Photographic Edges

[jaz]

For some reason, my other post about this got deleted...

Anyway, I'm looking for tips on photographic edges. A buddy of mine has Auto F/X photographics edges which I used to make this picture:

http://www.jackzucker.com/Caribbean/pelicantemp.jpg

The effect is wonderful but I found the package to be small on features. You get 7 or 8 templates for edges and many are similar. You also get some frames which were not worthwhile to me and some vignettes which could easily be created with masks and guassian blurring...I can't see paying $199 for the package.

Here are a couple I've done using brushes, spatter, blurring, etc...

http://www.jackzucker.com/finearts/i...0389_web_2.jpg
http://www.jackzucker.com/images/finearts/lily1wc.jpg
http://www.jackzucker.com/finearts/DSCF0599_copy.jpg

I've seen the various tutorials for torn and burnt edges but was wondering if there were any other packages which had more features than Auto F/X out there.

What do you guys do?

Jaz

[T Paul]

Wetzel & Company has a CD of 30 edges and borders for $29.95.
Click here to check it out. I haven't used this software, but it may be what you are looking for. They offer a PDF printout of the images as thumbnails for your review.

~T

[Doug Nelson]

The Auto f/x package you speak of has over 1 gig of available edges, and each can be infinitely edited and adjusted. The few templates you mention are simply included to help introduce the package.

Check out my review over in the Plugins section of our Product Reviews Database for my complete opinion.

[jaz]

Originally posted by Doug Nelson
The Auto f/x package you speak of has over 1 gig of available edges, and each can be infinitely edited and adjusted. The few templates you mention are simply included to help introduce the package.

Check out my review over in the Plugins section of our Product Reviews Database for my complete opinion.

How do you get the other edges? Do you have to buy them or can you simply download them?

I have to tell you that I'm not impressed with their User Interface which is klunky and Veeeeeeeeeeeery slow. I can't believe how long it takes to update a D60 sized image...Probably 60 seconds on my 2gz P4 machine with 512MB memory and 60gb disk.

[Doug Nelson]

All edges are included, as it comes on 3 cd-roms.

As for speed, there's nothing slow about taking only 60 seconds to render photorealistic images from vector data, no matter what package you're using.

As for non-plugin methods, Jak's tutorial on vignetteing has the basic steps that can be elaborated on to make some striking edges.

[jaz]

Originally posted by Doug Nelson
All edges are included, as it comes on 3 cd-roms.

As for speed, there's nothing slow about taking only 60 seconds to render photorealistic images from vector data, no matter what package you're using.

I'm sorry but that's ridiculous to me. Try doing a batch of 50 photos...In fact, i'm not sure you can even run their software in batch mode. For what it's worth, I thought the extensis photo-frames worked much smoother and had a better UI.

As for non-plugin methods, Jak's tutorial on vignetteing has the basic steps that can be elaborated on to make some striking edges.

Yeah, been there done that. I'm talking about edges like this:

www.jackzucker.com/Caribbean/lantern.jpg
www.jackzucker.com/Caribbean/xmas.jpg

[T Paul]

Seems that Auto FX and Extensis have the two strongest Photo Edges software packages out there.

I did find another plugin that cost less and offers a variety of photo edges.

Edge and Frame Galaxy ... is a vast set of edges and frames to use in your composition. ... Applying a frame is an easy process ... Edge and Frame Galaxy is a comprehensive and afforable package.

Again, I haven't used this product, but it might be along the lines of what you are looking for. Click here for more information.


Also here is a quick tutorial on how to creat photo edges using quick mask. I usually just make my own.

Photo Edges Tut

~T

[T Paul]

Here is one other tutorial on creating Cool Edges from the Wacom web site.

Cool Edges Tut

~T

[jaz]

Thanks for the tutorial. That's basically what I've been doing except I think I'm now going to save the edges as alpha channels. I like your ripple technique. I hadn't tried that.

I combined that with radial blur, spatter and texturizer here:

http://www.jackzucker.com/Caribbean/pink.jpg

Jaz

[T Paul]

You've submitted some very nice images in this thread. Just think of the photo edges as part of the artistic process. Half the fun will be creating them!

Also you might try pricegrabber.com as they usually have the big software at lower prices.

Best of Luck!

~T

[T Paul]

Here are a few more tutorials for creating decorative edges. I really like their halftone dot one.

EspressoGraphics.com

CreativePro.com

ENJOY!

~T

[jaz]

Originally posted by T Paul
Here are a few more tutorials for creating decorative edges. I really like their halftone dot one.

EspressoGraphics.com

CreativePro.com

ENJOY!

~T

Thanks again!

One thing that would help me is getting some more artistic brushes. After all the hype about the new brush engine in PS7, I'm kind of disappointed in the lack of "real" paint brush tips. I've tried the web brushes but haven't found any that really blow me away for what I'm trying to do with edges. I guess I need to create some myself...

[T Paul]

Adobe Xchange has some great brush sets. You might try looking there.

Adobe Studio Exchange


And RetouchPro has a thread with some brushes as well.
Go here . You will have to scroll through this thread as it has actions, textures and brushes.

~T

[Mig]

Hi Jaz,

These are all quite easy to do in photoshop without any fancy expensive filters. Sounds like you're looking for something funky-looking.
What you can do is make your own displacement maps in photoshop by opening a new file and making all sorts of rough paint scratches all over the file, or, take some part of a picture and rake it up however you like, such as the file attached here.
Then save it as a .psd file and name it something like displace1.psd or some name you can remember. Make a bunch of these and save them in a folder just for displacement maps.

When you want to use one, say for edges, then open a picture, double click the background layer to make it layer 0 (that way you can unlock it and move it up and down the layer stack). Add a new layer and fill it with white and move it below layer 0 so the white layer is beneath. Make a rectangle or square selection around the 0 layer (where you want to apply the edge effect), then click the layer mask button on the bottom left of the tools pallette. The layer mask is now there, but don't apply it yet because it's this layer mask that you'll displace. If all is right you should see some of the white layer around the perimeter of your picture now.
In order to apply the edge filter technique here you need to filter the layer mask of layer 0. Make sure you're applying the effect to the layer mask, not the actual layer.
So with the layer mask active on layer 0, go to filter>displace, and choose settings such as
Horizontal 3
Vertical 5
Displacement map = Tile
Undefined Areas = Repeat Edge Pixels

Click Ok and then you'll be asked for a source file for the displacement map. Browse through your computer and find the .psd file you made for your displacement map and click it.
Voila.
If you don't like it, edit>undo, and change the settings, or change to a different displacement map, etc.
It's a lot of fun to make your own - you don't need an expensive filter for this.

Mig

[Mig]

Here's a sample of something I just did in ten minutes with the attached displacement map and some colour filters to give you an idea of what it can do. The combinations are endless.

mig