Published on November 4, 2023
Create a dotted portrait
In this blog I will show you how to create a dot pattern with the brush tool in Adobe Photoshop.
Rather watch the video with instructions? Then click here or scroll down to the end of this page.
If you want, you can download the photo I used here.
Step 1: Preparations
Open the photo you want to edit. Unlock the background layer (click on the lock icon). Then lower the opacity of this layer to 50%.
Then press CTRL+J to duplicate this layer. Increase the opacity of this new layer back to 100%.
You now have 2 layers. The bottom one with an opacity of 50% and the top one with an opacity of 100%.
Now select the top layer and add a layer mask. Then select ‘invert‘ (or press CTRL+I). The layer mask should be black now.
Step 2: Dotted portrait
Make sure the layer mask is selected. Then select the brush tool.
Use a hard round brush, opacity 100%. Make the foreground color white.
You can use the [ and ] keys to adjust the brush size. Click somewhere on your photo to create a dot.
Continue making different sized dots until you’re happy with the effect!
Step 3: Add background
When you’re done creating the dots, you can add a background.
Create a solid color layer.
Pick a color for the background. I make the background white.
Then place the color fill layer between the other 2 layers (directly below the one with the layer mask).
And that’s how you create this dotted portrait with the brush tool in Adobe Photoshop!
Learn more about Photoshop
Check out my other blogs and my YouTube channel if you want to learn more about editing in Adobe Photoshop!
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Photoshop
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