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This lesson demonstrates how create a contrasting border mat; to work along, you can download the start image Here. Unzip the file and open the photograph onto Photoshop’s workspace.
Undo and Navigation Steps
Two ways of undoing steps are from the top menu, Edit then Step Backwards.
Alternatively, click a previous snapshot in the History Palette.
Navigate (zoom in and pan) your image using the Navigator Palette,
or the Zoom Tool. 
Activate The Hand Tool by tapping the Spacebar, keeping the Spacebar pressed, pan your image in the usual way. 
1/
Open your start image onto Photoshop’s workspace, and extend its grey workspace by dragging out one of its corners.
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Then from the top menu, choose Image then choose Canvas Size. In the subsequent Canvas Size dialogue box, you have a couple of choices to make. First decide upon your choice of mat colour - on this occasion; to contrast with my dark photograph, I am choosing White. However, set a colour that contrasts with your image. Secondly, decide what size you would like your mat to be. The only way of finding this out, is to apply different Height and Width dimensions; which of course, will be unique to different sized photographs. After you have set the colour and dimensions, click OK.
Tip
To shrink the canvas, in order to see the mat, press Ctrl then your Minus Key. Press Ctrl and the Plus Key to enlarge your canvas.
 
3/
Now, to stroke the mat with a thin black border, from the top menu, choose Image then choose Canvas Size. This time, set the following Black attributes, then click OK.
4/
Now, double-left-click the Background layer to unlock it.
5/ Create depth
Activate the Magic Wand Tool - and set a Tolerance of 0.
Then left-click once, inside the mat - to isolate it with a selection marquee.
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Duplicate Layer 0 by dragging it over the following Create a new layer icon.
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And working on Layer 0 copy - press your keyboard’s Delete key. This deletes Layer 0 copy’s mat - as illustrated below.
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Now, still working on Layer 0 copy, click the Add a layer style (f-fx) icon located at the foot of the Layers palette, and apply the Drop Shadow settings appropriate for your
image, and its resolution - then click OK.
9/
Click Ctrl then D to remove the marquee.
10/
From the top menu, choose Layer then choose Flatten Image.
11/
Congratulations, you have created your mat, and it is ready to save - or to print, Chapter 12.
Tip
If you isolate the mat with a selection marquee, you can add various filters and effects to
it.
Wendi E M Scarth. Top of Page - Home.
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