question about framing pictures

I had plans for quitte a while to make some pictures for SL as well .... now I have 1 question which I hope anyone can answer for me....

How can I make framed pictures 1 prim?

My first thought was to hollow a cube etc and put a frame texture on it and afterwards put the picture on it.
Then it's 2 prims .....

Is it possible to put a frame-'texture' around the picture in Photoshop or so and upload it as 1 picture (=texture), so, making it 1 prim?

The benefit of the 2 prim-version in my eyes is that it can be given a 3D-effect by making the frame 'higher' than the picture.

Yep.

You have it nailed there Ron. To do a 1 prim framed picture, the frame must be drawn on the picture texture as well before you upload it to SL.

I do not mean to frame a snapshot from SL or so but a RL picture .....

Rez a cube. taper 25% or so on both sides. Texture or color edges to suit. Drag snapshot to center face

The esaiest way is to add a "frame" in an editing package such as photshop or gimp. The frame then is part of the picture and only one prim needs to be used in world. I use this method for framing the photographs I display in my gallery.

Will try it, Bodger, but then there is no 3D-effect possible .... I thought Iit looked nice if the picture was a bit deeper than the frame like in RL.

You can make a 1 prim picture frame by tapering both x and y by about .1 to .2, and making z = .01, then the overall x and y will be the frame's dimensions.

You can put frame decorations of different colours on the edges that you tapered. Select Texture radio button, texture tab, click on the edge you want to work on and you can select a colour.

The picture goes on the top of the prim as you rezzed it.

This will have the inverse frame look about it which imho looks just as effective, adjustable in game for optimum looks.

Edit: looks like the game is about to close - we all watching the forums!

Tnx Ed, will sure try it tomorrow, just a (maybe silly) question, but the is the texture 'radio' button? Do you mean the texture tab in the 'edit'-part of an object?

The 'radio' button is the box in the texture tab in edit, that will eventually show the chosen texture.. default it will show plywood.

A lot of ppl miss the little radio box (may should call it the tiny little white square) just above the "edit linked prim" (or something like that) which you can tick so that the next surface you click on is selected all by itself. Then you can click the texture tab to select the texture window at the bottom part of the edit window and the settings there will only apply to that one surface!

Ron,

There is a little free gadget that will allow you to add a frame on a single prim photo, just by inserting a script into the prim. It is menu driven and works well providing you have the correct face textured.

It is available at (i think it is called) "Crystal Gadgets". I don't remember the name of the item, but it is 'frame' something.

You can have a choice of many different textures (wood / metal) and 3 different frame widths. Pretty nifty IMHO.

It even works on cylinders, round or oval. I haven't played with it much, but from what I have used it for, quite well worth the 0$L price tag.

Ed, I tried your tip using the tapering, but then the 'frame' is lower than the picture .... that;s looks rather strange, doesn't it?
Or have I done something wrong?

<ad on>
Check out my offerings at Truffle Gallery in Plush Enigma. 1 Prim, raised frame, can show multiple images in a programmable slide show variable transitions (fade, curtains, etc.).
<ad off>