adding my own frame to a picture

**Nahuel** · 20 May 2009, 03:46 AM

i have a frame jpg I've found and i want to put it around a picture for a friends site can anyone point me to or tell me the steps to putting a pic in a frame not in the preset frames of PSP X2?

thanks in advance

**iamtheblues** · 20 May 2009, 05:43 AM

If your frame image is transparent you can open the picture you wish to frame and copy it to the clipboard. Open your frame picture and rename the layer "frame" or whatever. Go to the edit menu and select paste as new layer.
At this point you can go to the File menu, choose export/Picture Frame... and give your new frame a name in the dialogue box that opens. Move the frame layer above the chosen picture and choose merge all (flatten) from the layers menu and you are done. You may have to resize the picture for it to fit into the frame.
If your frame is not transparent, you will have to select all the parts of the picture that aren't the frame and invert your selection, copy it to the clipboard and paste it as a new image. This will then be transparent. and you can export the frame at this point for future repeated use.
My effort is just a rough idea.
Saludos,
Bob.

**iamtheblues** · 20 May 2009, 07:32 AM

As a test, I added the driftwood frame to my PSP files, and used it in the conventional manner.
Because your frame isn't a regular rectangle, the result is as attached below.
You may have to rethink the shape of the frame if you want to add your design to your picture frames folder.
Saludos,
Bob.

**Virtual DarKness** · 20 May 2009, 01:31 PM

To have your frame transparent, keeping also the shadow, you could try using a mask: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g54bD-yfpiA

(use a dark grey instead of black for the shadow so that it will be partially transparent)

Then you just have to do File -> Export -> Picture frame

bye,
Giovanni.

**Nahuel** · 20 May 2009, 03:39 PM

Originally Posted by iamtheblues

As a test, I added the driftwood frame to my PSP files, and used it in the conventional manner.
Because your frame isn't a regular rectangle, the result is as attached below.
You may have to rethink the shape of the frame if you want to add your design to your picture frames folder.
Saludos,
Bob.

As far as your post #3, how do i add my frame to the frame folder? this sounds easiest. On your post #2, thought i didn't get very far. I opened my frame, but when i went to the edit tab "paste as new layer" was still grayed out. Thanks for the help.

**iamtheblues** · 20 May 2009, 04:32 PM

Open your frame in Paintshop Pro.
Go to the File menu. (That's the File menu, not the Edit menu)
Choose Export.
Choose Picture Frame...
Give your frame a file name in the dialogue box that opens.
It will automatically save to your My Documents/My PSP Files/Picture Frames folder.
Saludos,
Bob.

**Nahuel** · 21 May 2009, 04:00 AM

sorry to keep bothering you, but i almost have it. I've got the frame in the picture frame drop down menu, but when i try to apply it to my picture i get the frame with a white center. i know this has something to do with tranparency but not sure how to fix it. can you guide me further? thank you for your patience and help.