help to draw a box :(

[englishdad]

Hi all

This is driving me mad but it must be real easy for someone, so if someone could please help, I'll owe them a pint or three!!

I have designed a logo and want to place a border line all round it (about 3mm thick) but I can't figure it out

The shape I'm trying to create is as below. Any help would be appreciated........Thanks!

 

[MrToM]

[On a new layer]
Use the Pen tool to draw the shape.
Convert it to a selection.
Stroke it with the colour you need and the pixel width. If this is going to be printed out and you really do need the line to be 3mm you'll have calculate via whatever dpi you are going to use exactly how many pixels the width needs to be to give you 3mm.

Regards.
MrTom.

 

[ibclare]

Or use the shape tool, down towards the bottom of the tools menu on the left. HOver your cursor to find it. Choose rectangular and either use the color you want, or pick the leftmost option which is a path, as MrTom suggested. Then stroke the path using either the edit> stroke option or control click on the shape path in the paths palette, and you can use the brush set at any option, hard or soft line, color, etc., to stroke the path.

One more thing, if you use the color fill otion, you can go to the layers palette, down to the bottom, find the fx, choose stroke and add that.

 

[ibclare]

BTW, I cann't draw a straight line to save my life (well maybe), but yours is worse than mine, lol. Just being light hearted here. Thank God for Photoshop and all its options to make those straight, nice, centered, etc., lines

 

[englishdad]

Thanks guys, I'm still struggling. I can't find 'convert to selection', only 'convert to smart object' and as far as stroking goes...........we don't have any pets!!! But seriously, the only thing I could do with stroke is change the border width As you can see, and well pointed out ibclare, I can't draw for toffee so the only thing I was able to do is draw a top straight line and a bottom straight line. The semi-circle to the left and the diagonal to the right could have been done better by my 8 year old daughter!!!
I really am a newbie and my logo only comprises text, more text, an imported graphic and a straight line. This border is my nemesis!!!
I've attached my latest debacle....

 

[Paul]

Not bad, you could use the elliptical tool on four layers delete bits you don't need then use the pen tool for straight lines, then use warp to manoeuvre about a bit maybe, lots of ways.

Not brilliant but you get the idea.

 

[dv8_fx]

Don't drive yourself to the bug house.... Our chicken draws better than me..... LOL.... Hope this works for you.

This may require a bit of experimentation or adjustment by you since I don't know your logo's true dimensions.

Use the Rounded Rectangle Tool.

STEP 1 - Follow the settings as shown (50pixel radius) or use what suits your logo and create first box shape.

STEP 2 - Create second shape using the same dimensions as first but with less radius to corners (25 pixel on mine).

STEP 3 - Link these 2 layers and align them to tops and vertical centers. You may not need to align the vertical centers as your logo might be longer.

STEP 4 - Unlink layers. Select the layer with the less rounded corners. press CTRL+T..... Then CTRL+Shift and click the top center anchor point and drag to diagonally warp the top to your liking. Commit the warp press enter.

STEP 5 - Rasterize the two layers.

STEP 6 - Depending whether what I have here suits your logo, you may just nudge either objects to hide the unwanted protruding corner or create a selection just enough to delete it. counter check with the logo layer whether it fits just right.

STEP 7 - Merge the 2 layers.

STEP 8 - CTRL+click the shape layer icon to select the shape.

STEP 9 - On a new layer, stoke the selection. I used 6 points on center stroke (I think that's about 3mm)... up to your preference.



There's your ..... box?

 

[Hoogle]

I did this in Illustrator seemed more natural to me.

Step 1 use a high radius rounded rectangle tool and draw out shape to size.


Step 2 using the point edit tool select the bottom right corner 2 points and delete it.



step 3 using the point edit tool push up top right corner point part to roughly the shape. then select the 2 ends of the shape and right click selecting join.



then use the round corner point tool to smooth it off.



seems complicated I know but this kind of thing comes 2nd nature eventually.

The other way would be with the pencil tool in later versions of illustrator you can set the smoothness high and rough draw it holdng shift for straight lines and the corners will automatically smooth out.

 

[englishdad]

Thanks to everyone for all your help, I don't now how I've managed to do it but I have, using a compilation of all your ideas. Several pints owed all round methinks!!
Thanks again guys

 

[dv8_fx]

Would love to see how your outlined logo turned out... at least the box without the logo as I was having other ideas on how to create the box based on the shape of the text you created.....