Participating Frequently

Question

How to create a custom image size

Forum|Forum|6 months ago
September 19, 2025
5 replies
385 views

I know this is a real newbie question but I can't seem to find an answer. I want to create my image size to be 7.75" x 9.75 w x h to fit inside an 8 x 10 matted frame. Everytime I try to change the image size, the dimension auto adjust. How can I work around that or accomplish my objective? In addition I want to put a larger border around the image so the overall print is larger than the matte itself.

Conrad_C

Community Expert

Are you printing it, or having it sent out to print?

Everything starts with the paper size. If you want a border around the print, as long as the paper size is large enough to go past the matte edge, you don’t need to add a border in software.

This might actually work with no change to your image size, but first you need to confirm four numbers and you’ve given only two, the image size and the size of the matted frame. The four numbers you have to confirm, for my assumptions to be correct, are:

Frame size

Mat opening size

Image size

Paper size

You have mentioned the image size (7.75 x 9.75 in), and an 8 x 10 matted frame. But is 8 x 10 the size of the opening, or the size of the entire frame? I’m assuming 8 x 10 is the size of the mat opening, otherwise there’s not enough room for a mat. So I’m also going to assume that the actual frame size might be the next standard size up which is 11 x 14 inches.

If I am right in assuming these are your four numbers…

Frame size: 11 x 14 inches

Mat opening size: 8 x 10 inches

Image size: 7.75 x 9.75

Paper size: 8.5 x 11 inches

…then you should use the Crop tool to crop it to 7.75 x 9.75 inches at the resolution that the printer needs (usually 300 ppi), and the animation below shows you why. If you print 7.75 x 9.75 on 8.5 x 11 inch paper, and then add a mat with an 8 x 10 inch hole, then the rest of the paper can be your border, you don’t need to add one.

So I think all you have to do is print it at 7.75 x 9.75 inches on any paper size that is both larger than the 8 x 10 inch mat hole, and also fits within the frame size.

B

Brett_Blaney2666Author

Participating Frequently

Actually the matte opening is 7.75 x 9.75

Conrad_C

Community Expert

OK. First you decide how much of a white border you want, and then you subtract that from the matte opening. For example:

If the matte opening is 7.75 x 9.75 inches, and you want a 1/4" (0.25") white border between the image and the mat opening, then you want to subtract 0.5 inches from the matte opening width and height. You have to subtract (0.25 * 2) because that border width must be subtracted twice, for the height (border at top & bottom) and width (border at left & right). That tells you the size you need to print the image, and that’s 7.25 x 9.25 inches. Remember that the exact numbers depend on how wide you want the white border to be.

To get the image to the print size you worked out above, next you set the Crop tool to "W x H x Resolution" and you enter those numbers, as shown in the demo below. If your image has a different aspect ratio (proportions) than 7.25 : 9.25, note that you will have to decide what part of one dimension will be cropped out. That’s why you see me sliding the image behind the crop rectangle until I arrive at the final composition within the crop size, before finally clicking Done to apply the crop to the document.

Stephen Marsh

Community Expert

I'd just use Image > Image Size with the Resample checkbox unticked. Set either the width or height using the required physical unit of measure. The other dimension will resize proportionally. No new pixels will be created and you will then know if the native resolution PPI will be sufficient.

The issue with the place command is that it's an extra abstraction.

Trevor.Dennis

Community Expert

I'll add top what Bob has told you because it is a tiny bit non-intuitive.

You open the New Document Panel, and enter the details.

Make sure everything is as you want it. For Instance when I opened this up it was set to Greyscale and not RGB Color.

You then click on the Save icon (my yellow highlight).

The reason I say it is not intuitive is that it does not use the name you just gave it.

You have to enter a new name for the preset. I called it 1000 x 1000 Pixels

Hit save preset and you are done.

You can then click on Saved from the new doc panel, and there it will be.

I'm going to let you down now, because I have done this many times before, and I always lose them when I do major updates. They'll be saved somewhere, so I guess I had better go find it. 😞

Trevor.Dennis

Community Expert

OK, I am not actually sure if we are supposed to keep those saved presets.

This is the file it saved to in Windows 11. I had to close Photoshop for it to update (I am in New Zealand if that time and date looks wrong). I might go to the effort of remaking my presets and saving that .json file, but I can't help but think there is a better way. Anyone know it?