{"id":3271,"date":"2017-03-09T13:16:26","date_gmt":"2017-03-09T19:16:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.greenvelope.com\/blog\/?p=3271"},"modified":"2019-10-25T10:13:21","modified_gmt":"2019-10-25T16:13:21","slug":"how-to-create-letterpress-effect-photoshop","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenvelope.com\/blog\/how-to-create-letterpress-effect-photoshop","title":{"rendered":"How to Create a Letterpress Effect Digitally"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"How<\/p>\n

Letterpressing\u2014known for being both luxurious and timeless\u2014is having a moment. This printing option continues to grow in popularity (and it\u2019s easy to see why!) Traditionally, you see this technique a lot in paper invitations or stationery. But letterpressing isn\u2019t exclusive to paper\u2014with the right steps you can add a realistic letterpress effect to your digital designs in Photoshop. We\u2019ve listed some simple steps to help you pull off this look digitally. (You\u2019ll find that this technique is easiest to master on designs that feature a light-colored background!) Happy designing!<\/span><\/p>\n

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Step 1<\/b><\/h3>\n

Open the design you want to letterpress in Illustrator. Move all the graphics you want to letterpress into a separate layer from the background. Name this layer \u201cGraphics.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Step 2<\/b><\/h3>\n

Create a layer above the \u201cGraphics\u201d layer and name it \u201cBorder.\u201d On this layer, place a box that extends beyond the edges of the artboard on all four sides. Make the center of the box transparent and be sure the border has a color selected. (This \u201cborder\u201d will help keep your graphics properly centered when you open them in Photoshop).<\/span><\/p>\n

Step 3<\/b><\/h3>\n

Hide all the layers except for the \u201cBorder\u201d and \u201cGraphics\u201d and then save as a PDF file. Name this file \u201cGraphics.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Step 4<\/b><\/h3>\n

Open a new Photoshop document with the same dimensions of your design file. Add a paper texture to the first layer. Place the \u201cGraphics\u201d PDF file that you just created on the layer above your paper texture.<\/span><\/p>\n

Step 5<\/b><\/h3>\n

Use this paper texture as your background (keep in mind that the letterpress effect is most easily achieved with a white background). Change the blend mode of your \u201cGraphics\u201d layer to \u201cmultiply\u201d from the Layer Blend Mode menu above.<\/span><\/p>\n

Step 6<\/b><\/h3>\n

With the \u201cGraphics\u201d layer selected, go down to the \u201cFX\u201d button and select \u201cinner shadow.\u201d This will create the illusion that the Graphics have been \u201cpressed\u201d into the paper.<\/span><\/p>\n

Step 7<\/b><\/h3>\n

Under the \u201cinner shadow\u201d settings, adjust the color, angle, distance, and size to make a soft inner shadow. First, select the color of your inner shadow. If your \u201cGraphics\u201d layer is a single color, you\u2019ll want to select a deeper shade of that color by selecting that color with the eyedropper tool, which you can move down diagonally and to the right of that color. If you have a multi-color design on your graphics layer, selecting a grey or brown often works well. After selecting your color, turn off \u201cGlobal Light.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Step 8<\/b><\/h3>\n

Next, adjust the angle and opacity of your shadow. (Setting the angle to between roughly 125 and 180 degrees works well in most situations). <\/span><\/p>\n

Step 9<\/b><\/h3>\n

Adjust your \u201cDistance\u201d and \u201cSpacing,\u201d or \u201cSize,\u201d depending on which version of Photoshop you are working in. Since letterpressed designs are typically very shallow, you\u2019ll want to keep the distance and spacing small. Set your \u201cSpread\u201d to zero.<\/span><\/p>\n

Step 10<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Now you\u2019ll want to add a highlight. With the \u201cLayer Style\u201d menu still open, select \u201cDrop Shadow.\u201d This will turn your drop shadow into a highlight directly opposite from the inner shadow.<\/span><\/p>\n

Step 11<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Change the \u201cblend mode\u201d from \u201cmultiply\u201d to \u201cnormal.\u201d Change your shadow color to \u201cwhite.\u201d \u00a0Set your opacity to 100 percent. Turn off \u201cGlobal Light.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Step 12<\/b><\/h3>\n

\u00a0Set your angle to the same angle as your inner shadow. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Step 13<\/b>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Adjust the \u201cDistance,\u201d \u201cSpacing,\u201d and \u201cSpread\u201d to be a similar size as your inner shadow. \u00a0Here, I will set the \u201cDistance\u201d and \u201cSpacing\u201d to 9 pixels, and the \u201cSpread\u201d back to zero pixels. Hit \u201cOK.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Step 14<\/b><\/h3>\n

Add one more drop shadow that comes off the opposite side, which will help soften the \u201cinner shadow\u201d and make that pressed edge look slightly rounded.<\/span><\/p>\n

Step 15<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Create a new \u201cgroup\u201d and move your \u201cGraphics\u201d layer into this group. Add a drop shadow to the group itself. A few steps ago, you turned off \u201cGlobal Light\u201d on both the inner shadow and drop shadow? \u00a0Because Global Light was turned off, you can now change the direction of the drop shadow on the group without affecting the direction of the shadows within the group. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Step 16<\/b>\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n

Rotate the angle of your new drop shadow to roughly 180 degrees of your previous shadows. Change to blend mode to \u201cmultiply\u201d and select a soft grey color. (Tip: use the eyedropper tool to select your background color first. Slightly deepen that color for best results).<\/span><\/p>\n

Step 17<\/b><\/h3>\n

Bring your distance to about 3 pixels, set your size to 7 pixels, and select \u201cOK.\u201d
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

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