Several weeks ago, Jenny shared a tip teaching you how to create a border using the stroke function. This week’s tip shows you how you can use the stroke function in a different way to add flair to alphabet letters, custom shapes and images. By offsetting the outline, you can add a bit of whimsy to any shape.
Step 1: Create a shape
Begin by creating a new document at 300 pixels per inch by selecting File > New > Blank File. For the sample, I created a 12×12 inch document in RGB color mode with a white background.
Press the letter D on the keyboard. This is the shortcut for selecting the default Foreground and Background colors: black and white.
Get the Custom Shape Tool. The Custom Shape Tool shares a space on the Toolbar with the Rectangle Tool. Click and hold the Rectangle tool to reveal the hidden tools beneath it. Scroll down to select the Custom Shape Tool.
With the Custom Shape Tool selected, make the following choices in the Options Bar:
Click the Create a New Shape Layer icon (the first icon in the row to the right of the Shape drop-down menu.) Select a shape from the Shape Picker drop-down menu. To see larger thumbnails and more shape options, click the right-facing double-arrow at the top, right corner of the drop-down Shape Picker. Choose Large Thumbnails and All Elements Shapes.
Scroll down the Shape Picker and select the shape you would like to create. For the sample, I chose the solid star shape.
Holding the Shift key, click and drag out the shape. Holding the Shift key keeps the shape in proportion.
Step 2: Create the outline
Ctrl Click (Mac: Cmd Click) the thumbnail of the shape layer in the Layers palette. This places a selection around your shape.
Next, create a new transparent layer above the shape layer by clicking the Create a New Layer icon at the top of the Layers Palette.
Making sure that the new, transparent layer is highlighted in the Layers Palette, choose Edit > Stroke (Outline) Selection. In the Stroke dialog box, choose your desired settings. For the sample, I used Width: 30px, Color: yellow, and Location: Inside (to keep the points and corners sharp) I left the Blend Mode: Normal and Opacity: 100%. Click OK to create an outline around your shape. Because the outline will be created on the new transparent layer, the outline can be tilted and moved.
Press Ctrl D (Mac: Cmd D) to deselect – remove the selection from around the star shape.
Step 3: Tilt and offset the outline
This step helps you add an interesting, playful aspect to your shape. To offset the outline, select the outline layer in the Layers Palette. Select Image > Transform > Free Transform or press Ctrl T (Mac: Cmd T) on the keyboard.
This activates the transform controls which form a box around your shape. Move your cursor outside the bounding box to turn it into a curved, double-headed arrow. When this happens, you can click and drag to tilt the layer.
For the sample, I clicked just outside the right side handle and dragged downward. Click the green check mark to confirm the tilt when you are satisfied.
Further offset the outline layer, get the Move tool and press the arrow keys to nudge the outline layer.
Step 4: Recolor the layers
At this point, you may wish to recolor the outline or the shape. To recolor the shape layer, double click on the shape layer thumbnail in the Layers palette to get the Color Picker. Select a new color and click OK.
Click the Hue button and move the color slider to choose a color family. Then click on the color of your choice in the large box. Click OK to confirm the color choice.
To recolor the outline, select the outline layer in the Layers palette. Press Ctrl U (Mac: Cmd U) on the keyboard to activate the Hue/Saturation Dialog box. Click the Colorize box before moving the Hue and Lightness and Saturation sliders to select a new color. When you are satisfied with your color, click OK.
You can use the image to create a fun page element by getting creative with your outline. Why not apply a glitter style to the outline? How about grouping patterned paper to the shape layer? You can even use the image to create your own personalized patterned paper like the sample scrapbook page below.
Tip: Offset outlining alphabet letters
Using the same skills, you can apply an offset outline to letters. Instead of creating a shape layer in Step 1, simply use the Text Tool to type a letter or word.
To change the color of the base shape, just select the Text Tool, highlight the letter and change the color in the Options Bar.
Credits: Scrapbook page by Sara Horton
Fonts: CK Ali’s Writing and Myriad Pro
Wrapped Stack Layered Template by Katie Pertiet at Designer Digitals
Puttin’ On the Glitz Cardstock Solids by Pattie Knox at Designer Digitals
Download a PDF version of this “Offset Outlining” tutorial.
Leap Frog To The Next Level!
Tired of learning a bit here and a bit there? Our CD, Learn Digital Scrapbooking, takes you step-by-step from rank beginner to confident digital scrapbooker in a fraction of the time!
Find out more and get a free sample video lesson.
{ 13 comments… read them below or add one }
Thanks for another informative PDF. Keep them coming as I’m getting my binder ready for more of these, LOL. Aloha!!
I love making graphics to use in my electronic newsletters and greeting cards that I send with SendOutCards. This is just one more way to use them. I’ll bet you could create that “frame” and position it over part of a picture to highlight part of it, too. Cool!
Love these tips!
Thanks Sara for another wonderful & useful tip. And I thank Linda’s daughter for the PDF’s, its a great help.
Thank you for the wonderful PDF.
Great tip! So easy to do and such an attractive result. Thanks, Sara.
I LOVE this tip!!! Can’t wait to try it on my next project. Thank you for all the great ideas; I learn all the best stuff here first, then eventually hear some of the tips later on other websites. And thanks for the PDF’s!
This was great fun. I used the solid cloud shape then after applying the outline, and split it to change color; the upper 1/4 became a white, the rest a lighter blue. That looked cool but then, having just finished one of Linda’s videos and learning about blurs, I applied a gaussian blur to both oulines to see what would happen. At 20 pixels blur, the outlines look airbrushed. Pretty fun tip to play with. Thank you Sara.
Love your tips and tricks. Thanks so much for sharing with us.
Thanks for another great tutorial. I love these.
Thank you for the tip it works so nice. This is really fun to play with.
Thanks for such a fun tip. I will definitely use this one. Love your tips and the PDFs.
Thanks so much, these tutorials are so good, I look forward to each new one.
Sometimes it’s the simplest of things that makes life so much easier. Click “inside” to get crisp corners on stroke outlines…who knew?! Thanks for solving one of my pet peeves!