This is a new addition to the PSDTUTS PLUS section. Learn all about how to assemble a collage in Photoshop and give it a unique retro feel. Numerous details are covered in this tutorial and a comprehensive workflow is explained. After completing this tutorial, you can discover your own vintage sources to create collages with. Learn all about it at the jump!
New PLUS Tutorial – Recycle Vintage Images to Create a Photoshop Collage
Jan 28th in News by Mark MayersNew Exclusive PLUS Tutorial on Creating a Retro Collage
Sometimes Photoshop illustrations can seem too sterile, slick and mechanical – so in this tutorial I’ve taken inspiration from the works of Eduardo Recife and Jorge Restrepo to show you how to assemble a collage that has a distinct retro, worn quality.
The key to this style of illustration is to start collecting your own source imagery. Vintage, copyright-free magazines can be picked up for next-to-nothing in second hand bookstores and junk shops. Most of the images for this tutorial are from my own collection and can be found in the "source" folder. This tutorial will hopefully make you think beyond your computer, whilst at the same time, re-discover some of Photoshop’s fundamental tools.
Members can Log in and Download! If you're not a member, you can of course join today! You can view the final image design below.
This is a Detailed and Professional Tutorial
This tutorial walks you through every detail in using vintage images both found and stock to create a retro style collage in Photoshop. Members can Log in and Download! Otherwise, Join Now! Below are some sample images from the tutorial


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User Comments
( ADD YOURS )Mr. Bojangles January 28th
Yawn…Yet another collage tutorial, I think everyone out there gets the idea by now.
Does this have all the cliche aspects? lets see!
1.) Vintage? YES
2.) Collage? YES
3.) Random images thrown into the center? YES
( )bb.l January 28th
first
( )Peter January 28th
wish i was plus member!
( )love how this tutorial looks…
DKumar M. January 28th
Nice Tutorial Mark…. outcome is really amazing!!
Thanks For sharing!!
( )Saro January 28th
Cool collage!
( )gustotech January 28th
excellent work!!!!!!
( )Misael Arroyo January 28th
Glad to be a Plus member once again.
( )kudosgiver January 28th
collage is nice, worthy of being a plus tutorial? no.
( )Eric Shafer January 28th
Yeah, I agree with Kudosgiver, the result looks nice, but there isn’t much that stands out to make it a PLUS tutorial. Looks kinda similar to a few different tutorials already on here.
( )insic January 28th
awesome work! Good to those in plus
( )Tadd January 28th
Sadly I agree with kudosgiver and Shafer. Not exactly the quality you’d expect a plus tutorial to have … I have a plus membership and I have to say I’m getting disappointed.
But, I’ll stick it out and wait for more!
( )vectorss January 28th
very nice stil. awesome work!
( )aMs January 28th
colors are very nice, but yeh it’s not plus worthy
( )aMs January 28th
and again – this isn’t visible in plus tutorials after logging in…
( )Josh January 28th
This is why I dont’ bother joining as a plus member :O
( )Jake SS January 28th
Is somebody handing out free moaning pills? Bloody hell, that’s all I ever read around here these days.
( )myows January 28th
i like vintage style. I believe it’s still a good trend !
( )Ad January 28th
same as “aMs”, not visible in plus tutorials.
( )Simon Potter January 28th
Not seeing this in the plus member list…i’ll keep waiting
( )Timothy January 28th
Thanks for the tut. Much appreciated
( )Davy January 28th
Glad I waited to buy a plus-account. Now I don’t want one anymore..
( )MiroARRR January 28th
nicely done
( )Mr. Carlsen January 28th
I’m plus member and I really think you should make it up to download at the same time as you post this post.
( )Shade January 28th
…Seriously? This is not plus worth, i’m a plus member and now i’m starting to think i shouldn’t be.
I’ll give you guys another week to turn the quality back around, then i’m canceling.
( )Ad January 28th
Still not up in the plus section…
( )Alex Beltechi January 28th
The tutorial’s not in the plus area. Sorry to be poking around, but I’m dying to download this
Looks awesome, and “plusworthy”.
( )tucchus johnson January 28th
i find it funny to see all the people who posted here to say “nice tutorial” and happen to have a link in their name to their site, when the tutorial isn’t even online!!!
anyways joining the plus section is worth it regardless of if you think some are worthy or not, especially if you read the other tuts sites like jeffrey’s “Diving Into” video series which are fantastic.
( )Gotti January 28th
It’s plusworthy, don’t know why everybody is complaining.
PSDTUTS is the best tutorial site on the net.
