Oscraps

May Challenge # 5 - Creative Techniques

wombat146

ONA - Administrator
CHEERY O
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All members that participate, can everyone PLEASE ensure that you read all the rules for this challenge so that you can claim your challenge points. Thank you! :)
Hi everyone and welcome to May's Creative Techniques challenge, I hope you all join me this month to have some blending fun! :)

One of my favorite things to do is blend several papers together to create my own unique background. For me, blending together just the parts of a paper that I really like is like painting a picture. Add some blending to the mix and you end up with something that is totally yours. :)

If your program can use layer masks then you can follow along. For those whose programs don't have this function then I am sorry, hopefully you will be able to use some blending or filter effect to blend/merge some papers together to create your background.


So let's get started:

These are the papers I am going to use, they are all from

PAPER-PACK.jpg


These are the steps I used:

1. Moved all the papers I was going to work with into Photoshop

2. Checked that my Foreground colour was Black/Background was White.

3. Then applied a Hide All Mask to all of the paper layers (hold down the ALT key as you click the mask icon)
My layers looked like this:​
FIG-1.jpg
4. Changed the Foreground colour to White/Background to Black

5. Selected a soft brush, Airbrush Soft and lowered the opacity of the brush to around 15%

6. I then went to each layer mask and 'painted' back the part of the paper that I wanted to be visible. I clicked in random areas and to 'show' more of the paper I simply clicked in the same spot a few times. (Remember, if too much comes through you can always switch the brush colour to black and then hide some of the paper again.)
My layer panel looked like this:​
FIG-2.jpg

7. Started playing with the blend modes for each paper. Changing the blend modes can really change the look of how they all blend together.

8. Kept moving between the layers until I was happy with what I was seeing on my screen.

9. In Photoshop, once you are happy with it, use the Ctrl+Shitft+Alt+E keys to merge the papers together into one layer. DO NOT use the Ctrl+E command to merge the papers down (using this command will muck up the blend modes you used).

(Unfortunately PSE doesn't have this facility so you can leave your layers as they are. But you can also try creating a copy of your paper layers and then merging those together with CTRL+E and then playing around with the blend mode as I did in the next step.)

10. Once again I played around with the blend modes on this merged layer, these can be quite stunning when applied with the other layers beneath it.
My layer panel and screen picture looked like this:​
FIG-3.jpg

11. For non-Photoshop users, experiment with different ways of merging your papers together using your programs own effects/filters/blend modes.

Now go ahead and scrap your photos etc that you want to use.

Note: After I finished with my own scrapping, I felt that paper had too much yellow in it, and that the cluster and picture didn't really stand out because of it. To fix this I used another paper from Manu's paper pack, a much darker one, and moved it to the top of my paper layers as shown below:
FIG-4.jpg

I changed the blend mode to Color and reduced the layer opacity to 43%, and then applied a Show All layer mask and using a black brush with an opacity of around 27% I just painted the parts of the paper I wanted to hide so that some of the blue from the bottom layers showed through more.

Remnants of the Past:

(Credits in the gallery)


As always I look forward to seeing what you all come up with. :)



RULES:
- Blend a minimum of THREE (3) papers to create a background for your layout, use the tutorial above for Photoshop or your own program/application if you do not have Photoshop.
- Please use 80% Oscraps products that are currently in the store.
- Non-Oscraps products or retired O designer products can be used whether the designer is selling elsewhere or not.
- You need to credit all the products used on your layout.
- Your layout can not be used for more than one challenge.
- Your page must be posted in the Challenge 5 gallery by midnight MAY 31 2022 and linked back to this thread (see below on how to add your linked layout).
- And do not forget to update the CURRENT MONTH'S TRACKING THREAD to be eligible for your coupon.


Adding a linked layout from the Gallery to a thread:
1. Upload your layout to the gallery first. In your forum post click the Gallery Embed icon (little camera).
2. This will open your gallery, simply click on the layout you require, then scroll down to the bottom of the screen and click the Continue button.
3. Your linked layout is now in your post, the image will appear once you have clicked the Post Reply button.
 

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wombat146

ONA - Administrator
CHEERY O
I hope you and your loved ones are fine, Ona.
We can wait!
Thank you sweetie! It was all a case of lack of communication on the part of one of my grandsons! lol! He wasn't where he was supposed to be so his Mum was a bit concerned and I helped by ringing other family members.......... BUT he turned up and everything is fine.......... he has made a note to himself, don't leave a message with a mate to pass on a message to his mother, tell her yourself!!!!!!! lol!! I will post everything in a little while! Lovely to see you Viv!!! xxxx
 

Kythe

Well-Known Member
CHEERY O
Good to know things are well and all are safe.
this looks like a terrific challenge. Thanks for the tut I am going to save it for reference… ‘cuz I tend to forget… #crazy
 

