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Basic Tutorial: Create a Stylized Valentines Poster

Today we’re going to create a simple, stylized Valentines Day poster. This tutorial is specifically aimed at Photoshop beginners, yet shows how some really basic techniques and composition can lead to some really stylish results!

Have a great Valentine’s day everyone .

Final Image

Here is a preview of the image that we are going to be creating:

Step 1

Start by creating a document that’s 600X650px. Paste in your crumpled paper texture.

Step 2

Now apply a color overlay blending option to your texture background layer.

Color Overlay Settings:

Blend Mode: Normal
Color: ba0000
Opacity: 80%

Step 3

Now create a new layer called ‘highlight’.

Drag out a white to transparent radial gradient in the bottom-center of your canvas. Then change this layer’s blend mode to ‘overlay’.

Step 4

Now paste in your photo of a romantic couple. Cut out the couple using the pen tool:

Step 5

Now to give your poster a more stylized effect, apply a color overlay blending option to your couples layer:

Color Overlay Settings:

Blend Mode: Normal
Color: 000000
Opacity: 60%

Step 6

Now duplicate your couples layer.

Then go to edit>transform>flip vertical and move the flipped couple beneath your main couple.

Then go to filter>blur>gaussian blur and apply a 3.5px strength gaussian blur. Call this layer ‘couple shadow’.

Now reduce your shadow layer’s opacity to 50%.

Step 7

Now create a new layer beneath your couples layer called ‘line’. Use your path tool to create a bendy line stemming up from between your couple.

Now select a 1px black paintbrush (100% hardness). Select your path tool again, and right click on your path. Select ‘stroke path’ to create a bendy 1px line:

Step 8

Now download your heart splatter brush set.

Apply your brush as white, 197px.

If needed click several times for a bolder effect. Then if you’d like to make it slightly sharper go to filter>sharpen>sharpen.

Step 9

Now apply a white outer glow blending option to your heart layer:

Outer Glow Blending Option Settings:

Blend Mode: Overlay
Opacity: 100%
Color: ffffff
Spread: 0%
Size: 10px

Step 10

Now type out the word ‘LOVE’ on a new top layer.

Font Settings:

Font Face: DejaWeb
Color: ffffff
Size: 240pt
Kerning: -50

Then reduce this layer’s opacity to 20%, and change the blend mode to ‘overlay’.

And We’re Done!

You can view the final outcome below. I hope that you enjoyed this tutorial and would love to hear your feedback on the techniques and outcome.

Download Source File for this Tutorial

If you’re looking for more Valentine’s Day inspiration then check out these Valentines designs over at our sister site MyDesignDeals.

About the Author:

Tom is the founder of PSDFAN. He loves writing tutorials, learning more about design and interacting with the community. On a more interesting note he can also play guitar hero drunk with his teeth.

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