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Wondering how to make an old paper texture in Photoshop? In today's tutorial, I will show you how to create a paper texture overlay from scratch using paper, coffee, and a scanner, and then I will show you how to apply this old paper overlay to your images. And finally, we will take a look at an old paper texture Photoshop pack with ready-to-use overlays.
What You'll Learn in This Old Paper Texture Tutorial
- How to create an old paper texture from scratch
- How to apply an old paper texture in Photoshop
- How to use and combine old paper overlay textures
- Where you can find hi-res folded paper textures
If you want to learn these techniques via video, check out our lesson on the Envato Tuts+ YouTube channel:
What You'll Need
You will need the following assets to complete this project:
- Any photo you want to use for this manipulation. I chose this church photo from Envato Elements.
- A sheet of paper
- A paintbrush
- Coffee or tea
- A scanner
1. How to Create an Old Paper Texture From Scratch
Step 1
We'll make the paper look old by covering it with coffee. First of all, you need to make some strong coffee (you could use tea as well).
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Step 2
After that, just cover the surface of the paper with your coffee using a brush.
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Step 3
Create a few different papers, and don't hesitate to crumple them once you've got the texture you like. Wait until the paper dries, and then put it in the scanner. Here are a few variations of crumpled paper textures and old paper textures I made using these simple techniques:
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2. How to Create an Old Paper Texture Photoshop Overlay
Step 1
Once you've finished scanning the texture, open the image you want to use.
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Step 2
Go to File > Place and resize your crumpled paper texture to fit the image.
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Step 3
Change the Blending Mode of the layer to Multiply.
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Step 4
Press Alt-Control-Shift-B to convert the texture to black and white.
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Step 5
Go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Brightness/Contrast and set the Brightness to +30 and Contrast to +25.
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This is how our textured image should look:
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3. Where to Find Paper Texture Overlay Photoshop Packs
If you're looking for a place where you can find a collection of high-quality paper textures, try Envato Elements! You'll find all kinds of textures, overlays, backgrounds, and much more. All the assets are carefully hand-crafted by professional designers.
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I've found this amazing 30 Vintage Paper Textures Pack with highly detailed old paper scans. Let's try to use it with our image.
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4. How to Use and Combine Old Paper Overlay Textures
Step 1
Let's place Vintage Texture 25 and Vintage Texture 5 over our photo.
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Step 2
Select the first texture and hit Alt-Control-Shift-B to convert the texture to black and white.
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Step 3
Change the Blending Mode of the layer to Soft Light.
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Step 4
Change the Blending Mode of the second texture to Multiply.
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Step 5
And finally, go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Brightness/Contrast and set the following settings:
- Brightness: 50
- Contrast: 25
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Awesome Work, You're Now Done!
In this simple way, we can create a paper texture overlay Photoshop effect using the hand-crafted textures or the paper texture packs from Envato Elements. Feel free to ask anything about textures or share your creations in the comment section below!
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Don't forget to grab the hi-res folded paper texture package that we used today! It's a really great tool for your design projects.
Want to learn more about textures and overlays? Check out these awesome tutorials:
- TexturesHow to Photograph Textures for Designers
- TexturesHow to Create a Dusty Texture From Scratch
- GeometricHow to Create Textured, Geometric Objects in Adobe Photoshop
- BrushesPhotoshop in 60 Seconds: Create Custom Brushes From Texture Graphics
- Adobe PhotoshopHow to Create Vintage Photos With Faded Effect Photoshop Actions
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