Digital Tutorials

Pastel Grunge Paper

This is very much a "can't duplicate" it type of paper.


• Open a blank image three times as large as the size of your finished paper (if you want 12" paper, create an image 3600 x 3600).
• Set your Foreground to a light green and your Background to pale yellow, and choose the Foreground-Background Gradient. (If you're not familiar with gradients, check out the Gradient Tutorial) Fill your paper with the gradient
• Add a layer
• Set your Foreground back to Solid, and choose a light pink for your background
• Here comes the fun - using any variety of grunge brushes, cover parts of your paper with pink
• Add another layer - I then choose a slightly darker green and added additional texture with grunge brushes
• Keep going until you are happy with your paper, then save as a PSP file
  
  Notes:
• It's a good idea to add a new layer before changing colors or brushes. That way, you can change the opacity of the layer, or use a blend mode, perhaps soften your brush marks with a Gaussian Blur, all without affecting the other layers.
• Use Ctrl+Z to undo anything you don't like.
• If you come to a place where you like what you have but want to keep playing, duplicate the image and continue to play with the duplicate.
• Of course, you can use any colors you wish - starting with a gradient is a nice way to add a range of color to the paper. You can use multi-color gradients as well.

Image 2

This is not my technique - I've seen it several places, including PSP Stepping Stones, but I'm not sure who to give credit to


• Open striped paper (or make your own - Striped Paper)
• Duplicate the layer and rotate it 90 degrees
• Lower the opacity on the second layer until you can see the plaid effect (Image 2)
• To angle the plaid (Image 3), choose the plaid as a pattern and fill a blank image at a 45 degree angle.

  Image 3

Image 2

Image 3

Image 4

Image 5

Image 6

1. Open a transparent image and draw a diamond shape, using the Preset Shapes Tool, any color
2. Open a new transparent image, the size you want your finished paper to be
3. Set the single diamond image as a pattern in your Foreground Properties box and fill the new transparent image (you may have to adjust the pattern size to get the proper size diamond for your paper)
4. Add a layer, drag the layer below your diamond layer, and fill with contrasting color (see image 2)

MULTIPLE COLORS
For rows of the same color:
1. Open a transparent image, and draw a diamond shape
2. Duplicate the layer for as many colors as you want
3. Click on a layer in the Layer Pallette, and use the magic wand to select the diamond - fill with the first color
4. Repeat for the other diamonds, filling each with a different color (see image 3)
5. Save as a PSP file to use as a master
6. Duplicate the file, merging the layers on the duplicate
7. Set the multiple diamond image as a pattern and fill a new transparent image (see image 4). (I added a layer, dragged the layer below the diamonds, and filled with black)
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   For mixed colors:
8. On your master PSP diamond file, increase the height of the file by choosing Image Menu > Canvas Size, and doubling the height
9. Duplicate each layer, and move the colors around so the same colors are not on top of each other (see image 5)
10. Save as a master PSP file, duplicate the file, and merge the layers on the duplicate
11. Use as a pattern to fill your image (see image 6)