Photoshop Tutorial #2: Polaroid Photography

Want to turn any of your digital images into a Polaroid picture with that unmistakable look from days-gone-by?

Well, here we go...

From this...                                                                                ...to this!

• Create a new Photoshop document sized to a standard Polaroid picture (including frame)
   – standard ratio of a series 600 is 3½ x 4¼ inch.
• Create a new layer and draw a perfect square
   – make sure to leave an equal gap around the top, left and right.
• Rasterize the square.
• Open a JPG version of the image from Photoshop Tutorial #1: Vintage Photography
  – import the image into a new layer.
• Right click the image layer and select “Create Clipping Mask” – clipping it with the layer below.
• Create a new layer above the image and fill it with RGB: 50/50/50
  – right click the layer and select “Create Clipping Mask”.
• Create a vignette – make a selection area about the size of the clipping mask square – in the top menu choose “Select>Modify>Feather…” enter a value for some nicely rounded corners (if the image size is 3½ by 4¼ inch @ 150dpi, enter a value of 25 – use this as a base and ratio up according to the image size)
  – set to “Multiply” at about 80% opacity.
• Download a nice high resolution old paper texture (something with some scarring and staining).

TIP: It is good practice to begin your own texture library with textures from stock or ones you created using your own photography – to recall as needed for future Photoshop work.

•  Import the texture into a new layer above the vignette
  – right click the layer and select “Create Clipping Mask”, set to “Multiply” at about 70% opacity.
• Create a new layer and fill it with RGB: 210/210/210.
• To build the Polaroid frame
  – make a selection area the size of the image square and click the “Add Vector Mask” button in the layers window to create a layer mask to reveal the photograph under it.
• Add a “Bevel and Emboss” effect to give the frame some depth
  – Upward Inner Bevel, Smooth with a global light source @ 120° and 30°.
• Create a new layer and fill it with RGB: 210/210/210.
• Add a noise filter: “Filter>Noise>Add Noise…” – Gaussian blur 3% NOT monochromatic.
  – right click the layer and select “Create Clipping Mask”.
• Create an new layer for the Polaroid type – Dot Matrix Regular is a good match
  – type out the 15 number code (left) and “Polaroid” (right) at the bottom of the image.
  – right click the layer and “Rasterize Type” and select “Create Clipping Mask”.
• Import an old paper texture into a new layer above the text layer
  – right click the layer and select “Create Clipping Mask”, set to “Multiply” at about 70% opacity.