help me add a white border on my template

[christina555]

I have make a simple 12ins template - 4 3inx3in squares and I would like to add a thin white border around ALL of the squares. I am using CS3 on PC.

[jazzmatazz]

Christina, select one of the layers containing a square. Go to the top to the "Layers" tab and select "Layer Styles." (Same one where you can select a drop shadow.) In the styles dropdown menu, select "Stroke". You can adjust the color, size and whether the line is drawn inside or outside of the selected square. You can then do that repeatedly for the remaining squares. Alternately, to stroke the other three squares, you can also select the layer of the first square you stroked, right click and select "Copy Style". You then select all of the other three square layers, right click and select "Paste Style". HTH ...

[jazzmatazz]

I just realized that you may have intended a single white line around all four squares instead of a white line around each. To do that, create a square using the shape tool on the toolbar. (Don't worry about the color just now.) Make the square to cover all the smaller square, then place the new square layer underneath all the other squares. Stroke the larger square as explained above, then in the layers palette, slide the Fill bar to 0%. (It's right next to Opacity at the top of the layers palette.) You should now have a white line around a blank square. HTH ...

[christina555]

thanks for replying so quickly. I'll try that as soon as I get home. Will let you know how I go. I have been trying to do this, without success, all morning. And you are right I want an even white line around all 9 squares.

[anxela]

I use the marquee tool. Add a new layer, draw a box with the marquee tool, then go to Edit-Stroke. Use "inside" to get sharp corners on the box.

[jazzmatazz]

LOL! I KNEW the minute I posted some one else will have a simpler, more elegant method! ;-) Hiya, Heidi!!! Thanks for the tip! Just call me "Brute Force" Tracy!

[maureenreynolds]

Tracy and Heidi, I think I'm going to try them both out. Sometimes the simplest little touches like this add so much - and I like simple!