This time we'll create a simple vexel image from a picture. Also, we'll use some pattern effects to give the image some interesting texture. This is a basic way to create a vexel image using predominately Photoshop's vector based tools. After completing this tutorial, you'll become a master of the Pen Tool.
Final Image Preview
Before we get started, let's take a look at the image we'll be creating. Click the screenshot below to view the full-size image. As always, the layered Photoshop file is available via our PSDTUTS Plus membership.
Step 1
Get started by creating a new document 768px by 1024px and paste this image in. Delete the background layer. Then add a new white Solid Color Fill Layer.
Step 2
Now the few things you'll need is the Pen Tool and a lot of patience. Select the Pen Tool, and set this Foreground Color as #FFE400. This is not really important because you'll change the colors later. Create some points over the yellow stripes. After you have created a shape, select Add To Shape Area in the Pen options. Then continue drawing. This way you'll get a complex shape in one layer. Name this layer "BGLines."
Hide the picture layer for a moment. You'll get something like image 3 below. Finally, put the picture layer above the "BGLines" layer, and show it. Remember this step, because you must put the picture layer above the others as many times as you need.
Step 3
Now use a white foreground, and draw the shirt contour. Create a new layer named "Shirt." Don't worry about the green stripes right now. Once you have finish all the shirt shape, hide the picture layer. View the result. Then put the "Shirt" layer above the "BGLines," and remember to put the "picture" layer above all the other layers every time you draw a shape.
Step 4
Draw the arms and the hands. I draw each one on a different layer, but you can draw both arms in a single layer. Maybe the most difficult object to draw is the human hand. Check the fingernails; I used almost a 90º curved angle there. Finally place the "hands" and "arms" layers above the "Shirt" layer.
Step 5
Draw the pants shape, use a blue foreground color (#002352). Place the "Jeans" layer above the "BGLines" layer.
Step 6
Using the same foreground color as the hands, draw the face and head shape. Place the "Head" layer below the "Shirt" layer.
Step 7
Now draw the brunette hair (#7e4a22). Then place the new "Hair" layer above the "Head"layer.
Step 8
Now, for the sun glasses use a dark gray foreground color (#212121). Put the "Sunglasses" layer above both the "Head" and the "Hair" layers.
Step 9
At this point, we get the basic shape of the girl. Now it's time to add some details. First, add the green stripes. It's not difficult, and should take only about ten to fifteen minutes. Remember to select Add to Shape Area in the Pen Options. Then set a green foreground (#03b72d). Place the "Shirt lines" layer above the "Shirt" layer.
Step 10
Draw the lips (#E05328) and the upper lip (#A33B1E). Also, draw a little black nose hole. Put these three layers above the "Head" layer.
Step 11
Now we'll add the final details. Set the "picture" layer Opacity to 50%. This will give it a better look than the previous drawn shapes. Add the sunglasses crystal using a gray color (#404040), place the "Sunglasses Crystal" layer above the "Sunglasses" layer.
Step 12
This is an important step, we'll add some vector shadows to the skin to create a lightening illusion. For this there's no shape to follow. You must use your common sense. A good way to do it is looking at the dark areas of the skin create a similar shape. Be sure to always use the Pen Tool for this. I used a dark orange color (#d29115). Place the "Skin Shadows" layer above the "Hands" layers.
Step 13
Draw some shadow shapes using a dark blue foreground. Then place the "Jeans shadow" layer above the "Jeans" layer.
Step 14
At this point you have a basic vexel of the girl's picture, you can add more details if you want to.
Step 15
Now you can customize the shapes using your imagination, I'll begin changing the colors as follows: Skin (#F8C769), Skin Shadow (#E7B148), Shirt stripes (#C50505), Background (#C50505), and Background stripes (#FFFFFF).
Step 16
Create a new Group of layers, name them "Girl." Add all the layers to the group except "BGLines" and "BG." Select the group and resize it.
Step 17
Select the "Sunglasses Crystal" layer. Then add a Gradient Overlay (#3D3D3D to #858585). First add Linear Light Overlay then a Pattern Overlay. I used the "Optical Checkerboard" pattern. Ensure that Link with Layer option is selected. Drag the pattern a little to get the result shown below.
Step 18
Select the "Jeans" layer. Then add a Gradient Overlay (#00345E - #025B87).
Step 19
Select the "BG" layer. Then add a Gradient Overlay that goes from red to dark red (#C70704 - #6A0000)..
