Can anyone tell me why no matter how I put a frame around my photos that when I finally have it all done the framing is still not right? why is it smaller on some sides and larger on others? I do it just the same..aNd it still comes out that way. help please?

umm i think you are talking digital framing and not actual physical framing but just want to be sure before i go off on something so it is digital framing right

Yes its digital framing while I am working in photoshop or paint shop pro..

Verena you need to use the grid. You also need to use snap to center.

i guess the easiest way in photoshop then to get an equal border would be to use canvas size to add an even border all the way round then, if you dont want it plain you can at least use it as an accurate guide.

Hi Verena. The way I create a frame is to look at the largest dimension of my source image, and base the new frame size on it. If the image is 640x480, I take 640, multiply it by 1.33333333333 and take the resulting number (x) as the base dimension of the new image I create (File / New) I divide it by 1.3333333 to come up with the new (y) dimension of the image I am creating.

I choose as a color for the new image, the color I want the frame to be, and when it is created (33% larger than my source image) I copy and "paste as new layer" the source image onto the new monochrome image I created.

What I now have is an image on a background, and I can then add framing elements (like a border and scrollwork) as I desire. Always create new layers onto which to add new elements, so you can remove them at will without disturbing the rest of the work you have created if you don't like them.

To make my borders i eyeball it. Can you tell?

Somewhat related, but is there an option in Windows I can set so that the lowest part of an image isn't hidden by the bottom toolbar? It makes frames look weird because the bottom doesn't appear as large as the top, even though it really is.

you can make it so the taskbar hides until you move your mouse down to it.

I was just wondering if the problem Emily described (which is precisely why I auto-hide my taskbar) is the actual cause of the problem you're talking about, Verena. If the bottom frame is smaller than the others when you set the fnished image as your desktop, you probably didn't do anything wrong. That is just a problem created by the fact that desktop resolution is measured across the whole screen but the taskbar actually cuts into it. I prefer the auto-hide method because even if you could resize the image to sit above the taskbar, you'd end up with a slightly distorted image, and I'm not aware of any easy way of doing that anyway.

I avoid using thin borders on my images because it looks odd on most computers when you only really see the top border. It is not a real factor when using large borders such as on my image Sail Swiss because it is hard to tell that the borders are not the same size. It is also generally less of an issue in photography than in some digital art where symmetry and framing really matters.

If I had my way everyone would hide their taskbar but some people just don't like it.

P.S.

I find that moving the taskbar to the left edge of the screen, making it the width of four quick-start icons, and auto-hiding it makes it a very convenient way of storing a lot of icons with tons of leftover room for all your running application buttons, which take up much less taskbar space in a vertical configuration. With my taskbar set-up that way I have no need for any desktop icons, then I made my recycle bin invisible and put it in the bottom right corner of my desktop for easy access. Voilla! A completely clear desktop to enjoy images. Combine that with a desktop image changer such as Wallpaper Slideshow LT and you'll never use a screensaver again. All of this is for Windows machines by the way, you're on your own when it comes to cleaning up a mac desktop.