The absolute best frames are free. If you do a search on 'frames' in this forum you will find scads of great fun ideas. Here's one I did. Instructions follow below - they were presented by David Jaseck last spring. There is lots of info on his methods and others. Have fun.
Lynn
OK..Lets us use the hypothetical of a 5"X7" picture @100 ppi that you want on a 8"X10"matte:
1.Open image in PS6. Before you do anything else, double click background copy in the layers pallet and rename "Photo"
2. Select > all. Go to Edit> stroke, 2 pixels in black (Darken?)
4. Make duplicate layer.
5 Go to Layer> effects> innershadow add 5 pixel distance and size. You can adjust these to your own taste later. Important, keep the angle on everything at 120 degrees
6. Make new layer, title it "First Matte". Drag it to the bottom of the layers pallet. Go to Image> canvas size. Add .5 to both the width and height of this layer. Click OK.
7. Go to Select> select all. Go to Edit> stroke. Add 2 pixel black stroke to the "First Matte" layer. At this point select a color for the first matte. Try a medium color for this exercise. To paint, change the foreground color and then use the paint bucket on the layer.
8. Still on the "First Matte" layer, go to Layer> effects> bevel and emboss. Select Style "Inner bevel", 7 or 8 pixel size, click the "down" button. Make sure angle is always 120 degrees. You can add a texture to the 2 mattes any time you choose.
9. Make new layer, title it "Second Matte". Drag it to the bottom of the layers pallette. Go to Image> canvas size and resize to 8"X10". Click ok.
10. Select a complimentary color and add with Paint Bucket. Add texture if desired. OK, at this point you should have a finished matted picture. You can Save and keep all the layers in this picture for future changes. Now for the frame:
11. Make a new layer. Title it "Frame" and drag it to the bottom of the layers pallette. Go to Image> canvas size and resize the "Frame" layer. Add 1 additional percent to the short side. For example, Landscape – width 104%,height 105%, Portrait - Width 105%, Height 104%. Fill using paint bucket
with color of your choice. (Got this from MHL, Thanks, don't know why it
works this way, but hey!)
12. Select Second Matte. Go to Layer, effects> inner shadow - add. Go the bevel and emboss, select Style "outer bevel" and click the down button. Correction to matte and frame instructions: Number 12 should be for the 2nd Matte layer which at this point the frame layer is the bottom layer and the 2nd matte layer is the next one. I left out the word "2nd Matte". Should look somewhat like this...Dave
13. Activate the "Frame" layer, Go to Layer> effects> bevel & emboss. Select Style "inner bevel", click the "up" button. You might at this time stroke the frame with a 2 pixel black stroke At this point you should have a matted picture with a frame. Lets put a background under it.
14. Make a new layer, title it "White Back" and drag it to the bottom of the layers pallette.
15. Go to Edit> canvas size and resize to 120% on both height and width.
16. Fill white color with paint bucket.
17. Go to "Frame" layer, activate, go to Layer> effects> drop shadow. Set to distance 50 pixels, size 50 pixels. That's about it folks. Remember, keep the angel at 120 degrees (unclick the"global light". Hope I didn't forget somethingl
