Author: James Qu

In this tutorial, I will show the steps I took to create this Grungy Style Artwork, Mixing with Great Lighting and Shattered Effect in Photoshop. This is an intermediate level tutorial and some steps can be tricky, but why not just have a try :)

In this tutorial, I will show you the steps I took to create this really great looking, space-themed “Unleash Your Creativity” Artwork in Photoshop. Have a try!

The point I would like to address in this tutorial is how we can achieve great lighting effect by simply mixing custom brushset and various Photoshop filters, plus we will be exploring different layer blending effects and the use of Pen Tool to create abstract lines. I will also show you how to quickly render realistic star field effect in Photoshop.

In this tutorial, I will show you the steps I took to create this really great-looking, abstract style text effect by using custom brushset (which we will be making one of our own) with dynamics, plus adding artistic effect with Photoshop filters. It’s a simple tutorial however the end result looks great, have a try!

In this tutorial, I will show you the steps I took to create this really awesome looking, dark flaming hell scene in Photoshop, inspired by the Dante’s Inferno game artworks. This tutorial is designed for intermediate to advance Photoshop users so some steps can be a bit tricky, but why not have a try!

Along the way, we will be using tons of layer blending techniques, filter effects, image adjustments, and various tools from the toolbox. You will learn how to combine those techniques into one and make awesome looking artwork in Photoshop.

In this post, I will show you 35 amazingly beautiful, ultra-creative Photo Manipulated wallpaper I collected and stored in my browser favourites. They’re some of the best ones I have come across and I have to say the skills used in making those wallpaper are simply first-class. Really Really good.

Hope you enjoy them and make your desktop a vibrant place :)

Please click on individual photo to download them from their original sources.

In this tutorial, I will show you the process I took to create this rather cute, unique Style “Play” Button in Photoshop. It’s a simple (aimed for PS beginners) but fun tutorial, have a try :)

The primary goal for this tut is to show you the functionalities behind the draw tools, selection tool and the use of layer blending options. I also added my own design ideas to make this play button a bit unique. Hope you enjoy it!

Time to offer my dear PSD Vault reader some freebies again! This time, I made a sparkling, watercolour-styled Hot Girl wallpaper to spice up your desktop and iPhone (if you have one) !

Recently I have been experimenting some filter effects and custom brush effects in Photoshop and this is what I came up with. I though perhaps mixing those two techniques would probably produce some nice effect, and I have fairly pleased with the result.

Any that’s enough talk, hope you enjoy this wallpaper!

In this tutorial, I will show you the steps I took to create this gloomy-looking text effect by using the amazing cloud filter in Photoshop. Have a try :)

The purpose of this tutorial is to show you the use of the cloud filter to create various effect, such as light and shadow, as a result bringing more depth to your text effect.

I personally love the cloud filter and I think it’s so versatile and you can use it to generate amazing effect and spice up your design. The trick is how you apply it and what other options do you use to combine it with (such as selection tools, other filter effects, or layer blending mode).

Welcome to another interview here on PSD Vault! This time we have Mhark De Guzman, an awesome graphic designer I came arcoss while browsing on Flickr. I was really amazed about the design of the works and the creativity behind them, not to mention the awesome effects in those works.

Hence I sought to have a chat with him about a series of questions I have in mind and sent him a Flickr mail – and thought I would share his answers to my questions with the reader of PSD Vault.

Hope you enjoy this interview and if you like to check out more of Mhark’s work, visist him on his Flickr page at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/32188606@N03/!

In this tutorial, I will show you how simple it is to create effective call-to-action button that will surely attract visitor’s attention, plus a super quick way to create this trendy Embossing text effect in Photoshop. Very easy tutorial, have a try!

For those who haven’t yet came across the idea of “Call-to-Action” button – basically they’re buttons that you would want all your users to click on when they land on your page. Usually they’ll be a link to a download, signup or sale. By making those buttons easy to easy and click on, you increase the likelyhood that user will notice the button, then follow up with relevant actions.

As for embossing text, they’re everywhere now on the web, and I personally quite like this particular effect :)

Recently I was invited by Andrew from My Ink Blog to write a guest post and here is what I came up with – A surreal, ancient Fantasy Scene made in Photoshop. (I personally always love fantasy style!) My Ink Blog is a site that always enjoy hopping onto and I’m really happy that I was given an opportunity to be a small part of it :)

In this tutorial, I will show you the steps I took to create this work. We will take several real world objects and seamlessly blend them together to form this artwork. We will also use a number of Photoshop brushes to spice up the effect. The techniquses involved in this tutorial include layer blending, image adjustments, filter effects, custom brush tools, adding layer mask, etc.

This is a 10 steps tutorial, very simple, yet the effect is good. Have a try!

Cloud Texture is always one of the most likable texture amongst the designers. I personally love them because I can use them for a wide range of occasions and add extra effect to the design. Last weekend we had a bit of storm here and I took some photos of the storm cloud, just before the rain came. Thought I would share them with you guys :)

In this texture pack, I bundled 4 High Resolution Storm Cloud Textures, free for personal or commercial use. Hopefully you will enjoy them and find them useful!

In this tutorial, I will show you the steps I took to create this Trasparent Text Effect, mixing with Fresh Grass Texture and Cloud Brushset. You can use the text effect in a wide range of occasions – such as website header background, part of a natural themed design, etc.

Along the way, I would like to show you my use of brushsets and the way I use them to draw background textures, then mixing the background texture with real-world object.

Some steps of this tutorial require the use of features available on CS4, but I guess there is always alternative way you can use, although the end effect may differ slightly.

Have a try :)

In this post, I will show you 5 Useful Little Photoshop Tricks to Bring Out That bit of Extra Elegance for Your Design.

In this tutorial, I will show you the design processes I used to make this Rather Interesting, Wavy and Curving Abstract Shape Effect in Photoshop.

I was just playing around with the Photoshop the other day and discovered this funny effect by accident, thought it looks good and perhaps can be added to some of the photo effect you’re creating, or use it as some sorts of website background.

Along the way, we will be using the brush tool, filter effects, layer blending and some image adjustments. The steps of this tutorial is extremely simple and will be suitable for a PS beginner. Have a try!

In this tutorial, I will show the processes involved in designing and creating this really cool, Geometric Shaped Typography with Grungy Background in Photoshop. This is a simple tutorial yet the effect looks awesome, have a try!

Along the way, I will also give you some tricks that you can use for creating awesome lighting and smoky effect to spice up your design.

The techniques involved in creating this typo include layer blending, filter effects, image adjustments and custom brushsets. Hope you enjoy it!

In this tutorial, I will show you the processes involved in creating this beautiful, fantasy-styled surreal ancient ruin and coastal island scenary in Photoshop. Hope you enjoy it!

Along the way, we will go through a variety of technqiues such as layer blending, image adjustments, a bit of matte painting skills and filter effects. This is an intermediate level tutorial so some steps can be a bit tricky.

Practices always make thing easier for the future, so go ahead and have a try :) Oh by the way, the server migration is now complete, everything should be back to normal now!

In this tutorial, I will show you how you can utilise the amazing power of image adjustment layers to make colour, contrast and lighting change for any chosen image in Photoshop, by walking you through the design process of this man jumping scene.

The reason I put up this basic tutorial is that lately I have receive some requests from people wishing to learn some techniques involved in using adjustment layers.

Along the way, not only I will be using image adjustment layers techniques, but also I will show you some skills I use to create break-apart effects, pen tool and layer blendings. Have a try!