Articles : Tutorials - Digital

Tear It Up - Digi Style

Get the look of paper tears for a unique look each time

If you want to get the look of paper tears and have a unique look each and every time, this article will show you how, step-by-step.  The instructions are written for both Paint Shop Pro Photo (PSPP) and PhotoShop Elements (PSE), and similar features should be present in most graphic programs used for digital scrapping.  Please read through all the steps before you start. 

Here's an example:

1. In your graphic program, open the paper that you plan to tear.
2. Visualize where you want your tear (top to bottom, side to side, a corner) and what you want to use for your layout; you'll be lifting out the piece that you'll be using in your layout in the next step.
3. Using the Freehand Selection Tool (PSPP) or the Lasso Tool (PSE), draw a raggedy tear from top to bottom or side to side. When you get to the bottom (or opposite side), drag the cursor outside of the frame all the way back around to where you started. This should result in "marching ants" around the area you just outlined--the area that you will use in your layout.  (If you have outlined the unused area--no problem--just invert the selection!)
4. Copy your selection (ctrl-c) and paste as a new image (CTRL/Shift-V).
5. Close the original paper without saving.
6. On your torn image, add a new layer (PSPP - Layers > New raster layer and PSE - Layer> New Layer).
7. Set foreground color to white (or for an interesting effect, select a lighter hue of your background paper).
8. Use the flood fill tool to fill the new layer.
9. Bring the torn paper layer to the top (In the layers palette, click and drag the paper layer to the top of the stack).
10. Make sure that the paper layer is selected and using the magic wand tool, select outside of the paper (on the white or light background) to highlight the torn area. You should see marching ants around the white that is showing.
11. Switch focus to the white layer.
12. (PSPP) Press the delete key.  (PSE) Right click in the selected area;, Layer Via Cut and then delete the new cut layer form the bin.
13. Turn off the selected area (Selections > Select none)
14. Switch focus back to the paper layer. 
15. Now we're going to delete a smidgeon of the paper layer to give that layered, rough-torn look.  This time, you'll select the area that you'll be getting rid of.  Again using your freehand selection or lasso tool, draw another raggedy tear just inside of existing tear. Don't try to be perfect!  It's supposed to be rough and raggedy and you want some areas with a little more white showing and others where there is none at all. When you get to the end of your tear, drag the cursor outside of the frame (away from the paper) all the way back around to where you started. This should result in "marching ants" around the area you just defined.
16. (PSPP) Delete.  (PSE) Right click the selected are; Layer Via Cut; Delete cut layer from the bin.
17.  Turn off the selected area (Selections > Select none)
18. Personally, I like to make the white layer a bit opaque, so I reduce the opacity of that layer to 80-90%; also, sometimes I will make another white layer (use duplicate layer for that and rip the middle one (ensuring that each layer is stacked on the other like stair steps) like in step 15 so that you have some more "depth" to the paper.  Play around with these options to find your own preferences.  You may choose to feather to soften the look of the torn edge.
19. When you're happy with the look, merge the layers (Layers > Merge > Merge visible).
20. You are done! Copy your masterpiece and paste into your layout (and don't forget to add a shadow.

Have fun with it.  I've found that I can do a tear in just a couple of minutes--and each one looks different from the next.