black and the thickness you
>>>> want.
>>>
>>>Indeed that does work - easy when you know how - P.S."help" files never
>>>seem to deal with these simple actions. I need a good book; any ideas
>>>?
>>
>>Interesting, I've been using Elements for about 6 years and never used
>>that command!
>>
>>Having now tried it out (in PSE 5), it creates a border inside the photo
>>(all selected) but cannot create a border *outside* the existing photo
>>(ie outside the selection). That means that my carefully framed picture
>>is messed up by a selection.
>
>I can't figure out what you are doing. The Select>All>Stroke puts a
>line the width of the number of pixels you designate completely around
>the image at the outer edge of the photograph.
>
>There two reasons I use this:
>
>1. When the image is to be put up for view on the web, a fine line
>around the image frames the image. If the image is to be displayed on
>a white background, I'll use a black stroke. Here's an example of an
>image with a 5 px black stroke.
>
>http://tonycooper.smugmug.com/photos/753852484_N5GdQ-XL.jpg
>
>If the image is to be displayed on a black background, I'll use a
>white stroke. Since I usually put images up on SmugMug or in DGrin,
>which has a black background, I usually use a white stroke.
>
>I like a thin line, but any thickness can be set.
>
>2. If the image is to be printed and framed, I'll use a wider stroke
>so part of the image is not covered by the frame. Usually, I stroke
>in white, but there are times I may select a color for this.
>
>If the image is not the same ratio as the frame, I'll use
>Image>Resize>Canvas Size and set the background color to the color I
>want as the border.
>
>However, sometimes - for this purpose - I'll use File>New and create a
>new canvas of the appropriate size and fill with the color I want.
>Then I go to Window>Tile and use the move tool to bring the photo onto
>the new canvas and use Free Transform to position and size the photo
>on the new canvas. Then flatten.
>
>Note...I work in CS4, but I have Elements. All of the above steps can
>be done in either program as written. The image above was stroked in
>Elements.
Tony, many thanks for the reply - with some useful comments. But I
haven't made myself clear. Let me explain by a practical example (in
Elements 5).
1. Create a new blank canvas 1000pixels sq.
2. Fill it with a white fill
3. Select it
4. Apply Stroke 25pixels black Outside
5. Nothing happens!
The canvas does NOT expand to provide a surround. If I select Centre
stroke, I get a 12 pixel surround inside the canvas, and if I choose
Inside, I get a 25pixel surround inside the canvas edge.
This confirms what I am saying above - that, having cropped the picture
to the composition I want, applying Stroke (centre or inside) cuts off
some of my picture. So I can only get the effect I want by enlarging the
canvas. If I have to do that, there's no point in using Stroke as I can,
more simply choose the extension colour directly.
Your description - correctly - uses a layer to resize the finished
canvas. That's fine, but is essentially the same as I'm describing.
Now are we at cross purposes here? Is there something I've missed?
Thanks
Mike
--
Michael J Davis
<><
"I never have taken a picture I've intended.
They're always better or worse."
Diane Arbus
<><
>tony cooper <tony_cooper213@earthlink.net> was inspired to say
>>On Thu, 31 Dec 2009 13:02:29 +0000, Michael J Davis
>><mjdusenet@trustsof.co.uk> wrote:
>>
>>>Dan <dan@?.?.invalid> was inspired to say
>>>>tony cooper wrote:
>>>>> On Mon, 28 Dec 2009 23:36:49 +0000, Dan <dan> wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>>> How do I draw a thin black line around the edges of a rectangular
>>>>>>picture ? I am using P.S. Elements 8 on Mac OSX Snow Leopard
>>>>
>>>>> Select>All>Stroke and set the stroke to black and the thickness you
>>>>> want.
>>>>
>>>>Indeed that does work - easy when you know how - P.S."help" files never
>>>>seem to deal with these simple actions. I need a good book; any ideas
>>>>?
>>>
>>>Interesting, I've been using Elements for about 6 years and never used
>>>that command!
>>>
>>>Having now tried it out (in PSE 5), it creates a border inside the photo
>>>(all selected) but cannot create a border *outside* the existing photo
>>>(ie outside the selection). That means that my carefully framed picture
>>>is messed up by a selection.
>>
>>I can't figure out what you are doing. The Select>All>Stroke puts a
>>line the width of the number of pixels you designate completely around
>>the image at the outer edge of the photograph.
>>
>>There two reasons I use this:
>>
>>1. When the image is to be put up for view on the web, a fine line
>>around the image frames the image. If the image is to be displayed on
>>a white background, I'll use a black stroke. Here's an example of an
>>image with a 5 px black stroke.
>>
>>http://tonycooper.smugmug.com/photos/753852484_N5GdQ-XL.jpg
>>
>>If the image is to be displayed on a black background, I'll use a
>>white stroke. Since I usually put images up on SmugMug or in DGrin,
>>which has a black background, I usually use a white stroke.
