Threading Ribbon

Threading a ribbon through an element is not as hard as one might think and it gives such a realistic look to a scrapbook page. You will find a zip file here with a ribbon and a ribbon slide to practice with.

Start by opening a raster layer 800 x 200 with transparent background. Open both the ribbon and the slide images. Click on each image and Shift + D to create a copy and close the original.

With the slide image selected resize about 60% down. Then copy and paste in the center of our new image. Your workspace should look similar to this.

Now on our new image open a new layer and copy and paste the ribbon to the center of this layer or even easier paste as a new layer and it will automatically paste to the center of the image.

Open a new layer and again copy and paste the slide right over the other slide image.

Using the Zoom tool left click until you get to about 200 - 250%

then using the eraser tool apply these settings.

And erase the center of the slide from the top ribbon edge to the bottom ribbon edge.

It still doesn't look realistic enough for me yet, so going down to our ribbon layer

using the Selection Tool

and the rounded rectagle shape select the area of the ribbon just under the slide. Like This

Then going to Effects / 3D Effects / Drop Shadow using these settings give the ribbon a drop shadow.

And we are done.

Here is our finished product. You can apply this to just about anything you need to partially hide. chains, string attachments, etc.

Have Fun!