Wood Picture Frames

The first step is to use the Selection Tool/Rectangle to capture an image that will be our board. Pictured is a representation of that process. Notice I tried to get the most interesting of grain (for variety), being careful not to get into shadow area or where boards overlap. Once selected, just copy and paste as new image then you can clear original picture. For purposes of demonstration we will be using only that one board, but you can see the possibilities if you did several different boards.

We will be flipping and mirroring the one board to avoid having the same image on any of the four sides. To further enhance this and to demonstrate what can be done, the next step is to resize the board by doubling the length, while keeping the width the same. Select Image/Resize, uncheck Maintain aspect ratio, then Percentage of original, width 200, height 100, (because of boards orientation on psp screen the length of board becomes width).

Above, Image1 is the board cut from original pic. Image2 is the same board stretched.

Now we have the single board that will make all four sides of the frame. The physical construction of a picture frame requires 45-degree miter joints. The grain of the wood must always be its longest length so you can't just make a border and fill with wood image. You must make the four sides. To create the vertical members, take the stretched board and rotate it 90 degrees. After rotation, copy and paste as a new image. Now you have two boards, horizontal and vertical.

Note: An alternative method to rotating a single board is to rotate the frame and use a horizontal board.

Use the eyedropper and select a color from one of the boards that you consider to be an average. It is not important what that color is, it is only there to eliminate white lines around the boards and to provide a color that is separate from where the picture will be, that represents the frame. Then using that color, select Image/Add Borders/Symmetric, value of 40. Note: all dimensions are variables. You can select your own to fit the picture you want to put in this frame.

Now we need to draw four lines that represent miter cuts on the corners. Select the line tool. Line type Normal, width of 1, antialias off, color black. Then draw a line from white corner to the corner of the frame - outwards, being careful to make the line touch each corner. Enlarged example of one corner below. Do all four corners. Note: This procedure can be made easier by enlarging the image. Always draw outward and go past the corner, outside the image area. Line will be restricted to inside the window border.

Now configure Flood Fill tool. Fill Style is Pattern, Match mode is none, Tolerance 10, Opacity 100. Then click on Options, select Image2 which is the horizontal board. Use the magic wand to select the top board of frame, then fill with that pattern. Then select the horizontal board, Image/Mirror, back to the Flood Fill/Options, select the horizontal board again, then use magic wand on bottom board and fill with what is the other end of horizontal board. Repeat this process using the vertical board for the side frames, only this time flip instead of mirror. Below are the four steps and finished frame.

Now for the application of the preset. Use magic wand, select the white area in the middle, then Selections/Invert. Go to Blade Pro and apply the supplied preset that you downloaded at the top of this page (jerwoodframe). Then put in your favorite picture by using the magic wand to select the white area, copy picture, paste "Into Selection".

For those that have become experts doing this tutorial, here is a challenge for you.