HOME | DD

S-Hirsack — Photoshop Tie Dye Tutorial

Published: 2008-07-28 10:19:40 +0000 UTC; Views: 68264; Favourites: 104; Downloads: 2997
Redirect to original
Description Btw - forgot to add the final step (not shown) that makes it look more realistic. Use filter > distort > twirl on the strokes layer (just a little!) to give it that final touch.

Anyway.
I wanted to make a Tie Dye effect for a recent piece (see here [link] ) and searched fruitlessly for hours for a tutorial that created the exact effect I wanted.

So I made it up.

Assuming that someone else out there may want to know how to do this, I did this tutorial based on the steps I took. Now you have the benefit of knowing how to do it too, without the 45 minutes of screwing around with different ways of doing it to get it right! : D

enjoy

(And if you use it, I'd love to see how you did - feel free to comment with a link, and I'll check it out!)

*UPDATE

I've expanded on this tutorial with a quicker, better method for creating the white streaks. Check it out here [link]
Related content
Comments: 47

Nootyhooty [2012-09-24 19:11:21 +0000 UTC]

I'm wanting to do a candy corn tie dye for something I'm working on. I have tried both ways--putting all three colors on one layer AND putting each color on its own layer. Neither way I do it will it allow me to Filter - Distort - Twirl (or Spherize, even). Neither one is higlighted. WHAT AM I DOING WRONG? Thanks for your help!

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

imzadi37 [2012-07-01 05:52:50 +0000 UTC]

Love this simple-to-use tutorial! