This tutorial is inspired by Sheppard Fairey's famous political poster series for the Obama campaign in the US. We'll be showing you how to create this style of design. We'll start with basic image editing techniques in Photoshop to get our guide layers setup, and then we'll jump into Illustrator. You don't need any fancy equipment to do this. I used an older mouse that still has the rubber ball.
Editor's Note: Vectortuts does not endorse any particular political belief in the publishing of this tutorial. Rather, this tutorial is focused on demonstrating a workflow for creating this interesting aesthetic effect.
Final Image Preview
Before we get started, let's take a look at the image we'll be creating. Below is the completed illustration to see what you're working toward.
Color Palette
Here is the color palette we'll be using for this tutorial. There are four colors and a pattern. We'll be using a mix of beige and light blue colors.
Step 1
For this effect it is best to have a portrait style picture, preferably of a subject that appears to be thinking, or looking off into the distance. I used this photo from iStockphoto.
Step 2
Once you have your image, you need to Open it in Photoshop and Crop it appropriately. The top of the image should be cropped to the top of your subject's head, and the bottom should be a bit higher than chest height. The crop should have about a 2:1 ratio.
Step 3
Now we need to Posterize the image. Go to Image > Adjustments > Posterize. An appropriate posterization level for the look we are going for is 5.
Step 4
Now we're going to create our guide layers for use in Illustrator. Start by duplicating your posterized layer, and name this new layer "Pattern Guide." Then go to Image > Adjustments > Threshold. We're going to slide our Point until we get something similar to below. We want it fairly dark, but still with a small amount of detail. Also, when using Threshold, it is best to use the Peaks that you see.
Step 5
Save this newly created layer as "patternguide.psd," or something similar, as you'll need it for Illustrator.
Step 6
We need to repeat Step 4 and Step 5 three more times. Each time apply a lower threshold, and save each new layer. Below are the settings I used, again notice the peaks.
Step 7
Before we start to outline our layers, we need to create the horizontal blue line pattern. To do this create a new Illustrator document. Give it a Height and Width of 4px. Then create a rectangle filled with our light blue color (#4F919F), and cover the top half of the canvas.
Step 8
Cover the bottom half with a rectangle filled with beige. Then Select All (Ctrl+A), and drag this over to our Swatches Palette. Congratulations you've made a pattern!
Step 9
Now we have to save this Swatch Set so we can use it in our poster we're about to make. In the bottom left corner of our Swatches Window we'll select Save Swatches from the Swatches Library Menu. Name it anything you want, I used "pattern." You can now close this document, as we won't need it anymore.
Step 10
Now that we have our guides and pattern created, it is time to create a new document in Illustrator. I used a canvas size of 700px by 850px.
Step 11
We're going to start with our darkest guide layer, this will be our pattern layer. We're going to outline the layer using the Pen Tool. So to start we're going to go to File > Place and select our first guide layer into Illustrator. If you've been following verbatim, this file to place is called patternguide.psd.
Step 12
Let's stop for a moment and discuss the proper use of the Pen Tool in Illustrator. This is one area where Illustrator handedly trumps Photoshop, but only if you use it correctly.
For any curve you basically have three clicks; two are anchor points, and the other is your curve point. You place your curve point at the highest point of your curve. You place the anchors at where the curve starts and ends.
One click is all that is needed when you are creating a curve. You can then change the curve points to curves after you have done the entire shape. To convert them use the Direct Selection Tool (A) and click on the Convert Selected Anchor Points to Smooth icon.
>
Step 13
Before we can outline our first layer, we need to load our Pattern into the Swatches Library. To do this select Other Library from the Swatches Library Menu in the Swatches window. Then load the Swatches file you saved from Step 9.
Step 14
Okay, so back to outlining our first layer. Create a new layer below the file you just placed into Illustrator. This layer will hold our outline. We place it below because it is easier to see what we're outlining that way.
Now we grab our Pen Tool, give it a Stroke of None, and a Fill of our pattern. Then start outlining all the black areas with the Pen Tool. The key is to average it out, don't follow too closely to the guide layer. Just roughly outline, and don't worry about our curves, as we'll fix that after we create our outline. Note: This is the most tedious part of the process.
Step 15
You might have noticed that there are portions in the middle that are lighter that we just went right over with outlines. Well we're going to fix that by outlining those using the same process. Fill those with our beige color, as shown below. We'll do this on a new layer just above the pattern layer. After you've done that, you should have something similar to the following.
