How to make a spot color poster in Adobe Photoshop.

How to make a spot color poster in Adobe Photoshop.

Get everyone talking about your next gig with this punk rock inspired poster.

  1. Step 1: Get the band together.

    To edit the photo, click the lock icon on the Background layer to unlock it. Hold down the Object Selection tool and select the Quick Selection tool. Trace inside the band members to select each one — press Alt (Windows) or Option (macOS) as you trace to exclude areas included by mistake. When you are finished with the selection, click the mask button at the bottom of the Layers panel.

  2. Step 2: Black in back.

    Click the Adjustment Layer button, choose Solid Color, and set it to black. Then drag the adjustment layer below the image layer.

     

  3. Step 3: Take it to black & white.

    Select the photo layer and apply a Black & White adjustment layer. Use the color sliders to fine-tune the effect.

    A Black & White adjustment layer has been applied to the image and the Reds are 76 and Blacks are 89.

  4. Step 4: Spot the color.

    Next, apply a Gradient Map adjustment layer. To change the gradient colors, click the gradient thumbnail and double-click the white color stop. For us, #f37bc7 is a pink that is perfect for our punk inspiration. Then click Reverse on the Properties panel.

    Band members have a pink spot color treatment, Gradient Editor has a pink-to-black gradient, Gradient Map is set to Reverse.

  5. Step 5: Bring back some details.

    Make sure the mask thumbnail is selected on the Gradient Map layer and select the Brush tool. Paint with a black brush over the areas where you want to hide the new color. Change the brush to white to add the color back as needed.

    Closeup on the guitarist’s face where the pink has been removed. Layers panel shows a mask on the Gradient Map layer.

  6. Step 6: Keep the layers separated.

    To make sure the adjustments only affect the photo layer below them, use shift-click to select both adjustment layers, then choose Create Clipping Mask from the flyout menu.

    Create Clipping Mask selected from the Layers menu and the Gradient Map and Black & White adjustments clipped to the photo.

  7. Step 7: Provide the who, what, and where.

    Use the Type tool to add the details about an upcoming show. Play with font sizes and colors to give your poster a DIY-inspired look. We liked Chantal from Adobe Fonts for this composition.

  8. Step 8: Cut it out.

    Click the mask thumbnail on the Color Fill layer and press Delete. Select the Polygonal Lasso tool and draw a rough outline around the band members for a cutout look. Then click the Mask button on the Layers panel to hide the areas outside the selection.

  9. Step 9: Make it smart.

    Prep the composition so you can apply filter effects. Add a Color Fill adjustment layer, set it to white, and drag it below the black Color Fill layer. Then select all of the layers and choose Convert to Smart Object from the flyout menu.

  10. Step 10: Add some grit.

    Select Filter > Filter Gallery and choose Grain from the Texture folder. Use the sliders to adjust the desired look.

    The Texture portion of the Filter Gallery shows Grain Intensity set to 21 and Contrast set to 41.

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