Retro poster design

A Retro Wallpaper/Poster Step By Step Photoshop Tu

Step 1

Start a new document at a size of 1900x1200. Click here to download this textured background picture and place it in to the picture and put the Opacity to 40%.

Step 2

Create new layer and fill with yellow and set the layer to Soft Light and Opacity to 30%

Step 3

Create new layer and set the foreground colour to #9d640a and select brush i have selected this brush but if you dont have that brush just choose one which adds a little texture.

Now draw around a little and set the layer to Multiply and Opacity of 70%. You should have something like below.

Step 4

Ok create a new document and click on the marquee and select the rectangular and do as the image below is.

Step 5

Create new layer and set the background on your colour palet to what ever colour you like... i have set it to 7d8d72, now press Ctrl and backspace.

Step 6

Now duplicate layer and move it 10 notches to the right and then goto Layer/Layer Style/Colour overlay and set the colour to what colour you would like to have. Now do this again for another 4 times untill you get something like the picture below.

Step 7

Now select background layer and click on magic Eraser tool and delete white background.

Step 8

Now select the shape layer and goto Edit/Define Pattern and save it.

Step 9

Now go back to your original document and create a new layer and click on the paint bucket tool and at the top left of the page set it to pattern and fill the page. You will have to erase the over lapping pattern fill so that you get an image like this

Step 10

Now press Ctrl and T and resize it to the image below

Step 11

Create a new layer and follow step 9.

Step 12

Now press Ctrl T and then right click on it and click Perspective and get is like the image below. Keep it a little below the other pattern like i have.

Step 13

Zoom in so that the middle of the page is big. Now select the pen tool and do as shown below.

Step 14

Create new layer and call it middle1. Now with the pen tool still selected goto the pattern you have just created and right click and select make selection and feather 0. Set the background on the colour pallet as the colour you have chosen for that pattern and press Ctrl and backspace. You may have to arase alittle to make it perfect.

Step 15

Now create a new layer and call it middle2 and copy the rest of step 14, do this untill you have finished and have an image as below. Then merge all middle layers, top and bottome pattern layer.

Step 16

Click here i purchased this picture and got the pen tool and went round the people and cut them out. i then went to Filter/Artistic and selected Colourd Pencil and placed it onto my image like so.

Step 17

Now duplicate layer and press Ctrl T and goto Edit/Free Transform/Flip Horizontal and then rotate like shown.

Step 18

Now goto Layer/Layer Style/Colour Overlay and fill in black. Set the layer Opacity to 50% and goto Filter/Blur/Caussian Blur and Radius to 8.5

Step 19

Create new layer and pick a colour and brush of your choice to make foot steps like the picture below. Dont forget to make foot steps bigger as they get closer.

Final Step

Click Here and download this textured background and then place it above all layers. Set the Opacity to 50%. Ive then added text and then all is done.

-->Read More...

Photoshop Quick Tips #3 - Enhancing Photos with High Pass Filter

Following our series of quick tips, I will show you how to enhance a regular photo in Photoshop and make it look better. Of course you can change the presets in order to make it look more subtle, my idea was to exaggerate a bit. Also we will use the Shadows/Highlight adjustments showing how you can easily simulate a sort of HDR style.

Step 1

Open a regular photo in Photoshop. I used a photo of a cat that I found on sxc.hu http://www.sxc.hu/photo/1069561

Step 2

Duplicate the layer and go to Filter>Other>High Pass. Use 5 pixels. Then change the Blend Mode of the layer to Hard Light.

Step 3

Duplicate the High Pass layer. Keep the blend mode with Hard LIght.

Step 4

Duplicate the original photo and change its Blend Mode to Screen. Then with the Eraser Tool (E) or with a Mask. Delete the dark areas of the photo. Leave just the light areas, the eyes, nose, and mouth. Below you can see the areas I kept, the marquee selection.

