**Program Tutorials** : Digital Image Pro : *Element

The art stroke brushes allow you to quickly and easily create your own edge overlays in Digital Image Pro 7, 9, 10 and 2006 Suite.

Open a blank canvas and choose your dimensions.

File>New

Choose Effects> Paint Brush> Art Stroke

Choose a brushstroke –Charcoal: Rough Sketch

Choose Black as the color.

Increase the stroke width to 290.

Position the cursor in the top left hand corner of the canvas. The cursor is round with a crosshair at its center.

Click and drag to the right. Keep the crosshair roughly over the edge of the canvas as you drag.

Repeat on all four edges.

Choose the Sum-ie Japanese Paper brush.

Increase transparency to 70

Paint over the edges as before.

Choose Done.

Save the overlay as PNG plus.

Open a paper of your choice and drag the overlay onto it.

With the overlay selected you can

Choose Effects> Fill with color or texture> choose any color from the color palette

Choose Effects> Fill with color or texture> More solid color choices and choose a color from the paper to match the overlay to using the eyedropper.

Or manipulate the color lighter or darker to suit.

Choose Effects> Fill with color or texture> Choose Color Gradient and create a custom gradient using the eyedropper tool to match colors.

Experiment with different filters to add texture to the overlay.

You can use any combination of art strokes to create your own unique edge overlays to use again and again.