Create a Retro Pop Art in Photoshop

Preparation We will be using Keeley Hazell image again for this Retro Pop Art tutorial. Click here to download Keeley Hazell image. All rights of these resources belong to their respective owners. Step 1 – Understanding Pen Tool There are 2 types of path strokes, with and without Simulate Pressure. Set the Brush to 1pt and draw a straight path with Pen tool. Right-click on the path and select Stroke Path. Select Brush, uncheck Simulate Pressure and you will get a line like the top example. Select the Brush tool and open up Brushes palette located at top right of Options bar. Check on Shape Dynamics and enter the settings shown in the diagram. Close the palette once you are done. Set Brush size to 3pt and draw a straight path with Pen tool. Right-click on the path and select Stroke Path. But check on Simulate Pressure this time. You will get a line like the bottom example. Step 2 – Tracing the Figure Create a new document of size 750×550 pixels. Drag Keeley Hazell image in and create a new layer above and name it as Outline. Using the technique in Step 1, path the general outline with Pen tool. Set Brush to 1pt and stroke your path without Simulate Pressure. Draw the paths for hair and other details. Set Brush to 3pt and stroke these paths with Simulate Pressure. Step 3a – Painting Figure Create a new layer below Outline and name it as Skin. Set the foreground color to #E6B292. Using the Brush tool with a comfortable size (like 15-20pt), paint the skin as shown in the diagram. Step 3b – Painting Figure Create a new layer below Skin and name it as Hair. Set the foreground color to #795229 and paint the hair as shown in the diagram. Step 3c – Painting Figure Create a new layer above Skin and name it as Shirt. Set the foreground color to #9E5D18 and paint the shirt as shown in the diagram. Step 3d – Painting Figure Create a new layer above Shirt and name it as Face. Set the foreground color to #000000 and paint the eyes, eyebrows, ear and nose. Set the foreground color to #FFFFFF and paint the teeth then #EC6060 for the lips. Step 4a – Adding Halftone Effect Hide all the layers except for the original image of Keeley Hazell. Go to Image > Adjustments > Desaturate. Then Image > Adjustments > Threshold. Set the levels to 80 and hit OK. Step 4b – Adding Halftone Effect Go to Filter > Pixelate > Color Halftone. Set the Max Radius to 6 and Channel 1, 2, 3 and 4 to 0. You should get a nice black-white halftone effect like the one on the left. Step 4c – Adding Halftone Effect Select this halftone layer and arrange it to be the topmost layer on the panel. Set Blend Mode of this layer to Soft Light and Opacity to 50%. Unhide all the other layers under it. Step 5a – Adding Background Create a new layer below everything and name it as Background. Set the foreground color to #662855 and background color to #3B022D. Make a linear gradient across the screen diagonally. Step 5b – Adding Background Select the Custom Shape tool, click on Shape Layers and then choose Registration Target 2 from the preset list. Set the foreground color to #4953BD and draw a big burst like the one in the diagram. Set the opacity of this layer to 30%. Optional I have added another halftone effect to the background to complete the design. Hope you have enjoyed this tutorial and I wish you a Happy New Year! Click here to view the final image.