Critique: One of Alpha's pics

[Alpha8207]

Originally Posted by Fuzz

Alpha, since you asked, here's how I make the frame.

I use Photoshop CS2, so I don't know if you have all these commands/effects in Photoshop Elements (or if they don't, you may have to use some tricks or shortcuts to recreate some of them).

I have these recorded as one action, so when I need to create the frame, I just press one button and it's done.

Anyway, so here are the commands and parameters for each:

1. Flatten image
   • Parameters: none
   • I need a flat image (i.e. no layers) to create a frame. I could modify the action so that it works with layers, but it'd be too complicated and not worth it for my use.
2. Make snapshot
   • Parameters: none
   • This is helpful to keep a copy of the image before creating the frame -- just in case I need to undo it.
3. Duplicate current layer
   • Parameters: none
4. Delete background
   • Parameters: none
   • Some of the effects I apply cannot be applied to a Background layer. That is why I duplicate the Background layer (previous step) and delete the Background layer.
5. Set Layer style
   • Parameters:
     • Inner shadow
     • Mode: Multiply
     • Opacity: 75%
     • Distance: 5 pixels
     • Choke: 0 pixels
     • Size: 5 pixels
     • Local angle: 120
     • Anti-alias: on
     • Outer Glow
     • Mode: Normal
     • Opacity: 100%
     • Technique: Precise
     • Spread: 100 pixels
     • Size: 1 pixel
     • Bevel & Emboss
     • Style: Inner bevel
     • Technique: Smooth
     • Direction: Up
     • Local angle: 135
     • Local altitude: 142
     • Depth: 131%
     • Size: 10 pixels
     • Soften: 5 pixels
     • Highlight mode: Multiply
     • Highlight opacity: 75%
     • Shadow mode: Multiply
     • Shadow opacity: 75%
   • All these settings can be accessed by right-clicking on the Layer and selecting "Blending options...". All these effects create a border around the picture and the shadow effect on all four sides.
6. Make layer
   • Parameters: none
   • This simply creates a new layer -- this layer will hold the frame.
7. Canvas size
   • Parameters:
     • Width: 200 pixels
     • Height: 200 pixels
     • Relative: on
     • Anchor: center
   • This expands the canvas of the image by 200 pixels in all directions -- this is the frame.
8. Fill
   • Parameters:
     • From: 1 x 1
     • Using: foreground color
   • This fills in the frame with the foreground color. The "From" option is where the fill starts from -- a 1x1 starting position ensures that that spot will always be within the canvas borders, no matter the size of the original image (otherwise the fill may try to paint outside the image border). Since the frame is painted with the foreground color, if I want a frame of a different color, I simply choose a different foreground color before running the frame command.
9. Move current layer
   • Parameter:
     • To layer 0
   • This is simply moving the current layer (the frame layer) to the background. Remember when we created the new frame layer and painted it (steps 6-8), it stayed as the top layer -- the image was in the layer underneath. So this step simply moves the frame layer under the image layer.
10. Set Layer style
    • Parameters:
      • Inner glow
      • Mode: Normal
      • Opacity: 100%
      • Technique: Precise
      • Size: 1 pixel
      • Choke: 100 pixels
    • This simply adds a black border to the outline of the frame.
11. Flatten image:
    • Parameters: none
    • This simply flattens the image and the frame layer into one. Since the framing is usually my last action on an image, I always flatten it anyway, so I just built it into my action. If you think you'll be tweaking the frame afterward, you may want to leave this step out.

There may well be much easier ways to create a frame, but this is what I use. I know Photoshop CS2 has some preset actions for creating frames, but I like this one because (a) I can control every aspect myself, and (b) I like this simple framing instead of the fancy, over-elaborate preset frames.
PS CS2 also allows you to determine if it should pause at any step of the action for the user to manipulate any dialog box. I often do so with step 7 -- this way, when running the action, it stops at step 7 and asks me what size to extend the canvas by, letting me choose how big/thick I want the frame to be. This is useful when framing very large or very small images, when a 200-pixel frame may be too small or too large.

I think I need to get my books out! I sure hope I can find an easier way, but I'm sure the more detail you put in, the better the result.

And every result you've posted so far has been excellent.

Thanks for taking the time to share. Printer's running now!