This article discusses how to use CSS to add borders to images rather than editing images directly. It demonstrates how to create single, double, and differently colored double borders using CSS padding and border properties on an <img> tag. Using CSS allows the borders to be changed quickly without reediting images. It also avoids issues with distorted borders when images are zoomed in.

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Using CSS for Image Borders
By: Guest Author on 3/20/2008
The following is a Guest Post written by Volkan Görgülü. Thanks Volkan!
The picture used in this article, The Solitude of the Fisherman, is from Daniel Cheong. I have
come across with this picture in an article at Smashing Magazine.
Generally when we put borders around our images, as you can see in the example below, they make
the image look more appealing. They make the image stand out from the other content on the page.
Without Border:
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2. With Border:
With a “Double Border“:
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3. Like I did in the above pictures, you can easily achieve this look with using image editing
applications like Photoshop, ImageReady or Fireworks. But lets think of a scenario in which you
need to change the look of your website and the previous border color you used around your
images doesn’t fit with your new design. You will need to open up your images one by one and
replace that border. If you have 3 or 4 images it will take minutes, but think of having 50 or more
images…
You can achieve the same effect very easily with using pure CSS and it will take you seconds to
change the color of the borders in the future.
How to do it?
Simple thin border:
img {
border:1px solid #021a40;
}
The “Double Border”:
img {
padding:1px;
border:1px solid #021a40;
}
Double Border with different inside border color:
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4. img {
padding:1px;
border:1px solid #021a40;
background-color:#ff0;
}
Another advantage of this technique
Since we usually decrease the quality of the images for web (optimization), when you zoom to the
pictures with borders you will notice that the color of the border is distorted. Now I will use a
lighter blue to let you see the distortion obviously. The left image’s borders is from CSS and the
right one is from the image itself.
EXAMPLE PAGE
While we are on the subject of image borders, check out some of the cool features CSS3 has in
store with the border-image property.
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5. Page 5 of 13Using CSS for Image Borders | CSS-Tricks
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6. 0 featured!9 Responses0 buried (show)
1.
Expertsforge says:
03/23/2008 at 11:22 pm
So far, I used to achieve the double borders using photoshop editing.. Now it is easier with
CSS. Good article.
2.
Volkan Görgülü says:
03/24/2008 at 3:27 pm
I’m glad, it helped.
3.
Jermayn says:
03/24/2008 at 9:04 pm
CSS is easier than psd editing. I like adding a background to the image so you get a double
border effect. (more hear)
4.
Joe says:
10/03/2008 at 4:59 pm
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7. Chris – thanks for your website. I enjoy reading it! I have a question though on img borders.
if you see my webpage i am trying to put an rss image to my flickr rss feed but it keeps
coming up with the stinking border around it. How do i fix this? I dont know how to have
text and img on the same line so i put it in a table. Anyway – what div class or css command
do i need to input to get rid of the border?
flickrss a img {
border:0px solid #fff;
color:#fff;
text-decoration:none;
margin:6px;
float:right;
But the flickrss div is inside the flickr div. Im not too sure how to do a subdiv.
thanks!
-Joe!
5.
RocknMetal says:
10/03/2008 at 9:03 pm
Hi, I can’t seem to get this code to work in IE7 (or 6 for that matter) but works great in FF.
There must be a required IE switch missing. Any ideas?
.imageBorder {
padding:7px;
background-color:#F5F4F2;
border:1px solid #c8c8c7;
float:middle;
margin: 5px;
}
6.
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8. Lia Moretti says:
10/16/2008 at 7:12 am
I ran into this page while trying to fix the same problem as RocknMetal, above. It just doesn’t
work in IE. Do you have a trick for that? Thanks anyway.
7.
Guest says:
11/11/2008 at 2:26 pm
Indeed I used to do this with photoshop too. Great article Volkan, thanks.
This comment thread is closed. If you have important information to share, you can always
contact me.
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