Step 16
Now we smooth out the shapes we just created. We want most of our points to be smooth, but I find it looks better if you leave a few the way they are. View the effect below from smoothing both the pattern and beige layer.
Note: I made this image out of order and the pattern was wrong, don't worry about the color difference.
Step 17
Now we just do this same thing for each layer. Roughly outlining it, then outlining the highlights with the color immediately below it, and then smoothing out our outlines. The next layer should have solid light blue, followed by red, and then finally our dark blue.
Step 18
Okay, you should have something like the following. The tedious part is over. Now to make it look like a poster. First we'll put a beige filled rectangle below all these layers, this will serve as our background.
Step 19
Now we'll need to put our red and light blue halves in. We're going to do this just above the beige rectangle layer. Use the Rectangle Tool to place the two rectangles.
Step 20
Our poster is looking pretty good. Let's create the space needed to add the inspiring text at the bottom. You'll probably have to enlarge your canvas area. To do this go to File > Document Setup. I added 300px onto mine.
Step 21
Now extend you beige rectangle so that it covers the new length of your canvas. Then create a new rectangle filled with our dark blue color. It should be a quarter the size of main subject.
Step 22
Time to add our inspiring word. We'll use light blue for the font color, and we want to change the text settings so that the word fills most of the dark blue rectangle. To change the spacing between the characters, use the Character Menu. This is available to us when we are using the Text Tool. I used the font Myriad Pro.
>
Step 23
Almost finished, we need to clean up our borders a little bit. First, select every layer, but your beige layer. Then create a Group (Ctrl+G). Then Vertically and Horizontally Align them to the artboard.
Step 24
Now we're going to clean up the edges of our poster. Cover the layers that we grouped in a rectangle of any color. Then use the Pathfinder Tool, and select Subtract Shape From Area.
Conclusion
Way to go, we're done! We managed to create a really awesome effect without needing a whole lot of artistic ability. We also learned how to efficiently use the Pen Tool, and a nice way to use Photoshop and Illustrator in tandem. This is my first tutorial, so I'm sure there will be questions. Feel free to ask in the comments, and I'll try and answer as quickly as I can. Thanks!
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User Comments
( ADD YOURS )Daniel June 26th
nice technique ! thanks for sharing.
( )macias June 26th
strong effect… i like it…
( )Mark June 26th
great effect. really like the finished image!
( )K3v June 26th
Lol, I pitched the same concept last week but they said they’re already working with someone who had the same idea.
( )Anayway, here was my result: http://kev89.deviantart.com/art/Obama-Obey-89186686
Htoo Tay Zar June 26th
Nice Effect!! Great Design!!
( )Grafiko June 26th
Great Tutorial!
( )Nate June 26th
Completely awesome effect! Thanks
( )Ben Griffiths June 26th
Thanks so much for this tutorial – I really hate using the pen tool, and this should make things a lot easier from now on!
( )Andrew June 26th
Really cool stuff! I love this tut!
( )Shane June 26th
another great example! I’m definitely going to be looking at illustrator more closely in future.
thanks for posting.
( )ottheinrich August 3rd
ok
( )Erika June 26th
Nice tutorial…. but…. that man’s name is spelled OBAMA. LOL.
( )Danny June 26th
I really like this technique
( )D. Carreira June 26th
Cool! The final result is good!
Thanks,
David Carreira
( )Zach June 26th
K3v,
Yours looks very good, in all actuality mine really should be smoother. I was working with such a large image and hadn’t acclimated myself to the larger format. I’m interested in how you would have done the tutorial though, regardless, looks really good.
( )Niall Doherty June 26th
Great tutorial.
Looking at the final image preview at the top of the post, I could have sworn a picture of David Beckham was the original image.
( )sc June 26th
both this tutorial and K3v’s obama poster are fantastic! i love this effect! learning it is a top priority for me. thanks.
( )Rohil June 26th
Great tut !
But isnt it Obama and not “Obahma” as written in the very 1st para….
( )Gilberto Saraiva June 26th
great result
( )kivoiam June 26th
fun geek fact – the font used on the real posters is ‘Gotham’
( )MD June 26th
Amazing!
( )Skellie June 26th
I really like the look of this one… and I don’t even do vectors
.
