ADDING ARTISTIC EDGES TO YOUR IMAGES

Want to add some artistic edges to your images? My TLR Edge Effects action lets you choose from a number of different distortions, strokes, and textures for an addition artistic touch.

You begon with one of two actions: Create Framed Edge or Create Unframed Edge. Create Framed Edge adds a black frame layer for additional emphasis (I'll get to some practical examples of each in a moment). Let's start with an example using Create Framed Edge.

After running Create Framed Edge or Create Unframed Edge, the next step is to blur the edge. There are two actions for blurring: Gaussian Blur Edge and Gaussian Blur Frame. You can control how much blur to apply to both. All of the edge and texture actions wait for you to finesse the settings. Below is the result of running Gaussian Blue Edge with a 50 pixel setting.

Running Gaussian Blur Frame will soften the black frame layer. Here is the result of an 8 pixel setting:

Here is the same image without the black frame layer (but the same 50 pixel Gaussian Blur for the edge) . . .

The various edge and texture actions are nothing more than unadorned filter effects. You can add more easily. Each starts by selecting the layer mask on the topmost layer, called "Edged Image." The next step applies one of the available filters from the Photoshop Filter menu.

Here is an example of the sprayed strokes edge effect with a black frame layer:

This spatter edge example does not have a black frame layer:

Here is the frosted glass filter with a black frame:

Edge effects are more limited in their effect. They affect the edge and sometime intrude slightly into the image (depending on how strong you make the effect). Texture effects do not respect the edge. They affect the entire image. Here is an example of the canvas texture (this one does not include a black frame layer):

That's pretty much all you need to know in order to use my TLR Edge Effects action. Have fun!