Torn paper edge effect (photoshop)

[melemel]

Wonder if anyone can help with this.

I'm trying to 'cut out' simple shapes (stars, hearts etc - im using photoshop custom shapes at the moment) from a paper layer to make elements. What I would like to do is give the edges of these cut out shapes a slightly 'torn' look - not very jagged but just so its not a super clean cut out edge. So that it still looks like paper.

Whats the best way to do this? Is there a way to do it as an series of actions rather than by hand with an eraser?

[LadynRed]

The easiest way to do this is with the crystallize filter, set to a very small amount. It will make the edges look just a little bit jagged.

[melemel]

Hmmm, thank you, but that doesnt do anything. I made the shape, selected it - subtracted the selection by 10 pixels, then inverted the selction and applied the filter, but no effect at all. Maybe you meant some other way of applying it?

[Kathleen]

You can search the tutorials for 'torn'. If you use Photoshop, Lisa Carter has great video tutorials on her blog (http://lisacdesigns.com/). You have to be registered, but once you register and sign in, click Tutorials (center, towards the top of the page), then Video Tutorials and then Torn Edge Video Tutorial.

Atomic Cupcake also sells some actions that you could apply to a shape.

I have had a hard time with the do-it-myself approach on torn edges, they never seem to look as real as I want them to. There are a few products in the store that you can use too:

http://store.digitalscrapbookplace.com/images/38_T_AlreadyTorn2.jpg (http://store.digitalscrapbookplace.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=4477) Already Torn 2 (http://store.digitalscrapbookplace.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=4477)


http://store.digitalscrapbookplace.com/images/38_T_AlreadyTorn.jpg (http://store.digitalscrapbookplace.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=4319) Already Torn (http://store.digitalscrapbookplace.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=4319)


http://store.digitalscrapbookplace.com/images/38_E_FoldOvers.jpg (http://store.digitalscrapbookplace.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=6986) Fold Overs (http://store.digitalscrapbookplace.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=6986)