( )Rijalul Fikri June 26th
Should try this soon
( )Andrei Constantin June 26th
very nice, thanks a lot
( )Arun June 26th
Great tutorial! Been wondering how this was done ever since I saw the amazing original poster! Thanks for sharing the technique!
( )Tom June 27th
Great tutorial. I always struggle working out the shadows & highlights when doing this sort of thing. Using various thresholds to do this is a great technique. Thanks!
( )Joefrey Mahusay June 27th
Nice tut. Thanks for this.
( )Qvectors June 27th
neat effect. more tutorials like these please
( )Sean Hodge June 27th
Thx for the typo correction:)
( )MONSTER June 27th
I’ve been wanting to try this look. Thanks.
( )Anwar Vazquez June 27th
Wonderful and useful tutorial.. thanks for share it…
( )Esse June 27th
Great tutorial!
I am a bit surprised that you call this the “proper” way to use the pen tool. This is one way of using it, but it’s far from the most efficient way in my opinion. The best way would usually be to click and drag to create curved lines as you go, and not by converting to curves afterwards.
Anyway I think an alternative and maybe faster way would be to use the pencil tool. If you fiddle a bit with the settings for the tool, you can easily achieve the level of detail you want. And if you want some of the angles to be sharp, you can convert those at the end using the convert point tool (pen).
I think it was a great idea to use multiple layers with different threshold levels.
I also think you perhaps should have pointed out the importance of keeping or creating some details. Like for instance the three “creases” in the hairline, the eyes, the ears and the outline of the tie. These details are very important to get right as they create the illusion of sharpness in the overall picture.
Thanks!
( )Zach June 27th
Esse,
I agree with you, but on the pen tool, creating curves as you go is actually less efficient and just creates headaches, especially for inexperienced users. Using the anchor point method is also easier for those of us without a precise mouse or a tablet. Remember with these tutorials we’re trying to appeal to as broad as audience as possible, and with a little luck make everyone successful at achieving these techniques. You are right on the detail though, I should have emphasized that more.
( )K3v June 27th
When I’m drawing shapes I first try to determinate the best places to put the anchor points. Then by using the “shift, click ‘n’ drag” combination as much as I can, the lines will look smooth and natural immediately (unless you don’t drag them out or manually split the handles (alt-click handle + drag) which you should avoid to do unless you’d have to). This seems to work fine for me, but everyone has their own way of working, right?
( )kLAUSOP June 27th
wow, un tutorial muy bueno, gracias.
( )TomW June 29th
If you’re looking for ideas, I wouldn’t mind a tutorial on how to build something similar to the “Rock the Vote” poster by Shepard Fairey. (http://obeygiant.com/post/rock-the-vote)
( )Daniel June 29th
Great technique!
( )Thanks!
Kloche June 30th
Brilliant!
( )Braden Keith June 30th
From the man that always wondered,
( )Thanks.
Timmermann June 30th
Nice tutorial, thank you.
( )sibersonik July 2nd
thanks so much for this valuale sharing an tutorial,Please check my site and let me know your ideas what can ı do more with tHat http://www.sibersonik.com. Should I use more .Png for backround images? regards
( )steven July 2nd
tnx.. its good!!!
( )Zombie Repellent July 2nd
just think of all the revolutions that were just waiting to know how make a cool poster before they start.
( )The zombie apocolypse will have no cool posters like this.
RudyC July 3rd
Very nice.
I am not too adept at the pen and not sure exactly how to smooth but overall; I was able to recreate the poster not a problem. Good tutorial.
( )Santh July 3rd
Thanks for the tutorial, I made a cool Orwellian/Soviet style poster. I did it a slightly different way though, using the pen tool in Photoshop to make outlines of all the layers and then filling them with colour.
( )Thanks for the inspiration
Duncan July 5th
Anybody want to make a photoshop action script of this and email it to me? heh. cheers.
( )COOPER July 7th
youre not allowed to show that picture in the tutorial. Because people can just take screenshots of your tutorial to get the pic instead of buying it. That’s why iStockPhoto has a white x and their logo through the picture– so people can’t just screenshot to get it and they have to pay for it. nice tut anyway.
( )Goyo July 8th
Wow! I didnt like Illustrator, but with this kinda of tuturials Im starting to like it! Thank you so much! Keep with the great tuts!
( )Iggy Hammick July 8th
didnt realise david beckham was a politician!
( )jasper July 16th
Wow! nice technique…there is so much more to learn.
