Creat outline on box.

[annconroy]

For PC: If I have a box made with the rectangle tool, how do I give it a colored outline/border?

Cheers!

 

[audiopro]

Stroke

Keith

http://www.studiosoft.co.uk

 

[mscallisto]

I agree with Audiopro

Draw your shape with the rectangular tool then with the "dancing ants" showing your border do the following:

Click Edit > choose Stroke and enter your stroke parameters like color, width in pixels etc.

good luck

sam

 

[apepp]

...to elaborate a bit more on keith's very brief post above...

...you can double click the shape layer and apply the "stroke" layer effect...

...depending on what "position" mode you use (drop down menu option), you end up with a different appearance on the corners of the box...

...choosing "inside" will give you sharper corners...

...strokes in photoshop are not really as intuitive as illustrator...

andrew

 

[apepp]

...in some cases you may find it better to use illustrator and copy and paste from illustrator to photoshop as a "smart object" for a flexible and editable workflow...

...using vector shape layers is also fine, as they are of an editable vector nature...

...stroking selections can be more problematic as they are not quite so editable, but depends what you are trying to achieve and whether being editable matters in the workflow...

andrew

 

[mscallisto]

also I failed to add that if you have a feather value greater than zero (like to round the corners), the stroke will also be feathered (blurred)

sam

 

[audiopro]

Sorry if you felt my post was brief but sometimes when you want a certain function, all you need is a pointer to the correct tool. The manual (that book that is only read when hours of experiment fail to produce a result) has a full explanation of it.

Keith

http://www.studiosoft.co.uk

 

[apepp]

...purely an observation keith, not a belligerent criticism and therefore no need to feel sorry...

...no doubt the manual does provide an explanation...

...asking another person "how" can also provide other methods or workflows that the manual doesn't reflect or point you towards, of which, may be more appropriate for the end user to think "actually i might do it that way instead?"...

...as i have found over the years mixing with experienced users is often better than any manual. Even a simple question like the one provided throws up more involved answers to me that i like to elaborate on if need be...

andrew

 

[annconroy]

Thanks guys but I am having no luck at all. When I draw the box with the rectangle tool I don't have the 'dancing ants' and the 'stoke' option is not available (grayed out).

I tried outlining the box by double clicking on the layer but could not find a way to control the colour. I also want the box to be transparent (no color).

I am not a regular photoshop user and don't have a manual, but any help you can offer is most appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[apepp]

...the dancing ants and stroke option is only available with live selections, like using the marquee tool or apple/control clicking a layer...

...when double clicking a layer you reveal the layer style dialog, at the bottom is the stroke option, ensure it is checked and also highlighted by selecting the name...

...controlling the color is done by clicking on the color fill type drop down menu, below that is a color square, click on it and you enter the color picker...

...to have the box transparent, turn the "fill opacity" down to zero, this is found top of the layers palette, underneath "opacity". It is also found in the layer style dialog (double click a layer), at the top of the list on the left hand side, select "blending options" at the very top...

...under "advanced blending" section you have the "fill opacity" and a number of other controls...

andrew

 

[apepp]

...to add...

...the rectangle tool you are using is a vector shape tool...

...with this tool selected, in the top tool bar, top of screen, ensure you have the "shape layer" icon selected, there are in fact three ways the shape tools function...

andrew