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Create a Paper Text in Photoshop

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Tutorials Text Effects 72681 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.

Paper Text Effect Photoshop

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

Paper Text Effect Photoshop

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.

Paper Text Effect Photoshop

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.

Paper Text Effect 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.

Paper Text Effect Photoshop

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.

Paper Text Effect Photoshop

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.

Paper Text Effect Photoshop

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.

Paper Text Effect Photoshop

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.

Paper Text Effect Photoshop

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

Paper Text Effect Photoshop

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.

Paper Text Effect Photoshop

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

Paper Text Effect Photoshop

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.

Paper Text Effect Photoshop

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.

Paper Text Effect Photoshop

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.

Paper Text Effect Photoshop

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.

Paper Text Effect Photoshop

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.

Paper Text Effect Photoshop

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.

Paper Text Effect Photoshop Paper Text Effect Photoshop Paper Text Effect Photoshop Paper Text Effect Photoshop

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

Paper Text Effect Photoshop

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

Paper Text Effect Photoshop

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%.

Paper Text Effect Photoshop

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.

Paper Text Effect Photoshop

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.

Paper Text Effect Photoshop

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.

Click to Download the Torn Paper Text Style PSD

Torn Photo Corner Photoshop Action

Paper Text Effect Photoshop

Torn Paper and Tear Effects Photoshop Actions

Paper Text Effect Photoshop

Old Photo with Torn Ripped Effect Photoshop PRO Action

Paper Text Effect Photoshop

Newspaper Letters [Online Fonts]

If you are looking for newspaper letters, cut out letters or magazine letters, you can use these online text effects.

Paper Text Effect Photoshop
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28 comment(s) for "Create a Paper Text in Photoshop"

Darrell
Darrell
3:51 AM Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Are you using CS5 for this ?

I am working with CS6 and having problems when I get to the "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."

Thanks in advance for your help and I absolutely love your website. reply
PSDDude
4:04 AM Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Hi Darrell,

I always glad when people appreciate my work :) so thank you!

I am using CS5 for this tutorial but I am not really sure why it is not working with CS6 .... please explain me what does not work...which button is inactive; what is the result that you obtain after this step
You can add a printscreen using the "Upload your fan art" button to see the problem
Or you can try another method, to use the Freeform Pen Tool and create the torn paper effect without using the torn paper custom shapes. Make sure you press the Subtract from Shape Area button before you begin.

see the image attached reply
Darrell
Darrell
4:20 AM Friday, September 14, 2012
Thank you ! - I got it to work with the pen tool. Awesome work - My favorite PS site by far. reply
PSDDude
4:21 AM Friday, September 14, 2012
I am glad to hear that :) thanks reply
maria
maria
11:53 PM Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Dude ?! I don't have Facebook and I don't want, sooooo
byby
reply
PSDDude
11:55 PM Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Hi Maria,

you can try using the Freeform Pen Tool and create the torn paper effect yourself; see the image attached at the comments section. It is really easy and you can obtain a better result! reply
Arch
Arch
12:32 AM Monday, October 1, 2012
I have the same trouble with PS6. I dont see the combined button on the panel when path selection tool is selected. Any pointers? reply
PSD Dude
12:45 AM Monday, October 1, 2012
Hi Arch,

If you have the Path Selection Tool selected on the tool panel you have a Combine shapes button. If the combine shapes is not active it means that you didn't selected the shapes you want to combine. For that you have to click on the Vector Mask Thumbnail that is attached to the shape layer.
See the image attached for combining shapes in Photoshop. reply
kibita-kun
kibita-kun
11:42 PM Wednesday, December 12, 2012
PSD file of this tutorial did not.I am a Vietnam.And I want to borrow it to make a tut like this, and I need the PSD files so to practice. reply
PSDDude
11:44 PM Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Unfortunately the PSD file is not available for this tutorial! reply
yovi
yovi
12:22 AM Thursday, January 3, 2013
NO SE PUEDE hacer, porque las instrucciones no son detalladas ni claras, qu?? l??stima
---
I don't know how to practice this tutorial because the instructions are not very clear. reply
kibita
kibita
2:35 AM Saturday, January 5, 2013
Can send me the psd tut does not reply
John
2:36 AM Saturday, January 5, 2013
This tutorial doesn't come with a PSD file included! reply
PSDDude
9:15 AM Tuesday, March 5, 2013
nice colorful paper text made by evil smayx (http://demiart.ru/forum) reply
Ashi
Ashi
10:34 AM Monday, May 6, 2013
Hi

I love your tutorial. But i do have a problem with the below step

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.

