Photoshop Tutorial: Creating a Distressed TItle

Today I am going to share with you one of my favorite digital scrapbooking tricks: distressing text. I love the look of distressed type—especially with a grungy textured layout, like this one I created about my niece:

When I first added the text to my layout it looked out of place and as if it were floating a bit. By distressing it the text looks more like it belongs on the page and it no longer looks like it is floating. It was really easy and fun to achieve this look.

Here are the steps that I took:

In this first step a selection marquee is created, and will be used as a stencil.

Because the marquee selection is being used, the brush work will only appear in the selected area.

For this tutorial I used Just the Basics: Grunge Brushes & Overlays Set One, but any grunge brushes would work. I used several brushes in a variety of sizes until my type had the texture and amount of distressing that I wanted. The result was a bit of a rubber stamp texture.

There are a lot of fun possibilities with this technique. After you have your text all painted in how you want, you could recolor that layer, use it as a clipping mask with patterned paper, or you could even add a gradient to it.

Another way that this technique can be used is with shapes. Photoshop has a ton of built in shapes that you could use as a ‘stencil’ or you could use tags, alphas and elements from your stash. All you need to do is click on the thumbnail of the element or shape layer (while holding the ctrl/cmd key) , hide that layer, create a new layer and add your brushwork!

Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed this tutorial!

Quick Tips | Torn paper

Hi everyone!

I thought, I share with  you an easy quick tip again, because I got some requests on how to use those torn paper edges, I released few weeks ago.

Follow the instructions below,  and you’ll sure realize, the use of these templates are really versatile and easy.

Each .psd file in this set has a torn edge and a template layers.

::Click on images to enlarge::

(typo: use rectangle marquee tool to select the missing space on the template layer.)

Thanks for reading, and hope you enjoyed this tutorial.

Quick Tips | Paint

Hi everyone!

Today I would like to show you a trick, how to recolor paint accents in a fun way. This method works with any kind of transparent elements as well.

First, open one of your favorite background paper, and a painting of your choice.  For this tutorial I used one of the papers from En Route Part 1, and a painting from Paint Accent 1.

::click on images to enlarge::

Locking transparent pixels helps you to recolor the paintings without any effort.

The painting will be more realistic if you set the blending mode to color burn, and play with the fill to get a cool result.

Hope you enjoyed this tutorial!

Stretching Your Elements

I’m always looking for ways to squeeze every last bit of creativity from my scrapbooking tools, and digital elements are no different. Using a digital element multiple times on a layout does more than make me feel like a thrifty scrapper, though; it also reinforces a number of design principles.

I always try to put an element to use three times on a layout, which helps me to create a visual triangle; this helps to direct the viewer’s eye across my layout and frames my central point of visual interest. Changing the size, color, and texture of the element provides variety, while the repetition creates subtle pattern and unity.

For this layout featuring my niece’s 1st birthday, I decided to see how many different ways I could use Karla Dudley’s Jumbo No. Cards. (Other credits: kraft cardstock from Neutral Stock by Audrey Neal; Fun Day elements, Everyday papers, Let’s Go papers and elements, all from Robyn Meierotto; Pacifico font)

My first use of the Jumbo Numbers element was to create a repetitive background on the kraft paper. To do this, I simply resized the number 1 and created rows. Once I merged all the individual rows together, I changed the blend mode in my Layers palette to Overlay and adjusted the Opacity to 70%. Then I merged the layer with my background paper.

My second use of the Jumbo Numbers element was to use it as a clipping mask. I covered the template with the grid paper from Robyn’s Everyday paper pack, then placed the #1 brush on top of it. I filled the brush with paint using the Fill (bucket) tool first, to remove the decreased opacity. Then I placed the diagonal stripe paper from Robyn’s Everyday paper pack on top of the brush and “clipped” it (CtrlG, CtrlE) to the brush. I finished things up by adding a slight drop shadow.

My final use was as more of a brush element. Again, I used the fill (bucket) tool to make the brush less opaque, filling it with a couple of different colors. For a little extra impact, I added key words (with the background graph paper clipped to them) on top of the brushes.

As you can see, putting an element to more than one use on your layout can add variety and interest to even the simplest designs.

Hybrid Layout: Seriously?

Hey everyone! Robyn here & I’m going to show you a cool way to incorporate digital papers & elements in a different way on a layout… hybrid style. You may just want to break out your printers, scissors & adhesive to join me!  Here’s how to start…

I began with opening up a blank letter sized photoshop file & simply placed the elements & papers I wanted to fit onto sheet.  I used some of Gennifer Bursett’s Simply Said elements & used them as a clipping mask with the kraft paper from my Let’s Go kit.  The strips of paper are also from the Let’s Go kit.  Then I just printed them with my Epson printer on Ultra Premium Presentation paper matte. The right portion of the photo shows the result I had when I set up a 12×12″ photoshop file & placed a sprayed element from my LoveLoveLove elements & another from the Currently elements by Audrey Neal.  I simply  placed them where I thought I wanted them on the page & printed it off onto a white textured 12×12″ cardstock that would be my base for the layout.  Lost yet? Seriously, if you can digi scrap, you can do this!  After cutting the elements out that I printed off earlier, I basically went on about how I put together a regular paper layout & ended up with this…

I tried to stick with primarily digital products, but did add a paper ticket & some washi tape.  I also stitched tons too… as you can see   My  favorite part I think is how the mist & number stamp turned  out.  I’ll definitely try this more often on some  paper layouts.  What do you think?  I was inspired to try my digital kits out on a paper page because I’m loving paper scrapbooking right now, but I also LOVE my digital kits & wondered how they’d play together…  I think they’ll have a date together again soon!  thanks for stopping by! {robyn}