FloridaGranny

Well-Known Member
I'm glad to hear all's well with your family, Ona.
This was a new technique for me and I had so much fun with it that I had to force myself to stop playing and finish the layout! :D I used four different papers from Carte Postale. Thanks for the challenge! Here's my page:

 

wombat146

ONA - Administrator
CHEERY O
I'm glad to hear all's well with your family, Ona.
This was a new technique for me and I had so much fun with it that I had to force myself to stop playing and finish the layout! :D I used four different papers from Carte Postale. Thanks for the challenge! Here's my page:

Gorgeous page Diane, and lol!! I know what you mean, I start playing with blending papers and I can happily do it for hours, trying different blends etc etc, I just LOVE that undo button!! lol!!
 

Hamer Lodge

forever learning
This is my layout for Challenge # 5 - Creative Techniques. I blended 3 papers from JD art journaling papers and embossed the top paper to give it texture. Dragonfly, word art and butterflies from Vicki Robinson 'artful expressions' kit
Flower cluster Palvinka Beautiful Spring kit.
Frame by Anna Aspnes
 

zanthia

Well-Known Member
CHEERY O
fun challenge Ona but have question is Ctrl+Shift+Alt+E keys called stamp visible - if so it can be done on PSE - merges all the layer into one and puts it on top and the individual layers are still there. Is this what you were referring to ?
 

tanteva

all i need is Oscraps, cOffee, chOcOlate & tOfu
How do I get that black mask icon? Probably my program that is sh*tty old. (PSE11) I know how to get a white mask icon, but then the erasing part isn't working.
 

wombat146

ONA - Administrator
CHEERY O
fun challenge Ona but have question is Ctrl+Shift+Alt+E keys called stamp visible - if so it can be done on PSE - merges all the layer into one and puts it on top and the individual layers are still there. Is this what you were referring to ?
Stacey, yes it is!!! Thanks for that! What version of PSE are you using, just so I can make a note of it for future reference. :) Edited to add: I just checked my old Ver14 and it has that function, BUT I used to use a plug in type program that gave me that functionality so it didn't ship with the program initially. :) So the Stamp Visible must only be in the latest versions of PSE?


How do I get that black mask icon? Probably my program that is sh*tty old. (PSE11) I know how to get a white mask icon, but then the erasing part isn't working.
Eva, lol! Soooo, if you hold down your Control key when you click the Mask icon, it doesn't turn black??? If it doesn't, then try just adding the mask (white) and then click on it in the layers panel to make it active...... (check that your Foreground colour is Black (Background colour white), and then use ALT+BACKSPACE to fill the mask in with black............... then go ahead and use the white brush to bring parts of that layer back where wanted. Let me know if that works! :)

Edited to add: I opened my PSE14 and dusted off the dust! lol! Holding down the Ctrl button didn't work, but filling the mask with black worked a treat so try that. :) BUT also, just check your Layers menu, under Layer Mask I found the Hide All mask there that I can access as well, but it might not be available in PSE11
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wombat146

ONA - Administrator
CHEERY O
Goodness gracious!!! Just how fabulous are your pages girls!!! I simply love the fact that you all enjoyed the challenge and have created some really beautiful and creative backgrounds!! #clap#kiss
 

wombat146

ONA - Administrator
CHEERY O
@wombat146 Thanks!!! ALT+BACKSPACE worked. Now I'm gonna create my background & will be back with a layout.
Well DUH Eva!!!! hahhaaaa!!! I think I am trippin'.............. you hold the ALT key and click the Mask icon not the Control key!!!! The ALT key works in PSE 14 so it should work for PSE11, sorry!!! My head has been elsewhere all day, I am sure! I will be glad to find it again!!! lol! :)
 

tanteva

all i need is Oscraps, cOffee, chOcOlate & tOfu
I took 5 papers from the kit, and used the technique in the challenge. Left one of the papers untouched at the back of the others. Erased on the other papers until I was happy with what I saw, played around with blend modes and opacity on the layers. Then I added one of the paper overlays in the colletion in between the layers & 2 of the stamps and finally 2 of the overlays. This is how the finished background looks:

BackgroundPapeWebr.jpg
Then played around with the kit & this is my layout:

 

zanthia

Well-Known Member
CHEERY O
Stacey, yes it is!!! Thanks for that! What version of PSE are you using, just so I can make a note of it for future reference. :) Edited to add: I just checked my old Ver14 and it has that function, BUT I used to use a plug in type program that gave me that functionality so it didn't ship with the program initially. :) So the Stamp Visible must only be in the latest versions of PSE?

ona, using ancient version - PSE 10 and no plug in is needed. I also have pse 15 but only use it if i want to do use action/brush/style that pse 10 cant use. just checked my pse 15 - does work there too
 
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