Design a Retro Styled Poster

Step 1

Create a new document (600x700px).

Paste in this great old paper texture. Call this layer 'paper texture'.

Step 2

Create a new layer called 'gray area'. Now use your rectangular marquee tool to create a box 10px in from the top, left, and right edges of your canvas, and 250px in from the bottom edge. Fill your selection with dark gray (252525).

Step 3

Reduce the opacity of your gray area layer to 90%.

Then download this great Splatter Brush Set.

We want to erase the edges of our gray area using this grungy brush set. To do this in a non-destructive way though, go to layer>layer mask>reveal all. Select one of your splatter brush set, black brush and erase the edges of your gray area.

Step 4

Apply a pattern overlay to your gray area layer. I downloaded great set of patterns from SquidFingers.com.

Reduce the patterns opacity to around 25% to give a subtle effect.

Step 5

Apply the sunburst over your gray area. Then go to layer>layer mask>reveal all. Apply a radial gradient ranging from transparent to black, to erase the edges of your sunburst.

Then reduce this layers opacity to 15%.

Step 6

To try and add a little extra to your sunburst effect go to edit>transform>warp and warp as demonstrated below:

Step 7

Download this photo of clouds and paste it over the top area of your gray area.

Then go to image>adjustments>desaturate. Use a large, soft eraser brush to erase the edges and bottom of your image, until you have a subtle cloud overlaying your gray area.

Step 8

Now download this photo of a mountain range.

Cut it out using your lasso selection tool, and then paste the mountain range over the bottom of your gray area.

Then use a large, soft eraser to erase the edges of your mountain range.

Step 9

Now apply a red color overlay blending option to your mountain layer. (Vivid Light – 15% opacity).

Finally, reduce your mountains layer opacity to 50%.

Step 10

I decide that my cloud layer is looking too faint, so I increase it's opacity to 30% and apply the same red color overlay effect (blend mode: vivid light, opacity: 10%).

Step 11

Now open a new document (100X500px). Create 4 vertical guides at 20, 40, 60 and 80px. Then fill each of the 5 available spaces with a different colored bar, creating a rainbow effect.

Step 12

Now return to your original poster and select/copy your paper texture layer. Paste it over your stripes in your other document, and change your paper textures blend mode to 'multiply'. This should give your stripes a nice texture.

Step 13

Paste your colorful lines image into your main document. It should automatically be pasted central in your canvas. Then select the very bottom of your colored bars and go to edit>distort>perspective.

Draw in the corners of your selection, to bring your colored bars to a fine point. This should create a cool center piece for your design.

Step 14

Now create a new layer called 'colored circles'. Create multiple circular selections, and fill each with a color-transparent linear gradient. Then change this layer's blend mode to 'overlay' and reduce the opacity to 40%.

Step 15

Paste in a photo over the top of one of your circular gradients.

Go to image>adjustments>desaturate to grayscale the photo.

Then reduce the opacity of this layer to approx 30% and use a large, soft eraser brush to erase it's edges.

Step 16

Add various other photos over your gray area and colored circles, each time desaturating the photo, reducing it's opacity and erasing it's edges:

Step 17

Add some text to the bottom half of your canvas:

Step 18

Now use your marquee selection tools to add some basic dividers between the lines of text:

Step 19

Finally, go to layer>add adjustment layer>gradient overlay and apply the gradient demonstrated below:

And We're Done!

I really hope that you enjoyed this tutorial and would love to hear your feedback!