Creating a Border without PSP’s Add Borders

This tutorial is copyrighted to Kaye @ Kaye'z Designz. You may print out for personal use but do not post to any site or distribute as your own. Any resemblance to others online is purely coincidental. No supplies.

Okay, you’ve worked on a tag for hours or days with layers intact (BG, mask, tube, elements, name and CR and/or WM, etc.) and finally have it the way you want. You want to save it as .pspimage with layers so you can make changes to any layer as needed (different tube, name, CR or whatever). Now you want to add border(s) to it but don’t know how to keep your separate layers. If you use PSP’s Add Borders you will lose your layers as this effect Flattens the image to a single layer. WHAT to DO!
First, either create a tag with layers or find one you’ve done with layers intact, no border. If you use one already created Duplicate it and close original.

Step 1 You need to determine how wide a border you want around your tag. For example say your tag is 500 X 500 and you want 3 borders of 10 pixels each for a total 30 pixel border.

Step 2 Remove your CR layer and Paste as New Image. Go to Image / Canvas Size and add 60 to width and height of tag. Your canvas will be 560 X 560. The white in this image is your Resized canvas part.

Step 3 Add a New Layer and name it border(s).

Step 4 Flood Fill layer with color you want your outer layer to be usually a dark color from tube.

Step 5 Go to Selections / Select All. Selections / Modify / Contract by 10.

Step 6 While still selected Flood Fill with another color, gradient or pattern. Go to Selections / Modify / Contract by 10.

Step 7 One more time Flood Fill with same color (or any color you want) as outer border. Go to Selections / Modify / Contract by 10. Keep selected.

Step 8 Hit the Delete key on keyboard. Your original tag should now be showing with a border around it.

Step 9 If you want to add an Inner Bevel to the border go to Selections / Invert and apply your favorite Bevel. Select None.

At this point I Resize my canvas back to 500 X 500. Add your CR layer back to your tag.

Note: If your colors are different enough you could select each border and apply an Inner Bevel or some other effect to each one instead of all 3 at once.

Note: You can leave your border layer at the top of your layer palette or move it to the bottom.

All done! I hope you have enjoyed my tutorial. Remember this is just a guide. Experiment using different colors, gradients or patterns, images and settings. Any questions you can reach me at kayewinters@zoomtown.com. This tutorial was written 10/13/09 by Kaye'z Designz.