Oct 25
Design Watercolor Effect Menu
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.
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Update: Part 2 is ready
Please continue to read part 2 on how to code an Advanced CSS Menu.
Event: Future of Web Design Advanced CSS Menu
Comments
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There are 168 comments (+Add)
Pages: 17 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 … 1 » Show All
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168 Allan http://www.wordpress.com/allanp88/
January 23rd, 2010 at 11:04 am
Your web is very unique and authentic , very nice and basic. So I like it. I think ur prety girl, please sent me your photos….
Perhaps I like you too….he…he…he…
Are you maried?
But I give you suggestion please shrink download file with winzip so Every one can download fastly.
167 vincentdresses http://www.hibridal.com
January 5th, 2010 at 11:30 pm
The designs showed here show what simple and tasteful design is all about. Another one to consider
166 heizel http://www.beta-pix.com/
November 13th, 2009 at 5:21 am
very nice tutorial…..
i love it and your way of creating layout…
hahah.. i love the brushes you used…
keep on posting!
165 photo sharing http://www.pokkisam.com
October 31st, 2009 at 10:44 pm
Hmm… Well i like the creator
164 Mike http://www.comastore.com
October 31st, 2009 at 4:27 am
Nice skill. CM
163 Cyrus
September 21st, 2009 at 9:58 am
Great , Design Watercolor Effect Menu
Great article. CSS saved web design
Cyrus
Visit http://www.psdtoxhtmlcoder.com
162 bagsin http://handbagsurf.com
September 10th, 2009 at 7:36 pm
Great tutorial thanks, I love here
161 seo service mumbai http://www.kandivalizone.com
September 8th, 2009 at 2:35 am
Very nice tutorial . Thank you so much.
160 Jako http://fashionow.net
September 4th, 2009 at 9:42 pm
very good tutorial
thanks very much
159 cennetevi http://www.cennetevi.gen.tr
August 8th, 2009 at 5:48 am
these are awesome!
thanks for putting in the effort to get this list together