Applying Digital Paper to a Template

by Barbara Snyder

First choose a tag template. I have a file of shape blanks that I keep available for decorating as I choose. If you would like to start a file of tag or shape blanks, pick a shape that you like, and open it in PSE2. Click on the tag layer in your layers palette. Press ctrl and click on your mouse. This will select the shape for you. Choose default colors (the little black and white boxes at the bottom of the tool box).

Now choose paint bucket, also in the tools palette, and click on the tag to paint it with black. Now save it as a .png in a file folder named “tag blanks” or something else easily remembered.

Now that you have your tag shape open, the next step is to “cover” it with paper. Open the paper you want to use in PSE2. Click on it and drag/drop it onto the tag file. From the top horizontal tool bar, choose Layer—Group with Previous Layer (making sure the paper layer is chosen). Next choose Layer—Merge Visible.

This will magically apply the paper to the shape.

Next I would like to apply another layer to the tag, and make a torn edge to it. Draw a shape for your second layer with the rectangular marquee tool

and apply the paper in the same manner as you did for the first tag shape, although this time instead of choosing layer—merge visible, link the layers and then Layers—Merge Linked Layers.

To make the torn edge, choose a brush like the Rough Round Bristle in the Default Brush Set. Set at about 100 pixels; erase the edges of the layer to your liking.

Next make a duplicate layer of this layer by clicking on the layer in the layer palette, then choose Duplicate Layer, then click ok. Rotate this layer 180 degrees—Image—rotate—rotate layer 180 degrees.

Lighten the color of this layer to make it look more like the whitish torn edge—Enhance (top horizontal tool bar)—Adjust Color—Color Variations, and play with lightening the color until you find a color that pleases you. (Click on the color choice you like to choose it—I used Midtones—Lighten.)

Then place a bevel on the TOPmost layer—Layer Styles Palette—Bevels—Simple Outer Bevel. I scaled it down to about 3 pixels (Layer (top horizontal tool bar)—Layer Style—Style Settings, and using the slider, slid it down to about 3 pixels.

Merge the two paper layers by linking them together in the layers palette and Layers (top horizontal toolbar)—Merge Linked Layers, then apply the same bevel to the whole torn edged layer.

Now decorate your tag with ribbons, papers, tags, alphas, etc. And have fun!