Once you master the basic concepts of this tutorial, you will be able to ‘extend’ the usefulness of your digital kits and papers and also create your own die cuts by using the same techniques. I’ll be using Photoshop CS for this tutorial, but the basic tools/ideas are similar for in many programs. Let’s get started!
(1) Start a new document, 12” x 12” and 300 dpi, white background.
(2) Open the file, ClaraWallace-MatterOfScrap_Lola-paper-hibiscus.jpg from the mini kit, or another digital paper/background of your choice.
(3) Now, in the tool palette, choose the text tool and in the flyout menu, choose “Horizontal type mask tool” (fig.1). In the text properties box, choose your font (a sturdy font with some ‘meat’ is best for what we are doing) and set the size. I am using Times New Roman and set my size to a whopping 500 points! (See fig. 2)
(4) In the type mask mode, you’ll see a red ‘mask’ that covers your paper. Now, type your letter or word. You’ll see that as you type, the letters will show up ‘unmasked’ on your paper. When you are finished typing you will see that you can move your letter/s around the paper just by moving the mouse around. Pick a good spot for your letters – the next step we’ll be using our “virtual die-cutter.”
(5) Okay, when you are satisfied with where your letters are on your paper, click on the Move Tool in the tool palette. It looks like a solid arrow and is located in the top right of the tools palette. Your letters will now be outlined in marching ants and the red mask will disappear.
(6) Now, we are going to ‘die cut’ our letters. Copy the selection by holding down the CTRL+C keys. Now, go to the new document you created in step 1 and paste the selection by holding down the CTRL+V keys. You should now have your ‘die-cut’ letters on your new layout. (fig. 2a)
(7) Now, let’s make it look real by adding a little drop shadow. Go to LAYER>LAYER STYLE>DROP SHADOW (or click on the little circle with the “f” in it at the bottom left of the layers palette). I used the default drop shadow. Remember that for reality’s sake, a small drop shadow that is 5 px or less in distance is best. A shadow that is too far won’t look real if it’s on something like a piece of paper or digital cardstock.
To create your own die cut shapes, have your paper open, then create a new shape on a new layer using the shape tool. Make the shape layer active by holding down the CTRL key and clicking on that shape layer in the layers palette. Now, click on the paper layer and CTRL+C and paste it CTRL+V on your layout.
Here’s the layout I made using papers from the Lola Mini Kit and techniques from the first two tutorials written for Scrapbooking.com. If you missed them, you can find those tutorials here.
You are invited to share your layouts created with my Lola Mini Kit in my gallery at Matter of Scrap. I’d love to see what you come up with!
For more information about Matter of Scrap, click on this link. Matter of Scrap Digital Scrapbook Graphics
