Anything and everything about Photoshop Elements
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I hope I can explain what i want to do here . . . I want to create a frame, like a rectangle or circle, that is just a row of even dots all the way around . . . does that make sense? I see them all over the place, but the only instructions I've found for making them is using paths, which I can't do in Elements. Still, this doesn't seem like it should be that complicated . . . there has to be a way to do it. Anyone know?

Thanks! :)
I can think of two ways to do what you want; somebody else will no doubt come up with more.

The first way is slow and tedious but it gives you the most control of placement of your dots. Make a new blank file with the size and resolution of your desired frame. Select a hard round brush and make your foreground the desired color of your dots. Click once and now you have one single dot. Ctrl-J will make a copy of that "dot layer". You will only see one dot because the copy is lined up exactly over the first dot. Click the move tool and move that top dot over alongside your first dot. Now merge that top layer down onto the first layer. Now you have one layer with two dots side by side. Ctrl-J to duplicate, move and merge down; now you have one layer with 4 dots. Just keep on at it 'till you finish...
Dots Frame.jpg
Dots Frame.jpg (59.59 KiB) Viewed 1627 times


The second way is much faster but much more difficult to maintain "even spacing". You will practice over and over and end up trashing many attempts. The first way, slow and tedious, may end up being the faster method. This way also uses the brush tool and this time you use the option bar at the top of the edit screen to set a "spacing value" for your brush stroke. You use the far right brush icon to get to the "brush options". When you drag across the screen, a series of dots appear...
Dots Frame 2.jpg
Dots Frame 2.jpg (149.42 KiB) Viewed 1627 times


Rusty
There is a very fine line between "hobby" and "mental illness" - Dave Barry

If your pictures aren't good enough, you're not close enough. - Robert Capa

www.prestophoto.com/photos/gallery/19932
Rusty, nice explanation

Erinjo, could you please post an image of a frame you have in mind or provide a link to an image.

Are you familiar with creating patterns?
Here is what I have in mind, based on a PSE tutorial done by Corey Barker, probably in his Killer Tips series.
I don't have access to those tutorials now, but perhaps someone who has a subscription to the videos can help with this explanation.

First create a tiny document say 25 px X 25px
add an elipse filled with a color (edit: make sure there is no feather on the elipse)
select the whole tiny document
under edit - select define pattern

Create a new document to create the frame
use a marque to draw out one side of the frame (a rectangle)
under edit - fill with pattern - selecting the dot pattern you just defined
cut out the unwanted sections (extra dots, etc)
copy the completed side to another layer,
copy again & rotate
continue until you have the right number of vertical & horizontal sides.
merge & add a stroke, layer style or whatever you have in mind.

hope this explanation isn't worded in a confusing manner.

I think another member will elaborate on what I'm trying to describe.

Creating a pattern & filling rectangles with the pattern works quickly.

Example: You probably have something more conservative in mind, but this is what I came up with
dots-frame.jpg
dots-frame.jpg (101.93 KiB) Viewed 1625 times


These dots are large, however, the size of the dots can be scaled if a pattern adjust layer is used.
The same pattern was used to create both frames

frame-dots-2.jpg
frame-dots-2.jpg (19.97 KiB) Viewed 1621 times

unfortunately, the elipse which was used in the pattern has a 3px feather which makes the pattern have soft edges.
Betty
Win 8.1, PS CC, Canon bridge P&S
In Rusty's example, his screen print shows Jitter and Scatter both at 0%. You also would want Fade at 0%.

I have never tried a pattern. I will have to try to follow Betty's instructions because I'm curious.

I have some neat free brushes from Green Bulb Gang that do circles made out of dots. You'd have to sign up (free) to get them. http://www.greenbulbgang.com I'd show you the link to the brushes, but you have to be logged in to see it.

Courtney
Try this. Open a new doc. say 6 x 7. on a new layer use the rectangle shape tool and create a 5 x 6 shape.
On a new layer Choose a hard round brush. Change the spacing to your desired distance. click in the top left corner hold down the shift key click in the top right corner.
repeat for all sides. Now you can turn off your shape layer or use for picture placement.
Image
Judy & I were thinking along the same line, except I used 2 vertical & 2 horizontal guides, placed to form the shape of a frame.

I used an sz 8 round with maximum hardness, spacing about 110. Placed the first dot at one of the intersections of the guides, held down the shift key & clicked at the other corner. Using the shift & click method along all 4 guides went super fast -- faster than using a pattern for a simple 1 row frame.

This method left a square of dots on an otherwise transparent layer. The background layer is blue
dots-brush.jpg
dots-brush.jpg (18.27 KiB) Viewed 1621 times




This is on a transparent background. If you right click & select save as, the frame can then be opened in PS or PSE to check out. However, it cannot be unlocked for editing. If you would like to use the frame (change size, color) try file: place & load the file. Then alt, conntrol, shift E for stamp visible on a new layer.
dots-frame-trans.gif
dots-frame-trans.gif (6.88 KiB) Viewed 1621 times


The round frame was created in CS3.
An elipse was made into a work path & stroked with a size 16 max hardness brush with spacing of 145
This is also on a transparent background. If you right click & select save as, the frame can then be opened in PS or PSE to check out. However, it cannot be unlocked for editing. If you would like to use the frame (change size, color,etc) try file: place & load the file. Then alt, conntrol, shift E for stamp visible on a new layer.


round-frame-trans.gif
round-frame-trans.gif (11.45 KiB) Viewed 1621 times

It's rather difficult to achieve perfect spacing. I could have edited (selected & moved) one of the dots, but ran out of time.
Betty
Win 8.1, PS CC, Canon bridge P&S
Wow, you guys are awesome! :) Thanks for all your help! I will have to play with some of these ideas and I'll show you what I come up with. :)
Okay, here's another question-- I'm trying to change the spacing for my brush but it won't let me. It looks like this:

Image

Anyone know how to fix that? I know I've changed the spacing before so it makes no sense to me that it won't let me now.
Playing around more, it will let me change the spacing for all my brushes except my basic ones-- you know, the ones that are hard, round brushes. So irritating! LOL
Okay, I think II found a brush that will work. GOOD GRIEF.

Thanks for putting up with me . . . :)
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