A Paper Curling Effect

Intermediate Section
A Paper Curling Effect

PLEASE READ THIS:
This tutorial was created using Photoshop 6. However, by converting
some of the quick-keys and menu items mentioned, it can be made to
work in any version of Photoshop. You should also be somewhat familiar
with creating Paths before attempting this tutorial.
This is not a beginner's tutorial. But feel free to try it if you like.
Ok lets start by creating a New Document (Ctrl/Cmd+n). The dimensions
will be 320w x 420h -- pixels, the Resolution should be 72, the Mode
should be RGB, and our document should have a White Background.
NOTE: if you like, you can go ahead now and import/insert/or create your
own textured background image -- like i have here with the marble
texture as my background. It's not essential to do this now though, so if
you have nothing specific in mind for a background, you can just wait and
do this at the end.
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NOTE: If you get confused at any point, try using this Quick-View Image Sequence to help make things clearer.
And experienced users can use this as a quicker guide through the steps.
Creating our basic paper shape: using Paths.

Ok so to start off we'll need to create a preliminary paper shape. After that, we'll fold one of the
corners over. This part is where some people get confused -- they try to work out a way to create the
paper with it's corner already folded. It's actually much easier to just create a normal paper shape
first, then work on the folded corner afterward.
Create a new layer, and name the layer 'paper'.
PS 6 or newer users, do the following: ( Anyone with an older version of PS, skip down to 'PS 4/5+
users'. )
Choose the rectangular Vector Shapes tool from the Toolbar. Then select this icon from the Options
Bar -- Create New Workpath.
Now drag out a long rectangular shape -- like a normal piece of paper. Leave some space around the
outer edges, so our background can still be seen a bit. Leave a bit more space than what you see in
my header image at the top of the page.
Now open the Paths palette. Continue on with Step 2, below.
PS 4/5+ users, do the following:
Use the Rectangle selection tool to create a long rectangular shape -- like a normal piece of paper.
Leave some space around the outer edges, so our background can still be seen a bit. Leave a bit
more space than what you see in my header image at the top of the page.
Now open the Paths palette.
At the bottom of the palette, click on the "Make Workpath from Selection" icon ( the circle with the
handles on it ). This should change your selection into a rectangular path.

Choose the Pen tool
from the toolbar.
Hold down the Ctrl/Cmd key, and click anywhere on the Path. As you hold that key down, you'll see
that the pen tool changes into a selection arrow tool. From now on, you'll use this method to select the
control points of your Path. Let go of the key now, and the cursor changes back to the previous tool.
Now picture in your mind how you want your paper fold to look -- how far up will the curl go, and how
much will the bottom curl up? Once you've decided this, move on to the next page.
If you're confused after reading this page, try using this Quick-View Image Sequence to help make
things clearer.
Next: Curling our paper corner...

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NOTE: If you get confused at any point, try using this Quick-View Image Sequence to help make things
clearer. And experienced users can use this as a quicker guide through the steps.
Curling our paper corner:

This part is pretty simple. Have a look at this example image
and you'll notice i've drawn a red arrow to show you how to make
the corner of the path curl inward. First however, we need to add
some bezier curve handles.
Make sure the Path is selected, then hover your mouse over the
bottom-right control point. Now hold down the Alt/Option key -you should notice your cursor changes to a half-outlined arrow
head. Click and drag on the control point to drag out some curve
handles.
Hold down the Ctrl/Cmd key so the selection arrow appears, then
drag the corner control point up, and inward. The bottom and side
edges of the path will automatically curl.
Remember, i warned you that you'd need to know how to
use Paths. If you're unfamiliar or confused about this tool
or these instructions, consult the Help files before
continuing.
TIP: If you hold the Ctrl/Cmd and the Shift keys down at the same time as you drag the
control points and curve handles, it will constrict your movement to perfect 90 and 45
angles. This can be helpful at times.
As my example shows, the paper will take on a natural bended look, just by you moving that one
corner control point around. This is why i like doing this effect myself, and not with a plugin. The
plugins don't give you this kind of control.
And if you want even more control over the shape of the paper, you can add more control points, like i
have in my example images. It's your effect, so the choice is completely up to you!
If you'd like to add some more curl to the bent corner of the paper, now's the time to make that
edit. Select the corner control point we moved in toward the middle, and move its curve handles to
make the sides coming off of that corner bend more. Which means grab the curve handles on either
side of that point and move it up or down, until you have as much bend as you'd like. I added a little
extra bend in my example image, but not a whole lot ( along the top edge of the curled corner ).
TIP: If i wanted my paper to look like it had a hard fold in it, then i would not move
those extra control points i added, inward. I would leave them where they were
originally added to the path.
Now we need to save our path, in case we need the shape later or decide to make some changes to
it. Open the Paths palette if it isn't already open, and click the small arrow at the top-right. In the
options menu choose 'Save Path'. Name it, and click OK.
Now we need to fill this path shape.
Press the D key to reset your Fore and Background swatches. Then within the Paths palette, click
that small arrow at the top-right side again to open the options menu. Choose 'Fill Path'. Your shape
should be filled with black now. Or, you can choose the Pen tool, and right-click (Mac: Ctrl-click) on
the Path and choose the same command from the pop-up menu. Either way will work fine.
HINT:
- PS6+ users: To dismiss (hide) the work path, choose the "Path
Selection" tool from the toolbar. You will see a large checkmark button
appear on the far right side of the Options Bar; along the top of the program
window. Click that checkmark button.
- PS4/5 users: Open the Paths palette option menu again, and choose 'Turn Off Path'.
things clearer.
Next: Adding paper characteristics...

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Adding Paper Characteristics:

This part is pretty simple also. Have a look at this example
image and you'll see what you need to do to give the paper some
colour and shading.
Before applying the gradient, lock the layer's transparency. PS5+
users will click the 'Preserve Transparency' checkbox. You can
choose whatever colours you like for your own paper, that's not
an essential aspect here. Just make sure that your darkest colour
is at the top of the paper, and your 2 colours are in the same
family, but different shades. I chose dark and light tan colours for
mine. And try to make your colours very close in their shade. The
colour blend should be very subtle, not really blunt or too
contrasting.
As the example shows, be sure you apply your gradient from the
very top edge to the very bottom edge -- so we don't get an area
of solid colour.
Creating the Missing Corner:

Choose the Pen tool.
Use the example image to the right as a guide, and
create a selection just like the one shown. Basically,
you're just selecting around the "imaginary" corner
that's missing. Zoom right in on just that corner area to make this
easier to do.
If you're not sure what i'm talking about look at this!
Once you have this Path shape created, create a new layer,
move it below the 'paper' layer, then right-click (MAC: long-click)
anywhere within the path area and choose the "Fill Path/Subpath"
option from the pop-out menu. This will fill our shape with a solid
colour.
And now for the magic move...
Select your paper shape, and while on the curled corner layer we just created, press Delete. This
gives us the exact shape needed to fill-up the curled corner space.
Now fill this shape using the exact same linear gradient
as you used for your paper... BUT... reverse the shades,
so that the darker colour is on the bottom of the selection,
and the lighter shade is at the top edge. Which means
apply the gradient from bottom to top.
(see example image)
And this will produce the reverse curl effect we want.
HINT:
As a tweak to this part, you'll want to open the
'Hue & Saturation' filter, and lower the Saturation
level about half, then raise the Lightness setting
just a bit. We're trying to create a slightly faded
effect for the underside of the paper.
Creating the proper kind of Path shape:
^ Back To Step 2
things clearer.
Next: Fine Tuning the look of the paper...

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Adding Paper Characteristics: fine-tuning the look.

