In this tutorial, I will show you how to create a retro-style design or vintage collage style. We will use images from old ads, handwritten texts, patterns, and other things to give to our design a vintage look.
There are excellent designers that we can consider masters on this subject. One of them, in particular, is a Brazilian named Eduardo Recife. His work is fantastic and it's totally worth checking his Web site out.
Step 1
The first thing to do is plan your design so you will have to have an idea of what you want to show with your image. It's best to draw some concepts—it's faster to do some sketches than to go straight to the computer (even though I am a terrible drawer)!
Step 2
With some drawings and ideas in mind, it's time to go to the computer. Go to Photoshop and create a new document. Set the size to 600 x 800 pixels.
Step 3
Find some old paper. I used a Creative Commons–licensed image from Flickr. That's going to be our background. Open the image in Photoshop and copy it to your design document. Resize it and change the opacity to 60%. Just make sure that your background is white.
Step 4
Choose the Rounded Rectangle Tool (U) and create a rounded rectangle with a dark yellow color like I did.
Step 5
Create a Layer Mask (Layer>Layer Mask>Reveal All). After that, select the Brush Tool. Set the color to black and use some brushes to erase parts of the yellow rectangle. I used brushes from the "Grunge Brushes by Ardcor" and "BB Watercolor II" packs.
Step 6
Next, I found a Creative Commons–licensed image of a flying saucer from Flickr. In my UFO file, I just selected the spaceship, then cut and pasted it in my design. After that, using the Pencil Tool with brush size of 2 pixels, just draw some lines like I did.
Step 7
Next I'll search for vintage ads. You can use Flickr, searching for Creative Commons–licensed photos, or stock photography sites like iStockphoto. Once I found my image, I cut the lady out using the Magnetic Lasso Tool (L) and pasted her into my design.
Step 8
Convert the lady's layer to Smart Objects and apply a Smart Sharpen. If you are using the CS2 or lower version, just apply the filter.
Step 9
Next you'll need an image of handwritten text. You can either make one yourself and scan it or search for one as described above. Once you find a good one, just copy it to your design. Make sure that the image has a white background, then just change the Blend Mode to Multiply.
Next we can add some vectors. I used some from a free Go Media Vector pack that you can get here.
Step 10
Now using the Pen Tool (P), create three triangles as shown below. For my design, that will give the idea of abduction.
Step 11
After you have the three black shapes, change the Layer Styles.
- In Advanced Blending, set the Fill Opacity to 0%
- In Color Overlay, choose a pink for the color and set the Blend Mode to Color Burn
- Using those brushes again, repeat the Step 5 and erase some parts of the shapes to make them look very old
Step 12
To give it more of that vintage look, you can add some patterns to your image. You can find lots of patterns on stock sites. One site that's really cool is http://www.missjo.com.au/. They sell amazing vector patterns for a very good price. You can create your own pattern as shown below.
Step 13
Now you can add more elements. I added a city skyline, and using some brushes I deleted some parts of it like in Step 5.
Step 14
Again, add more elements of your choice. I added a plane to my design.
- Extract just the plane from the image and paste it in the design,
- Rotate the plane so it looks like it's going up 309º. Try to hold Shift while you are rotating it.
- Using the Rectangle Tool, choose white and create a rectangle. Rotate it to 309º, the same as the plane.
- Duplicate the white rectangle, change the color to a dark grey, and flip it vertically (Edit>Transform>Flip Vertical).
- Create Layer Masks to refine the edges of the both rectangles in order to give a perspective.
Step 15
Repeat step 14 two more times and that's it. You will have three airplanes.
Conclusion
Now you can add your logo and some more information. Even though it looks like we just throw elements together, this vintage collage style requires a lot of work to be executed well. I hope you enjoyed this tutorial, and I look forward to seeing some of your designs!
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User Comments
( ADD YOURS )stevi3 January 27th
this is awesome. i love the high quality tutorials on here. thanks!
( )b00b January 27th
Holy crap, excellent tut with a great result.
( )mmolai January 27th
Yay! step 5, fun tutorial
( )Brandon January 27th
Wow! I LOVE the tutorials here and after searching other sites, I long for the high quality designs and in-depth tutorials!
Keep doing what you’re doing
( )Eric S January 27th
FIRST
And might I say, beautiful Fabio. I love your work!
( )Dav the barbarian January 27th
Hmmm, i really love the tuts here but this is definatly not one of the best. No offence i hope.
( )thebeat January 27th
wow this is amazing, thank you!
( )Mohammed January 27th
Thanks for sharing the techniques, don’t you think round corners doesn’t fit in here?!
( )Jeii January 27th
Hoho, nice !!!!
( )I really love this style
zakir January 27th
Excellent! this is something one should be sharing. I love this site for it high quality tutorial
( )Kortnee January 27th
Oh! Spiffy! Going to try this one before bed.
( )Ignacio January 27th
This isn’t awesome, but, I like it.
( )Shane January 27th
Once again, a fantastic tutorial. Many thanks for your hard work!
( )giackop January 27th
Fabio you are great!!!!
( )Constantin Potorac January 27th
Nice. :p
( )Ike January 28th
Neat tutorial!
( )duda January 28th
nice tut
( )thanks for you
Markus January 28th
OMG! Better and better! :b Thanks for sharing!?
( )bintek January 28th
very nice tut. will find it useful on some projects
( )Mark Abucayon January 28th
wow another great tut… I like it very much- Thank you for sharing this one.
( )Homer Simpson January 28th
Hi people. A normal tutorial. But your blog is a great one.
