This free digital scrapbooking tutorial was created using Adobe Photoshop CS5 with Windows 7, but should be able to be adapted easily to other systems. If you have questions about how to do this, just ask on our message board!

Layer styles are so much fun to use when digitally scrapbooking. One of my favorite techniques to get custom looks from layer styles is painting with them. I'll show you how to take an ordinary shape and customize it with layer styles to make it something that is uniquely you!

For this tutorial I am going to create a chipboard accent and customize it with patterned digital paper, pearls, beads, and glitter, and more. So let's get started!

Open a new 12x12 300 dpi transparent document.

 

Select the Custom Shape Tool from the Tools Palette (see above). Choose a shape (I am using a slide from Cherise Olseon's ScrapSimple Tools - Shapes: Slides 8301) and then hold down the Shift key while you drag your mouse across your document. I am making my shape very large so what I am doing can be seen easily by you, but you will want to create your shape at the size you intend to use it on your layout or other project.

I rastersize my shape before continuing to work with it. To do this go to Layer> Rastersize> Shape. (In Photoshop Elements, choose Layer> Simplify Layer.)

 

Now, we will apply a chipboard style to our shape. I am using Mandy Steward's ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Chipboard 1801 Mini, Style One. I'm going to click on my shape layer in the Layers Palette, then go to my Styles Palette and choose the chipboard style I mentioned.

 

Now I am going to fill my slide with patterned paper. Open the digital paper of your choosing, I am using a paper from Chere Kaye Edwards's Bamboozled Collection Biggie, and drag it on top of the document your shape is in. In the Layers Palette make sure that your paper layer is above your shape layer and that your paper layer is selected.

Now we will create a clipping mask. Go to Layer> Create Clipping Mask. Your shape should now be filled with your paper. You can move the paper around to get the pattern where you want it and you can even resize if you need to.

Now we can't see our chipboard style any more, but that's okay, we're going to fix that next.

 

Go back to your Layers Palette and select your patterned paper layer. Change the Opacity to about 50%, then click "OK."

Now we are almost ready to start "painting" with our Styles. We are going to use several different Scrap Girls ScrapSimple Tools Styles for this tutorial so you can see some of the possibilities. The first thing I am going to do is add some pearls to my ribbon slide. Each new style that I want to use will require me to create a new layer.

 

So, the first thing I will do now is go to the Layers Palette and make sure my paper layer is selected, then click on the "Create New Layer" icon at the bottom of the Layers Palette.

 

I'm naming this layer "Gold."

Now I'll go to my Styles Palette and select the "ACA_SSTools_Style_PreciousMetal11201_Gold3" Style, which is part of the ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Precious Metal 11201 product. This will apply the gold pearl style to the Gold layer I just created above shape and paper layers. You will not notice any change to your layer yet. That comes next!

 

I'm going to use a 28 pixel round brush to create my pearls with. Your brush size may need to be larger or smaller depending on your project. (Note: With this style, "pearls" any larger than Now that I have my custom brush, I'm ready to start "painting" on my glitter. I just use my mouse or tablet pen and stroke on the blank layer and the glitter magically appears!

 

Well, I'm not sure I like that pink color. I can change it quickly and easily just by changing the Layer Style. I'll choose the "SSTools_Glitter_4101_Orange" Style.

Well, I think I like the pink best so I'll click on the Pink Glitter Layer Style again to change it back.

 

Now I want to add another color, so I need to go to the Layers Palette and create a new layer above all the others. I'm going to name it "Teal Glitter."

 

I'm going to choose the "SSTools_Glitter_4101_Teal" Style from the Styles Palette this time and glitter those areas that I want to be teal.

 

That looks pretty good. But I think I'll add some stitching to my accent. Again, I first go to my Layers Palette, create a new layer and name it "Stitching." Then I go to my Styles Palette, and I'm going to choose one of Mandy's Stitch Styles from the SSTools_Styles_Stitch_1801 set.

I am going to choose a stitch brush from my Tools Presets that I made and saved there some time ago. Now I just stroke the layer where I want my stitches and they appear with texture, shadow and bevel in place, thanks to Mandy's Styles. I added a slight Outer Glow in a dark color.

I've painted on some glitter and I've painted on some stitches and I can vary the look just by changing the Layer Style.

 

Here I've changed the Pink Glitter Style for one of my 14K Gold Styles. The Stitching Style on my stitches was replaced with a Clear Tints Style.

 

And here I've changed the Stitching Style to a 14K Gold Style creating metallic thread. The Teal Glitter Style was replaced with a Clear Tints Style.

You will also get different effects by using different brushes to paint with, so experiment with this technique and have fun painting with Layer Styles!

 

To finish my accents, I brushed on more Glitter and Clear Tints Layer Styles, which I think looks like melted embossing powder, and then selected my stitching brush again, reduced the size by about half and then selected my stitching layer and stitched along the edges of the leaves and flowers of the design. I made a few adjustments to my Chipboard Layer Style that was applied to my butterfly shape. Then once I was happy with the way everything looked, I selected all the layers and merged them. Here is my finished butterfly digital scrapbooking element.

Layout by Cheryl Barber
larger view

	Note: Commercial license versions of ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Chipboard 1801 Mini, ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Glitter Brights Super Biggie 4101, ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: 14K 4101, ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Stitch 1801 and ScrapSimple Tools - Styles: Clear Tints Super Biggie 4101 are also available.

Tutorial by Cheryl Barber