Paper Tearing

Hi Shan,

I LOVE the look of torn paper, but for the longest time it caused me great angst. haha The only way to do it is to get some paper and start tearing. Experiment with how to hold the paper. Some tear differently depending on the direction you're tearing on the paper. Sometimes I need a controlled tear and tear in tiny pulls, sometimes I just hold the paper with both hands and just rip away. I personally think there is no wrong way. Depending on what project you're working on it may not tear the way you wanted it too. So, put it in your scraps pile for future use and tear again.

Cheers, Lynne

Shan,

I can't cut a straight line to save my life, which is the reason I have to use a paper cutter. LOL But tearing is so easy! I haven't heard of a wrong way to tear, so my best suggestion is to just start tearing your heart out! (no pun intended) Sometimes I like to 'scrape' my torn edges. To do that, I simply use a sponge dabbed on my stamp pad and scrape the sponge against my torn edge. It just adds some color to the edge and looks great on neutral color cardstock.

Happy Tearing!

You can also chalk your torn edges to give them dimension.

I forgot I have a "thing" I think I bought from Stampin Up that is a tearing ruler. Not sure what it is called. You hold the ruler down on the paper and tear the paper up along the jagged edge of the "tearing ruler". I'll need to look up the name of it. It works pretty nice, but it is not random looking. Sometimes I want a random tear. If I need something more precise I'll use the metal ruler thingie.

Lynne

The Tearing Edge. It's VERY precise, but sometimes I don't want precise! LOL I use it when I'm looking for that very straight, but "tattered" appearance. One thing I don't like about it is it doesn't give the "layered" look to the paper. To try and explain this... I pull my tear toward me and it kinda layers the tear so I'm getting a softer, blended looking tear. I hope this makes sense. I use The Tearing Edge when I want the tear RIGHT THERE or when I'm tearing vellum (tends to get away from me when I do it free-hand).

Cecelia

Shan, What I did was just experiment with tearing and picked out the effect I liked best. It is a different look to tear towards you and to tear away from you. I like to chalk my edges so I sort of prefer the more raggedy edge up. I tore some easter bunnys last year and that was fun.

Hugs, Sabrina in Kentucky

a good friend is a life long treasure

poor bunnies!! how could you do that Sabrina:))

LOL They were cute but now that I think of it ...it was sort of mean to tear them.

Hugs, Sabrina in Kentucky

a good friend is a life long treasure