TECHNIQUE: Filling Text With Paper

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TECHNIQUE: Filling Text With Paper
By Neisha Sykes 2008
Feb 8, 2008, 12:24

Creating your own title from patterned paper adds a personal touch to any layout. And it’s easy to do in Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0. Here’s how:

Open your chosen patterned paper by clicking on “File” and then “Open,” in the menu bar at the top of the screen. Next, find your desired paper and click “Open.”
Next you will need to create a blank document for your title. Click on “File,” “New,” and “Blank File” in the menu bar. In the “New” diaglog box, add in the following information: Width: 3600 Pixels; Length: 3600 Pixels; Resolution: 300 Pixels/inch; Color mode: RGB color; Background contents: Transparent. Note: If you make the new document the same size as your layout, you will have a better idea of the scale of the letters you are creating and how they will relate to your paper.

Click on “Automatically Tile Windows” in the upper right corner.

Your screen should look something like Photo 3, with both the patterned paper and new files open.

Click on your patterned paper. In the layers bin, click and drag paper layer to your new document. Maximize new document. You might want to close your original paper file so you don’t accidentally do something to it you can’t reverse.

Click on text tool (The big T on the left hand side). Select your font and size—I’m using “My Own Topher” in 200 pt size. Don’t worry about the color of your type as it won’t affect your cut-out title. A note about choosing fonts: It’s easier to use this technique on large block-like fonts. Try to make the font as big as you’ll need it to be for your layout. If you have to shrink or enlarge it too much once it’s cut from the paper, you may find the characteristics of the paper will not be suitable.

Click on the patterned paper layer in your layer palette then move to the new document and click. The type tool cursor should appear. Type your title and click on the green check mark in the text toolbar.

Next, simplify the text layer. To do this, select “Layer” from the top menu, and select “Simplify Layer” and click.

Make sure the text layer is highlighted in the layers palette and click on the Magic Selection Brush tool ). This turns your pointer to a magic wand. Place the magic wand on an area outside of the text and click. You will get marching ants around your text.

Next, click on the paper layer in layers palette (Photo 9). Press the delete key. Your patterned paper should disappear from the background. Notice that the insides of some letters are still filled with patterned paper. Use the next steps to cut out the insides of the letters.

To remove the centers of the letters, click back on the text layer in the layer palette Move your magic selection brush to the inside of one of the letters and click. You should get dancing ants around the inside of the letter. Press delete and the inside of the letter will be deleted

Repeat step 11 for the insides of the remaining letters. After you’re finished, move your wand tool to the solid gray area outside of your page and click to turn off the marching ants

Now make your text layer invisible by clicking on the eye of the text layer in the palette. Save your cut-out text file. Now you’re ready to paste your cut-out title into your layout file.

Open your layout file.
To copy your new title to your new document, click on “automatically tile” again, as in Step 3. Click on your cut-out text file and then click on the cut-out text layer in the palette. Drag it to your layout file
Maximize your layout file and place your title as desired on the page Add drop shadows for more realism, if desired.