Hi. This is Marty from Blue Lightning TV.
I'm going to show you how to create awesome torn, paper hole portraits from photos.
I provided this paper hole template so you can follow along.
Its link is in my video's description or project files.
It includes two layers - this "png" image of torn paper with a transparent hole in the
center and the a "png" image of just the torn, curled edges.
Open a high-resolution, close-up color photo of a face you'd like to use for this project.
I downloaded this one and the other from Shutterstock.
Before we begin, if you want to know as soon as I upload new Photoshop tutorials,
smash that "Subscribe" button and please remember to click "Like".
The first step is to separate our subject from its background.
There are many ways to do this depending on the characteristics of your photo and the
version of Photoshop you're using.
In versions CC 2020 and later, unlock the background and open the Properties panel.
If you don't see it, go to Window and Properties.
Scroll down and click "Remove Background".
Photoshop automatically isolates the subject and creates a layer mask of it which masks
out the background behind it.
Remember, in layer masks, white reveals that area of the layer next to it and black conceals the rest of it.
In CC 2018 and 2019, open the Quick Selection Tool and click the "Select Subject" button.
Photoshop makes a selection of the subject.
If you want to remove areas of the selection, press and hold Alt or Option as you drag over those areas.
In earlier versions, drag the Quick Selection Tool over your subject to select it.
Click the Layer Mask icon to make a layer mask of the selection.
Press "v" to open your Move Tool and drag your subject onto the tab of the paper hole template.
Without releasing your mouse or pen, drag it down and release.
We'll size and position it, but first, if your subject isn't at the top of the Layers
panel, just drag it to the top.
Reduce its opacity to approximately 50% and open your Transform Tool by pressing Ctrl or Cmd + T.
At the top, make sure the chain-link icon is active between the Transform's width and height.
Place your cursor over the "w" or the "h" and when your cursor changes into a scrubby
slider, click, and drag it to the left or right.
Drag your subject until its positioned and sized to your liking.
Keep in mind the part of your subject seen inside the hole will have its original color
and the areas outside the hole will be black and white.
To accept its size and position, press Enter or Return twice or click the checkmark at the top.
Increase its opacity back to 100%. We'll convert our cut-out subject into a Smart Object so
we can modify it non-destructively and if we want to, we can replace it with a different
photo without having to redo the effects.
To do this, click the icon at the upper, right and click "Convert to Smart Object".
Drag it below the paper hole layer.
We'll create a new layer below it by Ctrl or Cmd-clicking the New Layer icon.
We'll fill it with black, but before we do, check your foreground and background colors.
If they aren't black and white respectively, press "D" on your keyboard.
Since black is our foreground color, press Alt or Option + Delete.
Next, we'll add a soft shadow cast from the paper opening onto our subject.
Double-click the "paper hole" layer which makes it active and opens its Layer Style window.
Click Drop Shadow.
The Blend Mode is Multiply, the color is black, and the opacity is 30%.
Uncheck "Use Global Light" and the Angle: 90 degrees.
The Distance is 40 pixels, the Spread is 0%, and the Size is 30 pixels.
The Contour is linear, and the Noise is 0%.
Make your subject active and press Ctrl or Cmd + J to make a copy of it.
Drag the copy above the paper hole layer.
Change its Blend Mode to "Darken".
Click the Adjustment Layer icon and click "Black & White".
Presently, our entire image is black and white because adjustment layers affect all layers
below them in the Layers panel.
If we want an adjustment layer to affect just the one layer below it, we need to make the
adjustment layer into a clipping mask.
There are a few ways to do this.
We could also go to Layer and "Create Clipping Mask" or click the Clipping Mask icon.
We can also hover our cursor between the subject and the paper hole layer.
When it changes into this icon, click it.
Clip the subject copy to the paper hole as well.
Next, we'll add a soft vignette around the inside perimeter of our image.
Make the top layer active and make a new layer above it.
We'll fill it with white and since our background color is white, press Ctrl or Cmd + Delete.
Convert it into a Smart Object and change its Blend Mode to "Darken".
Reduce its opacity to 80%.
Go to Filter and Lens Correction.
Open the "Custom" tab and drag the "Vignette" amount all the way to the left.
Presently, the vignette is also darkening the perimeter of our subject which we don't want.
To resolve this, Ctrl or Cmd-click the thumbnail of our subject to select its shape
and click the vignette layer to make it active.
We'll make an inverted layer mask of the selection next to it by Alt or Option-clicking the Layer Mask icon.
This masks out the vignette inside the shape of our subject.
Next, we'll add a subtle paper texture to our black and white subject.
Make the subject above the paper hole active and go to Filter and Filter Gallery.
Open the Texture folder and click "Texturizer".
The texture is "Sandstone", the Scaling is 85%, the Relief is 2, and the Light is from the top.
This is Marty from Blue Lightning TV. Thanks for watching!