How to Create a Realistic Torn Paper Look in Digital Scrapbooking

There’s just something about torn paper, isn’t there? It adds texture. It adds depth. And it instantly makes a digital scrapbook page feel a little more handmade and a lot more real.

The good news? You don’t need special overlays or pre-made elements to get that look. With a simple layer mask (and a few small tweaks), you can create your own realistic torn paper edges that work again and again—on backgrounds, elements, and even custom shapes.

In this tutorial, I’ll walk you through a step-by-step process using Photoshop Elements (any version that supports layer masks) or Photoshop. You’ll learn how to:

• Create a reusable torn-edge mask
• Add subtle paper texture for a more natural look
• Rough up the edges so they don’t feel “too perfect”
• Finish it off with a soft shadow that mimics real paper on paper

Once you’ve made your torn edge mask, you can save it and reuse it anytime—just clip a new paper to it and you’re good to go. Less fuss, more playing. Always a win in my book!

👇 Watch the video tutorial below and follow along as I show you exactly how it’s done.

Resources

• If you love the look of torn paper, but don’t want to make your own, you might want to check out my torn paper masks — or even some of my clipping masks! To use a mask like one of those below, simply clip (with your paper layer active, from the menu choose Layer>Create Clipping Mask) your paper to the mask, and voila — a torn edge!
• Leave a comment below if you have any questions about this tutorial— or just to let me know you found it helpful!