Want to add textures to your photos to create an artistic look? I’m going to show you how you can use digital scrapbooking backgrounds from your stash to do it!
(Note:This tutorial assumes that you understand the principles I demonstrate in my Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed and MORE Scrapbook Software Secrets Revealed movie tutorial series. There are versions available for Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, and Paint Shop Pro here.)
I’m going to take this photo of my nephew’s son…
...and make it look like this.
First, I edited the photo so that it wasn’t dark. I also bumped the colors up.
Next, I selected a digital scrapbooking background paper to use for my texture. I choose Marnie Adam’s Gather Together Solids Paper Mini for this particular photo.
I decided to use the golden paper because I wanted to add warmth to the photo.
After I opened it in Photoshop, I slide it on top of my photo layer. Then I changed the lighting blend setting to Overlay.
Next, I duplicate the photo layer and changed the lighting blends for each. I used the Overlay setting for one layer and the Lighting setting for the second one. I reduced the Opacity for each layer as well.
Last, I added a Curves Adjustments layer. I played with the settings a little until the photo lightened back up.
The last thing I did was add a mask layer on top of my texture layer. Then painted over the face a brush from my Artistic brush set so that the face peeked through better. I lowered the brush Opacity and Flow levels as I worked because I didn’t want to erase too much.
As you can see, it’s fairly easy to get a lot of bang from your digital scrapbooking buck. You’ll get photo textures and digital scrapbooking backgrounds in one purchase!
If you decide to use this technique, I’d love to see the results. Give me a link if you post them on the Internet, okay?
Have fun experimenting!
