Basic Picture Frame “How-To”

by Michael Tyler of CarveBuddy.com

This article will show you how easy it is to create a basic one-piece picture frame with your CarveWright System.

The process is fairly simple and employs the Drawing tools as well as the Surface and Merge tools in the Designer software. In a few minutes, you can create your own custom frame in Designer. I outline the steps for creating a frame for a standard 5” x 7” photograph, but you can customize your own frame to whatever dimensions you wish. You can also download the completed ready-to-carve file (zipped mpc file) here:

Download Frame Project

STEP 1

Start your designer software and create a new project with a virtual board that measures .75”x9.25”x10”. (fig. 1a)

Turn off the board texture (View/Toggle Texture), then turn on the Layout Grid (Layout/Snap) and make the following settings. (fig. 1b)

STEP 2

Activate your Connected Lines Tool from the line drawing menu dropdown selection. (fig.2a)

Draw a horizontal mitered corner shape for the long
side of the frame by clicking on the board to place
your lines. The grid will snap your lines into position.
Make sure that the lines are connected by observing
when the cursor makes a red “starburst”. The shape
should be 9” long at the top and 1” tall. (fig. 2b)

Draw a vertical mitered shape for the short side of the frame, measuring 7” tall and 1” wide. (fig. 2c)

STEP 3

Select the top mitered shape. Using the Select Surface
Tool, assign a Vertical Dome Surface. Now, select the
side mitered shape and assign a Horizontal Dome
Surface. (fig. 3a)

Right-click the side shape and select Center/Center
Vertically. Similarly, select the top shape, right-click
and select Center/Center Horizontally. (fig. 3b)

Your board should now look like this (fig. 3c).

STEP 4

Let’s give the domed surfaces a little more “rise” by selecting each shape and typing “999” in the Height Box. (fig. 4a)

Right-click the side shape and select Mirror/Horizontally. Right-click the top shape and select Mirror/Vertically. (fig. 4b)

Your board will look like this (fig. 4c)

STEP 5

Turn off the Snap (Layout/Snap/Snap Objects to Grid – to remove the checkmark). Drag some ornamental patterns from your Basic pattern library onto the frame pieces and stretch/reduce/rotate to fit. I used the Corner01 and the FilagreeFlower01. Remove the “feather” and right-click each decoration, then select Merge/Merge Style: Additive for each. This allows the pattern to conform to the frame’s dome curvature. (fig. 5a)

Your board will look something like this (fig. 5b)

Right-click each decoration and select Bit Optimization: Bit Optimization Best. (fig. 5c)

STEP 6

Select the decorative patterns and mirror them to fill the remaining part of the frame – use mirror vertical, horizontal, and mirror all (the corners) wherever it is appropriate. Your board will look like this (fig. 6a).

Select the Rectangle Tool and draw a 7”x5” rectangle,
then use Center Both to place it dead center. Make this
rectangle a Carve Region with a depth of .25”.

Draw another rectangle that measures 6.5” x 4.5”,
center it, and click the Cut Path tool to make it a cut
path (do NOT flip path).

Draw the final front rectangle that measures 9” x 7”, center it, click the Cut Path tool to make this the outer cutout path. You DO want to use the flip cut option on this cut path! Your frame should now look like this (fig. 6b). This completes the front of the frame.

STEP 7

Click the Rear View button “R” to flip the board over to view the backside of the frame. (fig. 7a)

Draw a rectangle that measures 7” x 5”, center it, then make this a Carve Region with a depth of .2”.

NOTE: You can alter this depth to match the thickness of the glass, photo, and any photo backer cardboard for your particular photo.

The back should look something like this (fig. 7b)

This completes the layout for the entire frame. You may now save your project and upload it to your memory card at any time.