Rickrack (Photoshop)

I just cannot contain myself. I love rickrack.

RicRac…Rick Rack…Rickrack. It’s been around since the late 1800’s and has had many face lifts and name changes. But one thing remains the same… it evokes feelings of nostalgia and creativity in the hearts of crafters everywhere.

Digital scrapbooking is no different. Ricrac is a lovely compliment to nearly any scrapbook page.

Come along with me and we’ll put a strip together…and you can spell it anyway you like.

Step 1: Get ready

In this step we’ll begin our new scrapbook page and get ready to create a strip of rickrack.

• Create a new document (File > New) that is 12×12 inches, 300 pixels/inch, RGB color, and has a white background.
• Press the letter D to set the Color Chips to the default of black and white. This will be important when we get to Step 3.

Step 2: Create

In this step we will paste a strip of paper onto our scrapbook page.

• Open (File > Open) a piece of digi paper that you think would make good rickrack. I chose “paper3” from the Digital Scrapper Seaside kit.
• Turn on your Rulers if they are not turned on. To do this, choose View > Rulers.
• Get the Rectangular Marquee tool. It’s located under the Move tool in the Tool Bar.
• With your cursor, drag out a selection box that is approximately 12 in x ¼ in. You can use the Space Bar on your keyboard to reposition your selection box while you are dragging it out.

• Press Ctrl C (Mac: Cmd C) to copy the selection of paper to your clipboard.
• Activate your scrapbook page by clicking on it.
• Press Ctrl V (Mac: Cmd V) to paste the strip of paper onto your scrapbook page.
• Rename this layer by double clicking on Layer 1 in the Layers panel. Give it the name “rickrack”.

Step 3: Texture

In this step we will give our strip of paper the look of textured ribbon.

• Press Ctrl J (Mac: Cmd J) to duplicate the strip of paper. Rename this layer “texture.”
• With the texture layer active, choose Filter > Sketch > Halftone Pattern.
• Set the Size to 5, the Contrast to 0, and the Pattern Type to Line.
• Click OK to accept the changes. Your strip of ribbon should now be two-tone grey.

• With the texture layer active, change the Blending Mode to Soft Light. The Blending Modes are located at the top of the Layers panel.

• Press Ctrl E (Mac: Cmd E) to merge the texture layer with the rickrack layer.

Step 4: Wave

In this step we will give our textured ribbon the waves needed for a rickrack look.

• With the ricrac layer active, choose Filter > Distort > Wave.
• Enter the following settings:
  • Type: Sine
  • Number of Generators: 1
  • Wave Length: 100/100
  • Amplitude: 40/40
  • Scale: 100/100
• Click OK to accept the changes. I like the look of that. But feel free to go back (PC: Ctrl Alt Z / Mac: Cmd Opt Z) and try a different setting if you want to.

Step 5: Style

In this step we will give the rickrack a bevel and shadow so it appears more three dimensional.

• In the Layers panel, double click on the rickrack layer to bring up the Layer Style options.
• When the Layer Style dialog box pops up, choose Bevel and Emboss from the menu on the left. Change the following settings:
  • Style: Inner Bevel
  • Technique: Smooth
  • Depth to 100%
  • Size: 5px
  • Soften: 5px

• Add a drop shadow by choosing Drop Shadow from the menu on the left. The default settings are usually good. Mine are set at an Opacity of 75% with a Distance and Size of 5px.
• If you like the look, click OK to accept the changes.

Step 6: Save

We should probably follow good advice and save before continuing.

• To do this, choose File > Save As from the Menu Bar.

Now keep the momentum going and finish your scrapbook page by adding paper, elements and photos.

Credits: Tip and scrapbook page by Jen White created with Photoshop CS3. Supplies were “Seaside” kit by Digital Scrapper Designs and “Beach Bound” kit by Eva Kipler.

Download a PDF version of this “Rickrack” tutorial.

Windows: Right click on the link and choose “Save Target As” or a similar command.
Mac: Click on the link to download the file.

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