>>
>>I like a thin line, but any thickness can be set.
>>
>>2. If the image is to be printed and framed, I'll use a wider stroke
>>so part of the image is not covered by the frame. Usually, I stroke
>>in white, but there are times I may select a color for this.
>>
>>If the image is not the same ratio as the frame, I'll use
>>Image>Resize>Canvas Size and set the background color to the color I
>>want as the border.
>>
>>However, sometimes - for this purpose - I'll use File>New and create a
>>new canvas of the appropriate size and fill with the color I want.
>>Then I go to Window>Tile and use the move tool to bring the photo onto
>>the new canvas and use Free Transform to position and size the photo
>>on the new canvas. Then flatten.
>>
>>Note...I work in CS4, but I have Elements. All of the above steps can
>>be done in either program as written. The image above was stroked in
>>Elements.
>
>Tony, many thanks for the reply - with some useful comments. But I
>haven't made myself clear. Let me explain by a practical example (in
>Elements 5).
>
>1. Create a new blank canvas 1000pixels sq.
>2. Fill it with a white fill
>3. Select it
>4. Apply Stroke 25pixels black Outside
>5. Nothing happens!
>The canvas does NOT expand to provide a surround. If I select Centre
>stroke, I get a 12 pixel surround inside the canvas, and if I choose
>Inside, I get a 25pixel surround inside the canvas edge.
This is really an easy concept to understand if you think about it as
an exercise with paper and pen. If you put a white 3 x 5 card on your
desk and use a felt-tip pen with a tip width of 1/4" and try to draw a
border around the 3 x 5 card.
If you draw the border *outside* the edge of the card you don't mark
the card at all. If you draw the border with the pen *centered* on
the edge of the card you will create a border 1/8" around the card
(half the pen tip is on the paper). If you draw the border with the
pen *inside* the edge of the card you will create a border 1/4" wide
on the card.
All of this is obvious when you do it with a pen and paper. Do it on
a computer screen and the same things happen. You do not expect the
border you draw on paper to expand the size of the 3 x 5 card, and you
should not expect a stroke on the computer screen to expand that
canvas.
>This confirms what I am saying above - that, having cropped the picture
>to the composition I want, applying Stroke (centre or inside) cuts off
>some of my picture. So I can only get the effect I want by enlarging the
>canvas. If I have to do that, there's no point in using Stroke as I can,
>more simply choose the extension colour directly.
If you want to use stroke, then you compose the image to include an
area on outer edges that the stroke will cover up. Again, go back to
the pen and paper exercise. The mark the pen makes covers up part of
the card. The stroke does the same thing to the image. "Stroke" is
exactly like using a felt-tip pen on your image.
To do what you want with the stroke function, then just crop or
compose your image to include an area that you are prepared to cover
up.
Another way to do it is to use Free Transform to reduce the image to
975 pixels square and then stroke. Using Free Transform, you reduce
the image but not the canvas. Personally, I'd compose with a 25 pixel
area around the outside that you are willing to cover up.
>Your description - correctly - uses a layer to resize the finished
>canvas. That's fine, but is essentially the same as I'm describing.
>
>Now are we at cross purposes here? Is there something I've missed?
The thing you're missing is that you select the right tool for the
job. Stroke is the wrong tool if you don't want to cover up any of
the image because stroking at 100% opacity is covering up some of the
image. Stroke is the right tool if the image can lose the part of the
image the stroke covers up.
tony cooper <tony_cooper213@earthlink.net> was inspired to say
>On Thu, 7 Jan 2010 15:21:51 +0000, Michael J Davis
><mjdusenet@trustsof.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>tony cooper <tony_cooper213@earthlink.net> was inspired to say
>>>On Thu, 31 Dec 2009 13:02:29 +0000, Michael J Davis
>>><mjdusenet@trustsof.co.uk> wrote:
>>>
>>>>Dan <dan@?.?.invalid> was inspired to say
>>>>>tony cooper wrote:
>>>>>> On Mon, 28 Dec 2009 23:36:49 +0000, Dan <dan> wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> How do I draw a thin black line around the edges of a rectangular
>>>>>>>picture ? I am using P.S. Elements 8 on Mac OSX Snow Leopard
>>>>>
>>>>>> Select>All>Stroke and set the stroke to black and the thickness you
>>>>>> want.
>>>>>
>>>>>Indeed that does work - easy when you know how - P.S."help" files never
>>>>>seem to deal with these simple actions. I need a good book; any ideas
>>>>>?
>>>>
>>>>Interesting, I've been using Elements for about 6 years and never used
>>>>that command!
>>>>
>>>>Having now tried it out (in PSE 5), it creates a border inside the photo
>>>>(all selected) but cannot create a border *outside* the existing photo
>>>>(ie outside the selection). That means that my carefully framed picture
>>>>is messed up by a selection.
