I'm handing over the reigns today to AnnaTeamer, Ezster Baranyi, who is sharing her technique for adding realistic drop shadows to your digital pages.
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This tutorial will demonstrate in Adobe Photoshop how to combine the dimension found in paper scrapbooking with your digital layouts.
1. Create a New Layout and open an element of your choice. Move the element onto the New Layout using the Move tool from the Tools palette. Select the element layer in the Layers palette and apply a drop shadow layer style. I recommend AnnaStyle Drop Shadows No. 1. I applied ElementDark1.
2. Layer styles can be converted to separate image layers. Right click on the Effects of the element layer and select Create Layers from the fly-out menu, or choose Layer > Layer Style > Create Layer.
Notice. The second layer named OriginalLayerName’s Drop Shadow.
3. You can make a shadow more releastic by distorting it to create a less uniform appearance. Select the Move tool from the Tools palette and ensure the Show Transform Controls box is checked in the options bar. Select the new drop shadow layer in the Layers palette and click on one of the transform control points on the bounding box surrounding the element. Click on the Switch between free transform and warp modes icon, or go to Edit > Transform > Warp.
4. Drag the control points, a line or an area within the mesh to warp the shadow. You will need to experiment a little to get the hang of how the handles move. Also pay attention to the direction of the intended light source.
5. Objects or parts or objects that are further away from the paper will have greater blurring in the contour of the shadow. Select the drop shadow layer and choose Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur. I applied a blur of 9.8 pixels radius to my shadow, but you will need to make appropriate adjustments for your element. The extent of the blur will be dependent on the size and the type of the object.
Tip. Check the Preview box in the Gaussian Blur dialogue box to that can view the results of the warping on the fly.
6. Adjust the drop shadow layer’s Fill or Opacity to darken or lighten the drop shadow. A darker paper will require a greater Fill/Opacity value than a lighter paper. Both options are located in the Layers palette and can be adjusted by moving the respective sliders.
7. Link the object layer and the shadow layer together to keep the drop shadow in place. Select the two layers and click on the Link layers icon in the Layers Panel, or Layer > Link Layer.
Drops shadows are not only reserved for elements/embellishments. Try adding them to brushes/stamps, paper pieces and type for a variety of results.
This tutorial based on this layout: You and Me.
