Tutorial: Torn Edges in Photoshop
Level: Intermediate

Torn Edges – “Lauren’s Method”

Though this tutorial is written for photoshop, the same principals will be able to be easily applied to PSP.

• On your open layout file– create a new layer for your paper and fill with your desired colour.
• Create a new layer for your torn edge.
• Select a rough edged brush and draw in your torn edge.

• Apply a small inner bevel and a texture of your choice to your edge.

• Delete the unneeded portion of the paper layer and move your edge layer to below your paper layer – adjust the layers so that the torn edge peeps out from behind the paper layer.

• At this stage you may wish to apply a very tiny bevel to your paper layer and a slight texture – this is optional.
• Using your eraser and a rough edged brush ( could be the same brush but smaller) with a very low opacity of around 10 – 30 % run along the edge of your paper layer to smooth the blend between the two layers.

• This may well be sufficient in which case merge your layers and apply a slight drop shadow.
• Extra options you can try out are:
• Applying an inner shadow to your edge layer in a darker shade of the colour of your edge.

• Adding Noise to your edge layer.

• Using your low opacity eraser along the torn edge of your edge layer.

• When you are happy with the look of your edge merge your layers and apply a tiny drop shadow in the direction of the torn edge – in other words so the shadow shows up slightly under the torn edge of your paper.