Step 20
Add the same Overlay to the "Shirt lines" layer, but reverse the colors this time (#6A0000 - #C70704 ).
Step 21
Now select the "BGLines" layer, and add a Gradient Stroke style using these values.
Step 22
In "BGLines" layer add a Pattern Overlay using the same pattern as the sunglasses, but this time deselect the Link with layer option. Then click on Snap to Origin, this way you are fixing the pattern to the origin of the document.
Step 23
Add the same pattern style to the "Shirt" layer. Remember to deselect the Link to Layer option. As you can see below, it looks like only one layer style.
Conclusion
This technique is one of the most flexible, as a vector graphic can be resized without losing any quality. This can help you in printing your designs as well. Remember that your imagination is the only limit. Try vexeling other pictures and playing with the styles, or for Plus Members download the .PSD file, and add more details.
Related Posts
Keep reading with more great tutorials and articles!
Enjoy this Post?
We'd love your vote!
Plus Members
Source Files, Bonus Tutorials and
More for $9 a month for all TUTS+
sites in one subscription.
User Comments
( ADD YOURS )luka June 28th
this is a great tut i love your website, as usual very useful
( )Wouter June 28th
1st comment
Nice
( )MD June 28th
Amazing tut!
Thnx!
( )John June 28th
this is a simple tutorial that i might try. i never had the patience to vexel, but i think i would like to try.
good job!
( )Tim June 28th
Basic indeed. Thanks.
( )Andrew June 28th
Beautiful Result! Thanks for the inspiration!
( )macias June 28th
nice vexcel…but i think that’s it coluld be easier to work witch a lot of curves in Corel Draw or Illustrator.. ..for me
or maybe it’s a matter of habit….
( )Mark June 28th
Love the effect. Look forward to reading through it all
( )dubD June 28th
Nice tutorial.. Until step 16. : (
( )Ben Griffiths June 28th
This is great – people images are one of the hardest to get right IMO, and this makes it a whole lot simpler. Thanks!
( )Mike Schneider June 28th
nice tutorial…really interesting outcome. Much appreciated =D
( )BogDinamita June 28th
i love this kinda stuff. but hate the texture lol
( )MONSTER June 28th
Yikes.
( )Unimpressed June 28th
Uhhh?, I can trace an image and even beginners know how to use bezier path and layer property tools.
( )Tutorials should be vetted to include at least some nuggest of information that would be useful to at least a beginner.
Alot to like on this site- this tut and others like it should be culled. Sorry- if I didnt care I would remain silent.
Track 6 June 28th
Why isn’t this just a vector tutorial? The outcome looks exactly like a vector illustration, but has more limitations in its usage.
( )Nate June 28th
Uhh , looks ok I guess. You did say basic. On the up side there was some techniques used that are helpful.
( )Brad June 28th
The point and “upside” of most tutorials are the techniques, what is so hard to understand about that
( )Bogus June 28th
why the hell would you do this in Photoshop? The real world won’t let you do it in Photoshop because of its limitations. You are better off with Illustrator.
( )K3v June 28th
This illustration would be better to do in Illustration in my opinion, because you haven’t really used something that can’t be done with vectors. If you use Illustrator you’d end up with a scaleable image (vector); this illustration is a vexel based image which means it’s pixelated. But the use of the pen tool is pretty much the same and a very very important tool!
( )Lamin Barrow June 28th
Good tut. Thanks very much.
( )The Floating Frog June 28th
On first inspection I tend to agree with K3v, Illustrator (a vector package) is geared up perfectly to handle this exact type of Vexel imagery. From Illustrator you can import the paths and apply all the beautiful filters and effects we are all becoming better at. One thing this tutorial does highlight is the power of the pen tool, it’s very under used, and like what’s been mentioned already, it’s one of Photoshop’s most important tools. This is a good example of a Vexel image, described correctly as a simple example. Personally it’s not my cup of tea BUT I really admire the time and precision individuals put in to them as they extremely time comsuming. A good tutorial for all to try, but in my opinion, better done in Illustrator ***
( )tripdragon June 28th
I have nothing to say. eh. Yeah i’ll leave it like that.
( )Aнmєт June 28th
Like this illustrator
Nice
( )Bogus June 28th
I find that the only person who makes the most sense in the PSDtuts and Vectortuts is K3v. He is a real professional.
( )yes June 28th
What is WITH that texture? …
( )Qbrushes June 28th
Yeah i agree this should have been done in AI. but then again you couldn’t do some of those tool effects….
