#11 Easy Do-It-Yourself Frames for Photoshop, Vignette

If you are tired of looking for various instant border, frame or vignette plug-ins, or you just prefer having a higher degree of control with your work, this might be just the ticket.

It’s actually quite easy to do. It’s a simple trick, which is this blogs main content.

For starters, you need a photo, or picture for yourself. For practice’s sake, even a pattern-filled page will do. Our first objective is the simple Vignette effect:

After you have opened the photo you want to work with, copy that layer, and delete the original background layer. Now, create a new layer, color it however you want(gradient is fine too) and set it bellow the photo.

Once you decide what shape you want(square, ellipse etc.) choose the selection tool(depending on which shape you want) and select the area of the image you want to keep. Add feather to your selection(the procedure for this varies depending on your PhotoShop version) 30 px will do, just to get things started. Now, right click the image and choose Select Inverse. Now, press delete. Ding! It’s done!

The possibilities:

You can use different shapes. Even irregular ones, if you use the freehand tool.

You can use different colors, gradients, or even other images.

You don’t have to use soft(feathered) edges, you can have simple, hard cuts.

You can have two or more focus points(example below).

Most importantly, be creative, and know what you want. Experimenting, that’s the key with any tip or trick on this site.

To have more focus points, select your entire image(with the square selection tool, or Select All command), and use the selection tools in combination with feathering and the ALT key to deselect the areas you want to keep. Delete, and pick a color through your background layer(like before).

NOTE: You don’t have to keep using Black, but I use it cause it goes well with my BBB(black blog background).

Once you get the hang of it, many possibilities will open up. I will be covering some other uses for the selection tool in the future, until then, experiment, and you may even find it out by yourself.

I’ll be watching you!(or she will, I guess)