Step 5

Group all layers and convert them to Smart Objects, Layers>Smart Objects>Convert to Smart Objects. Or if you prefer just merge the layers. Then go to Image >Adjustments>Shadow and Highlights. Use the values from the image below. With this adjustment you can edit how the shadows and highlights will be displayed, and you can simulate the HDR effect by increasing the Tonal Width and Radius on the Shadow and Highlights, and, also the Midtone Contrast.

Conclusion

This is just one way to enhance your photos, you can use the Unsharp Mask filter as well. But I prefer the high pass with hard light, I think it gives a better result, however that will depend the photo you are working on. The most important thing is test and play with the settings and of course add more techniques to your repertoire. If you have a different quick tip, leave a comment sharing and explaining it to us ;).

Click Here for Full Preview

-->Read More...

Create and Then Shatter a Grid, while Making a Typographic Poster

blogthietke.net

Step 1

Start a new Photoshop Document using an A3 paper size at 300 dpi. To select the A3 setting, choose International Paper from the drop down menu. As soon as you begin grab the Gradient Tool (G) and create a linear gradient from top to bottom using a medium gray (#837e7e) and a dark one (#3f3f3f).

Step 2

Now let's start planning the layout of the design. In order to create a basic grid that we'll begin with, go to Edit > Preferences > Guides, Grid, Slices, and Count. Look up the Grid section, and make sure that your grid is divided by 2,5 cm with a single subdivision. You may also need to make it visible by going to View > Show > Grid.

Step 3

It's time to plan the focal point. I placed mine one square off from the center, so that the piece will have a stable foundation. Keep in mind the fact that every composition needs balance, especially one in which you are experimenting with asymmetry. It all depends on the feeling you have planned for: if the box is higher than the center, it will feel like it's floating, while being under suggests a static environment.

Step 4

The focal point, and anchor element of this piece is type. After all, this is a typographic poster, is it not? The font should also reflect the concept. Since this is all about grids, then the font itself should be minimal and intensely geometric. Bifurk fits the job description, and we'll use it here. If that's not a good enough argument, well it's free too, so it makes a good choice for a tutorial!

Use the grid to plan your layout, and type in your letters individually by making a new layer for each letter. That way, it will be easier to adjust the spacing in between the letters. I used a square shape to plan the spacing. Create a square custom shape with the Rectangle Tool (U), while holding Shift, and slide it in between the letters. By doing this, you are assuring a good optical alignment.

Step 5

At this point, we'll change the colors of the text. Make subtle variations of this washed up red: d05252. Note: I also activated and created guides, to make the layout more clear.

Step 6

We're going to give the letters a texture now. The texture will be made by a word cloud using Lorem Ipsum text, which is closely associated to graphic design. You can make your own cloud, or use this really nifty online tool called Wordle. It's a word cloud generator, and it's what I used here. Head over to their site and click on the Create button. Paste in some dummy text and generate a cloud. Keep randomizing until you find the best shape, and select Telephoto as a font, and Heat as the color selection. You can change these settings using the buttons you'll find above the cloud.

Step 7

Now we're going to Live Trace this into a sketchy style type treatment. So take a screen shot of the cloud, and paste it (Command + V) into a new Illustrator file. Once again, you'll need Illustrator in order to Live Trace an object. Go to Object > Live Trace > Tracing Options. Use Color and 256 colors. If you're looking for a more precise execution, adjust the settings found in the menu.

Step 8

In order to trim off the excess elements, like the web interface and white background, you'll need to Expand the newly live traced object. Press the Expand button; you'll see it once you have the object selected.

Step 9

Using the Direct Selection Tool (A), drag and delete all the excess elements. An easy way to get rid of the white found inside the letters, is to select a white shape, and then go to Select > Same > Fill Color. Press delete, and that will be the end of your hassle.

Step 10

Next, copy it (Command + C) and paste it (Command + V) into your Photoshop project. Paste it in as a Smart Object, so that you can freely expand and contract it without losing quality. Make it a Clipping Mask by holding Alt and clicking in between the Smart Object's layer and the letter's layer.

