- First we’ll start out by picking out a picture for our piece. In this tutorial I’ve already selected a picture which I then took to Illustrator and live traced (default). Get the finished live traced picture.
- Place the file as PIXELS into a 600 (width) x 500 (height) photoshop file.
- You can off center the picture so it makes for an interesting composition. Then we can begin!
- Using your selection tool, select the white parts of the picture, then press CTRL+SHIFT+I to REVERSE the selection, because we only want to select the black parts of the picture for now.
- Keeping the selection, make a new raster layer (CTRL+SHIFT+N). Hide your main picture layer so it’s just your background and raster layer visible – along with the selection.
#Now is where we begin using our brushes! If you don’t already have, you may use the watercolors I provide on the site. Now select any pink color you’d like and lightly go over the selection. I like to use a new raster layer for each individual watercolor brush so I can be more flexible with the layer settings. So for this, make sure after using one watercolor brush
you make a new raster for each individual watercolor.
- The most important to remember for this is to not overdo the watercolors by making them too dark or too light. Use different layer settings to achieve the most natural look. The best layer settings in this case would be Normal and Multiply. Be careful how you use multiply though, it might be tricky. Keep in mind that we are NOT trying to cover the entire piece with watercolor, to keep it more natural we are letting some spots stay untouched by the brushes.
- Began with using my own watercolor brushes (both the spills and regular watercolors alike). The color I used for this is #f5258c.
- Using the color #53ddf2.
- Using the color #53ddf2 layer setting set to 100% Multiply.
- Using the color #f2e553 at 55% opacity on Normal layer setting.
- Now that the picture looks pretty filled I’m going to switch gears. Now I’m going to Re-REVERSE (CTRL+SHIFT+I) and have the outer parts of the picture selected.
- Using the color #f2e553.
- After this deselect and start adding your own elements into the watercolor piece so it will be more uniform.
- Using the color #d4fd44 at the layer setting Multiply at 100%.
- Using the color #90e7f5 set to 16% Multiply. Put this layer all the way towards the bottom. Drag it to the bottom so it’s just on top of the hidden picture.
- Add some random splatters, it doesn’t matter what kind they are because any will do. Again, the splatters I used are offered in the brush section of the site. I made sure that they were the same color of the watercolor I was adding them on top of so they looked more conformed.
- Go back to Illustrator and make a big blob, then go to your patterns swatch library and select the dots so you can add them your my graphic.
- If you don’t have illustrator, use this stamp to make the dots into brushes and stamp them on the graphic.
- I set the dots to about 25% opacity on layer setting Hard Light.
- Back to the selection tool, go back to your original live traced picture and select the white areas like we did in the first few steps. Make a new raster layer.
Go over the area with a text brush (the one used can be found from my Magazine Scan Brush set) in a repetitive manner using the color #90e7f5. Set the layer to Multiply at 75%.
- Then take another brush and erase parts of this (I use brushes with defined edges and interesting shapes). The brush I used can also be found in the brush set “Maps”.
- With the selection still intact, take this advantage to test out some new brushes to see which ones you like in the composition, and which ones you don’t. I usually go through and try different styles of brushes until I find some that fit.
- To add in another style to this tutorial, we will be adding vector shapes and illustrations. I normally wouldn’t do this but since I recently got illustrator I’ve been taking advantage of its vector capabilities. I usually just start out but making a bunch of gradient squares with the color I want. I used a yellow gradient to begin this shape.
- Go ahead and use the warp tool (400×400) to mesh and warp your squares into your desired shape. Your shape does not have to be perfect or in any particular way.
- Import your shape into Photoshop as pixels and rotate it accordingly to fit your piece. Set this shape to Multiply at 100%. If you don’t have illustrator grab this shape and add it into your piece.
- Then go back into Illustrator and repeat this process, using different shapes and different colors. I used an orange color for this one. If you don’t have illustrator grab this shape and add it into your piece.
- I added in some small details like stars, words and some more splatter brushes. You can find all of the brushes used in the full brush list on the website.
- For the final touch, take this texture, put it over the piece and set it to Multiply at 30%.
- Add some of your own text and you’re all done!
See the final version.
Posted 12/31/2009 - Photoshop Tutorials | 46 comments
Name's Jessica Kobeissi. I'm 22, Lebanese, Muslim, awesome & live in Detroit. I'm an artist - but I can't draw. I'm a Graphic Design major. 
Wow. First! =)))) Thanks for posting this! God bless you and happy new year!
Zelle posted this December 31 * #