Create a Realistic Polaroid!

Step 1

First of all, create a new document and fill it any colour you wish. I used dark grey. I then also added a darker grey gradient from the bottom left to the top right.

Step 2

Then, with your foreground colour set to white, use the rectangle tool and draw yourself a rectangle shape like the one in the example.

Step 3

Now, it's time to place the image that you would like on the polaroid into the document. I did this by right clicking on the image, and selecting copy. Then in Photoshop, pressing Ctrl + V to paste it.

Step 4

With the image layer selected, hold Ctrl and click the rectangle layer. A selection should appear. Now go to Select > Modify > Contract and set it to 5 pixels. The selection should get smaller, and you should have something that looks like mine.

Step 5

With the selection still available, go to Select > Inverse, and then press Delete on your keyboard. Now we are looking more and more like a polaroid!

Now with the rectangular marquee tool, make a selection on the image layer, and then press delete. This will add a better effect to the final outcome.

Step 6

Whilst still on the image layer, go to Layer > Layer Style > Inner Shadow and apply these settings.

Step 7

And that's it! You have completed this tutorial and created a very realistic polaroid image. You are now free to add your own effects or text.

Step 8

I applied a paper brush in order to add the effect that the polaroid had been crumpled! Tadaa! I hope you enjoyed this tutorial.