When I do this step it comes as this.

ps i am using CS6 reply
PSDDude
10:52 AM Monday, May 6, 2013
Hi Ashi,

I think that you didn't combine all the text letters into one vector shape. Before you copy/paste the text into the torn paper layer you have to:

- select all the text letters with the Path Selection Tool
- press the Combine button reply
Gurvinder
Gurvinder
6:30 AM Tuesday, May 7, 2013
nice one.......like it reply
John
1:13 AM Thursday, May 23, 2013
Hi Paul,

First of all I am glad you like my blog, thank you!

Second, I will answer your questions and hope it helps:
- You have to make selections for each letter with different pattern and to create a new layer from that selection called Notebook Pattern Layer.
- Open the layer style window of the Notebook Pattern Layer and add Pattern Overlay with the settings highlighted in the preview image.

reply
Nadjiiiib
Nadjiiiib
6:18 AM Monday, June 17, 2013
HELLO !!
Thaank's a loot

I didn't find the '' combine button in photoshop CS6 Extended ?! reply
Daisy
Daisy
5:16 AM Saturday, August 24, 2013
i like this so much. but i don't know how to do it by cs6. :(

So i hope that u can make video tutorial about this.

thank you so much!!! reply
Eslam
Eslam
1:34 AM Monday, November 11, 2013
Hello ,thanks for the subject But i can not make the torn paper effect step ,so if you would like to tell me what to do exactly. reply
John
1:39 AM Monday, November 11, 2013
I have updated the step and added a second method that you can use to create torn paper text effect. reply
Paul
Paul
1:14 PM Monday, August 4, 2014
Hello,

First of all, let me say great site!

I am using CS6, and I am able to complete all steps up until the one where is says, "For the final touches you can add a notebook pattern...." I have the different notebook patterns installed, but I am not sure how to: (1) add the pattern on top of the letters, and (2) make each letter a different pattern. Not sure what I am overlooking. Please help!

Thanks,
Paul reply
likeit
likeit
1:30 AM Tuesday, December 23, 2014
like it ! reply
sunny
sunny
8:21 AM Monday, June 22, 2015
hello bro, that's a great site to learn adobe and thanks for it. keep it up man. i have a bit problem in step 6 and hope if you could help me out. i couldn't apply add to shape area in photoshop cc. plz explain it in detail. i'm waiting for your reply so plz in hurry. reply
PSDDude
8:30 AM Monday, June 22, 2015
You can use "Method 2" from Step 9. You can make a selection out of the Torn Paper Shape, invert the selection (CTRL+I) and simply press delete.
You have to rasterize the text before erasing the selected area otherwise you will get this message:
"Could not complete your request because the pixels in a type layer cannot be edited without first rasterizing the layer." reply
PSDDude
11:00 AM Tuesday, September 27, 2016
You have two methods in which you can make this tutorial, one for beginners and one for advanced. You have to know how to work with vector shapes in Photoshop otherwise some button are grayed out, like the Combine button.

At the end of the tutorial I've added a link to the Torn Paper Photoshop Style PSD that you can download for free. reply
John
10:37 AM Wednesday, August 21, 2024
This tutorial is for Photoshop intermediate level and you do have to know basic things about custom shapes(how to install and use), about vector shape drawing and about the Pen Tool techniques. I suggest you to read more about Photoshop Pen Tool and if you have any questions about the tutorial steps don't hesitate to ask. reply

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