Vintage

Simple Comic Book/Poster Effect

Photoshop Tutorial

This is an update of the First Simple Comic Book Effect (here). The update is that this effect gives the photo a more vintage poster look. We’ve worked with a comic book effect and with gradients in other tutorials, so I came with this after experimenting and trying some combinations. This effect creates soe interesting results.

Step 1: Effects on the Photo.

First thing to do is to make sure the Photo is a Smart Object. This is important for fine tuning the effect afterwards. After that go to:

  1. Filter -> Stylize -> Oil Paint. Set every setting to 10.
  2. Add a Brightness/Contrast Adjustment Layer: settings will be different for every photo.
  3. Add a Posterize Adjustment Layer: the setting will depent on your photo, try to keep the values between 5-10. Set the Blend Mode to Soft Light and opacity around 60%.

I find that the Brightness/Contrast Layer, in many cases, needs some work after the Posterize effect. Or with some photo’s I used the Brightness/Contrast Layer above the Posterize Layer

Posterize lever: 8. Brightness: -6/Contrast: 17.
Brightness: -13/Contrast: 9. Posterize level: 5.

Step 2: Experiment with Colors.

The give it a Poster feel we can add a Gradient. Experiment with different colors and blending modes. Like I did:

Blend Model: Soft Light
Blend Mode: Normal
Blend Mode: Normal
Blend Mode: Screen.

Step 3: Combine Effetcs.

Sometimes the Simple Comic Book Effect doesn’t give a clean result. This is mostly when the photo has a lot af detail, like in the facial area. Any imperfection shows on the effect. You can render the filters, but I found the combination of these two effects interesting.

  1. Save your Comic/Poster Effect photo and open it as a new document.
  2. Apply the Simple Comic Book Effect
  3. Add a gradient.
With gradient
No gradient.

Advertentie

Photo Effect: At the Vintage Beach

Geen categorie

Stack of Adjustment Layers:

  1. Vibrance: + 25 / Saturation: -40 or -50.
  2. Gradient map: Blend Mode: Hard Light, 40%. With colors:
    1. #091610 (very dark cyan), location: 1%
    2. #8b432d (dark moderate red), location: 50%
    3. #f0e6b1 (very soft yellow), location: 100%
  3. Curves. Blend Mode: Soft Light, 30%. With Point:
    1. 0,0
    2. 66, 43
    3. 114, 130
    4. 255, 255
  4. Color Adjustment. Blend Mode: Soft Light, 25%:
    1. Blue: + 13, – 12, + 12, + 6
    2. Grey: + 60, -12, + 37, + 6
  5. Color Fill:
    1. Color: #aa6381 ( Mostly desaturated dark pink)
    2. Blend Mode: Soft Light, 45%
  6. Color Fill 2:
    1. Color: #ddad85 (very soft orange)
    2. Blend Mode: Color, 10%
  7. Grandient Map. Blend Mode: Exclusion, 10%. With colors:
    1. #5f531e (olive tone), position: 20%
    2. #e3e3ac (very soft yellow), position: 83%
    3. #cccc99 (slightly desaturated yellow), position: 93%
  8. Curves. Opacity: 75% With Points:
    1. RGB: 27,35 / 123,125 / 182,188 / 243,238
    2. Green: 0,0 / 118,120 / 169,175 / 255,255
    3. Blue: 0,0 / 187,190 / 232,241 / 255,255

Vintage photo effect in Photoshop

Photoshop Tutorial

Today I’ll show you how to create an easy vintage effect. Remember to use non-destructive adjustment layers so that your photo stayed in tact and you can add another photo to recreate the effect.

Step 1: Adding Adjustment layers on Photo.

  1. Black-White. The values for this photo are: Red: 34, Yellow: 57, Green: 77, Cyan: 206, Blue: -116, Magenta: 263.
  2. Hue/Saturation: set it on colorize and the values for Hue: 35, Saturation: 20 and Lightness: -11. Set the blend mode to Soft light.
  3. Curves: give the photo more contrast with the curve. Play with it until it looks good for you.

Step 2: Second layer as border.

Create a new layer (transparent) and take your brush. I used a brush set that makes it look like paintbrushes. The opacity of every stroke is different. Make sure you don’t paint away to mush of the subject, stay in the border . Set the blend mode of this layer to Overlay.

Step 3: Adding texture.

The texture I chose for this effect are film grain and dust. The textures are black with white dust and grain. I used two textures, the blend mode for the two textures are Screen and set the opacity for the first one around 65-70% and for the second around 80%.

And you’re done!

Other example:

Tintype effect in Photoshop

Geen categorie

Let’s recreate a tintype photograph in Photoshop. This effect works best on portraits, as I have discovered myself. Tintype photography saw it’s peak between the 1860s and 1870s and a lesser use in the 20th century. Today it’s a novelty and fine art form. I’m using Photoshop CC 2019. Remember to use adjustment layers so your photo stays in tact and can be replaced by another photo.

Step 1: Adjustment layers: Gradient map.

The colors for the gradient map are: 1f1c17 to a49e91

Step 2: Curves adjustment layer.

Add a new adjustment layer for curves under the gradient map. This is so that only the photo changes. The values are different for each photo. Make sure that you increase the contrast and make it darker overall.

Step 3: Add texture.

For this I’m using a old paper texture. Put the texture under the adjustment layers and above the photo. Set the blend mode to Soft light. This will lighter the photo and give it a nice texture.

Step 4: Finishing touches.

The photo is looking pretty good so far. Now let us bring back some contrast. Create a new layer and set it to Soft light for blend mode and fill it with a 50% grey. Now you can paint with black and white on this layer. White will lighten and black will darken.