"Punch Up" your Layouts with a Digital Punch Technique

A couple of weeks ago, I posted a layouts using a ‘digital punch’ technique using the American Flag Collection. Today I’d like to show you how I did it.

Detail of "Old Glory' Punch effect

This tutorial uses Club Scrap’s July Digital kit, Wisteria.

The instructions imply that you have some familiarity with Photoshop and the concept of layers.

1. Start with a basic layout. Here we’ve got a background, matte layer and a stamp graphic image that we’ll ‘punch out’ of the matte layer.

Layout Starting Point

2. Select the matte layer.

3. Apply a ‘paper bevel’ effect with the following settings in the Layer Styles Dialog box. This gives the matte layer a bit of depth.

Adding Inner Shadow & Bevel and Emboss Effect

4. Apply a drop shadow while still in the Layer Styles Dialog.

Adding a Drop Shadow

5. Click ‘OK’ once all the Layer Styles have been set.

6. Select the stamp graphic layer.

7. Ctrl/Command-click the stamp graphic layer thumbnail in the Layers Palette. This will display ‘marching ants’ around the graphic.

"Marching Ants"

8. Click the ‘eye’ icon for the stamp graphic layer in the Layers Palette. This will hide the layer.

9. Click the matte layer to make it active.

10. Press the delete key. This will remove (or ‘punch out’) the stamp graphic shape from the matte.

The 'Punch' Effect

That’s all there is to it! there is a paper bevel and drop shadow applied to the matte layer, the ‘punch’ effect is enhanced a bit.

Detail of the 'Punch' Effect

This effect works best with bolder shapes and worked equally well with bold fonts.

The next time you want to ‘punch up’ a regular layout, try a digital punch technique!

Thanks for stopping by!

-Ron