Create a Paper Text in Photoshop

psddude Tutorials Text Effects 71339 September 10th, 2018

Learn how to create an interesting paper text effect in Photoshop using custom shapes, and paper textures and patterns. You can easily reshape the paper text using the Photoshop vector tools like the Pen Tool, Convert Point Tool and so on. This is not a tutorial for beginners, you have to know how to work with vector shapes in Photoshop, to create and edit a custom shape. I hope you will enjoy reading this text tutorial and I really curious to see your paper text effects, so upload your result on our comments section.

In this tutorial we will create a paper text effect in Photoshop using torn paper shapes and paper textures. This paper text will look like a notebook with leather cover. The final result will be a vector shape so you can resize it to any size without losing the quality.

Let's start with a simple text, font Impact, the size is not important depends on how big is your canvas size. The color for the text is #d0d0d0

Call this first layer Text Paper 1 and duplicate it; call the second layer Text Paper 2. Open the layer style window of the Text Paper 1 and add a simple Drop Shadow. Be careful when you make the settings, especially the Angle.

Hide the Text Paper 1 for now and let's work with the Text Paper 2. Right click on the layer to convert the text in shape; or you can use the Photoshop menu as shown in the image. If you don't know how to do it read this quick tut on how to turn text in shape in Photoshop.

This step is really important! Pick the Path Selection Tool and select all the letters from the paper text, and press the Combine button.

Method 1 - for advanced Photoshop users

Now let's create the torn paper effect; for that you need to download these torn paper shapes. In a new layer add some torn paper shapes; use the Add to shape area to add all the shapes in a single layer. Make sure that the torn paper covers the paper text except the bottom area like shown in the image.

Select the paper text using the Path Selection Tool; press CTRL+C to copy the shape. Go to the torn paper shape created in the previous step, and press CTRL+V to paste the text shape.

Press the Intersect Shape Areas from the Path Selection Tool menu. The result is a torn paper text. Press the Combine button to combine the two shapes.

Method 2 - for beginner Photoshop users

If you are not familiar with vector shapes drawing you can simply rasterize the text layer and use the Lasso Tool to create the torn paper selection by hand. Use the selection and delete it from the rasterized text layer.

Rename the new shape layer Text Paper Shape 1 and delete the old Text Paper 2. Add a Gradient Overlay for the Text Paper Shape 1; use a combination of light gray and white for the gradient.

Add also a Drop Shadow effect like shown in the image.

In a similar way create another torn paper text. Duplicate it and call the original shape Shadow and the copy layer name it Text Paper Shape 2. Add a Gradient Overlay to the Shadow layer.

Rasterize the layer style effect of the Shadow layer and apply a Gaussian Blur filter like shown in the image.

For the Text Paper Shape 2 layer add a Gradient Overlay similar to the one used for the Text Paper Shape 1. Also use the Edit>Transform Path>Warp Tool like shown in the image.

Duplicate the Text Paper Shape 2 and change the old Gradient Overlay with this new one presented in the image below. The idea is to add some color to the letters. Use whatever colors you want but be careful when you place the color locations.

To make the paper text effect more realistic I have duplicated the Text Paper Shape 2 two times and I used the Freeform Pen Tool to create the torn paper effect; make sure you check the Intersect Shape Areas button before you begin.

As you can see one paper page is colored and one is white; I did that to obtain a nice looking effect and contrast. This is how the paper text looks after adding the two little torn paper layers.

Let's create a notebook cover for our paper text. To create the notebook cover first duplicate one of the text paper layers and use the Rectangle Tool to substract the rectangle from the paper text area like shown in the image.

I will uyse a leather texture for this cover; because I want to use a leather pattern as pattern Overlay I will choose this seamless leather.

Open the layer styles window and add the following Photoshop styles: Drop Shadow, Bevel and Emboss, Color Overlay and Pattern Overlay. All the settings can be changed and adjusted to match with your text effect and background color.

You can of course choose another leather texture for the cover; this is how your result should look so far:

For the final touches you can add a notebook pattern for each letter or you can even find a nice notebook texture.

I have also added these scotch shapes to the paper text. I have used vector shapes instead of the usual scotch tape brushes because our text is a vector based shape, so it is better to make all the items vector.

Use the color #f5efe4 for the scotch tapes and the opacity of the layer around 50%.

To make the scotch tape look more realistic I have added a Pattern Overlay and also a layer mask using Filter>Render>Clouds filter with black/white as foreground/background colors. If you don't know how to add Photoshop mask you can read this Layer Mask Guide for Beginners.

You can make the text look vintage and old if you add some stain vector shapes, blend mode Overlay; you can add again a layer mask to obtain opacity variations. And in the end add an old paper texture. So here is the final result for the paper text created in Photoshop using only vector shapes.

If you want you can download the torn paper Photoshop style. This PSD file is not the source file of this tutorial. It is a mockup file that you can use to create torn paper text effects in Photoshop very easily.