How to easily create a black border?

[Dominique_R]

In Photoshop, Ctrl-Alt-C brings up the Canvas Size dialog box. It works the same way in Photo. However, in PS, first there is a "Relative" check box that you can check (it remains checked) and second the program remembers from which point you want to change the Canvas size: I set it so that it will be changed from the center point, and it doesn't move. In Photo, it moves back to top left whenever you open the Canvas Size dialog box. Furthermore, in PS, there is a drop-down local menu to choose the color of the Canvas extension area: I set this to black and the software also remembers it.

Therefore, when I call up this dialog box using Ctrl-Alt-C, I find all my settings again and only have to type in the size (thickness) of my black border, and hit Return.

In Photo, first there is no "Relative" check box, there is no menu to select the color of the Canvas extension area, and then the program does not remember from which point I want to extend the size of the Canvas and moves back to its own default.

I was wondering whether there is something I'm not doing right, or if it is also feasible in Photo but just not the same way...

It is quite important for me as I usually do a thin black border around my photos... therefore, many thanks in advance for any tips!

[v_kyr]

Well probably the fastest and easiest way of adding just a plain black (or whatever colored) border is to use outlines, see here (at the end part of the video). - Instead this Affinity video here will show you how to add borders using vector shapes and clipping layers.

Or just make yourself some reusable border templates (like a filmstrip, film type, contact sheet and so on...).

[Dominique_R]

20 hours ago, v_kyr said:

Well probably the fastest and easiest way of adding just a plain black (or whatever colored) border is to use outlines, see here (at the end part of the video). - Instead this Affinity video here will show you how to add borders using vector shapes and clipping layers.

Or just make yourself some reusable border templates (like a filmstrip, film type, contact sheet and so on...).

Thank you for this. However, the Outline option is a lot more cumbersome than what Photoshop does to obtain a similar result, and, more significantly, the border "eats into" the photo, so that if I make, say, a 50-pixel border, the border will obliterate 50 pixels worth of photograph all around the frame... That is not what I want, and I also deplore the cumbersomeness of the maneuver. Please remember that I do a black border on most of my photos, which means that this very repetitive process has to be as simple and easy as possible...

I will look into "reusable border templates", unless anyone else has anything else to suggest... Many thanks in advance.

[HVDB Photography]

Using  Document > Resize Canvas  ...

See attached video

 

 

 

2017-11-19_10-44-14.mov

[lepr]

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[Dominique_R]

1 hour ago, HVDB Fotografie said:

Using  Document > Resize Canvas  ...

See attached video

 

 

 

2017-11-19_10-44-14.mov

Thank you, indeed this does it but it is quite long and convoluted, bearing in mind that I will want to do it on almost all my photos... So, I'd really prefer to have a less time-consuming method to add a simple black border...

[carl123]

The attached macro should give any image a 5px (black) external border.

Note: It will add a Fill Layer which you also need to change to black as the macro cant do that as yet

Note2: If you know how to pause a macro you can adjust the size of the border when you run it

Note3: You can assign a shortcut key to a macro to make it easy to run instantly

Note4: If you routinely add different size borders to images just make more macros

Note5: Unlike the Model T Ford you can have any border colour you want when you create the macro, it does not have to be black

Note6: Take dog for a walk

5pixelborder.afmacro

[walt.farrell]

On 11/19/2017 at 7:24 AM, carl123 said:

The attached macro should give any image a 5px (black) external border.

Note: It will add a Fill Layer which you also need to change to black as the macro cant do that as yet

 

Here's a version that makes it black automatically. After moving the white fill layer to the bottom of the layer stack, it adds an Invert Adjustment above it, giving black.

5pixelborder-black.afmacro

Edit: As mentioned below, this approach does not work. Sorry.

[lepr]

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[walt.farrell]

19 minutes ago, owenr said:

 

I get a massive black border from your macro. Here are before and after screenshots:

 

Interesting. I didn't expect that. The macro resizes the canvas (+= 5 px), adds a (white) fill layer, moves the fill layer to the bottom, and inverts the fill layer.

But I see something similar to your photos when I try it on a different photo. So that must mean that the macro recorded the final canvas size, rather than my change to the canvas size.

Sorry. I guess that approach doesn't work as a general macro solution. Thanks for helping me learn something more about AP macros!

[lepr]

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[lepr]

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[toltec]

If the pictures are being exported, there is no need to even apply a black border.

 

Create a transparent border with the Canvas resize option, in the file Export options, click More and set the Matte to black. Affinity remembers that for the currents session and fills the transparent border with black..

[lepr]

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[toltec]

2 minutes ago, owenr said:

Yes, but the problem is Affinity's resize canvas dialog does not remember settings - not even with the same document in the same session.

 

Bummer, I know. 

[Tomáš Luža]

On 11/19/2017 at 1:24 PM, carl123 said:

The attached macro should give any image a 5px (black) external border.

Note: It will add a Fill Layer which you also need to change to black as the macro cant do that as yet

Note2: If you know how to pause a macro you can adjust the size of the border when you run it

Note3: You can assign a shortcut key to a macro to make it easy to run instantly

Note4: If you routinely add different size borders to images just make more macros

Note5: Unlike the Model T Ford you can have any border colour you want when you create the macro, it does not have to be black

Note6: Take dog for a walk

5pixelborder.afmacro

Hey I just stumbled upon this topic, because I was looking to solve this specific problem aswell. This macro works wonders (too bad AP macro system doesn't remember the way you change size of canvas e.g. =+ 52 rather it does take in account the final number that comes out). Thank you for this I just changed radius and combined your macro with another macro and I am good to go (good think is that you can actually macro record pressing another macros and therefore combine multiple macros into one prime).

 

By the way Note3: You can assign a shortcut key to a macro to make it easy to run instantly - how can I assign keybind to a macro? 

 

Cheers

[stockman8]

I ran across this problem and tried a few different things from tips I saw. One of the easiest ways I figured out to create a border was to apply the crop tool then drag it out

to beyond the picture to where you want the border then double click. The border will show clear. Next just select the paint fill tool and the desired color and click the fill

paint into the border but not the main picture.