I would like to find some free software that will allow me to easily put a (frame and matte and signature) around my pictures before posting them to my gallery here. Has anyone found Freeware or a free photoshop filter or plugin or an online utility that can do these three things I need.(frame and matte and signature) I could just make each part in Photoshop but I'd rather spend the time on the art itself. Thank's for any help.

Frank Hawkins/Owner/DigitalDaydreams

Frank_Hawkins_Design

Frank Lee Hawkins Eastern Sierra Gallery Store

 

My U.S.A eBay Graphics Software Store~~ My International eBay Graphics Software Store

 

Various artists have created 3d picture frames for Poser... SAMS and maclean come to mind, but there are several others. There are filters and plug-ins for PhotoShop which will give you the look of matting, but I don't think any of them do a 3-D type frame. You can use layer styles to make a frame, or you could make a frame in PhotoShop and save it as an action which could be applied later. These would be cheapest (free), but would require that you spend the time to make at least 1 frame. I prefer to build my own custom frame for each piece... but then I worked in a frame shop decades ago handling museum pieces and learned about an incredible variety of framing techniques. If I'm hanging a show at an SF con I want my pieces to have similar framing, otherwise each piece deserves a frame built for it. The frame on the homepage of my website was built in PhotoShop. www.hauksdottir.com Same with the frames on my non-photo images in the gallery here. You can go plain or fancy, but if the frame brings out some color or detail or texture in the image, it has enhanced it. Carolly

Attached Link: http://www.pluginfilters.com/bordermania/

I don't know if there's anything that will do all three. You might take a look at Bordermania. It's free to try, but even after the 30-day trial period expires, parts of it continue to work. The freebie parts will do frames and mattes, though not as nice as Carolly's.

No signature, but that would be easy enough to do on your own. Do it once and save it, and then you can layer it over any image.

Thanks For all the help. Lots to think about.

Frank Hawkins/Owner/DigitalDaydreams

Frank_Hawkins_Design

Frank Lee Hawkins Eastern Sierra Gallery Store

 

My U.S.A eBay Graphics Software Store~~ My International eBay Graphics Software Store

 

Attached Link: http://www.alienskin.com/splat/splat_filters.html

I tend not to frame, but I have made frames using a combination of Alien Skin's Eye Candy Wood and Bevel filters. Their "Splat" filter series has a 30 day trial, and has a frame filter that has some nice enough frames. ^_^ I need to break down and buy it - it's the only thing that allows me (PS7) to access .tub files from Paint Shop Pro.

Attached Link: http://www.atncentral.com/download.htm

Search the page at the link. There are many actions to create frames and mattes. Somewhere on this page is the action that did this frame & matte. Sorry, I don't remember which one it is.

Thanks I went there and tried some, cant find this one.

Frank Hawkins/Owner/DigitalDaydreams

Frank_Hawkins_Design

Frank Lee Hawkins Eastern Sierra Gallery Store

 

My U.S.A eBay Graphics Software Store~~ My International eBay Graphics Software Store

 

Okay, try "Mike's Frame Actions" by Mike Warren. The example looks like it might be the one. And even if it isn't, it might still do what you're after.

Thanks but not it either but I'll keep trying.

Frank Hawkins/Owner/DigitalDaydreams

Frank_Hawkins_Design

Frank Lee Hawkins Eastern Sierra Gallery Store

 

My U.S.A eBay Graphics Software Store~~ My International eBay Graphics Software Store

 

Thanks, that looks like a gem of a site with a lot to play with. :)

Oh yeah, it's one of the best for Photoshop actions. Check out this Out Of Bounds (OOB) action ;)

LOL! Those expressions are priceless!!! (and thanks to randym77 for her(?) kind words... I need to do some mini-tuts showing how to get elegant effects with just the tools at hand) Carolly

Thanks for the compliment, I'm quite proud of that shot. And actually, all actions are are a series of steps taken with Pshop's default tools. I could have done the above effects myself; it was just easier and faster using someone else's action ;) What I like best about actions is they allow a noob to get the effect they want PLUS they can learn how it's done by disecting the action to see the steps taken. Good actions are a great learning tool...sometimes even for seasoned users.

Yup. I got the "PhotoShop 6 WOW! Book" a few years back. It had a CD full of special buttons and layer styles. I took them apart and proceeded to add my own styles as I build them. :)