How to Create a Stylized Portrait Made From Newspapers

How to Create a Stylized Portrait Made From Newspapers

Transform an ordinary portrait into striking artwork where newspaper clippings define every shadow and highlight. This technique combines precise selections with creative layering to create a unique collage effect that maintains the subject's recognizable features.

The process involves separating a stylized portrait into distinct tonal levels, then replacing each level with newspaper imagery that matches the original lighting structure.

Watch the Video

Video by PHLEARN. Any links or downloads mentioned by the creator are available only on YouTube

Practical Tips for Newspaper Portrait Effects

Master this collage technique with these focused workflow strategies.

  • Choose portraits with strong contrast and interesting facial features - subjects that naturally complement the newspaper aesthetic work best for this effect
  • Apply the Cutout filter after desaturating to create distinct tonal levels, adjusting the number of levels and edge simplicity based on your portrait's complexity
  • Uncheck Contiguous in the Magic Wand tool settings to select all matching tones throughout the image, not just connected areas
  • Create separate layer groups for each tonal level, then add layer masks based on your Magic Wand selections to control newspaper visibility
  • Use Command/Ctrl + I to invert newspaper layers for darker areas, and adjust levels to match the original tonal values of each selection

More Tutorials about Portrait Effects

Explore additional techniques for transforming portraits into artistic compositions.

Create a Newspaper Photo Effect and Custom Headline in Photoshop
This tutorial explores how to give any digital photograph the distinctive appearance of a newspaper image within Adobe Photoshop. It delves into the specific techniques required to transform a standard photo into a vintage-style print, complete with a custom headline. Viewers will learn the step-by-step process for converting a color or black-and-white photo into a halftone pattern, complete with a custom, editable headline, emphasizing non-destructive editing techniques for quick modifications
How to make a text poster of a portrait in Photoshop
One surprising technique in creating a text portrait poster involves generating a specific displacement map. The process requires saving a composite snapshot of the subject's head and shoulders as a separate file, then intentionally darkening its levels between 110 and 120. This approach allows for the dynamic integration of lyrics, prose, or poetry, transforming a simple portrait into a visually rich and thematic artwork. Watch the Full Tutorial Practical Tips for Text Portrait Design *
Create a cool text portrait in Photoshop
Learn how to create a striking typographic portrait poster in Adobe Photoshop, transforming a standard photo into an artwork where text defines the contours of the subject's face. You'll practice essential techniques: precise subject selection, background preparation, thoughtful text integration, and subtle refinements to enhance legibility and visual impact. Watch the Video Practical Tips for Text Portrait Posters in Photoshop * Desaturate your base image to black and white early in the p
Create a Striking Text Portrait Poster in Photoshop
Transforming an ordinary portrait into a captivating text-based artwork presents a unique creative challenge in Photoshop. Often, the frustration lies in making text appear to organically wrap around a subject's contours rather than just sitting flat over the image. Achieving this seamless integration, especially when dealing with complex shapes, can feel like navigating an intricate technical puzzle. This tutorial offers a clear pathway to mastering text portrait effects using advanced masking

Get tutorials & freebies delivered to you.

Subscribe to the Photoshop Roadmap newsletter, a weekly roundup of new tutorials, insights and quality downloads, trusted by 6500+ readers.

You might also like

How to Create Custom Keyboard Shortcuts in Photoshop

Many essential Photoshop functions surprisingly lack default keyboard shortcuts, forcing you to navigate through menus repeatedly for common tasks like creating smart objects or layer masks. Learning to create custom shortcuts transforms your workflow by giving you instant access to the tools you use most. This comprehensive guide walks you...

How to Convert a Portrait Photo into a Black and White Logo Design

Portrait photos can be transformed into bold, graphic logos with the right combination of filters and adjustments. This technique uses Gaussian blur and threshold adjustments to convert photographs into high-contrast black and white designs suitable for branding, badges, or stamps. The process involves subject isolation, smart filtering, and precise path...

How to Create Sharp Halftone Effects in Photoshop

Traditional halftone effects in print media created depth through visible dot patterns that gave images character and texture. While Photoshop's built-in Filter Gallery offers a quick halftone option, it produces blurry results that lack the crisp definition of professional halftone work. This technique uses the Color Halftone filter...

Create a Sci-Fi Hologram Effect in Photoshop

Transform ordinary portraits into futuristic holographic projections with this sci-fi effect technique. The process combines motion blur, gradient mapping, and scan line patterns to create the distinctive translucent appearance of holographic displays. This method keeps your subject vibrant and colorful while converting the background to black and white, emphasizing the...

How to Use Reference Images with Generative Fill in Photoshop

Generative Fill transforms when you replace text prompts with actual images. Instead of describing what you want, you show the AI exactly what to create using reference photos. This feature works for adding objects like toys and electronics, or swapping clothing items with precise visual control. The AI automatically matches...

Photoshop's Generative Fill Gets Major Upgrade: New Model Comparison and Quality Test

Adobe's latest Generative Fill update brings the new Firefly Fill and Expand model with double the resolution and dramatically improved quality for generating people, hands, and complex objects. The upgrade moves from 1024x1024 to 2048x2048 pixel output, allowing for larger selections without quality loss. This comprehensive comparison tests...

You’ve successfully subscribed to Photoshop Roadmap
Welcome back! You’ve successfully signed in.
Great! You’ve successfully signed up.
Success! Your email is updated.
Your link has expired
Success! Check your email for magic link to sign-in.