Ribbon has become a staple for digital scrapbooking, especially grosgrain ribbon. In this tutorial I will teach you how to make the grosgrain pattern and to then make it into a ribbon, like this one:
I am using Photoshop CS2 for this tutorial. It may work in other versions of Photoshop and other programs.
You may use this link: http://candaceduffyjones.com/2008/06/tutorial-grosgrain-ribbon/

This work by Candace Duffy Jones is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
1. Open a new document. Make it 300 DPI, 0.125″ wide and 3″ tall. We make it 3″ so that we can make ribbon of any width up to 3″ with this pattern.
2. Fill your document with 50% gray. Then go to Filter -> Noise -> Add Noise. Set it to 14%, Uniform, and Monochromatic. Click OK.
3. Then go to Filter -> Blur -> Motion Blur. Set the angle to 0 and distance to 15. Click OK.
4. Now double click next to your layer name to open the Layer Style dialog. Click on the Gradient Overlay. Set the following: Blend Mode = Multiply, Opacity = 50, Gradient = Black and White (one of the default gradients), Reverse = checked, Style = reflected, Align with Layer = checked, Angle = 0, Scale = 150. Click OK.
5. Now we have completed our basic pattern. Go to Edit -> Define Pattern. You can name it whatever you want. I named my Grosgrain.
6. Open a new document. Make it 300 DPI, 17″ wide and 0.5″ tall or however wide you want your ribbon.
7. Go to Edit -> Fill. Select your new pattern from the menu and click OK.
8. Make a new layer and fill it with a color of your choice. You can also use a pattern paper instead of filling it with a solid color.
9. Change the blend mode of the new layer until you find one that works for you. I usually use Color or Overlay.
10. Make a new layer. Select the Line Tool. Set the weight to 9px, mode normal and opacity 100%.
Draw a line at the top and bottom of your ribbon.
11. Change the fill of the line layer to 0%. Then double click next to the layer name to open the Layer Style dialog. Select Patter Overlay. Set the following: Blend Mode = Soft Light, Opacity = 100%, Pattern = Woven Wide (Load the Patterns pattern which comes with Photoshop), Scale = 1%, Link with Layer = Checked. Click OK.
12. Now you can save this as a template for future ribbons. Just change the color and/or blend modes for different looks. For light colored ribbons you may need to use a lighter gray in step 2.
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You may use this link: http://candaceduffyjones.com/2008/06/tutorial-grosgrain-ribbon/

This work by Candace Duffy Jones is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Please feel free to contact me if you have a questions or comments. You can use my Contact Me form or post a comment on this post as a means of contact me.























Thanks !
It’s always great to have new tutos… thank you for your time making it !
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I love this tuturial! It gives me another option for making ribbons I have never seen before!!! Thanks!
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Very nice, thanks!
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great tut - thanks.
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Fantastic Tut!!
My gosh I feel like a novice swimming in the Cookie Jar!!! I learned so Much and can apply these insturctions with others. THANK YOU BUNCHES!
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Ok, now that I have that down (well I think I got it..ha)
how do you put prints on the ribbon?
how do you tie it in a knot? …..make a bow out of it?
and-and-and-More More More…lol
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In step 8 instead of filling the new layer with color you could add a pattern paper or create your own pattern instead.
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Me again! ha
on step 11. this does NOT work for ps cs3 program….that’s what I’m using!! Any suggestions? Could be I’m doing ’something’ wrong but I have tried all day(no I’m Not stupid…ha) perhaps a perfectionist, tho!
Anyway, I have followed your instructions to a ‘T’ and the woven wide fills the Entire ribbon…looks terrible ……helpppp!!! TY
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Are you adding the layer style to just the edge lines (made in step 10)? It shouldn’t fill the entire ribbon, just the edging. I have never tried CS3 so I am not sure how it differs from CS2.
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hummmm…not sure now. are you talking about the woven wide (layer style)? if so, is there a step I’m missing to ADD just That TO the Greyed lines I made with the line tool?
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You add the style in step 11 to the layer you created in step 10 (quoted above). There are several images breaking up that step, maybe you missed part of it?
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Hi! Oh Yes! I made a separate layer. I had three layers total when I got to the woven pattern was my Third layer…did I need to merge any layers?
Ok, I have RE-DONE Everything from Start to ‘almoat’ finish. I found out where it’s getting tripped up is on 11.
My grograin looks like your screen shots up to step 11.
The first thing says to to ‘change the fill of the line layer to 0%’
When I do that the grey lines go away! then if I proceed with the layer style it fills the Entire thing………..
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Maybe that is a CS3 thing. Not sure why. In step 11 change the fill to 100% and change the layer blend mode to Soft Light. Then when you add the pattern do not change the blend mode there. That should get the same results. So step 11 should read…
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Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh….I told you I was a Novice to All this scrappbooking stuff!! LOL
just been for a lil over a year and only 2 months with photoshop cs3.
So with that said………MY Bad!!!
I did NOT create a ‘new layer’, instead I copied the layer…ugggg………ALL BETTER EVERYTHING IS RIGHT ON AND YOUR TUTORIAL IS FLAWLESS!!!
THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!
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This is by far, the BEST tutorial I have seen for grosgrain, and I have been searching for a while. It is so realistic looking. You have taught me so much about the capabilities of PhotoShop. Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
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