Often in grunge web design, the layout calls for torn paper. There are many ways to accomplish this effect, but the one shown here is one of the easiest and simplest methods available.
*note - I am re-posting this tutorial here since I have deleted my old blog
Introduction
Specs
- Difficulty: Easy
- Completion time: 5-10min
Requirements
- Adobe Photoshop (any version I think)
- Some kind of watercolor/grunge type of brush set. I’m sorry I can’t provide a link, I have sooo many brushes
- this paper texture
- and this cork texture
Step 1
First we start out with a new canvas, 500x500px at 72DPI. Name it “tornpaper”
Step 2
Next, open up the paper texture and draw a rectangular marquee around a portion of the image. Copy + paste it into our canvas. Use free transform to resize it so it fits with room on the edges.
Step 3
Now use the eraser tool set to brush mode and use your grungy/watercolor brush of choice. Use the edges of the brush on the edges of the paper, you may want to click several times in the same place to get it really cut out. Different brushes make different tears. Just play with it and see what you get.
Step 4
The paper we have now looks torn, but the remaining edges still look way too straight and unatural. Use a regular brush set at 50px master diameter at 90% hardness. Erase the very edges of the paper following the contours of the paper to make it look natural.
Step 5
Now for touching up. Personally, I think the paper is a bit too dark. Let’s make it whiter. Select the paper layer, go to Image > Adjustments > Levels or just press Ctrl + L. Change the settings to make it look something like this.
Step 6
Time to add a background that fits the paper! Open up the cork texture and drag it in the the canvas behind the paper. The scale is a bit off with the cork bits and the paper, so I used free transform to make the cork layer smaller. The cork ends up a bit bright, so I created a layer above it, filled it with black, and set it to 10% opacity.
Step 7
Next, we add a shadow to the paper. Duplicate your paper layer, place it behind the paper layer, and add a color overlay of black.
Then nudge the shadow layer down 10px and to the right 10px.
And add a blur by going Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur. Use the settings below.
Now we’ve got a shadow!
Step 8
And finally, we’ll add a bit of writing. I used Lucida Handwriting set to a gray color (#ababab) at 80%. Then I rasterized the type, blurred it (Filter > Blur > Blur) and used the warp tool to make it look like it’s on the paper.
All done!
