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Create a Mixed Media Masterpiece – Psd Plus Tutorial

Aug 26th in News by Mark Mayers

We have another Psd Plus tutorial exclusively available to Plus members today. If you want to take your photo hand crafted textures into Photoshop and create a high-quality mixed media illustrations, then we have an exciting tutorial for you. Learn more at the jump!

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Author: Mark Mayers

Hi everyone! I’m an illustrator and print designer from Cornwall in the UK. I’ve been using Photoshop since version 3. I also contribute tutorials for some of the worlds leading creative publications. Head over to my website where you can see more of my work.

This Plus Tutorial is Filled with Creative Tips

Photoshop cannot replicate the spontaneity of a paint splash or an ink splatter; and you won't find a happy accident tool – well not yet anyway! In the first part of this tutorial you'll be encouraged to step away from your screen, then get down and dirty to create your own textures.

Once digitized, you'll combine these real-world scans with some stock images to create an edgy feel that Photoshop alone would be hard-pressed to achieve. We'll also briefly touch on how Illustrator's paths can be utilized to make a cool Custom Shape library.

I've included all the texture files in the download, but why not have a go at making your own – that way you'll inject individual flair into your work – as well as have fun!

Plus members can Log in and Download! If you're not a member, you can of course join today! Below is the final image we'll be creating in this tutorial.

Precise and Detailed Instructions Inside

Plus members can Log in and Download! Otherwise, Join Now! Below are some sample images from this tutorial.

Preparation
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PSD Plus Membership

As you know, we run a premium membership system here called 'Plus' that costs $9 a month (or $22 for 3 months!) which gives members access to the Source files for tutorials as well as periodic extra tutorials, like this one! You'll also get access to Net Plus and Vector Plus, too. If you're a Plus member, you can log in and download the tutorial. If you're not a member, you can of course join today!

Also, don't forget to subscribe to the Psdtuts+ RSS Feed to stay up to date with the latest Photoshop tutorials and articles.


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User Comments

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  1. PG

    shaw August 26th

    Sweet, this looks quality. Thanks =)

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    Melody August 26th

    Whoa, very cool…unexpected that you used actual mediums instead of carbon copies of brushes around the web…

    Nice!

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      Sammo August 26th

      I personally think that makes a real illustrator differ from the usual people who just grab photoshop brushes and ‘click click click.’

      Taking the time out to make your own designs, stencil your own shapes, make your own paint platters etc make the art piece unique, and of course a one off.

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        Dullface August 26th

        Agreed.

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        Kritique August 26th

        Artists have been painting for ages. Scanning in a painting in your .psd automatically gives it more credibility.

        I was hoping or an animated multimedia piece with music for something mixed media. Envato should make an uber tutorial on how to make a complete multimedia masterpiece (portfolio). Music, Graphic Design, Animation, Rich Media, 3-D and photography. Everything by the artist from scratch.

        I believe that to really stand out in this industry you can’t just be good at Photoshop.

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        Dave August 26th

        Yes, indeed… but kritique, I think that you can be extremely successful if you are insanely good at Photoshop.

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        Simon August 26th

        @Dave: You’re right, but successful and good are not the same thing.

        I mean, isn’t there some rule that you only become truly appreciated as an artist after you died? See: Van Gogh.

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        Dave August 26th

        @simon: sure, that may be the rule, but you can still be appreciated when alive… but yes, appreciation usually increases with death — unfortunately for all of us. lol

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        Kritique August 27th

        @Dave: This tutorial could’ve totally been done on canvas. The program did all the grunt work. I’d like to see an insanely good photoshop guy that sucks at illustration and photography be a successful artist.

        @Simon: Van Gogh was a post-impressionist that paved the way for artists in the 20th century. His influence on art was worth more than his paintings and his legacy transcended his death. He didn’t just die and his paintings all of a sudden got expensive. There are millions of artists that die and never get appreciated.

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    iseethings August 26th

    @melody your cute! but u also need to update your url, it doesn’t work

    ( Reply )
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      Melody August 26th

      Whooops! Major typo..ahhh I hate when that happens, but thanks hun!

