Inked edges are a very popular look in paper scrapbooking and it is very easy to duplicate the same look in digital scrapbooking using brushes.

Let's start by opening a photo to use. Brushes are limited to 500X500 in PSPX and 999X999 in PSPXi, so to make this quicker, let's resize our photo.

Go to Image> Resize or hit Shift+S and a dialog box will open. First, write down the size of your photo (found at the top of the dialog box under "Original Dimensions"), then make sure "Lock Aspect Ratio" is checked. Set the width or height, whichever is larger, to 500 for PSPX and 999 for Xi. Click "OK."

Activate your Brush Tool (shortcut key B) and on your Materials Palette, choose the color you want your ink to be. I am going to use white. Right mouse click on the color you want for background and left mouse click for foreground.

Add a new raster layer by clicking on the new layer icon on the Layers Palette. I always use my brushes on a new layer so I can delete, play with opacity and blend modes, etc., and not change my original photo.

If your brush still does not reach across the photo, you can click once to place your color, then hold the Shift key and click on the other end and you will have a perfectly straight inked edge! To change the direction of the brush, use the rotation box on the tool bar. The brush default is 0, so each additional side would be 90, 180, 270. Add your color, changing brushes as you go, if desired.

When you are happy with how your edges look, merge the layers. Image> Resize and return the settings to the original dimensions. Copy (Ctrl+C)> Paste As New Layer (Ctrl+L) onto your layout!

You can ink the edges of any paper or photo by resizing first, applying your edges and returning to original size!

For my layout, I opened each of the layers of the Lifted Photo Template and ran the PSP ScrapSimple Assemble Rectangles Resize to 6X4.5 Tool. After Copy> Pasting each layer into a new document, I saved the layered template as a PSD file.

I dragged my photo onto the template and positioned it between the frame and the background. I sized the photo, and after selecting the background layer, went to Selections> Invert> Delete to cut away the part of the photo outside the frame.

I carefully inked the edges using the above technique and merged the layers before adding the photos to the layout.

Layout by Dee-Ann Decker
larger view

	Note: Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Tools-PSP Script: Assemble Layered Templates - Rectangle 7502, Edging Brushes 1-Grunge and ScrapSimple Embellishment Templates: Lifted Photos Biggie are also available.

Tutorial written by Dee-Ann Decker