Collagist Matthew Hancock finds inspiration searching through ephemera fairs in the South of England. He’s looking for antique types, captivating images, and vintage textures. “There’s definitely a sweet spot around 1910 to about 1950,” he says. “Every tiny piece of people’s lives was recorded on paper. And it was all very mass-produced so it has irregular lines, irregular edges, it’s all textured and distressed and distorted.” After he strikes gold, Matthew scans in his paper, and using Adobe Photoshop he starts building posters and editorial illustrations for publishers including The New York Times. You can try it too. Just download Matthew’s free collage poster template above.
Follow the steps to learn how to customize the poster.
STEP 1/3
Change the colors.
Open the Layer folder then double click the Smart Object thumbnail in the layer named “Colors (double click to edit).” A new window will open. Double click the Hue/Saturation Adjustment Layer to edit the colors, then save the file to update the main design.
STEP 2/3
Change the vintage text.
To change the antique text embedded within the design, double-click the Smart Object thumbnail in the layer named “Text (double click to edit),” which will open a new window. Double-click any Smart Object thumbnail within the layer to replace the text. Make sure to save your changes so it updates the main file.
STEP 3/3
Add your own text.
In the Layers panel, select the folder named “Title Lockup” and double-click the “T” to edit the copy. Just add your own event details to promote your music festival, protest, or marathon. You can even change the fonts.
If you need to print your poster, download all eight designs in the much heavier file above. Choose from eight different designs and many more options.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Matthew Hancock is a designer and illustrator based in Chichester, UK. His first brush with the visual arts came at a young age, when he used Photoshop to superimpose hats on to guinea pigs instead of doing his homework. Since then he’s worked with many different clients, including startups, tech companies, charities, and fashion houses. His creative process remains largely unchanged.
See more on Instagram.
