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Photoshop tutorial

How to Create This Stipple Effect

Turn a photo into a hand-drawn looking stipple illustration using Stippld. You prepare the contrast in Photoshop, generate the dot render in Stippld, then build a separate line outline back in Photoshop and stack the two together.

  • 4 steps
  • Stippld
How to Create This Stipple Effect

Setup

Document

Photoshop document: 3600px x 4500px, 300dpi, 8-bit.

Document

Settings

  • Size 3600 px x 4500 px
  • Resolution 300 dpi
  • Bit depth 8-bit

Step 1

Levels and Inner Shadow

Mask out your subject. Use the Levels adjustment to reduce the white point and bring out more midtones.

Then apply an Inner Shadow Layer Style.

Levels and Inner Shadow
UI — Levels
UI — Levels
UI — Inner Shadow
UI — Inner Shadow

Levels

  • Channel RGB
  • Input Levels 10 / 2.09 / 255
  • Output Levels 0 / 204

Inner Shadow

  • Blend Mode Normal (black)
  • Opacity 100%
  • Angle -124
  • Use Global Light Off
  • Distance 0 px
  • Choke 0%
  • Size 49 px
  • Contour Linear
  • Anti-aliased Off
  • Noise 0%

Step 2

Stipple in Stippld

Export as a .png or .jpg then bring the image into Stippld. Choose the Black on White color mode and use these settings.

Save using Save Transparent.

Stipple in Stippld
UI — Stippld Controls
UI — Stippld Controls

Stippld Controls

  • Resolution 100%
  • Color mode Black on White
  • Number of Dots 9150
  • Spacing Uniformity 25
  • Dot Radius 12.00
  • Dot Variance 5
  • Dot Density 0.36

Step 3

Build the Outline

Back in Photoshop, duplicate your original image. Set the Fill Opacity to 0%. Apply more Inner Shadows to create this outline.

You can use a White Color Fill to fade the stroke in certain areas.

Apply a Threshold adjustment at the top.

Build the Outline
UI — Inner Shadow 1
UI — Inner Shadow 1
UI — Inner Shadow 2
UI — Inner Shadow 2
UI — Inner Shadow 3
UI — Inner Shadow 3
UI — Layers
UI — Layers

Inner Shadow 1

  • Blend Mode Normal (black)
  • Opacity 84%
  • Angle -117
  • Use Global Light Off
  • Distance 0 px
  • Choke 2%
  • Size 81 px

Inner Shadow 2

  • Blend Mode Normal (black)
  • Opacity 100%
  • Angle -117
  • Use Global Light Off
  • Distance 0 px
  • Choke 0%
  • Size 38 px

Inner Shadow 3

  • Blend Mode Vivid Light (black)
  • Opacity 100%
  • Angle -124
  • Use Global Light Off
  • Distance 32 px
  • Choke 0%
  • Size 79 px

Layer stack (OUTLINE THRESH group)

  • Threshold 1 Adjustment layer at the top
  • Color Fill 2 White fill, masked to fade the stroke
  • Group 1 > Layer 1 copy 2 Duplicate of the original, Fill Opacity 0%
  • Effects Inner Shadow x 3
  • Color Fill 1 copy White fill at the bottom

Step 4

Combine

Bring your stippled image back into Photoshop and place it on top of the outline you just created.

Combine

Finish

Result

Done. Tip: add paper textures and printer grain for a more natural look.

Result

Get the plugin used in this tutorial

  • Stippld

    Stippld

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