Photoshop tutorial
How to Make This Grunge Merch Graphic
Turn a full colour photo composite into a stippled band merch graphic. You export two tonal versions of the same artwork, run both through Stippld at different dot counts, then rebuild the image in Photoshop as stacked shadow, midtone and highlight passes. Textures and printer grain finish it off.
Setup
Document
Photoshop document: 16 in x 20 in, 300 dpi, 8-bit.
Settings
- Size 16 in x 20 in (4800 px x 6000 px)
- Resolution 300 dpi
- Color mode 8-bit
Step 1
Curves Export
Apply this Curves adjustment to your art composition to reduce the brightness of the white values.
Export using Export As, set the scale to 75% (3600px x 4500px).
Curves
- Curve shape Lifted shadows, compressed highlights (5 points)
- Export Export As, scale 75%
- Export size 3600 px x 4500 px
Step 2
Levels Export
Delete the Curves adjustment you just made and apply this Levels adjustment to your image.
Export using Export As, set the scale to 75% (3600px x 4500px).
Levels
- Input Black 68
- Input Gamma 1.00
- Input White 255
- Export Export As, scale 75%
- Export size 3600 px x 4500 px
Step 3
Stippld, First Image
Load the FIRST image you exported into Stippld and use these settings (can be adjusted based on your image.)
Save this image.
Stippld Controls
- Resolution 100%
- Mode White on Black
- Number of Dots 50000
- Spacing Uniformity 17
- Dot Radius 3.00
- Dot Variance 0.0
- Dot Density 1.00
Step 4
Stippld, Second Image
Load the SECOND image you exported into Stippld and use these settings (can be adjusted based on your image.)
Save this image.
Stippld Controls
- Resolution 100%
- Mode White on Black
- Number of Dots 12350
- Spacing Uniformity 17
- Dot Radius 3.00
- Dot Variance 0.0
- Dot Density 2.00
Step 5
Smart Object Filters
Back in Photoshop, duplicate your original image and convert to a Smart Object. Keep an unchanged copy of this for later. Duplicate the Smart Object again and apply these filters.
Levels
- Input Black 0
- Input Gamma 2.14
- Input White 255
- Output Black 0
- Output White 178
Gaussian Blur
- Radius 2.0 px
Camera Raw Filter (Grain)
- Grain 100
- Size 40
- Roughness 50
Hue/Saturation
- Hue 0
- Saturation -100
- Lightness 0
Step 6
Shadows Group
Layout your images as shown. Set the Blend Mode for ORIGINAL copy to Screen and Opacity to 93%.
Group these layers and merge the group into a single layer.
Layers
- Group name shadows
- Stack (top to bottom) Threshold 2, ORIGINAL copy, stipple-1, Color Fill 10
- ORIGINAL copy Blend Mode Screen
- ORIGINAL copy Opacity 93%
- Merged result shadows copy
Step 7
Colour the Shadows
Apply the Color Overlay Layer Style to the merged group layer using the Multiply Blend Mode.
Here is the color I used.
Color Overlay
- Blend Mode Multiply
- Opacity 100%
- Hex #828eb6
- HSB 226 / 29 / 71
- RGB 130 / 142 / 182
- Lab 59 / 3 / -23
- CMYK 53 / 41 / 11 / 0
Step 8
Stipple and Original Above the Shadows
Above the shadows layer you just created, place these layers. Use the first image from Stippld and a copy of the original image.
Apply the filters shown.
Levels (ORIGINAL copy 2)
- Input Black 0
- Input Gamma 1.15
- Input White 159
Hue/Saturation (ORIGINAL copy 2)
- Saturation -100
Gaussian Blur (stipple-1)
- Radius 0.5 px
Color Overlay (stipple-1)
- Blend Mode Multiply
- Opacity 100%
- Hex #808080
- HSB 0 / 0 / 50
- RGB 128 / 128 / 128
- Lab 53 / 0 / 0
- CMYK 52 / 43 / 43 / 8
Step 9
Midtones Group
Duplicate ORIGINAL copy 2, then place a Threshold Adjustment layer above that. Group all these layers.
Adjust the Levels of ORIGINAL copy 3, and add a Gaussian Blur. Use Blend If to remove the shadows and some of the midtones.
Set the Blend Mode of ORIGINAL copy 2 to Overlay.
Merge this group into a single layer.
Layers
- Group name midtones
- Stack (top to bottom) Threshold 1, ORIGINAL copy 3, ORIGINAL copy 2, stipple-1, Color Fill 8
- ORIGINAL copy 2 Blend Mode Overlay
- Merged result midtones copy
Blend If (ORIGINAL copy 3)
- Blend If Gray
- Current Layer 140 / 182 — 255
- Underlying Layer 0 — 255
Gaussian Blur (ORIGINAL copy 3)
- Radius 2.0 px
Levels (ORIGINAL copy 3)
- Input Black 0
- Input Gamma 1.00
- Input White 175
Step 10
Knock Out the Blacks and Colour the Midtones
Use the magic wand tool to delete the black values from this layer. Ensure Anti-alias and Contiguous are NOT checked before using the magic wand.
Then, apply the Inner Shadow and Color Overlay Layer Styles.
Magic Wand
- Anti-alias Off
- Contiguous Off
Inner Shadow
- Blend Mode Normal (light grey)
- Opacity 100%
- Angle 55
- Use Global Light Off
- Distance 2 px
- Choke 0%
- Size 0 px
- Contour Linear
- Anti-aliased Off
- Noise 0%
Color Overlay
- Blend Mode Normal
- Color Blue
- Opacity 100%
Step 11
Second Stipple Layer
Above the midtones layer you just created, place the SECOND image from Stippld.
Use the magic wand to delete the black values again, and apply a white Color Overlay.
Color Overlay
- Blend Mode Normal
- Color White
- Opacity 100%
Step 12
Type and Grunge
Add your text and other elements.
Then, add some grunge on top of everything. You can find some great grunge assets from Doron Supply, Texture Labs, or my Grunge Brushes.
Step 13
Textures and Printer Grain
Add your favorite textures and printer grain.
I used a custom texture paper texture set to Screen and "04" from my Printer Grain Texture Pack set to Soft Light and 50% opacity.
Texture Group
- Group name TEXTURE
- Top layer 04 (Printer Grain Texture Pack)
- 04 Blend Mode Soft Light
- 04 Opacity 50%
- 04 Smart Filter Hue/Saturation
- Bottom layer TEXTURE1 (custom paper texture)
- TEXTURE1 Blend Mode Screen
Finish
Result
Done. The assets used here are linked below.
Used in this tutorial
-
Stippld
Get StippldRegular price $40.00 USDRegular price$28.00 USDSale price $40.00 USD -
Printer Grain Texture Pack
Get Printer Grain Texture PackRegular price $12.00 USDRegular price$8.40 USDSale price $12.00 USD -
High Fidelity Grunge Brush Pack
Get High Fidelity Grunge Brush PackRegular price $12.00 USDRegular price$8.40 USDSale price $12.00 USD
