Create a vintagestyle postcard

TURN BACK THE CLOCK WITH THESE TIPS AND TRICKS THAT WILL MAKE YOUR DIGITAL FILES LOOK LIKE FILM RELICS

Global edits

In Camera Raw’s Edit panel, select the Monochrome profile. Boost Contrast, Whites and Clarity. Select the Masking tab and choose Radial Gradient. Draw the bounding box to the edges, invert it (press X) and reduce Exposure to create a vignette. Open the image in Photoshop.

Add texture

Draw a text box in the top-left of the canvas and used a script-style font to write the location and date. Go to www.pixabay.com and find a vintage paper texture (we used image 2714966). Drag the image onto the canvas – not the frame – and set Blending Mode to Multiply. Set Opacity to 84%.

Radial blur

Duplicate the ‘Background’ layer. Right-click the new layer and select Convert to Smart Object. Go to Filter>blur>gaussian Blur. Set Radius to 2.5px, select the Gradient tool and choose a black-to-white radial gradient. Select the Smart Filter and drag the gradient over the subject.

The aging process

Select the frame layer thumbnail and add a layer mask. Make sure the Brush tool is set to black, then select the Brush Settings panel. Have fun selecting various brushes to create scratches and splatters. Select the text and reduce the opacity to taste. Rightclick the layer and select Rasterize Type.

Create a frame

Export your black-and-white image as a JPEG and open a new postcard document. Select the Frame tool. Draw a rectangular frame on the document, leaving a little bit of space for text at the top. Drag and drop your JPEG onto the frame and it should conform nicely to the dimensions.

Soften the edges

Finish by selecting the black-and-white image layer mask and choosing a round brush with 0% hardness. Click on the top-right corner, hold Shift and click on the top-left corner to drop a perfectly straight line that softens the edges. Repeat this on the remaining corners.