How to Make a Basic Photo Frame PhotoImpact 6.0

For this project I have used a photo by Kelly Sweet from the PI Users Photo Gallery.
If you want to use this photo too, look in the Waterscapes. Thanks to Kelly for the photo and to Mary Lou for creating the page!

	Open the image you want to use, and click on the path tool. (1) Slide the cursor over to the arrow in the corner so that you can see the other tools. Click outline  drawing tool.
	In the attribute toolbar, under shape, make sure the rectangle shape is selected. Color is unimportant here, so ignore that option. Under mode, (2) click the down arrow and click on Selection. Under width (3) click the icon and click on more. The color and line options box will open. (4) Change the line width to 14 and click ok.
	Click and draw your selection on your canvas.  Try to click as close to the top left hand corner as possible and let go of the click as close to the bottom right hand corner as possible.  You will  most likely have to use the transformer tool (5) to resize your selection so that the selection is all included in the image window. In the illustration, you can see the marquee just fits in the canvas. Check all four sides and re-size as needed. This will be a little confusing, because the solid lines of the transformer tool are not on the edges of the selection. The solid line is what you see when drawing your selection.  Read the note at the bottom of the page for an extra tip on this.
	When the selection is just right, on the menu bar, click on web, then button designer, then any shape.
	This box will open. Set the bevel size to half the number you used for the width of the frame. Since we used 14 in this example, I have set the bevel size to 7. Set the smoothness to a fairly high number.
	I chose this bevel style for this frame, because it is the most like ones made in Paint shop pro. However, there are many bevel styles available in PI that aren't available in PSP, so I encourage you to experiment with this option to find a style you like best.  If you choose a different style, remember to reset the bevel width and smoothness, because each bevel style has its own settings, and we don't want a very wide bevel with this method or most of the effect will be lost.
	Now we want to add an inner mat to the frame. This is optional, but I think it sets off the frame a little better.  Change back to the outline tool if needed. Change the mode from selection to 2D object. Click the color box, click on eyedropper, and choose a darker color in your photo. I chose a dark brown. Set the width to 6 by clicking the width button and clicking on 6.
	Draw your outline smaller than your photo, and then use the transformer tool to make it the right size so that it just outlines the inside of your photo frame as shown here.
	Now in the menu bar, again click on web, then button designer, then any shape. Choose this button style, then set the bevel width and smoothness options as I have them here. Bevel width is 3 and bevel smoothness is 0. Click the ok button.
	In my finished example, I applied the settings twice by opening the button designer box again, and clicking ok.
	Change to the pick tool, and push the center both button in the attribute toolbar, then the send to back button.
	With the brown border still selected, right click on the canvas, and click on shadow. Choose the all around shadow style by clicking the 5th button from the left. Decrease the number in shadow size to 99.
	Your photo frame is basically done. Right click to merge all. From here you can right click, click on all, right click again, convert to object, add a shadow to the whole thing on the outside, leave it as is, or prepare a strip to make it into stationery. I have chosen to make stationery. I used 20 20 to make the background seamless. Don't forget to use the image optimizer on your completed image if you plan on displaying in on a web page or using it for stationery. If you want to see the stationery, click on the framed picture to the left.