I also used the cloud in other parts of the design as a texture. The only modification you'll need to make is to adjust the layer's Opacity to somewhere around 15%.

Step 11

It's now time for the more laborious part: creating the broken glass. Go back to Illustrator and draw broken pieces of glass using the Pen Tool. Keep a rectangular shape as a reference. Fill them with this color: 757575. Make subtle dents that follow the basic shape, and remember that glass cracks are not perfectly straight.

Step 12

Make a new layer and using one of the triangles as a reference, make a more fragmented version. Be sure to replace it with the old one, once you are finished.

Step 13

Select one of the pieces and go to Effect > 3D > Extrude & Bevel. Follow the settings shown below.

Step 14

Once you turn it into a 3D object, copy the object and paste it in its exact position (Command + F). Find your Appearance Panel under Window > Appearance and double click on the 3D Extrude & Bevel effect listed there. That will open up the current 3D effect that you have over the glass piece. With this one, only change the Turn Cap On to Turn Cap In. This will simulate a transparency effect by revealing the inner edge too.

Step 15

Repeat the process for the remaining bits. Start playing around with the layout as well. Make some pieces small, as if traveling in the given space, and rotate them individually.

Step 16

Make some pieces smaller, others larger. Copy small fragments and make them into tiny, chipped bits. Don't forget to alter their 3D settings, so that they don't resemble any previous piece.

Step 17

Just as before, paste these into Photoshop. If you notice possible improvements that can be made in the positioning, just double-click on the Smart Object Icon. That will take you back into Illustrator, where you can make adjustments. Once you are finished, just save (Command + S), and go back to Photoshop. After a quick loading screen, your changes will have been implemented. Set the Layer's Blending mode to Hard Light.

Step 18

Now create a New Blank Layer (Command + Shift + N) over the Smart Object and make it a Clipping Mask. Use a soft, round brush and paint with white in areas you want highlighted. Lower the layer's opacity depending on how strong you want the light to be.

Step 19

Duplicate the Smart Object and move it above all the other layers. Set its layer's blending mode to Screen.

Step 20

It's time to begin the damage and distortion. Create a new layer above all others and fill it with white. Go to Filter > Distort > Lens Correction. Alter the Vignette settings and drag it down to about -50 or -60. Set the layer's blending mode to Multiply.

Step 21

Download this texture and insert it over the whole canvas in a new layer. Desaturate it (Command + Shift + U), set its layer's blending mode to Color Burn, and Opacity to 70%.

Step 22

Download another texture and paste it in a new layer. Set its layer's blending mode to Color and Opacity to 30%. Go to Image > Adjustments > Hue and Saturation. Change the hue to 158.

Step 23

Go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Curves. Use the settings shown below.

Step 24

Yep, one more texture... Put this one over everything, Desaturate it (Command + Shift + U), set its Layer's Blending Mode to Linear Burn and Opacity to 20%. The special part about this one though is the inclusion of horizontal lines, which suggest a grid.

Step 25

And now, a subtle alteration of color. We'll brighten up the red just a notch, through a Channel Mixer (Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Channel Mixer). Use the settings found in the following image.

Step 26

As a final touch up, I added a few more bits of glass behind the text and a slightly bright gray, soft and round gradient behind everything.

Quick Tip: Sharpen your images when resizing to smaller resolutions. You can imagine that quite a little bit of information gets lost when shrinking an image from 5000 px to 600 px. You can give it a whole new feel by sharpening with Filter > Sharpen > Unsharp Mask.

Also, when sharpening grunge, you can get some pretty spectacular results, because Photoshop basically creates subtle bevels. Look at the letters below: Do you notice how the sharpened red letters seem to have a one pixel bevel? Well, it's from sharpening.

Just don't overdo it! Keep an eye out for already sharp edges, as they can be ruined when sharpening.

Final Image

We are now finished! I look forward to seeing you put these techniques to good use.

-->Read More...