Digital Scrapbooking Tips

One way to give your photos a finished look is to apply a bevel to the edge. Photoshop and Elements make this technique quick and easy.

Begin by opening your photo in Photoshop or Elements. If the layer is locked, double click the name of the layer and click OK in the New Layer dialog box. This will unlock the background and allow you continue.

In Photoshop:

Double-click the layer on the blank spot to the right of the layer name.

This brings up the Layer Styles dialog box.

Tick the Bevel and Emboss box, then click on the category to tweak your bevel.

From this box, you can choose a bevel style, size, and appearance and click OK.

In Elements:

Open the Effects panel. If it isn’t visible, choose Window > Effects.

Select the Layer Styles icon which is the second icon in the top row of the Effects panel. From the drop-down menu, choose Bevels.

Double-click any of the bevel styles to apply them to your photo.

To change the look of your bevel in either Photoshop or Elements, double-click the fx icon on the right side of the layer in the Layers Panel. This brings up a dialog box where you can tweak the bevel to your liking.

For a double-bevel, get one of the Marquee tools and draw out a selection. Press Ctrl J (Mac: Cmd J) to make a beveled copy of the selected section.