Learn how to create fun and useful photo frames with ArtStudio on the iPad.

ArtStudio is one of those applications that just totally rocks on the iPad. In this post I’ll show you how to create photo frames on the iPad. These frames are reusable so you can, once you’ve created them, use them for any image any time.

Start out with ArtStudio and create a new image. You’ll need to use the Custom option and make it 2048 x 2048 in size. This is the maximum size for ArtStudio images. Set the Start With Layer to White and click Ok.

From the menu, select the Layer option and you’ll see you have one white filled layer. Tap this and click Add New Layer to add a new blank layer on top.

Select the Pencil icon, select an appropriate color such as black or a dark gray and then set the size of the brush to around 50 or more. Now with the image on the screen, draw your frame.

Once you’ve hand drawn your frame, select the Select tool and click the Magic Wand. Click inside the frame so that you have the inner area selected.

From the Select options select Expand and expand the radius by around 10 pixels.

Now click the Layers option again and add a another new layer. If necessary, drag it between the two layers and make sure that it is targeted, in other words it should have an orange border.

Return to the Select tool and choose Inverse. This inverts the current selection so everything except the frame is selected.

Select a color to use for the frame and the edge outside it, in this case I chose a pale orange, return to the select tool and choose Fill. This will fill the frame edge leaving the white backing inside.

If you want a different colored area outside the frame itself, click the select the Select tool and choose Deselect. Choose the Magic Wand again, click on the frame layer and click outside the frame with the Magic Wand. You may need to select the Add to Selection option and continue to select around the outside until you get a good selection of everything there.

Again, expand the selection by 10 pixels, add a new layer and place this one under the frame and above the colored surround.

Now choose a different color to use – I chose a turquoise, and again click the Select tool and choose Fill.

When you’re done, click the Select tool and click Deselect.

You now have a frame that has been assembled on layers.

You can import an image by clicking the Import button and select an image to use. If necessary, click the layer with the new image on it and use the Transform option to move and scale the image.

When you’re done, drag the photo layer underneath the frame and the frame edges so that it is just above the background layer.

Choose the File tool and save the image to your gallery. At any time you can come back to ArtStudio, open the image, remove the layer containing the photograph and add a new photograph in its place.

Of all the iPad applications available, ArtStudio is one of the most powerful if you can get your head around it being much more than a painting tool and recognize just what possibilities it has for photo editing as well.

Related posts:

1. An Apple a Day – Layers and selections in ArtStudio
2. Cool Hand Drawn Frames for your Blog
3. An apple a day – ArtStudio on the iPad – Day 10
4. Drawing Cute penguins on the iPad
5. 7 best draw, sketch and paint iPad apps for artists and designers