Paper Tearing Templates

This tutorial is using the a .png torn template and paper provided by Steph at

Digital Paper Tearing.

Before you start doing the template, it is important to resize the template or paper so both are the same size in the torn direction. The size of the template doesn't matter is the non-torn direction. (i.e. If the torn edge is top to bottom. The template should be the same height as your paper but doesn't have to be the same width. )

1. Open your paper or layout that you are using and open the Object Palette because it will be needed (View | Object Palette)

2. Place your paper tear overlay over the paper that you want to tear. This is the time to position the tear where you would like it and also make sure it is the right size.
   • Resize using corner handles: Click on paper tear template and move the corner handles on the template

   • OR Resize using object dimensions: you want a specific size, type it in the Width or Height. (Make sure the Scale Proportion is checked so that when you change one of the dimensions the other automatically resizes.)
   • Position the template. The easy way to make it perfectly aligned is the use the align tool.

     1. Select both objects by holding the shift key and clicking on both in the Object Palette.

     2. Select Align

     3. Choose Vertical or Horizontal Align

3. Select Tear Template in the Object Palette, click on the Magic Wand in the toolbar and click on the side of the tear that you want to KEEP the paper which is the opposite of the shadow'ed side.

4. Choose Image | Mask | Mask Out Selection Don't worry, you can't see your tear template but we will get it back soon.

5. Click on your Template Mask that you just created and then double-click your mask to select it. You should see tiny white lines around the mask now.

6. We are going to copy the mask to the paper layer. To do this, press Ctrl + A to select the mask and Ctrl + C to copy the mask. The mask is now in computer's clipboard ready to be used.

7. Deleting this mask makes the next step easier, so let's delete this mask. You can do that by right clicking on the object and choosing Clear Mask. If the Clear Mask option is grayed out, you still have the mask selected, click outside the mask box somewhere on the object and then right click again.

8. Double-click on the mask box in your paper object and press Ctrl + V to paste that mask you created.

9. The mask isn't in the correct position, so we need to move it. The easiest way I found was to use the arrow keys and slide it into place. (In this case I held the right arrow and slid it over.) You can also use the Select | Remote Move Tool and use your mouse to drag it into position.

10. Now we just need to do a little cropping to get rid of the extra paper than was not torn. To do this:
    • Select the object
    • Select Crop in the toolbar
    • Select Crop Selected Image
    • Click in one corner and drag to other corner to creating a cropping box. Adjust the box as needed by moving the handles. Note: If you crop outside the selected image, the outside of the cropped area turns white. This is very undesirable. So crop just inside the paper and you can always resize it. Another tip is use the cropping toolbar and adjust starting point (upper left hand corner is the starting point) and change the Height or Width to keep original dimension. In this example, I changed Starting Point to 0,0 and changed the Height to 3 inches (which was my original dimensions for this tutorial)

    • When cropping box is adjusted to your satisfacation, choose Apply Crop

11. The paper is now torn. To make it easier to work with in the future, let's group the two object together so they act as on. To do this, select both objects by holding down the shift and clicking on both of them.

12. Right click and choose Make Group or press Ctrl - G