Photoshop Elements >
Textures & Blending Modes
This tutorial was adapted from
Photoshop Fundamentals: Adding Texture and Aging to a Photo by
Scott Kelby.
You can combine a texture with your photograph using the blending
modes.
Here's an example using a paper texture and the Luminosity blending
mode.
Original
Paper Texture with the Luminosity Blending Mode
Find a Paper Texture
Search
Here's the Google search for
free+paper+texture.
The paper textures found using the above search terms may not
be free, nor may they be in the public domain.
You can also search deviantART
and Flickr.
More
Paper
Textures Robert Redwood
Bittbox Feebies
Jay Hilgert
When you find a paper texture, do the following.
Windows
1) Click or double click on the paper-texture thumbnail.
2) After the texture loads, right click on it and select Save
Image As (Firefox) or Save Picture As (Internet Explorer).
3) Navigate to where you want to save the paper texture.
4) Click Save.
Mac
1) Click or double click on the paper-texture thumbnail.
2) After the texture loads, press and hold Ctrl (Not Cmd), and
click.
3) Select Save Image As (Firefox) or Save Image As (Safari).
4) Navigate to where you want to save the paper texture.
5) Click Save
Make a Paper Texture
Photoshop: How to Make an Awesome Grungy Paper Texture from Scratch
Jay Hilgert
Photoshop Paper Texture from Scratch then Create a Grungy Web Design
with it! Collis
Use a Paper Texture
1) In Photoshop Elements, open your photograph.
2) Open the paper texture.
Horizontal or Vertical?
3) If your photograph is horizontal, and the paper texture is
vertical, go to Image > Rotate > 90° right.
Move the Paper Texture
4) Make sure the Background copy layer is selected.
5) Select the Move tool, click and hold on the paper texture,
and drag it down to the thumbnail of your photograph in the project
bin.
The layer stack should look like this.
|
Paper texture
|
|
Background copy
|
|
Background
|
Resize?
Paper Texture Is Smaller than the Photograph
The paper texture is probably not the same size as your photograph.
If so, do the following.
6) Go to Image > Transform > Free Transform.
If you haven't already, go to
Transform.
7) Click and hold on the handles on the edges, or in the corners,
and drag until the paper texture is the same size as your photograph.
8) Click the green check mark.
Paper Texture Is Larger than the Photograph
If the paper texture is larger than your photograph, there may
be no need to reduce its size.
If you do reduce its size, use the Zoom tool to lower the magnification
of your photograph.
Otherwise, the handles on the paper texture layer will be hidden.
You won't be able to click and hold on them.
After you lower the magnification, follow the same steps above,
except you'll be dragging inward.
Blending Modes
9) Make sure the paper texture layer is active (highlighted).
10) Select the Move tool.
11) Press and hold Shift, and press the + key to change from
one blending mode to another.
Don't forget to select the Move tool before you use the shortcut.
You're seeing the effect of each blending mode at full strength.
You can reduce the effect.
12) When you've decided on a blending mode, reduce the opacity
of the paper texture layer, if needed.
Restore Part of the Original?
The texture/blending mode effect covers the entire photograph.
You may want to lessen the effect in some areas of the photograph.
If so, do the following.
13) Make sure the paper texture layer is active (highlighted).
14) Select the Eraser tool.
15) In the options bar, reduce the opacity of the brush.
16) Use a feathered brush.
If you haven't already done so, go to
Feathered Brush.
17) Click and drag where you want to lessen the effect.
