Does anyone know how to make (or know of a good tut) realistic torn edges in PSP? I can do them in PS, but haven't been able to get them looking like I'd like. If you could point me to a plug-in that'd give the same effect, even, I'd be ever grateful

Angie, I know of a couple plug-ins that "tear" nicely. One is AutoFX DreamSuite (Deckle in particular, that's in Series 2), and Alien Skin Splat!. It has some edge effects that include torn edgess (the drawback to this one is that it "tears" all four sides).

I'm still trying to find a way to "tear" in PSP without plug-ins. If I do, I'll let you know!

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Cottage Arts Design Team Member

Ooooooo.....I just downloaded Dreamsuite........I have awesome torn edges! You rock, Leila

I used to use Dreamsuite to tear my edges, but I have found a way to do it PSP that I like better.
I make my layouts in a way smaller size, 434 x 552 and 961 x 612 pixels, to accomodate FlipAlbum (that's the scrapbook software I use to store my layouts). You will need to make the apropriate adjustments to these settings so the texture will look right for the large 8 x 10 inch size used by everyone here.
You will have two layers to create your torn effect.
1. Created a new raster layer and name it "Tear Underside" or some such.
2. Create a new raster layer and name it "Pattern" or whatever.
3. Flood fill your "Pattern" layer with a pattern or color of your choice.
4. Now choose your freehand selection tool and select a jagged area on your "Pattern" area.
5. When you have your area selected go to Selections, Modify, and Feather. I choose a setting of 2, but you may need to feather more with the much larger size you all use.
6. Now choose Selections, Invert. Now hit your delete key.
7. Now choose the "Tear Underside" layer and make it active. Flood fill with white or a lighter or darker color take from the "Pattern" layer with the color picker. The choice is yours.
8. Using your freehand selection tool again select a jagged area parallel to the edge created on the "Pattern" layer. Don't try to make it exactly match the first tear! That's why they are tears. Uneveness makes it look real.
9. Go to Selections, Invert and hit the delect key. Now go to Selection and Invert again. Do NOT deselect yet.
10. With your area still selected go to Effects, Texture Effects and Textures. Choose the "Fluffy" texture. I use these settings: Size 25%, Smoothness 11, Depth 4, Ambience 0, Shininess 0, Color White, Angle 315, Intensity 50, and Elevation 30. Again you will need to make big adjustments to fit the larger sizes everyone here uses. Especially for the Size Percentage.
11. Deselect, Merge your 2 layers and add a faint drop shadow.
Your done.
Samples of this type of tear are in my "Reach For The Sky" and "Freedom Fighter" layouts.

Attached Images

joyce_tear.jpg (9.9 KB, 59 views)

Forgot to mention I use PSP 8.

I was wondering, you mentioned you had figured out how to make torn edges in Photoshop--could you tell me how it's done? I haven't come up with a look I like yet...and I don't use Paint Shop Pro yet--


thanks!!

--Hope

Tilde...

I'm still really learning in Photoshop, but the torn edge filter is under filters>sketch>torn edges. I use the freehand l***o to make a jagged edge where I want it "torn", then bring it around the outside of the image so that the area I want gone is selected. Then I hit delete to blank that area out. Then I just messed around with the filter and colours until I got it looking like a torn edge....although I haven't managed to get it looking like I want yet, lol

yeesh--you'd think as much as I've used Photoshop, I'd have seen that filter thanky!!

I've mostly just been tearing paper and using it as a texture on the edge, or blending the image with the edge of the scanned torn paper (I didn't explain that very well)

anyway, thanks so much!