Decorative Pages - Digital scrapbooking premade templates, 12x12 kits, embellishments and designer paper

Tutorial #3 - Adobe Photoshop Filters and Plug-ins

What are filters and plug-ins, and how do I install them?

Plug-in filters are the most common and easy way to add features to your graphics software. They are used to change the look of your images, add textures or special effects. Filters come with your graphic software and plug-in filters are software programs that you download from a third party and "plug-in" to your graphic software. Plug-ins have a .8bf extension. For installing these types of filters visit The Plugin Site they offer easy step-by-step instructions. They also offer a list of free plug-ins and more. Plug-ins can also be brushes and they have a .abr extension you can find 100s of beautiful brushes, as well as, installing instructions at Obsidian Dawn.

Today's tutorial I am going to play with brushes and show you how easy and fun it is to create beautiful designer paper.

To create both of these designs you need to download the brushes from Obsidian Dawn. The file is called "Absolutely Random Textures".

To create the first design I used brush # 275 named straw hat, and to create the second design I used brush #255 named velvet. You can use whichever brush you desire. My goal here is to show you how I go about designing paper so that you can get inspired and create your own designs.

1. OK, this is how I created the first designer paper. I opened a new file that is 12x12 with resolution of 300 pixels. To create a new file you go to "File" on the menu bar, click on new, a box opens up and you put the width, height and resolution. Make sure background content says transparent, now you can click, OK. Choose background color and apply to layer 1 using the paint bucket tool located on the tool box. Before, I do any brush work I always create a new layer.

2. We are now ready to select a contrast color, click on the brush icon on the tool box, select a texture, make sure you are adding the texture to layer 2 and have fun!.

3. I don't like the first contrast color. Therefore, I'm going to add another contrast color and see how that looks! I like it! I am now satisfied with the color and the texture, next step is to flatten the layers.

4. By going to the menu bar and clicking on layers I flatten the layers. All that is left to do is click on the earser tool, choose circle and create this pattern. You will want to pay attention to your opacity percentage. You don't want to take lots of pixels away. Just enough to create this subtle contrast.

1. The second design was a lot of fun to create. My goal was for the second design to compliment the first design. I opened a new file, kept the brown background color from the first design, created a new layer for the brush work, selected a brush and added the teal design.

2. Next, I created another layer (layer 3), selected the same brush as before and added the purple design.

3. Step 3 is about duplicating the teal and purple layers and placing them where it looks good to you.

4. Now, it's time for blending the layers. I used the eraser tool around the sharp edges and blended them until the colors merge harmoniously.

5. I created diamond shapes using all colors in the design. To make it interesting, I played with the opacity, size, and direction of the shapes. Lastly, I flatten all the layers. Viola....Designer Paper two is ready for use.