Shaded border STROKE around image

[BON44]

How to add a shaded border around image with coloured stroke on outside and inside border lines.

Is there a way to create a result as shown in the attached image....?

Thanks in advance for advice.

 

[GarryP]

Welcome to the forums @BON44

If you have Designer then you could use the Appearance Panel to get a similar effect to the example you gave while using only one layer, see attached image – further experimentation may yield better results.

Note: Because the three Affinity applications have different functionalities it’s useful to us, when asking how to do something, if you tell us which application(s) you have access to so we can give you instructions relevant to the functionalities you have available in those applications. This also means that you may get an answer more quickly.

 

[BON44]

I have previously replied thanking both people for their input.

Having never seen my replies on this forum I am now trying to reply using a different browser.

This will be a test and I look forward to seeing my reply appear.

 

[BON44]

So, it seems my latest reply has appeared.

My question following on from the 2 earlier helpful replies is - when using PHOTO it seems there is no STROKE option.....?

If I have that correct is there possibly another way to "stroke" an outline around the edges of an image as a border....?

I look forward to feedback as I am on my final day or so of my free trial.

Fingers crossed.

[GarryP]

Since the three applications have different functionalities, if you tell us, when you ask the question, which Application(s) you have and which you want to use then we can tailor our responses better and you will probably get the answer you want (or something close) more quickly.

Photo has a Stroke option for images – look in the Context Toolbar while you have an Image layer or Pixel Layer selected – but it does not have the Stroke Panel or the Appearance Panel.

(You can normally only add multiple strokes to a layer by using the Appearance Panel, except for using an Effect, or using Groups, and maybe some other ways.)

[Lisbon]

Hi BON44.

2 hours ago, BON44 said:

My question following on from the 2 earlier helpful replies is - when using PHOTO it seems there is no STROKE option.....?

You can apply a layer effect (fx button at the bottom of the layers tab)

You can brighten the border with a Brightness/Contrast adjustment.

BON44.afphoto

[BON44]

That is most helpful thank you.

my next question - how/where etc do I accept the changes I've just made...?

eg once I've followed those steps is there OK or ACCEPT or SAVE I need to click on to finalise the changes...?

Look forward to reply 🙂

[BON44]

I have to add that why I am so confused is that so many actions I found simple in Photoshop (which I don't have any longer) seem more complicated.

I hope when I get it worked out that it will seem as easy 🙂

However I only have 1 day left on my free trial which I was using to see try out Affinity before purchasing.

[BON44]

On 9/2/2022 at 3:49 PM, BofG said:

Draw two rectangles, one the full size of the image, one inset by the desired border size. Subtract the smaller one from the larger one. Set the fill colour on the resulting shape to white with a low opacity, and the stroke to red with inside alignment.

That looks exactly what I want to do 🙂

Are you able (happy) to show the actual steps for me before I run out of free trial....?

I will be happy to purchase if I can just get this one option worked out....

CTRL A gives me a selection outline around the outside of the image.

Do I need a 2nd layer for the smaller rectangle...?

If so how do I stop the original background from moving around....?

A step by step would be much appreciated.

(Sorry to ask these sort of Q's)

[v_kyr]

It's easy to do ...

 

 

[BON44]

Thank you v_kyr - that certainly shows me what to do in easy to follow steps.

And then I SAVE or EXPORT .......?

🙂

[v_kyr]

10 minutes ago, BON44 said:

And then I SAVE or EXPORT .......?

Yes, if you save/save as it will be in APh file format (aka *.aphoto), if you export use instead PNG as export format, since we used transparency settings (the frames layer mode) here for those frame parts in order to shine through. The later (the PNG format) preserves transparency, the JPG format doesn't.

[BON44]

Many thanks 😀

[Lisbon]

7 hours ago, BON44 said:

CTRL A gives me a selection outline around the outside of the image.

I also started by selecting everything.

1) Select All (Ctrl+A)
2) Convert the selection to an outline (Select > Outline)

After changing the radius, click apply.
3) Duplicate selection (Ctrl+J)
4) Deselect (Ctrl+D)

Then I applied the layer fx as in my previous message.

[BON44]

Many thanks to you all for your advice.

I will have to follow step by step a few times before hopefully I get it right 🙂

 

[BON44]

18 hours ago, v_kyr said:

It's easy to do ...

 

CaptureFrame.mov 8.2 MB · 4 downloads  

 

 

Sorry, but another question when following steps on your movie - how do I get to access all the options in "Layer"

[GarryP]

5 hours ago, BON44 said:

how do I get to access all the options in "Layer"

Can you explain what you mean by that?
What do you expect, and what do you get which is different to what you expect?

[thomaso]

23 hours ago, v_kyr said:

if you export use instead PNG as export format, since we used transparency settings (the frames layer mode) here for those frame parts in order to shine through.

The PNG format is not required to export reduced layer opacity or other transparency. In case of the layer transparency of this frame the PNG export will keep it semi-transparent even if placed on a different colour than white … which possibly might not be the wanted result. While PNG will be necessary for instance if the resulting image rectangle would contain an isolated object shape which should not show any colour at all around this shape if placed on any background.

[BON44]

3 hours ago, GarryP said:

Can you explain what you mean by that?
What do you expect, and what do you get which is different to what you expect?

In the image I attached shown above (and below) it can be seen that various options in the Layers Panel are not enabled.

eg - Fade, Invert, Duplicate, Lock, Unlock etc.

When following the steps in the movie posted by v_kyr I need to be able to access some of those options and they are not enabled.

Does that explain what I meant....?

[v_kyr]

16 minutes ago, BON44 said:

Does that explain what I meant....?

Not realy, since it depends on what/which layer is selected here then. Meaning performing layer adjustments for which layer, the background/image layer or the on top created shape/frame layers?

You can also flatten (merge all visible layers together) and then perform further adjustments on that one single layer afterwards. - It all depends on what you want to do here then!

[Old Bruce]

26 minutes ago, BON44 said:

Does that explain what I meant....?

Yes, there should be a fly-out menu there. I would do a Quit of the application, and then a restart of the machine if the Quit of the application doesn't bring back the fly-out menu.

[thomaso]

42 minutes ago, Old Bruce said:

Yes, there should be a fly-out menu there.

Could be useful to see a less cropped screenshot – I wonder if the fly-out was excluded from the screenshot? Like this on a mac …

[Lisbon]

2 hours ago, BON44 said:

In the image I attached shown above (and below) it can be seen that various options in the Layers Panel are not enabled.

eg - Fade, Invert, Duplicate, Lock, Unlock etc.

Too many options grayed out.
For example, Fade only becomes available after you've done something that can be faded, like painting with your brush.
Others only become available if you have a layer selected on the layers tab.
Each case is different.

[R C-R]

9 hours ago, BON44 said:

In the image I attached shown above (and below) it can be seen that various options in the Layers Panel are not enabled.

eg - Fade, Invert, Duplicate, Lock, Unlock etc.

Actually, in your screenshots Lock & Unlock appear to be enabled (not greyed out), although they won't do anything unless a layer is selected, so they really should be greyed out if nothing is selected.

Other than that, as others have said, what is & is not enabled depends on what is selected & what actions have been performed.

[BON44]

I want to thank everyone for their generously given advice on this matter. 

I'm getting closer to understanding the actions required and will work on it using all the various ideas put forward as soon as I am able to do so.

Regards to all :- 🙂