Altering Frame Dimensions in PSE

SUBJECT: Adjusting the dimensions (height/length) of frame elements.

PROGRAM: PSE8 (can be adapted for other versions of PSE or Photoshop)

PREREQUISITES: General familiarity with the Layer and Tool Palettes.

Often I find the perfect frame for a page only to have it be a rectangle when I need a square or vice versa. Simply transforming the dimensions by squishing it or stretching it can make it out of proportion. It becomes even more of a mess when the frame has a detailed edging.

Here is a trick I use that works with most frames. It gets tricky with bold patterns or highly ornate frames, but for your garden-variety paper-cut frame the results are usually quite good.

Start by opening your frame in PSE/PS. I’ve put my frame on a white background so the tutorial images show better, but you will likely have transparency surrounding your frame.

Choose your Rectangular Marquee Tool from the Tools Palette.

Click and drag your across your frame so that you have selected about half of it.

Go to Select>Feather. (In Photoshop Select>Modify>Feather)

Enter ’5′ in the Feather Selection dialogue box and click OK.

Go to Layer>New>Layer via Cut.

Now use your arrow key to move one side of the frame inward to adjust the length of the frame. If your frame has a detailed edging, you’ll want to make sure you line up the edging pattern (in my case the scallops).

Right click on the top layer in the Layers Palette and select ‘Merge Down’ and your frame is ready for scrapping.

If you want to keep this version of the frame for future use, make sure you do a ‘Save As’ and give it a new name so you don’t save over the original.