( )I saw this picture on your flickr grup http://www.flickr.com/photos/loswl/2225069318/in/pool-613394@N22
I want to learn how to creat this effect.
Thx:)
andreic January 28th
i was looking for a tutorial like this for long time.
( )thanks a bunch
Tagy January 29th
I LOVE Vintage style.
( )Thank u so much Fabio,u’re brilliant!
Jonathan Solichin January 29th
cool, I never knew about the refine edges thing. Thanks for another tutorial
( )Ines January 29th
I really love this one!!! Great!
( )Sean Hodge January 30th
Nice Tutorial. Its really fun. My sketches look about the same most of the time unless I spend lots and lots of time on them. Most of the time though its just getting the basic layout down on paper so you don’t loose the mental image. Or to work out some basic composition concepts. I’ll come back to this on the weekend to do this tutorial. Looks good. Thanks.
( )solito January 30th
Nice, the tutorials on here are awesone. Thanks for the tutorial..
Greetings
( )Jason Milburn January 31st
I just discovered this site. I’m liking it. Keep up the good work.
( )Mike January 31st
Nice tut. Some good tips.
( )BogDinamita February 1st
that’s awesome man, i just did one myself following the tut. it’s great stuff
( )Mr_LeE February 2nd
tutorial was good, but not my style thanks
( )Lucas Fogolin February 4th
Very cool design, il really like the abduzeedo’s things…
oh, by the way, you’re great Fabio. I love your blog.
Someone know how can I send an e-mail to PSDTuts? I can’t find any link…
if anyone know how to do it please send-me an e-mail at gavani.design@gmail.com .
See you,
Fogolin
( )Metathione February 6th
great post. i liked it…
( )Phil February 14th
Really great tutorial. It’s posts like this that helped bring digital into a community and an art form all its own.
( )JONxBLAZE February 20th
What a great tutorial..thanks for posting this!
( )ozz February 25th
Wow.that’s pretty cool..!!
( )Andres E Quintero February 27th
Que estilo tan cool, buenisimo
( )Gelyn Montanino February 29th
This helped me so much!
( )Hopsa March 14th
Holy smoke! That’s fantastic! inspiring work Fabio, thanks a bunch
( )datelus April 6th
Indeed. Tutorials here are awesome and really high quality. Thank you.
( )Lauren May 11th
Umm… did you just show us how to steal a pattern that http://www.missjo.com.au is selling for $6?
( )Clarissa Miranda May 28th
Amazing tut!
( )Thanks for sharing it, helped a lot!
curtidas June 2nd
Great and very easy!
( )merope August 1st
hey i am a photoshop dummy and i experienced a little diffuculty following your steps could you publish a more detailed tutor?
( )i messed it up with layers
cherryflux October 24th
Me too! I am having trouble with the pattern overlay in step 12. I am doing these tuts to learn more about Photoshop and I got the Plus but with this one all that downloaded was the final image…?
( )I think I am following the step 12 directions but I don’t see my pattern no matter what. I would like to see the layers. Anyone who writes these needs to include that.
What am I doing wrong in step 12? I see the pattern I defined in the drop down list and set everthing the way it is in the Tut. Where should this layer be? Help! So far what I did looks really cool.
Raj August 23rd
easy to follow
really nice tutorial. Thanx Again!
( )mightee*mouse August 28th
Like everyone else said – great fun and great result. Thanks
( )insic August 30th
this is my inspiration
( )vishnu September 20th
i am design student i know little bit photoshop after the reading of this tutorial
( )i am very much confident in photoshop ,plz publish these type of tutorials its very useful
for students
Thax a lot
BAHONESE October 25th
this is great!
( )Amanda Goodys December 9th
oh myyyyy LANTA this tutorial wassssss beautiFUL uhg i’ve learned so much and never been helped so much its insane in the membrain hahhh well thank you so freckin much love ya:D
( )Steve B. December 9th
This tut is almost as cool as me!!! Truly, i loveee graphic design… its is auh-mazing. But my bff says i spend too much time on PSDTUTS.. i told him to get involved. Bye Bye! >3 you alll=-]
( )jenna campisi December 9th
omg this is the graetest tutorial in the world i was just chillaxing one day and like this came on the computer and i read it and it is the graetest
( )Steve B. December 11th
yo i was chill at my boys house and we were on the computer hitin up the chicks and my boy was like look at this sick wedsite and he showed me this website and i took this tut and i was that is sick stuffffffff so i went back to hitin up the chicks but i came back later to finish what i started
good news i saw a dog today
( )Alice December 13th
Great tut. Here is my result: http://www.flickr.com/photos/alicebluebonnet/3104057084/
( )cherryflux October 24th
Nice job!
( )soh wen yan February 5th
i think it is so cute ,nice and beautiful for all the designs
( )Rafaela February 12th
Fabulous!
( )Rita February 13th
I can’t wait to try this. Thanks so much.
( )Clam February 25th
This was very helpful thank you you made my day:)
( )oyster February 25th
Like Clam I Think This is amazing You Truly are a genous and thank you for passing your gifts on to us
( )vv May 7th
Eduardo Recife…what a master of art!
( )Does anyone know is the video on his site ‘Assume the Position’ from a recent HBO series?
emanuela June 15th
beautiful!! thanks a lot!!!
( )Ang June 17th
Thanks, This was great! So many possibilities!
( )Daniella June 22nd
Oh,for the guys who say it’s bad..’cmon!! It’s great!!
( )I really liikeee this tutorial,a very good job..keep doing!
.W :) August 14th
Really nice :O very clear and ‘easy’, easy to follow.. tutorials
( )thnxxx (L)
Elsa Rottjers September 13th
its so cool
( )