This part is pretty simple also. We're just going to add a few small details to enhance the effect
a bit.
First up, a drop shadow.
To make this part as simple as can be to explain, i'm going to refer you to view steps 13, 14, & 15 of
the Quick-View Image Sequence.
Creating some edge thickness:

We'll add a thin edge highlight to the curl, to help give
some subtle depth to our paper. Duplicate the curled
corner layer you created. Drag this duplicate layer below
the original, and fill the shape with a solid white. Now
click on the original curled corner layer and using the
MOVE tool and arrow keys, nudge this layer 2 pixels
down.
Notice the thin edge highlight that appears along the top
of the curled edge? It's very subtle, but it helps give the
paper some visible thickness.
Additional highlighting:
Pick the Airbrush now and then
select the curled corner shape.
Now with that selection active, on
a new layer right above the curled
corner layer, paint with white over
top of just the curled tip of the
paper's corner. Like it shows in
this example image. Notice the highlight is only applied to the very tip of the curl; which makes it
appear to really curl inward. Drop the Opacity to around 70%, and set the Blend Mode to Overlay. If
the highlight looks too harsh, leave the selection on and Gaussian blur the paint a bit until it softens
up. Then Deselect when you're done this.
Curling what's on the paper:

I'm sure a lot of you are hoping that i'll cover this, because some of
you may not be very sure of how this is acheived. Well there's a
simple method, and a not-so-simple method.
SIMPLE: Once you create the picture or type that will appear on
the paper, you just have to use the EDIT > Transform > Distort
tool to drag the bottom-right corner of your image/type until it looks
like it's conforming to the bend in the paper. Honest! That's all
there is to it!
NOT-SO-SIMPLE: By duplicatiing the 'paper' layer, and filling the
shape with a vertical Linear gradient, you can use the 'Displace'
filter to force the image to be put on the paper, to curl. This
method is best left to those experinced users, as it can be
somewhat complex and confusing if you're not at all familiar with
using the 'Displace' filter. If you're curious about this method, i suggest you visit the site of -- 'Stroker
of Borg'. He has some excellent tuorials on the subject.
In most cases, the 'Simple' method can suffice.
The only thing i'd suggest to help this part look better, is to add a Brightness & Contrast adjustment
layer right above your image, and apply a linear gradient diagnally to it that is lighter on the top and
darker on the bottom. Then clip/group this adjustment layer to the layer containg the picture or type
that will be on the paper. This will help make the picture/type look like it's bending/curling more. You
should only need to turn down the Brightness to -10 or so. ( See example image to the right. )
Ok well... there it is then. Hope that wasn't too painful! ;)

If you're struggling with any part of this tute, i suggest you go through it once more to be sure you
read everything thoroughly. If you're still having trouble, feel free to ask questions about this effect in
the Forum. But remember, a lot of the techniques for this effect are at least intermediate level stuff.
Those of you not at this level yet can very well expect to have some trouble. Just go and learn about
the things that are confusing you, and return to finish the tutorial another day. It'll still be here when
you return... honest. :)

Quick-View Image Sequence
NOTE: Please keep in mind that these images present you with a "quick overview" of the effect procedure. It does
not include inbetween steps, so using only these as your guide, you can get confused very easily. I suggest you
read the full instructions at least once.
1: draw paper shape path with the
2: choose the PEN tool, then hold
3: click and drag to add curve
Vector Shape tool.
the ALT/Option key down with your

mouse over the bottom right
control point; as shown.
handles.
4: move corner control point up

and inward, and position curve
handles; as shown.
5: right-click (MAC: long-click) and

choose "Fill Path" from the option
menu.
6: the filled paper shape.
7: draw a small square, using the

Vector Shape tool. Match the
corners to the curl line; as shown!
8: delete the bottom right corner

control point.
9: right-click (MAC: long-click) and

choose "Fill Path/Subpath" from
the option menu.
10: the filled corner curl shape.
11: add a Linear Gradient; as
12: add a Linear Gradient; as
shown here -- top to bottom.
shown here -- bottom to top.
13: create a New Layer just above
14: reshape the shadow Path for
15: once it's filled, Gaussian Blur
the document Background, and

draw a shadow shape path by
using the PEN tool, and tracing the
paper shape; as shown.
the correct effect; as shown. Then

right-click (MAC: long-click) within
the Path area and choose "Fill
Path/Subpath" from the pop-out
menu.
the shadow and lower the Opacity

to 35%.

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Intermediate Section