Photoshop Tips: Tucked in Photo tutorial

Have you ever looked at a layout someone has done, and wondered “How did they do that?” That is what happened recently when I posted a layout of mine using a tucked photograph.

Sometimes I just want simplicity, and don’t want to add a photo corner or something else to make my photo appear “attached” (taped, glued or tacked down) to the paper. That is how I came up with this “tucked in photo” process. I shared my tip with Nicole (also on Kate’s CT) and Kate, and decided to write it up to share with all of you here!

I hope you will find it easy to follow, and a new addition to your “tips & tricks” box for your own digital layouts!

Tutorial is using CS3
1. Choose the background papers you wish to use, and blend to your taste.

(Example is using Kate Hadfield’s:
Big Top Red – normal , 100% opacity [bottom layer]
Big Top Kraft – multiply 100% opacity [1 layer]
Kraft paper pattern as an adjustment layer – linear burn 100% [2 layer]
Big Top Multi Bunting – multiply 100% opacity [3 layer]
Big Top Pink – pin light 100% opacity [4 layer]

The Big Top paper pack can be found here.

2. Select the photo you want to use. (Tutorial photo used is from the “morgue file” – a free photo site on the internet. (http://www.morguefile.com/archive/display/212122 ) If you use a photo from the “morgue file” or anyplace else, save the photo to your hard drive.)

3. In Photoshop, select File>Place. Place and size your photo to your liking.

4. Add a layer style to your photo for a border, or choose a photo edge from your stash. (To add a layer style, on the bottom of your layer pallete is an “fx“. Select that.) My photo is using the following layer style settings:

Drop Shadow: Linear Burn opacity 75% color black 000000; Angle 120 degrees; Distance =1;Spread = 2; size = 3; contour is triangle; no anti-alias checked; noise = 0 and Layer knocks out drop shadow checked.

Inner Shadow: Linear Burn 25% color black 000000; angle 120 degrees; distance = 0; choke =1; size = 10; Contour , anti-alias, and noise same as drop shadow settings.

Stroke: Size = 9; position = inside; blend mode = normal; opacity 99%; Fill = color; White ffffff

***Make sure you select new style to save this photo edge style in your style pallette for future use.***

You should now have this, and are ready to tuck your photo!

5. Highlight all background paper layers in the layer pallete. Then go to Layers>Merge Layers OR Layers>Duplicate Layers>Merge Layers. Work using the merged background layer.

(I highlight the background paper layers and then went to layers>duplicate layers>merge layers. This way I will have the original papers still seperate, in case I wish to adjust any of the layers later. I just turn off those layers with the “eye” and work with the merged background paper layer.)

6. With the background layer highlighted, select the polygonal lasso tool. You will make a triangle on the corner of the photo. Once you have the marching ants in the form of your triangle, go to Edit> Copy.

7. Now go to Edit>Paste. This pastes the triangle you made with the lasso exactly where you copied it from. DO NOT MOVE THIS. All you need to do is slide the triangle layer up above the photo layer in the layer pallette.

(***This is real important that you do not move it in your work area as if you are using pattern paper you will not match up if it gets moved.***)

(Alternative is to “lock” the triangle layer after you paste so it does not move.)

8. Add a new layer between the photo and the triangle layer (labeled black line).

9. With brush (size 3 used), place the start point just above the top of the photo corner. Hold the shift key down and put your end point just below edge of photo on the angle. (see below).

10. With the “black line layer” still highlighted in the layer pallette, go to Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur and set to 2.0.

11. You are now done!

12. Now you can do the same process to the other corner(s), and decorate your page as you wish. If you change your background or add to the top you can always use a layer mask to hide some of the features over your corner.

Enjoy, have fun, experiment!!

(Below is my completed layout. I used Kate Hadfield’s Love & Romance, Lovey Dovey doodles, Big Top Papers and Awesome Alpha which can all be found here, or at The Lilypad . The fonts used are CK Ali’s Hand & Chalk Line.)