Thanx for sharing
( )belinha July 16th
Thank you!Great work,I’m allways eager to learn more!
( )Banana Jackson July 17th
I know almost nothing about Photoshop, but have used Illustrator on and off for various projects. This looked like a fun and interesting diversion, so I thought I’d give it a shot. I really had very low hopes that I’d be able to follow you through the Photoshop portion of it. Anyway… your tutorial was so well thought out and easy to follow that I was actually able to do it! Awesome!!! I learned so much, thank you.
( )Mark July 17th
Hey!
I was wondering if someone could help me…when I use the pen tool to go over my first layer with the colour of my pattern, it appears solid and covers my picture, rather than appearing transparent, as in your tutorial.
How can I rectify this?
( )microwaveb July 23rd
These are photoshopped. I can tell by some of the pixels and having seen quite a few shops in my time.
( )mohamed July 25th
gooooooooood but very long steps
( )nebod July 26th
This is absolutely awful. ALL YOU DO IS MAKE PHOTOSHOP AUTOMATE THE WORK. Look at his right nostril – no reference to ‘real’ reality for a start. The reason why this is not art is the automation and lack of feeling or inspiration. Who is this guy? Why is he the subject of a supposed ‘work of art’? why do i want to recreate this? Technique and tuition is good but this ghastly (digital) mundaneness is spreading into our lives.
/*i feel diluted*/
( )Master Davitch November 13th
I have to agree with nebod’s comments on this. This is possibly the laziest technique I have seen in a long time. I’ve been creating vectors for years and have seen A LOT BETTER!! I appreciate that this is a quick and easy way to learn how to create vectors and the tutorial steps are very good… but if people start out on the wrong foot using Illustrator, bad habits develop and the end result is sloppy, lazy and visually dull artwork.
( )kasperjames July 29th
ive wanted to learn how to do somethings like this for a while, but the presentation of the concepts and walkthroughs are cruddy. i cant handle the idea that some tutorial writters believe that everyone knows that the heck their talking about or cant communicate in a reasonable fashion. believe me even i cant communicate particualry vell. mohahaha. anyways KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK.
ksprjms
( )Laura August 3rd
Thanks for the tutorial! I’m new to both PhotoShop and AI (having used the Corel suite for ages and ages now) so I definitely learned some new things. However, I did modify the instructions based on some tips from K3V at Deviant Art (http://kev89.deviantart.com/art/Obama-Obey-89186686). It seemed easier to use the CutOut feature to get the guides for the different colors.
Again, excellent tutorial. Much appreciated!
( )px42 August 7th
100% propaganda, nice one
( )Ryan August 25th
If you have Illustrator CS2 or CS3, and don’t mind if your image is a little rough around the edges, you could just do a Live Trace and set it to 4 or 5 colors, then change your colors afterward. It’s not as smooth as this one looks, but if you’re lazy like me, it’ll save you 10 minutes.
( )micah September 2nd
I always like to see how other people use illustrator. Good process. Thanks!
( )Maryam September 18th
Great tutorial, i really liked it but i have a problem,it is silly but i’m very new to illustrator,in fact this is my first time i’m using it,i stucked in step 14,i don’t know how to use the pen tool i don’t even know where it is,=( can u plz help me…
thnx
( )Isabelle September 20th
WHERE IS PEN TOOL ?
i ccant find it on my photoshop?
can someone do this for me if i give them my picture?
( )uhg please im running for president at school and i really want to make this as my poster
Mike October 9th
Nice stuff… I made my own Obama-like poster before discovering this tutorial. Only used Photoshop though, since I don’t have Illustrator. Check it out: http://mpgonz.blogspot.com/2008/08/iconic.html
( )Les October 16th
Gee, an enormous amount of painstaking work you could have avoided by using a few different levels adjustments and selection skills in Photoshop. You have tortured the poor noobies who cannot even find their pen tool, nor choose between paths and shapes. Nice share, in any event, but I’d suggest more practice in Photoshop so you don’t have to work so hard or long.
( )Zac October 18th
Yep. Another thanks. I don’t have Illustrator, so I had to fake a bunch of stuff in Photoshop (including creating a graphic of the light-blue-and-beige stripes and using it as a layer).
My end result:
( )http://thejohnsonian.blogspot.com/2008/10/hoping-for-your-vote-in-november.html
honour chick October 19th
thanks… finally i can run for president
( )Nick October 21st
Nice tutorial with a nice result, but i doubt this is how shepard fairley actually does it.
