Pro Edges pg 6: Production Graphics with Wendy Peck at webreference.com

Pro Edges 6: PhotoShop 3D Frames

Inner bevel effect applied with dark gray stroke.

Inner Bevel with white stroke on a black background.

Sometimes we want our photos to really stand out. Perhaps we are featuring a product line and we want a unified look, or our photos are buried in a text heavy site and will get lost without a strong frame. Adding a third dimension delivers a stronger visual statement.

This idea is a gift for PhotoShop ownersnot many techniques are this simple. The result is lively and feels "finished" without overwhelming the content of the photo.

Create a new layer. Set foreground color to dark gray. Select All. Choose Edit>Stroke from the Main Menu and specify 15pt and Middle. In the Layers Menu, choose Effects>Bevel and Emboss>Inner Bevel with default values. That's all! Your stroke can be any color, though with the lighter colors you may wish to adjust the Blur and/or Depth in the Layers>Effects>Bevel and Emboss>Style settings. Changing the Inner Bevel Shadow color to dark gray will soften shadows.

The photos above have the following stroke colors (clockwise from top left): dark green, orange, red, yellow.

When you need a quick frame solution, keep this one in mind. Of course, the Inner Bevel effect can be applied to shaped you draw as well to get the simple, soft, 3D look. Unlimited possibilities.

Images provided courtesy of EyeWire.

Images © Eyewire and Internet.com and may not be reproduced in any way without prior written notice.