>>>
>>>I can't figure out what you are doing. The Select>All>Stroke puts a
>>>line the width of the number of pixels you designate completely around
>>>the image at the outer edge of the photograph.
>>>
>>>There two reasons I use this:
>>>
>>>1. When the image is to be put up for view on the web, a fine line
>>>around the image frames the image. If the image is to be displayed on
>>>a white background, I'll use a black stroke. Here's an example of an
>>>image with a 5 px black stroke.
>>>
>>>http://tonycooper.smugmug.com/photos/753852484_N5GdQ-XL.jpg
>>>
>>>If the image is to be displayed on a black background, I'll use a
>>>white stroke. Since I usually put images up on SmugMug or in DGrin,
>>>which has a black background, I usually use a white stroke.
>>>
>>>I like a thin line, but any thickness can be set.
>>>
>>>2. If the image is to be printed and framed, I'll use a wider stroke
>>>so part of the image is not covered by the frame. Usually, I stroke
>>>in white, but there are times I may select a color for this.
>>>
>>>If the image is not the same ratio as the frame, I'll use
>>>Image>Resize>Canvas Size and set the background color to the color I
>>>want as the border.
>>>
>>>However, sometimes - for this purpose - I'll use File>New and create a
>>>new canvas of the appropriate size and fill with the color I want.
>>>Then I go to Window>Tile and use the move tool to bring the photo onto
>>>the new canvas and use Free Transform to position and size the photo
>>>on the new canvas. Then flatten.
>>>
>>>Note...I work in CS4, but I have Elements. All of the above steps can
>>>be done in either program as written. The image above was stroked in
>>>Elements.
>>
>>Tony, many thanks for the reply - with some useful comments. But I
>>haven't made myself clear. Let me explain by a practical example (in
>>Elements 5).
>>
>>1. Create a new blank canvas 1000pixels sq.
>>2. Fill it with a white fill
>>3. Select it
>>4. Apply Stroke 25pixels black Outside
>>5. Nothing happens!
>
>>The canvas does NOT expand to provide a surround. If I select Centre
>>stroke, I get a 12 pixel surround inside the canvas, and if I choose
>>Inside, I get a 25pixel surround inside the canvas edge.
>
>This is really an easy concept to understand if you think about it as
>an exercise with paper and pen. If you put a white 3 x 5 card on your
>desk and use a felt-tip pen with a tip width of 1/4" and try to draw a
>border around the 3 x 5 card.
>
>If you draw the border *outside* the edge of the card you don't mark
>the card at all. If you draw the border with the pen *centered* on
>the edge of the card you will create a border 1/8" around the card
>(half the pen tip is on the paper). If you draw the border with the
>pen *inside* the edge of the card you will create a border 1/4" wide
>on the card.
>
>All of this is obvious when you do it with a pen and paper. Do it on
>a computer screen and the same things happen. You do not expect the
>border you draw on paper to expand the size of the 3 x 5 card, and you
>should not expect a stroke on the computer screen to expand that
>canvas.
>
>>This confirms what I am saying above - that, having cropped the picture
>>to the composition I want, applying Stroke (centre or inside) cuts off
>>some of my picture. So I can only get the effect I want by enlarging the
>>canvas. If I have to do that, there's no point in using Stroke as I can,
>>more simply choose the extension colour directly.
>
>If you want to use stroke, then you compose the image to include an
>area on outer edges that the stroke will cover up. Again, go back to
>the pen and paper exercise. The mark the pen makes covers up part of
>the card. The stroke does the same thing to the image. "Stroke" is
>exactly like using a felt-tip pen on your image.
>
>To do what you want with the stroke function, then just crop or
>compose your image to include an area that you are prepared to cover
>up.
>
>Another way to do it is to use Free Transform to reduce the image to
>975 pixels square and then stroke. Using Free Transform, you reduce
>the image but not the canvas. Personally, I'd compose with a 25 pixel
>area around the outside that you are willing to cover up.
>
>>Your description - correctly - uses a layer to resize the finished
>>canvas. That's fine, but is essentially the same as I'm describing.
>>
>>Now are we at cross purposes here? Is there something I've missed?
>
>The thing you're missing is that you select the right tool for the
>job. Stroke is the wrong tool if you don't want to cover up any of
>the image because stroking at 100% opacity is covering up some of the
>image. Stroke is the right tool if the image can lose the part of the
>image the stroke covers up.
Tony, thanks again.
I don't use stroke because I use resize canvas for putting a border
around my pictures.
The original poster, Dan, asked:-
"How do I draw a thin black line around the edges of a rectangular
picture ?"
I merely pointed out that Stroke (a command that I rarely use) took away
from some of the picture. I wondered if I was missing something. You
have confirmed that I wasn't. Thanks!
(I can however see some uses for stroke that I may wish to use in the
future, notably irregular borders. Again thanks.)
Mike
--
Michael J Davis
<><
"I never have taken a picture I've intended.
They're always better or worse."
Diane Arbus
<><