Have Your Way With Paper

HYWWP Design Team Member MemberSince: July 14, 2005 10,000 posts

Ok, y'all. I am only a month late.

This could go under digital, too. Use the same technique with anything you choose. I just decided to put it here.

So you have a photo that's kind nice, but needs a bit of pazazz. Or you simply want to be creative. Try using a texture.

Here is a shot of Emily I took at Easter (imagine, she let me get away with it!). I like the look on her face, and it's in focus, and it's a memory. But other than that, it's kind boring. Here shown when I loaded it into PSE.

STEP ONE load your photo.
STEP TWO choose your texture. To do this, go to where you either have textures stored or somewhere online where there are choices. (I will give you some sources). The easiest way to get your texture on your photo? Right click, copy, then in PSE go to edit, then paste. Suddenly the texture will appear as a new layer on your photo.

STEP THREE Stretch the texture layer all the way over your photo (note: usually it doesn't matter if the proportion is off a bit).

Now you have two layers, one on top of the other.

STEP FOUR Blend by bringing down the opacity. Don't go too far, because you will play around with this. You increase or reduce more later.

STEP FIVE Try different Layer styles/effects. See on the right side of your program, where your layers are shown, where it says Layers. Click the arrow, and change from Normal to whatever you like, and see what comes with that. Once you land on something you like, then adjust the opacity. This is easy, so don't try to make it difficult (Like I Do!). This one is Color Burn.

Each effect works differently, you simply need to experiment. This is quite new to me as before I just put on a texture, changed opacity, and was done. So much more you can do than that!

STEP SIX Each photo (or LO selection) responds in its own way to different effects, and this is where the creativity comes in. Now for this one, I really did not want Em's face textured. So I changed that by choosing the marquee tool on the left (will show either as a circle or a square). Choose which one you want, in this case I chose the circle, or ellyptical. I drew my circle/oval around Em's face, placing it where I wanted it.

STEP SEVEN Then I hit the delete button. This removed the texture from Emily's face in a pleasing way. OH IMPORTANT: make sure the feathering on the marquee tools is at a large number (px). For this I had it on 250. That makes the transition smooth.
If I've lost you, just reread and try again. It's not as difficult as it sounds.

STEP EIGHT Nearly done: deselect and crop as desired. Finished product:

HYWWP Design Team Member MemberSince: July 14, 2005 10,000 posts

Ok, so since this has been here for two days with no comment, no one needs/wants this?

WRONG!!!!!!

I love this!!!..Sorry for not popping in sooner, but I'm trying to catch up on things since I'm running out of time!!!

I need to open my version of Photoshop and see if I could follow this. If not, I'm sure your directions will give me enough understanding to try this with PSP (the program I'm more familiar with)

Thanks Marlene...and don't think your posting this is not appreciated!!!! :

Paper Princess- Fairest of them all MemberSince: Jan 22, 2006

I'm sorry..I missed this some how and I so need it. I've been wanting to try textures and had no idea where to start. I'm printing this out to have with us so I can play on rainy days. Thanks for doing this!

We've been having company for dinner to say goodbye to some peoples so haven't been checking the board thoroughly..sorry. :

HYWWP Design Team Member MemberSince: July 14, 2005 10,000 posts

It's ok, girls, I just felt a little sad that no one said anything for so long. I hate to offer something no one wants.

As for psp, I imagine you can do exactly the same thing, just have to do the layers, that's it. I am sure you can crossover easily enough, both of you. Tho I have to admit I like PSE a whole lot better than psp now.

Marlene...I feel the same way about my card and or stamp challenge that no one does..

....but, it's there if anyone wants it..

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