      ( Reply )
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    Alvaro August 26th

    awesome! you gave me a couple of great ideas! thumbs up for this one!

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    Margaret August 26th

    OK well I’m definitely gonna have to run through this one when I get home.
    I’m moving to a new apartment and this seems a great way to create some neat artwork to fill up some wall space. ^_^

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    John Deere August 26th

    wow, finally a tutorial that makes the $9 worth it

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    Aerodynamic August 26th

    Outcome doesn’t wow me but I’m sure the techniques are invaluable.

    ( Reply )
  8. PG

    Gekuba August 26th

    Popular method. But illustration is magnificent.

    ( Reply )
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    matthew booth August 26th

    Man that is rad and the possibilities for other compositions based on your design are very apparent. I think I will purchase a plus membership so I can see all of what you have. I have a friend who paints on physical media and I definitely see the benefit in learning to physically draw and paint to enhance digital art.

    Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

    ( Reply )
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    Dave August 26th

    This looks nice… good colors. i was unimpressed as a plus tutorial until i realized that everything was done from scratch–which adds a new level of dimension to the overall piece.

    anyone else noticed that everything this guy writes is a plus tutorial? ha

    ( Reply )
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      Ahmad Elabbar August 26th

      Well yeah … he is mark mayer’s and is only capable of righting 5 star tuts ^^
      Hes written so much of Advanced Photoshop magazine’s tutorials so he is an icon in the tutorial arena .

      ( Reply )
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      Matthew Booth August 27th

      Hey Dave, instead of being negative on tutorials that people spent many hours on why don’t you create one for us all to us to improve our skills? You seem to leave a lot of negative feedback or insulting comments. Try being supportive of the community you are trying to be a part of instead of tearing it down.

      In the least, people like myself who create tutorials but who aren’t on the level of Mark appreciate constructive criticism, not out right insults.

      ( Reply )
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      Dave August 27th

      I wasn’t being insulting… I said it looks nice (first) and that it had many levels of dimension (second). I then made a joke that Mark Mayers only writes plus tutorials. Where is the insult?

      ( Reply )
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    Marc-Olivier August 27th

    You do not have any idea how I LOVE you guys for putting this online, such an unique and refreshing tutorial, so glad I bought my 1 year sub right now!

    ( Reply )
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    ReKieM August 27th

    wow awesome tutorial ! thank you for this article :)

    ( Reply )
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    BW August 27th

    This is gorgeous. Really well done.

    ( Reply )
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    gar August 28th

    handmade is bestmade!

    ( Reply )
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    Shlomit August 28th

    Hi
    I didn’t try it yet
    but finaly I can say that the HTML file and the PSD file looks ok to follow it
    I think all the tutorials need to be like that(step by step with the psd and html files must be suitable)
    I will try it and let you know if it’s worked ok like it seems to be
    Thanks so much for sharing it with us

    ( Reply )
  16. PG

    g3niuz August 28th

    wow…

    great piece;D

    ( Reply )
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    istya August 29th

    Tutorial looks great! However, I’m sad to see that even on a Photoshop specific site the myth of computer-based art not being ‘real art’ still prevails. I even saw a comment about physical media giving Photoshop art ‘credibility’. Art is art, the tools you use to make that art have nothing to do with anything, and no medium is any more ‘credible’ than another.

    ( Reply )
  18. PG

    Clippingimages September 1st

    It looks a lot of work … Any way thanks for the post :)

    ( Reply )
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    Ribsy September 4th

    This is rad…i’m so stoked to see actual hands on analog work being added in to the tutorials. It brings it all back to the actual art that is sometimes lost in computer programs. Big props for the tutorial. One of my favorites.

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    Stieve Hansen September 11th

    gona try this as soon as possible probably tomorow since now its really late

    ( Reply )
  21. PG

    Todd October 1st

    That is really really lovely

    Thanks for inspiring !

    ( Reply )
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    Wouter Hoogstra October 31st

    Awesome work, amazing to see the quality of your own ’splatter’ designs. One of the reasons to become a member (finally).

    ( Reply )
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