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Creating a Simple Border

© Shari Malin

Creating a Simple Border in Photoshop (7 and Elements)

Please note that I use Photoshop Elements because it came with my camera.  However, the process described below should work in Photoshop 7 and possibly CS).

Open a file

Click "File" and "Open" to choose a photo to which you wish to add a border.

 

 

Set the Background Color

Click on the square that represents the background color.

 

 

Choose a color for the background (which will be your border).  I like to use the dropper (which appears when you move the cursor over the photo that is open) to choose a color from the photo to use for the border.

 

 

Resize the Canvas

Click Image, Resize, and Canvas to open the Resize Canvas dialogue.

 

 

Check the box marked Relative.  Add the amount of border you want to end up with.  In the example, I have added a quarter of an inch all the way around.

 

 

Double Border

To add a double border, simply repeat the steps.  Often a darker outer border looks good.  Remember that adding a border will change the aspect ratio of the photograph.  You may have to crop the finished project to make it one of the standard print aspects (1:1.25, 1:1.5).  My finished project looks like this:

 

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