Crumpled and Torn Paper Effect

A crumpled and torn paper effect is possible with Textures. You will find plenty of good quality, free textures at http://www.deviantart.com/

You will need to register to download the Textures. Registration is free.

I have opened this image which I have scanned from a newspaper.

I have also opened this crumpled paper texture which I found on deviantart. 

I will be attempting this effect.

Step 1 : Press v on the keyboard for the Move Tool. Press SHIFT and drag the paper texture onto the newspaper clipping.

Step 2 : The paper texture has been dragged  onto the newspaper. Since the resolution of the scanned newspaper clipping is high, the texture appears small. Press CTRL+T. A selection forms around the texture.

Step 3 : Press SHIFT+ALT and drag the right top corner handle up diagonally. The texture will increase in size proportionately.

Step 4 : Click the Tick Mark in the top panel or press ENTER to apply the transformation.

Step 5 : Change the Blend Mode to Hard Light.

Step 6 : Lower the Opacity suitably. It will depend on our image. I have lowered it to 70%.

Step 7 : Press CTRL+E. Both the layers merge into the Background Layer.

The image looks like this.

Step 8 : Click the New Fill or Adjustment layer button. Click on Levels.

Step 9 : Drag the Black slider at left to the beginning of the Histogram.

The image looks like this.

Step 10 : Press CTRL+E. Both layers merge into the Background layer.

Step 11 : Drag the lock on the Background Layer to the Trash Can.

Step 12 : The Background Layer changes to Layer 0. The unlocked layer can now be edited.

Step 13 : Press CTRL+CLICK NEW LAYER icon. Layer 1 forms below Layer 0.

Step 14 : The Foreground/Background colors should be set to the default Black/White. If it is not press x and then d on the keyboard to restore the default.

Step 15 : Press CTRL+BACKSPACE to fill with the Background Color which is White in this case.

Step 16 : Click Back on Layer 0.

Step 17 : Click the Lasso Tool.

Step 18 : Drag out a rough selection as shown with the Lasso Tool.

Step 19 : Press CTRL+J. The selection is copied and pasted onto layer 2.

Step 20 : Click on Layer 0. CTRL+CLICK on layer thumbnail of Layer2.

Step 21 : A selection becomes visible. Press CTRL+X (Cut). Nothing apparently seems to change though the selection goes away.

Click off the eye icon on Layer 0.

The image looks like this.

Turn on the eye icon on Layer 0 and click off the eye icon in Layer2.

The image looks like this. It means that the two halves of the newspaper clipping are on Layer 2 and Layer 0.

Step 22 : Turn on the eye icon of Layer2 and click on it.

Step 23 : Press CTRL+T. A selection forms in the bottom half of the newspapers clipping.

Step 24 : Use the Down Arrow keys to move the selection down.

Press ENTER.

Step 25 : Go to Image>Image Rotation>90 degree CW.

The image is rotated.

I am on Layer 2 which is the fragment of the newspaper clipping at left.

Step 26 : Click the Lasso Tool.

Step 27 : Trace out an irregular selection with the Lasso Tool.

Step 28 : The selection turns into marching ants.

Step 29 : Press CTRL+SHIFT+I to invert the selection. Press DELETE.

Step 30 : Press CTRL+D to deselect. The sharp line of the cut has become irregular now.

Step 31 : Click on Layer 0. CTRL+CLICK the layer thumbnail.

Step 32 : Click on the Lasso Tool.

Step 33 : Draw an irregular line on the right side of the news clipping.

The selection turns into marching ants.

Step 34 : Press CTRL+SHIFT+I to invert the selection. Press DELETE.

Step 35 : Press CTRL+D to deselect.

Step 36 : Press CTRL+T. A selection forms. Right click inside the selection. Click on Warp.

Step 37 : Drag the corner handles and the handles to Warp as you please. Press ENTER.

The image looks like this.

Step 38 : Click on Layer 2.

Step 39 : Press CTRL+T. A selection forms. Right click inside the selection. Click on Warp.

Step 40 : Again Warp the selection as you please. Press ENTER.

The image looks like this.

Step 41 : Click on Layer1.

Step 42 : Press CTRL+T. A selection forms. use the LEFT ARROW and DOWN ARROW to respoisition the selection as you want. Press ENTER.

Step 43 : Click the Lasso Tool.

Step 44 : Trace out an irregular line all around the portion of clipping with the Lasso Tool.

Step 45 : A selection of marching ants form. Press CTRL+SHIFT+I to invert the selection. Press DELETE.

Step 46 : Press CTRL+D to deselect. The image looks like this.

Step 47 : Click on Layer 2.

Step 48 : Click on the Lasso Tool.

Step 49 : Draw out an irregular line with the Lasso Tool.

Step 50 : The irregular line changes to marching ants. Press CTRL+SHIFT+I to invert the selection. Press DELETE.

The image looks like this.

Step 51 : Click the Layer Styles button. Click on Drop Shadow.

Step 52 : With the Layer Styles dialogue box open, place your cursor on the image. You will be able to drag the Drop Shadow in any direction.

Step 53 : The Distance has already been set by dragging the Drop Shadow. I have dragged the Size to 84 and reduced the Opacity to 50%.  There is nothing hard and fast about it. It will depend on your image. Click OK in the Layer Styles dialogue box.

The image looks like this.

Step 54 : Press ALT and drag the fx icon onto Layer0.

The finished crumpled and torn paper effect. 

Other Photoshop tutorials are here

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Fake HDR effect

HDR stands for High Dynamic Range. Photogrsphers use HDR to record a greater range of tonal detail than a camera could capture in a single frame. Photographers shoot a number of shots of their subjects -- some over exposed some underexposed and then merge them together in Photoshop. That is real HDR. Here we will fake it. We will also use only a single image.

Step 1 : I will be using this free stock photo. You will find it here

It belongs to *Katanaz-Stock

We will try to achieve this effect. 

Step 2 : Go to Image>Mode>Lab Color.

Step 3 : Press CTRL+J to duplicate the Background Layer to Layer1.

Step 4 : Go to Image>Adjustments>Shadows/Highlights.

Step 5 : The Shadows/Highlights dialogue box appears. Check the Show More Options.

Step 6 : All the other options are revealed.

Step 7 : Change the Color Correction to 0.

Step 8 : Next pump up the Midtone Contrast. There is nothing hard and fast about the value you put. It will depend on your image. Watch the image as you drag the slider. A handy rule to follow is to increase the percentage by 5 and see the result, before dragging the slider further.

Step 9 : I have increased the Highlights Amount to 30%.

Step 10 : I have increased the Highlights Radius to 90 pixels. Click OK in Shadows/Highlights.

 

We began with this image.

This is the effect achieved after applying Shadows/Highlights.

Step 11 : Click the New Adjustment Layer button and click on Curves.

Step 12 : Choose the a channel.

Step 13 : Drag the top and bottom handles as shown.

Step 14 : Now select channel b.

Step 15 : Drag the top and bottom of the diagonal as shown. If you drag the top handle too much you will get a lot of yellow. So be careful about how much you drag the top diagonal.

Step 16 : Press CTRL+SHIFT+ALT+E. A composite Layer 2 forms.

 

Step 17 : Press CTRL+J. The composite Layer 2 duplicates into Layer 2 copy.

Step 18 : Go to Filter>Other>High Pass.

Step 19 : The High Pass dialogue box appears. The rule of the thumb for setting the Radius is to pull the slider till the details of the image can just be made out. Click OK.

Step 20 : Change the Blend Mode to Linear Light. That is the last step.

We began with this image.

And, this is the finished image.

other photoshop tutorials are here

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