( )mike October 22nd
I did a few of these using illustrator then touching up in photoshop. You can see them here:
http://www.zazzle.com/mike3488/gifts?cg=196713220233911052
( )Ariana October 23rd
Hey, thanks so much! I’ve never even used Photoshop before or Illustrator, but I pulled this one off pretty nicely thanks to this tutorial.
One thing that took me forever, though was getting the swatch pattern to save. It wouldn’t drag. Eventually I looked it up online and using the “Define Pattern” tool worked perfectly.
( )NetOperator Wibby October 24th
This is awesome! Haha, now I can make one of myself.
( )Reem October 31st
Hi, I don’t have Illustrator? Is there a way to this with only Photoshop? Thank you.
( )Erica November 2nd
i cant do it can someone help me out? i dont have illustrator soo im lost beyond words
( )obey November 4th
it’s really easy just to copy someone else’s work and present it as your own.
( )obeygiant.com/
z November 6th
great tutorial easy to follow with great results!
( )B November 7th
Very nice, could this be done without Illustrator? I don’t own that
( )Ben November 7th
you should rename the title of the tutorial, i’ve been searching for this for days now, and i ran into it by accident.. awesome work!!!!
( )jonathan November 13th
hi this is jonathan and im have a hard time doing this can u plz help me just contact me at my email ty…
( )SO November 13th
What versions of Photoshop and Illustrator did you use?
( )lol November 19th
haha, i thought that was david beckham too
( )nice tut
Reshad Karim November 20th
realllyyy awsum,,,very nicely explained,,,,,and thanks alott…
( )GelsKir November 28th
Hello, great work, i’m from germany and i dont understand the Tutor. Please, can some one help me to make a image like this, please!? I need just one!
M.
( )Germany
Amatatomba December 3rd
Didn’t quite use your method but I think I achieved a nice effect. But the tutorial was good, just wasn’t working right for me.
My result:
( )http://amatatomba.deviantart.com/art/Mordecai-Anielewicz-Courage-105369767
slacky December 4th
THIS IS PATHETIC. People. Use automatic bitmap to bezier curve tracer, such as famous Pete Selinger’s “potrace” included with open surce Illustrator competitor–Inkscape.
OMG, Ponies. I’ve just read all the comments and I conclude : commenting should be blocked.
( )dilly December 12th
darn it I don’t have Illustrator.. I don’t suppose it’s somehow translatable?
( )EchoMike December 20th
Thanks for the tutorial. It was exactly what I was looking for!
( )Jb December 20th
Thanks for this great tutorial.
( )I spent 5 hours working on this. Here is the result :
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jb-/3123164941/
Matteo G.P. Flora December 21st
If you’re REALLY a newbie in vector graphics, as I am, a good place to start is http://vectormagic.com
After that you can just play with palette…
( )John December 30th
How can you make this without having to use illustrator? or do you have the finished file i could download? i am stuck on step 8 when you have to save the swatch. Any help?
( )-Great Job
elearning January 3rd
Thanks alot for sharing this great tutorial.
( )Morell January 8th
Great Tut. A little long winded when you get to illustrator. I used auto trace on the pattern layers and saved about an hour or two. If you have completed the Photoshop steps propely autotrace should work better than doing it by hand.
( )Geeks tip: If you want to use the exact typeface (font) of the original ‘HOPE’ poster it’s called ‘Gotham’ follow this link:
http://www.typography.com/fonts/font_overview.php?productLineID=100008
and you can ‘test drive’ the font by typing whatever word you like. You can then drag off the word and trace it in Illustrator (or you could buy it).
Also look here for more inspiration: http://www.posterpage.ch/exhib/ex216oba/ex216oba.htm
Steven Gomez January 15th
Hey great tutorial, but I’m stuck on step 7. I’m using Photoshop and Illustrator CS3. I could really use some help, or if you could email me the Swatches Palette or or something. please email me stevenakajay@yahoo.com.
Thanks =)
( )MikeM January 16th
I always have found generating portraits like this is kind of difficult. I wish someone out there would develop a filter for illustrator that would render a face the same way as doing this by hand. Just to avoid the long tedious process. There are some automated tools out there but they just don’t seem to do it right.
-chicago website design
( )Herman January 21st
Nice tutorial!