( )Tony January 28th
nice, but you have to give me something to actually spend money on
( )Mr. Smith January 28th
Does this tutorial mention ways to scan in vintage stuff from mags with decent quality or tips to get a smoother image rather than a bunch of printer dots/halftone/moire, etc.? I have a few methods, but they’re kind of time consuming and the results aren’t as great as I’d like. Also, if anybody has any additional methods outside this tutorial, or links, I’d really appreciate it!
( )Mr. Carlsen January 28th
So when do you actually plan to make the tutorial downloadable? Hopefully before my subscription expire.
( )Robert January 28th
I’m sorry mate, but that actually isn’t very professional at all. First of all it looks to brushy – a agency, atleast none of those I know of, would have used it only for that reason.
Also I see tons of shape layers – which also isn’t very appreciated and I’m sorry once again to say that i was a pretty poor outcome for being a plus membership. Now.. I think that being professional isn’t only about the outcome, but also how printer friendly etc it is. F.e did you use CMYK? Haven’t checked the tutorial out yet…
( )Robert January 28th
Would NOT**** have used it, only for that reason..
( )KB January 28th
When, where can I download?
I’ve paid. I’ve logged-in. But now download. A let down.
( )Graham January 28th
Great Tutorial thanks!
( )Alan January 28th
yo great tutorial. but seriously when r we gonna get some of the technical designs all i see is vintage and grunge tutorials , and i agree this isnt worthy of being a plus tutorial
( )Robert Stenbom January 29th
I’m seriously sorry for my previous comments, I were pretty angry at the time
It actually looks decent, maybe not plus worthy but it’s really decent!
( )omarterrones January 29th
great!!
Thank you, im just wondering when can i start to download it??
( )Have a great day everybody!!!
theDavidHumes January 29th
I really get irritated when you annouce a plusTut and don’t have it immediately available for download. Am I missing the trick to seeing the file? Please advise.
( )Rich January 29th
So why is it that I cant seem to find this tutorial to download? This is some poor site management.
( )Mike January 29th
Looks pretty cool, big fan of this style.
( )james January 29th
why is there a dinosaur head? don’t see any relation to it.
( )therealpanse January 30th
Are there going to be other kinds of tutorials in the future?
It’s always the same s**t… importing/dl’ing some pics, arranging position/colors, a few layer masks and filters and here we go. Another vintage collage.
( )Only 9$/month and you get an a**load of vintage collages.
I’m getting sick & tired of this crap. nothing gets you to a higher level.
You can’t be serious
jonathan January 30th
ah this is brilliant i have to create a 50’s themed website and this tutorial has put me on the right direction – the tuts family rule
( )Diggydogg January 30th
Looks nice, but I dont like that vintage style.
( )minisite design January 30th
totally awesome! PSDTuts is the best Photoshop tutorials I ever seen on the net!
( )Isis January 30th
I love vintage!
I wanna be membership. Some outcomes are better than others, but that’s normal.
And…Why there was no atualizations in the last two days?
( )Pradeep CD January 30th
Vintage designs are awesome.
( )Val January 31st
Hey, Thanks, I like this tut!
( )Mojo February 1st
Bringing back the old school…I like it!
( )Sam February 1st
Just wandered here from a link, and gotta say, y’all really shot yourselves in the foot as far as attracting a new customer. In the first place, with more free stuff available on the web than anyone has time to look for, you’d better be a dramatic cut above to expect paid subscribers. From the look of this, you aren’t. Plus, failing to put the thing online for those who already are paying… well, that’s just beyond the pale. Totally unprofessional and a complete screwup. Not only have you annoyed your existing customers– you will never know how many potential ones you have scared away. Better offer something very catnippy for awhile to regain lost interest.
( )Sam 2 February 2nd
Not the SAM from above, but he does have a good point. Things are free all over the net, but knowing that this tut is right here, right now, I would def give a $9 fee for it. For me right now though, it is worth the $9 fee than to search the web. I actually want to get a subscription, but now I am just concerned that the file is not up, does anyone know if it available now? Is this a one time mess up or a common scenario?
( )VaKtang| PsyFAst February 2nd
да не плохо молодая королева=)
( )Ignacio G. February 3rd
Like everybody here says, this is not WOW, its just a vintage collage, like in school time cutting images from magazines (good idea!).
I have the plus account, and I learn how this guy use HUGE space of work, that was interesting, I always use 1200×1000px (web size).
It was interesting, it could be good learning more about this, I mean, things related to the size of designs.
Thanks!
( )nineandthreequarters February 5th
thanks for the tutorial
( )Boca Raton Website Design February 5th
SWEET!
( )strony internetowe February 11th
Great yob. Greetings from Poland.
( )