Make a Picture Frame in Paint Shop Pro 9 or X

Frames can add a special finishing touch to images. Paint Shop Pro comes with a number of frames available such as gold, wood, and mats, but you can always create your own and save them to use over and over again. These steps will show how to make a basic picture frame in Paint Shop Pro 9 or X.

Open Paint Shop Pro, and then open a new image with a raster background and transparent color. Make the size fairly large as the frame can always be sized down, but can look bad if sized up.

Go to Selections and click Select All, then go back to Selections and scroll down to Modify, and then click on Contract. Enter how wide you want the frame to be then click OK. If you're not happy with the width, go to Edit and click on Undo Contract Selection and go back to choose a different width.

Once you are satisfied with the width of your frame, go to Selections and click on Invert. You now have an outline of the picture frame you are making.

Now you can get creative! Use the Flood Fill Tool to add a gradient or a pattern and then apply some distortion or texture effects. Or try a solid color with a texture to make your own mats. Play with different combinations until you're satisfied with the appearance.

Once you are finished, deselect the frame by going to Selections and clicking Select None.

You can add a bevel to your picture frame by going to Effects, moving to 3D Effects, and clicking on Inner Bevel. Adjust the settings to your liking and then click OK. If you're making a mat you'll want to skip adding a bevel. You do not need to add a drop shadow to the frame since a picture frame is applied on its own layer. Shadows can be added to an image after applying the frame.

When you're ready to save your frame go to File, scroll down to Export, and click on Picture Frame. In the dialog box that opens, choose a name and then click Save. Once the box closes you can close the image you used to make your frame without saving it.

Test your creation by opening any image and going to Image and clicking on Picture Frame. Find your frame and click on it. Before you click OK, look at the settings on the right under Orientation. You may want to play with those options to see how your frame will look with different settings.

Now that you know the basics for creating picture frames the only limit is your imagination. Have fun!