Acorn Acorn 7

Lifted Image Edges 




This tutorial will show you how to create the effect of lifted image edges using two different techniques.



Lifted Image Edges Using Layers


Create a new image in Acorn, File ▸ New.  The image used here has canvas dimensions of 1500 x 1200 pixels with a white background.  Using File ▸ Add Images, choose the image you want to use with this effect.  You may need to use Layer ▸ Rotate and Transform ▸ Scale and Rotate to decrease the size of your layer.


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Add a guide to the center of your image.  Select View ▸ Guides ▸ New Guide.   Create a vertical guide placed at the center of the image.  In this case, the center is at 750 pixels. 


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Add a new layer to your image, Layer ▸ New Layer.  Select the paint tool and set the size fairly large.  Click on the color well in the tools palette and choose a black or dark gray color.  See the other brush settings used here in the image below.  Click once in the center of the image just a little bit above the bottom of the layer.  Holding down the shift key, click once at the bottom left corner of the image to draw a straight line.  


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Duplicate the new layer you just created, Layer ▸ Duplicate layer.  Select Layer ▸ Rotate and Transform ▸ Flip Layer Horizontal.  Using the move tool, move the duplicated layer so that it mirrors the original brush stroke.


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Merge the copied layer down, Layer ▸ Merge Down.  Move the drawn layer below the image layer in the layers list.  Hit the downward arrow key until the drawn layer begins to show up below the image.


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Hide the guide by choosing View ▸ Guides ▸ Hide Guides.  While still selected on the brush strokes layer, choose Filter ▸ Blur ▸ Gaussian Blur.  A radius of around 10 is used here. Decrease the opacity of this layer to your liking in the layers list.  The opacity used here is 75%.  


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Lifted Image Edges Using a Filter


Open your image in Acorn.  Choose Filter ▸ New Image with Curved Drop Shadow.  This filter will create a new Acorn file and add a thin white board and a slight lifted corner effect. 



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