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Note: Tutorial created using Photoshop Elements
3.0 on Windows XP.
There are so many uses for ScrapSimple Paper Templates.
One way is to use them for various effects on your photographs.
I’m going to show you how to use the ScrapSimple Paper
Templates: Artsy – Watercolor 1 to create the look of
a watercolor painting for a postcard.
Create a new document at 300 ppi. You can make your postcard either
4x6 or 5x7. Here, I choose to make it a 5x7.
Open the paper "STI_SS_Paper_Artsy_Watercolor1_Salt." Drag
it onto your newly created document.
Resize the paper so that it has roughly the same width as your
document.
Open the photo that you would like to turn into the watercolor
postcard.
Drag it on top of your new document so that it is above your watercolor
paper template. Resize it to fit the 5x7 size.
Activate the watercolor template by clicking on it. Right-click
on the watercolor template layer and select "Duplicate Layer."
Select the bottom copy of the watercolor paper in your Layers
Palette. Go to Enhance> Adjust Color> Color Variations.
When the color variations box comes up, adjust the color by clicking
on the various color options until you get the background color
that you would like for your postcard. I chose to use blue.
You should now have a blue version of the watercolor paper on
the bottom of your Layers Palette.
Select the photo in your Layers Palette so that it is active.
In the drop-down menu for the Blend Modes, select one that
makes your photo take on the look of the watercolor paper below
it. Blend Modes that seem to work the best are: "Color
Burn," "Overlay," "Soft Light," or "Vivid
Light." It will all depend on your photo. Here, I select "Vivid
Light."
You can now see the difference in my photo. It is a lot bolder
and brighter and now has the texture of the watercolor paper below
it.
If you can’t find a Blend Mode that works well, try adjusting
the levels of your photo or the watercolor paper below it. You
can also try a different photo or duplicate your photo layer to
deepen the effect. I adjust the levels of the watercolor paper
to deepen the colors just slightly.
We now want to link the flower photo to the watercolor photo below
it, so that we can erase to see the blue background. To create
a clipping mask, make sure that your photo is selected and active
in the Layers Palette. Use Ctrl+G to create a clipping mask.
(Cmd+G for Mac and Alt+Ctrl+G for CS2.) You should
now see an arrow pointing down to the layer below it.
Select the Eraser Tool in your Tools Palette. Select a brush at
the top that is feathered. I used a brush from Lori Cook’s Grunge
Brush Set Biggie. It is my favorite one for creating faded
effects. Adjust the Opacity of the brush to about 55. Select the
grayscale watercolor paper in your Layers Palette and make sure
it is empty.
Begin erasing the paper so that you see the blue watercolor paper
below. If the photo is correctly linked with a clipping mask to
the gray paper, you will begin to see the blue paper as you erase.
If you are erasing but the photo does not seem to be disappearing,
make sure that your photo is connected to your grayscale watercolor
paper with a clipping mask.
Once you have erased the photo enough that you are happy with
it, you can adjust the levels if you want things to be a deeper
color. I adjusted the levels on my blue background to give it a
deeper blue. You can also add a title or embellishments on top
of your painting to create various looks.
To print the postcard, print the colored photo on one side of
your desired paper and then print the back of the postcard using
Mandy Steward’s Remember When Postcards.
This is another postcard I created using the same method.
Postcard by Shalae Tippetts
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Tutorial written by Shalae
Tippetts
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