( )Danny June 28th
This is pretty cool!
( )harun June 28th
I love this website, but this has to be the…least good tut on here…
( )sad but tru=/
Andrei Constantin June 28th
very well done for a first vexel tut
( )Khaled June 28th
Well done …
( )Ed June 28th
Amazing tut, thanks for sharing!
( )ZaFaR June 28th
Beautiful Result! Thanks for the inspiration!
( )Joefrey Mahusay June 28th
Well done. keep in doing great works.
( )1984 June 28th
At the level of quality we have seen better …
( )D. Carreira June 28th
Nice! Final result is cool!
David Carreira
( )noOne June 28th
really great tut!
( )i tried it , an exact result.
Seenfe June 28th
I find the following sentence in the description misleading, “After completing this tutorial, you’ll become a master of the Pen Tool.”
I was hoping for a detailed explanation of how to lay down those points and curves, but all we get is “…draw…” instead.
Maybe I’ll give this another go after learning the very basics of the pen tool.
( )Frojo June 29th
Interesting. I usually would replace those layer styles with clipping masks but it will produce the same effect. I think the design would be more successful using a different pattern.
Does inspire me to use patterns in future vexels though.
( )locjan June 30th
great tutorial, thanks. you are rock
( )1978 June 30th
nice tutorial, but this is not “vexel”
( )be careful with the ‘new guys’ they can be confused (:
murali June 30th
wat a great idea u have really is amazing tutor thanks alod
( )dario July 1st
great!
( )http://www.dariobologna.com
shearyadi July 1st
Yup, this is a nice tut. These techniques can be applied for illustrator too, same steps same techniques
( )Braden Keith July 1st
Very nice my friend. The result looks great. Cant wait to try this.
( )Count July 1st
Great Job, very nice and clean tuts. I like it very much
( )KASHIF RAHUL July 2nd
Keep it up! Thanks dude…..
( )Dom July 5th
@Unimpressed – you said that “even beginners know how to use bezier path tools.” well, in that, you are wrong. I had no idea what the pen tool was even meant for, let alone how to use it, when I first started using photoshop a couple of months ago. It was only after reading several tutorials on the subject that I began to understand it, and even now I’m not exactly brilliant.
( )CyberWYX July 7th
Very nice!
( )Kovilen July 12th
Great tutorial, especially for beginners
( )Mansoor July 24th
Thanks for Posting.
( )Excellent Tut.
Booley August 19th
Jeez, some of the people here spouting negativity like “big deal, I use illustrator, this isn’t vexel, blah blah blah” should just save us all the hassle of having to read their drivel. This website is called PSDTUTS, meaning “Photoshop Tutorials”… Of course you negative people know that, you’re all experts with so much high-dollar work to do that you don’t have the time to come to a tutorial site and rip on people. Oh wait, you must have a bit too much time since that is exactly what you keep on doing. (I see the same names constantly being negative, give it a rest please.)
( )Paula August 26th
I agree with Booley…get a life! Some of us are not experts and come here to learn. I thought this tutorial was extremely helpful to a beginner (or intermediate) like myself. If you negative people already know it all, why come to a tutorial site at all? Why try to make the rest of us “lay” people feel stupid?
Thank you PSDTUTS for this outstanding tutorial! Much appreciated!
( )Nicole September 9th
There is absolutely no merit in being able to trace a photograph. It’s lazy, and it makes real artists look bad.
( )Seriously? September 20th
Well geez Nicole, I didn’t know that PHOTOSHOP was a program that REAL ARTISTS would be using anyway. I thought that was the purpose of Illustrator, so you’re in the wrong tutorial. And if you are a REAL artist, you’re in the wrong program. Loser.
( )vidya October 21st
thanks for sharing [:)]
( )vidya October 21st
simply great!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
( )arma9 March 7th
Gret tutz . Thanx
( )Saurabh Shah March 23rd
aahhh !!! This is really awesome … gonna try it soon …
( )HM April 1st
TOO HARD.
( )tonella September 27th
I liked very much ur work that I’ ve made something similar….
Thanks for inspired me
http://tonela.deviantart.com/art/Vexel-stripes-138423465
( )hugo December 10th
Thanks for this, it was really helpful despite the negativity in many of these comments. I enjoyed doing this.
( )mehmet December 19th
is there video tutorial of this tutorial ? I need it
thank you
( )