Thursday Tutorial: Creating the Perfect Background - Hybrid Style

Creating The Perfect Background
Instructions by Julie Ann Shahin
Originally appeared on the Authentic Artistry Blog

Although I prefer to let other people design papers, I do have a few tricks up my sleeve for designing a background. In fact, I absolutely love incorporating authentic vintage music paper in my work so this is something that you could use as a hybrid background or a digital background. I find my vintage music paper at local antique co-ops.  Maybe you'll Goodwill store might have some, or at least vintage books that you can take pages out once you get the book home.

The other item you will need are brushes of vintage images. If you are making this for commercial purposes, you'll need to make your own brushes or you can find brushes that have commercial licenses. I like seeing what is new at the site Brusheezy. Brusheezy lets you download brushes for free or you have the option of making a Paypal donation. Always be sure to read the Terms of Use that comes with your downloaded file. For my background, I'll be using the 1940 Cosmopolitan Ads brushes.

Instructions for Vintage Background: (to be completed after the brushes are installed)
1. Once your software program is open, select a color for your background. (I use Photoshop Elements).
2. Open in your software program a new document size 12" x 12" with Transparent chosen for the background contents, 300 dpi. It must be transparent or the following steps will not work for our desired result.
3. Fill the layer with your selected hue from Step 1.
4. Now chose the Eraser tool. From the drop-down box in your tool bar, load the 1940 Cosmo Ad brushes.
5. Select various brushes and click them on your background. This will leave the area erased away.
6. If you wish to do some further distressing, play with some of your default brushes such as natural brushes or faux finish.
7. Now you are ready to print this design onto your vintage music paper. Trim your physical paper to a size that will fit in your printer. Be sure to re-size your digital image so that it will fit onto your physical paper as well.
8. Print directly onto the vintage music paper, with Best Photo selected and the proper printer settings. I used the Plain Paper setting.
9. My finishing touch was to add a machine-stitched zig-zag border along the edges.
10. To use your new paper, you can use it for a hybrid layout or scan it to use as a digital background.

Background by Julie Ann Shahin


*************************************
Layout Example by Julie Ann Shahin
{Credits below}

Credits: (CRD = Christina Reneed Designs)
Background paper: Julie Ann Shahin
Tag: Authentic Artistry ATC Freebie-Sherrie
Arrow: CRD Just for Fun Doodles
Swirl: CRD Just Plain Ole Swirls
Ribbon & buttons: CRD Ribbon Fasteners
Stitched leaf: CRD Urban Stems
Ribbon heart: CRD French Countryside Collection
Frame: CRD Ultimate Art Collection
Alpha: CRD Graffiti Alpha Brushes
Flowers, leaf: CRD Build-A-Bloom Collection

Enjoy This Post?

Subscribe to My Blog with Google or with or with Bloglines