which art program will let me do a gradient fill for a border of an image and how do I do it?

Answer 1

Photoshop would be your best bet however if you don't have it then you can get Photoshop Elements which is a smaller much cheaper program than Photoshop.

You'll want your image on the top layer and then behind it on another layer draw a rectangle around the image and leave room for however thick you want the border to be and then fill it with a gradient.

Answer 2

I don't get fancy with art programs - here's what I do In Word:
click the Drawing button to display the Drawing toolbar at the bottom of the file.
click the Text box button and drag a text box.
click the text box to select, then click the fill button on the drawing toolbar.
select a color
now, click the down arrow to select "fill effects"
you will get the "gradient" window
now select one or two colors and do some trial and error until you get what you want.

now that you have the colored text box, right-click on the border for a submenu
click "format text box"
select "behind text"
with the text box selected, click Insert, Picture, from file
go to the picture file
select an image, click Insert
the image will be inserted into the text box

Answer 3

The Corel Draw package can do this. Its very easy. You can draw two squares around the picture. Then you use something called place inside container. It will cut the picture just at the edge of the boarder all the way round the picture (with a little adjustment) you then can edit the whole background (whats left of the picture which should only be the boarder) and give it whatever fill you want. There are many ways of doing this with many types of software but its not easy to explain. I am an ex graphic designer so I can picture doing it but I doubt you will understand, its easier to go through the Corel tutorial to learn it or watch someone do it. A graphic designer would do this for you for a small price.