( )Olaf January 23rd
I did something similar, though I didn’t follow this procedure, as I hadn’t seen it yet. For some dumb reason the phrase “Yes we carp” popped into my head while sitting traffic. Maybe someone on the radio said something about Obama posters. When I got home I played around in Photoshop and Illustrator and came up with the image you can see here:
( )http://www.zazzle.com/chinookdesign*/
(Sorry if the link offends. I’m not trying to sell via this post, I just haven’t put it up on my own site yet.)
I should have kept track of my method. Posterizing, definitely. Possibly something with thresholds. Some filter(s). The majority of the work was in Illustrator: lots of tedious pencil tool action. But the pencil tool is definitely better than the pen tool for this sort of thing. I didn’t bother with the blue/tan pattern, because the scales made it so much more busy than a face. I also didn’t make everything smooth and simplified because it would have stopped looking like a fish.
I did pick up some good tips in this tutorial and the comments, so thanks.
mush January 26th
There’s a website obamicon.me that does this automatically now, but I think this tutorial produces a much more accurate result. GREAT tutorial!
( )Jo Ellen Morris January 28th
I have had a lot of fun with this tut and I learned a lot. My problem is adding the red and light blue squares. When I put them above the beige and below all of the other layers, the beige is replaced with the red and blue colors. I cannot figure out how to retain the beige color where it replaces the white areas. I would appreciate some help.
( )Rodrigo January 29th
Great tutorial! Just done this one:
http://kajuru.deviantart.com/art/PEACE-109610367
( )Ian Edward February 1st
It is infinitely easier to use the pen tool in Photoshop ONCE to outline your subject and separate it from the background. Then, using threshold on duplicated layers of the isolated subject, you can save ONE .psd file with the 3+ different layers and import that into Illustrator. From this point, you can simply Live Trace each layer image, delete the white space, and then recolor and layer your vectors.
It looks much better, and you can bang out one of these posters in half an hour. If you think you’re not supposed to use automation and shortcuts (Live Trace, threshold, etc.) then I’m willing to trade a box of pens for your computer. You also shouldn’t complain about shortcuts on a Shepard Fairey knock-off tutorial. His work is 90% Live Trace and 10% Plagiarism.
There’s no need to posterize anything. Ever.
The description and instruction of how to use the pen tool is also jacked up. Aside from lacking any relevant or useful information, there’s this statement: “This is one area where Illustrator handedly trumps Photoshop, but only if you use it correctly.” Which is particularly troubling. PS and AI are two totally different programs with completely different aims. Why is an obvious Photoshop xenophobe posting a vector tutorial?
I hope no one is paid to post tutorials here. That would be tragic.
This tutorial shows the same technique (with different results) and is much, much better: http://www.gomediazine.com/tutorials/gigposter-design-the-new-sex/
( )Chanel February 4th
Thanks for the tutorial Zack! I found this tutorial to be very useful, especially since I haven’t really used illustrator very much. I ended up doing a couple of things differently and this is the result:
( )http://www.zazzle.com/join_the_revolution_tee_shirt-235370830952518500
You can mouseover it to get a better view.
John Adds February 5th
I thought this tutorial was neat, but some of the steps are really quite unnecessary (especially Posterize — the results are identical if you skip that step). I played around with it a bit and posted an unedited video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dLQGjbax2V8
This version eliminates most of the steps and the results are close to identical.
( )Luis February 8th
I’m confused with Step 14…can you make this a little bit more clear because I don’t understand how to repeat the step 3 times
( )Isabel February 11th
YEAH! Great! I will try to find a little time to make a Obama version of me
THANKS for the post! great!
( )MARTINO February 11th
http://flickr.com/photos/phrog8v8r/2198032687/sizes/l/
http://www.martinopapesso.com/courtneycummz.png
my result with gimp
and one italian tutorial:
http://gimperdongogo.blogspot.com/2009/02/obama-poster.html
( )MARTINO February 12th
Tony Robbins http://www.notmytribe.com/2008/barack-obama-unleash-the-power-within-84098.html (not my work)
( )MARTINO February 13th
http://obamiconme.pastemagazine.com/
( )Moe February 16th
HELP please!
( )hi. i have photoshop. but its not the same one like the one here. so itss reaally hard to follow this tutorial..
is there anyway i could get the same one u used here?
