Accordion Frame (PS CC)

*This also can be done in PSE with work around for seperating out shadows. PSE version of the tutorial is located here*


1. Start with a transparent workspace (choosing size and resolution of your choice and background content set to Transparent), so you can see the tiny squares on the transparency.

2. Start with 4 square shapes. (Via Rectangle Marquee tool and create a square and flood fill, or use the square custom shape tool.) (Make one and duplicate it 3 times so you make sure you have 4 the same size.) Shortcut Ctrl/Cmmd J in the layer pallet or hold down Alt/Opt Key and grab the square with your mouse to duplicate.

3. Layer them one vertically allowing them to touch.

4. On the top square using the transform tool go to Edit>Transform>Distort

5. Grabbing the top left corner, move over 2 squares to the left

6. Do the same with the top right corner and distort 2 squares to the left.

7. Move to the next Square (Top Middle) Edit>Transform>Distort

8. Grabbing the bottom left corner, move over 2 squares to the right. Do the same with the bottom right corner and distort 2 squares to the right.


9. Repeat those steps again for the bottom two squares.


10. In the layer panel, select one of the square layers and add a shadow to it.

(Click on the fx on the bottom of the layer panel and select drop shadow. Settings: Linear Burn with brown color (hex 271a0b) is good or another similar Opacity 44%, Angle 45 degrees, Distance 3 size 5... OK)


11. Right click on the same layer re the drop shadow and copy layer style. Apply that style to remaining 3 squares by paste layer style.


12. Now for each square, separate shadow by right clicking with mouse create layer.


13. Once all of the shadows are on their own layers, hold the Control /Cmmd key and click on each of the shadow layers in the layer pallet. Now grab and drag them to move the separated shadows down in the layer panel below all of the squares.

14. With all the shadow layers still selected in the layer panel, go to Edit>Transform>Horizontal. That will flip the shadow to give that 3D shadowing to make it look like it is popping off the page. Adjust opacity of the shadow layers so it works for your page.

 

15. Go to the top square in the layer panel, and duplicate the square.

16. Hold down Cntrl/Cmmd Key and click the duplicate top Square. We want to make it a bit smaller than the original square. Go to Edit>Transform>Size. Holding down the alt /option key while you have marching ants (selection) on the duplicate square move in from the bottom right corner to have it be the size you want re the framing.

17. While it is still selected, go to the original square and click delete. Now move the smaller square under the original square. The smaller square will be what you will clip your photo to. (My Example below, I have changed the color of the smaller square so you can see it moved below the original, and so you can see what to clip photo to. (The Original Square, that now has the cut out, apply a small shadow. Similar settings to the shadow before. )


[Note: If you see a little shadow on the square below, then separate the shadow again as it overlays a little on the square below and we do not want that. Use the Marquee rectangle tool. Make a small selection at the bottom of the frame shadow and delete that little bit of the shadow].

18. Continue with these same steps until you complete for all 4 squares.


19. Now clip your photo/photos to the squares under the framing. I have now added a white filled new layer to the bottom of the layer panel to make for my background. I have clipped the same photo after duplicating it to my photo spot under the framing, and my framing is a white color instead of dark gray.



Note: The framing you can change to a color at any time by clipping a solid color layer adjustment (the half circle icon at the bottom of the layer panel) or you can even clip a paper to the framing layers.

20. For my page, in addition to putting the photo into the frame, I also used a brush and brushed the photo on to the background paper.


21. Finish up your page adding stitches, journaling etc. Just have fun!!!




[FONT USED IS ORMONT AND STITCHES WERE MADE WITH BRUSH AND STYLE. DYMO LABEL MAKER USED FOR WORD ART. PHOTO IS A FREE STOCK PHOTO FROM PEXELS.COM]

 

You are both so welcome I will try tomorrow if I have time in the afternoon to write it up for PSE too... for other users. The only difference with PSE is the seperation of the shadows, otherwise it is done the same way in PSE just some tools may be in different spots. I really should do the videos but haven't been up to it lately. We shall see .. I may change my mind and do them too over the weekend! Thank Marilyn & Gaelle!

 

thanks Cheryl! enjoy!!

 

Yay thank you Charlotte!!!

 

Great job Geraldine I love it!!! You did great.. sometimes it takes a little practice and messing with the shadows but you did great! Thank for doing the tutorial!! YAY!!

 

You are welcome Marijke!

 

Hi Sharron!! @SharLamb re the over 2 .. that was based on my grid that I have on my workspace. It was just a guide.. main thing is the amount you distort gas got to be equal on the top edge of the top square and then on the bottom edge of the second square as well as the 3rd and fourth squares so as long as the distortion is the same then that would work ., does that make sense?? My workspace was 600x600 with dpi 72 and I guess my workspace for the transparency is default so like I said as long as your distortion is the same it should be fine.

Re painting with a brush, yes I used a reverse mask on the duplicate copy of the photo and used a brush to paint the photo also into the background. It can also be done with a mask and clipping the photo to it.

Looking forward to seeing your page. Let me know if I need to explain more or if I am still unclear.. hugs

 

So glad it all makes sense!

 

Fantastic page Sharron! Thank you for playing and trying out the tutorial Great page!~