Comic Pop Art

This tutorial shows you how to turn your photograph into a Roy Lichenstein-style image.

Above is the original and final image.

The photograph I used in this tutorial can be found here:

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.celebritydesktopwallpapers.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Hayden-Panettiere-009-1600x1200.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.celebritydesktopwallpapers.com/celebrity-wallpapers/hayden-panettiere-portrait/&usg=__JxDtKJwpZnxYnTIojCGXODSPmqE=&h=1200&w=1600&sz=398&hl=en&start=44&zoom=1&tbnid=SPJmE7dzJze_pM:&tbnh=130&tbnw=173&ei=7wIJTsqgDIWUOrjA9LoN&prev=/search%3Fq%3Dcelebrity%2Bfemale%2Bportrait%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26biw%3D1366%26bih%3D677%26tbm%3Disch&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=1066&vpy=114&dur=460&hovh=194&hovw=259&tx=156&ty=152&page=3&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:5,s:44&biw=1366&bih=677

 STEP 1

Begin by duplicating your image (ctrl + J).

STEP 2

Change the levels of your image. To do this, go to image>adjustments>levels. Improve the levels of the image – the values I used can be seen above.

The difference in image can be seen above, with the original image on the left, and new image on the right.

STEP 3

We want to give an aged affect – in order to do this, we will apply a grain. To do this, go to filters>artistic>film grain. For this image I used: Grain – 6, highlight area – 2, Intensity – 6. If using a different image, experiment with these values to suit your image.

STEP 4

Duplicate this layer (ctrl + J), and rename it HALFTONE. To rename your layer, double-click the layer name.

STEP 5

Now, we will add the dots, giving a comic book-feel to the image. To do this, go to filter>pixelate>color halftone.

Change the max radius to 8, leaving all the other values as their defaults. Then set the layer style to darken.

STEP 6

To make it more cartoony, we want to make the colour of the image more vibrant. We will start with the eyes...

Start by creating a new layer – to do this use the new layer button at the bottom of the layers menu (shown above). Rename this layer EYES.

Click the colour selector box (shown by a red box at the bottom left of the image above), and choose a shade of green (as her eyes are green). You don’t want the colour to be too bright, nor too dark. Choose a middle shade. Then click ok.

Click the brush tool. As you can see from the image above, I set the size to 63, keeping the mode on normal and opacity at 100%. I chose 63px as it is close to the size of her iris.

Click over both of her eyes, making sure you are quite accurate.

Change the layer style to hue, and opacity 70%.

STEP 7

Now we want to change the hair.

Create another new layer using the new layer button, and rename it as HAIR.

Using the colour selector box again, choose a shade of yellow. Then click the brush tool. The settings will have remained the same as last time – the size of brush can be changed in order to fit the area. Try to be quite neat along the lines of her face.

Change the layer style to multiply ,with an opacity of 100%. Edges can be tidied up using the rubber tool.

STEP 8

Now we want to change the lips.

Create another new layer using the new layer button, and rename it as LIPS.

Using the colour selector box again, choose a shade of red. Then click the brush tool. I find it is best to use a small brush size for this, as it will give the most accurate finish.

NOTE: zooming in to this area will allow you to be more accurate in your painting.

Change the layer style to soft light,with an opacity of 75%. Again, edges can be tidied up using the rubber tool.

That is the image completed.