Digital Scrapbooking Tips

Several weeks ago, a reader emailed me to ask how to create a thin box around the inside edge of her layout or around a photo.  In desktop publishing, these boxes are known as key-lines and they are very easy to make in Photoshop and Elements.

Begin by opening your project in Photoshop or Elements.

Target the top layer and then click the Create a new transparent layer icon in the Layers Panel.

Get the Rectangular Marquee Tool and click/drag out a rectangle on your page.  Holding the Shift key as you click/drag will give you a perfect square.

Marching ants will surround your selection.

Choose Edit > Stroke to activate the Stroke dialog box.

Select a size and color. Set the Mode to Normal and Opacity to 100%. Uncheck the Preserve Transparency box. Click OK.

Press Ctrl D (Mac: Cmd D) to remove the selection from your key-line.

You can use the Move tool to reposition and resize your box, since the outline is on its own layer.

Using key-lines gives your project a tidy, finished look.