Robert McGuire February 17th
If anyone did make a really really good photoshop action that can be used for print quality, i’d be willing to pay a little bit for the Obama Photoshop Action script !
( )micah February 21st
this is really amazing! i cant believe this is your first. how long have u been photoshopping? and also can u do a tutrial on how to make a zombie effect?
( )Nicholas February 23rd
I’m using photoshop CS3 and i can’t figure out how to drag the striped pattern and drop it into the swatches. it keeps telling me i can’t
any advice?
( )Chenchun May 11th
I have the same problem as you did. Can anyone help?
( )John the BAMFist February 24th
Wow. Nice work, but alot of these responses are..well…idiotic.
#1 Who cares if it could have been done differently, the tut is just a presentation of techniques
#2 Quit wining about how you can’t follow a step by step tutorial and figure it out.
And if you don’t have Illustrator, get a trial version, or a key-gen disc. Damn. Its like Ps/Ai pre-school response day.
( )Stephen Burroughs March 2nd
Thanks for the tut. I ended up doing it in PS, as I’m more familiar with it. But I think the end result turned out just as well. Have a look.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/darkfiregt/3319836235/
( )Meedz April 7th
I love the technique, really, it’s awesome however I cannot seem to get it straight. It still doesn’t show any facial features when I’m done.. HELP!
( )PM April 16th
Zack,
I love your work. Can you please share your email address with me? I would like to contact you with regards to freelancing for a custom poster for me. Can pay through zazzle.com or other means.
( )bnonymous April 19th
need help, what is the command for cropping in adobe illustrator? =x noob here..
( )Question April 21st
I agree with Kesse, Nice tutorial BTW, could you please make an additional tutorial on how to do the ears / eyes / ties etc. Thanks for the tutorial great job! *thumbs up*
( )rb April 25th
this is crap! I HAVE SAT FOR HOURS trying to do the same thing. u need to be more specific with the pen tool. i get stuck on the first guide. wtf? im a novice ai and ps user. and this isnt spoonfed
( )Dood May 4th
I’ve got a way of doing this that is much, much easier. Will see about posting it.
( )Dominic May 20th
Thank you for the great tutorial, this was exactly what I was looking for…
here is my result: http://2-0-1-9.deviantart.com/art/The-Godfather-123111829
( )Tamixes May 27th
Great tut! When I cam across your tut last year in June this style wasn’t known as ‘The Obama Style’ was it? Check this out http://tinyurl.com/orwrh5
( )Sanya May 29th
I like the result, although streching the font was not a pro soéution.
( )Bear June 2nd
you are great tutor, two thumbs up!!!
( )proficient June 3rd
Its simple and great……I like and expect more like this..
( )krlosmassare June 17th
muuuy buen trabajo…
( )reno463 June 19th
wow its amazing…
( )lishoy george June 20th
i tried this…. it is fantastic….
( )Johnathan June 26th
Hmm a little too advanced for the kids in our school, but great details in the tutorial. I was orignally looking for a simple poster design tool and tutorial like the ones on http://www.artskills.com
( )Curt Anderson July 21st
This tutorial is really nice and very helpful.
I used this tutorial for some pointers and created the following image in Shepard Fairey’s Iconic style. Then I painted it in Gouache for a color and design course at the Academy of Art. I got an A!
http://www.urban-muse.com/site/Urban-Muse_Home_files/JavierUrbanjpg.jpg
( )DirtDevil July 28th
Very nice, but I did it with Angelina Jolie (with her picture, of course).
( )Looks very good. THX.
nikolai August 10th
Thank you for your effort..
( )Sean August 24th
Thanks for the tutorial!
( )I stink at illustrator and this makes me feel like a loser.
Ayesha September 8th
Completely breathtaking!
( )Edmond September 11th
A similar, more detailed result is also achievable if you do all the pattern steps then vectorize them and put them on top of each other
it also saves time
( )Edmond September 11th
P.s.
Great tutorial! Great walkthrough
( )clippingimages October 7th
Well explained tutorial. Nice final touch . thanks for sharing this nice tutorial.
( )Dang October 9th
tutorial is hard to follow for beginners. steps missing in between that a beginner cannot follow.
( )Carlo November 1st
Very nice, easy and fast technique.
( )Thanks
greg November 4th
nice tutorial. here is yet another perhaps simpler way to achieve the same effect: http://www.nineteenfortyone.com/2009/09/vector-dogs/
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