Photobie Forum

odidio · Joined: 01 Mar 2006 Posts: 89 Location: N.S. Canada

This is a pretty easy way to get some cool frames by stretching the pixels.

1 - Load the image you want to add a frame to into Photobie. Be sure to write down or remember the dimensions of your picture.

2 - Go up to the menu and 'create a new photo'. Type in the dimensions of a small rectangle, it has to be small in order to stretch it after. For mine I chose 80x50 pixels and a white background, ok.

3 - Set the foreground color to the color you wan to use for your frame, go to 'Draw Shapes' and select the rectangle. Set the pen size in the top menu to something small ( I used 2 ) and drag out a rectangular shape on the small white background. It doesn't have to be the full size of the background.

4 - Go to the Layer menu at the top and select 'resize current layer by dimensions only' and type in 80x50 to match the background's size. Note: you should unselect the 'bound width with height' option., ok.

5 - You will notice your shape will be offset a bit so go up to the layer menu again and select, 'move current layer to center'. Now you have what you need for the frame, just go to the layer manager and merge the two. The easiest way is to just click the 'flatten all layers' check mark.

(click to enlarge)

6 - Go to the Selection menu at the top and choose, ' select whole image region'. Then go to Edit and copy.

7 - Click on your large image to select it and go to Edit and 'paste as new layer'. The small 80x50 shape should now be in the upper left corner of you large picture.

8 - Go to Layer and 'move current layer to center'. Also now set the transparent color for this layer to white in the layer manager. Just leave the default settings as you will want to keep a little of the background color.

(click to enlarge)

9 - Now you have to make this small frame layer the same size as the larger image so go up to the Layer menu and 'resize current layer size by dimensions only' and type in the dimensions of your large picture. Again unselect 'bound width with height', ok.

10 - The frame layer will be offset again so just repeat - Layer, 'move current layer to center'.

That should be it, you can merge and save the image or play with it some more. I usually add another small plain black boarder for the outer edges. You can also clone the stretched frame before you merge then shrink it, change the color and opacity...etc etc.

A couple of examples ( I forgot to sign )

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