Digital Flocking
by Nannette Dalton

Who says you can’t have a white Christmas? Come learn how to add a little snow to your layout using brushes and styles.

 

For this tutorial, you will need:

• Something to add flocking to (provided)
• A glitter layer style (provided)
• Adobe Photoshop or Photoshop Elements

 

Get the All-in-one Download

(includes layered evergreen file, glitter layer style, and PDF manual)

 

Step One: Prepare Your Workspace

You will need to find something on your layout that you want to add snow to. Ribbons, alpha, and buttons are a good choice. I am using some evergreen pine for this tutorial.

• Open the digital-flocking.psd file (File > Open) from the download folder for this tutorial. The download link can be found above.
• Install the glitter layer styles from the download.
  Need help? See How to Load & Install Layer Styles in our FREE Fundamentals class.

 

 

Step Two: Create a Snow Layer

• In the Layers panel, click on the pine branch layer to activate it.
• Click on the Create a New Layer icon.
• Double click directly on the name of the new layer and rename it “Snow.”
• In the Menu Bar, choose Layer > Create Clipping Mask.

Photoshop Elements Only:

• In the Styles panel (Window > Styles), click on the dropdown menu and choose DS Glitter.
• Choose the SG Sliver Glitter Large style. To see the names of the Styles, open the flyout menu and choose Show Names.

Adobe Photoshop Only:

• In the Styles panel (Window > Styles), open the DS Glitter folder.
• Choose the SG Sliver Glitter Large style. To see the names of the styles, open the flyout menu and choose Large List.

 

Step Three: Paint On Some Snow

• Get the Brush tool.
• In the Tool Options, set the Mode to Normal and the Opacity to 100%. (PS: Also, set the Flow to 100% and the Smoothing to 0.)

Photoshop Elements Only:

• Open the Brush Picker, open the dropdown menu, and choose Natural Brushes. If you’re asked to save changes to the current brushes, click Don’t Save.
• Choose a Stipple Dense brush. To see the names of the brushes, open the flyout menu and choose Large List. Set the Size to 250.

Adobe Photoshop Only:

• Open the Brush Picker, open the Legacy Brushes, then open the Natural Brushes. If you don’t see the Legacy Brushes, open the Settings menu and choose Legacy Brushes.
• Choose a Stipple Dense brush. To see the names of the brushes, open the Settings menu and place a checkmark next to Brush Name. Set the Size to 250.

All Software:

• In the Layers panel, make sure that the Snow layer is the active layer.
• On the document, click here and there (do not click and drag) on the pine where you want the “snow.”

 

Here is how I used this technique on my scrapbook page.

Credits:
Digi Scrap Tutorial: Dreaming of a White Christmas with Digital Flocking by Nannette Dalton
Tutorial Designer Shadow Boxes by Jen White, previously available to Premier members January 2011
Black paper from It’s a Man’s World by Studio Manu with overlay from Cherish This Moment by Digital Scrapper designs
Papers from A Legacy of Love by Kristin Cronin-Barrow
Elements from Christmas Lights by Julie Billingsley, Recollection by Joanne Brisebois, Cherish This Moment by Digital Scrapper Designs, English Garden by Jenny Binder, Christmas Past by Scrap Kitchen, Family Yearbook by Julie Mead from PSE 5.0 training CD.
Fonts: American Typewriter, Aphrodite Slim Text
Layout 34 Years by Nannette Dalton

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Author: Nannette Dalton
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