Artwork by Mike Pharaoh
When you find yourself needing some good advice, make art. That's what graphic designer Mike Pharaoh did for the motivational poster he's shared here. His poster template is set up so that you can tinker with seven different color combinations and use Smart Objects to change type, font, and icons.
Get Pharaoh's file at the top of the page, and check out the tips below on how to make the poster your own — and in that way, motivate your own creative force.
STEP 1/5
Give good advice.
To change the words on the poster, double-click the thumbnail on the Text layer to open the Smart Object in a new tab. Choose the Type tool and double-click a word to change it or choose a new font.
When you’re done, save and close the Smart Object tab to return to the template.
STEP 2/5
Customize the icons.
Once you change the text, you’ll likely need to reposition the icons. Open the Icons Smart Object thumbnail and then choose Window > Arrange > 2 Up Vertical so you can see where they need to shift.
STEP 3/5
Move things around.
Reposition the icons with the Move tool or toggle the eye icon on different layers to control which ones to display. Save as you work to see how your changes affect the layout.
Feel free to add your own graphics to the design. Pharaoh applied Smart Filters to this Smart Object in the main template, so any imagery you add will get a distressed effect.
STEP 4/5
Add grit to a photo.
Open the Photo Smart Object and place your own image directly under the Levels adjustment layer. To experiment with the tones in the image, first click the eye icon on the Levels layer to show it. Then click the thumbnail and use the sliders to adjust the intensity of the image. Save your changes to see how they look in the template.
STEP 5/5
Swap colors.
In the template, open the Color Effects group and toggle the visibility of the Gradient Map adjustment layers to try different color combinations.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Mike Pharaoh, the talent behind Plant World Studio, is a Melbourne, Australia-based graphic designer who specializes in brand identities, intuitive websites, and thoughtful photo retouching.
