Email this post
Design Watercolor Effect Menu
One of the most gorgeous photoshop tutorials I’ve ever read. Visit the source for much more by this amazing designer.
This is a two-part tutorial on how to create an artistic and un-typical CSS list menu as seen on Web Designer Wall. In the first part (this article), I will show you how to design a watercolor effect menu in Photoshop. Then in next tutorial, I will show you how to slice the menu and code in CSS. If you need some inspiration on creating an artistic menu, visit our previous post on artistic websites. Ready? Let’s begin Part 1. (Update: Part 2 is ready - Advanced CSS Menu)
Preview
Here is a preview of the final image:
1. Notepaper stock image
First you need to find a notepaper stock image. You can buy stock photo from iStock or scan from a notepad.
Cutout the notepaper and apply 2px drop shadow effect.
2. Watercolor effects
Cmd + click on the notepaper layer to load the selection. Create a new Layer Group and click on the Add Layer Mask mini icon in the Layers palette. This way everything within the Layer Group will be masked.
Create a new layer. Choose a pink color (or any pastel color), select the Pencil tool, set the tool Opacity to 10%, brush size 100px, and drag around the document as you are doing a watercolor painting.
Repeat this step until you get multi layers of watercolor effects.
3. Add details
Find some coffee stain images, paste it in and set the layer blending mode to Multiply.
Dirty and splatter effect: download and use the splatter or watercolor Photoshop brushes from Bittbox.
Add some pencil sketch illustrations. You can either scan your marker sketches or use vector illustration.
Make a triangle selection in the corner, pick a grey color and apply a gradient to make the wrinkle effect.
4. Hand wrting text
If you don’t have any nice hand writing fonts, go to Dafont or Urban Fonts to download them. Create a new Layer Group and enter the navigation text.
Find a different font, enter the menu mouseover text.
5. Washout RSS icon
Use the Eraser tool, choose one of the splatter brushes, set tool Opacity to 10% and randomly erase the edge. Then paint some brown color overlay the icon to give the dirty effect.
6. Sketchy strokes
Sketchy or pencil strokes can be easily created in Adobe Illustrator. Draw a shape or path, open the Brushes palette, click on the charcoal brush and set the Stroke weight to 0.25pt.
7. Final
Here is my final image. If you want to spend more time on the details, you can add paper clips, tapes, post note, pencil sketches, etc.
If you liked this, You might also like:
ANDEAN LLAMAS~Beautiful Watercolor SIGNED Painting~Peru
US $32.00 (0 Bid)
End Date: Friday Aug-29-2008 16:27:33 PDT
Bid now | Buy it now | Add to watch list
ORI ART CHINESE WATERCOLOR PAINTING-RED PLUM
US $4.99 (0 Bid)
End Date: Friday Aug-29-2008 16:29:36 PDT
Bid now | Add to watch list
U.S. CRUISER NEW YORK BATTLESHIP WATERCOLOR PAINTING
US $10.00 (2 Bids)
End Date: Friday Aug-29-2008 16:31:33 PDT
Bid now | Add to watch list
WATERCOLOUR PAINTING BY ARTIST JOSE ALLY
US $2,707.32 (0 Bid)
End Date: Friday Aug-29-2008 16:38:01 PDT
Bid now | Buy it now | Add to watch list
ORI ART CHINESE WATERCOLOR PAINTING-BIRD THINKING
US $3.99 (1 Bid)
End Date: Friday Aug-29-2008 16:42:21 PDT
Bid now | Add to watch list
Print of Original Watercolor Painting, Art by OGERNOV
US $9.67 (9 Bids)
End Date: Friday Aug-29-2008 16:50:20 PDT
Bid now | Add to watch list
Rare Water color Painting Scotland Artist A .Anderson
US $19.99 (0 Bid)
End Date: Friday Aug-29-2008 16:53:22 PDT
Bid now | Add to watch list
Original Watercolor painting, Size 10x15 inches
US $10.00 (0 Bid)
End Date: Friday Aug-29-2008 16:54:00 PDT
Bid now | Add to watch list
PORTRAIT Painting in WATERCOLOR DVD $50. VALUE!!
US $28.00 (0 Bid)
End Date: Friday Aug-29-2008 16:54:58 PDT
Bid now | Add to watch list
17 ART BRUSHES SPATULAS PAINTING WATERCOLOR OIL ACRYLIC
US $9.99 (0 Bid)
End Date: Friday Aug-29-2008 16:56:02 PDT
Bid now | Buy it now | Add to watch list
Print of Original Watercolor Painting, Art by OGERNOV
US $10.17 (8 Bids)
End Date: Friday Aug-29-2008 16:56:53 PDT
Bid now | Add to watch list
17 ART BRUSHES SPATULAS PAINTING WATERCOLOR OIL ACRYLIC
US $9.99 (0 Bid)
End Date: Friday Aug-29-2008 17:05:13 PDT
Bid now | Buy it now | Add to watch list
ACEO Art Original Chinese Watercolor Painting KOI Fish
US $6.99 (0 Bid)
End Date: Friday Aug-29-2008 17:31:26 PDT
Bid now | Add to watch list
OLD WATERCOLOR LANDSCAPE PAINTING CHARLES R.LOOMIS N.J.
US $81.00 (8 Bids)
End Date: Friday Aug-29-2008 17:36:46 PDT
Bid now | Add to watch list
Original Watercolor Painting Signed 1940 Eastern Europe
US $19.99 (0 Bid)
End Date: Friday Aug-29-2008 17:39:51 PDT
Bid now | Add to watch list
2 Old 20thC Nautical Sailing Ship Watercolor Paintings
US $132.49 (21 Bids)
End Date: Friday Aug-29-2008 17:40:05 PDT
Bid now | Add to watch list
Oriental Asian Chinese watercolor painting Plum Blossom
US $4.99 (0 Bid)
End Date: Friday Aug-29-2008 17:42:44 PDT
Bid now | Add to watch list
Butterfly Fancy. Original Watercolor Pencil Painting.
US $9.99 (0 Bid)
End Date: Friday Aug-29-2008 17:45:01 PDT
Bid now | Add to watch list
Portland Headlight.Original Watercolor Painting.Art
US $15.95 (0 Bid)
End Date: Friday Aug-29-2008 17:47:05 PDT
Bid now | Add to watch list
ACEO Window Bouquet Watercolor Painting Cherylville
US $5.95 (0 Bid)
End Date: Friday Aug-29-2008 17:47:17 PDT
Bid now | Add to watch list
Leave a Reply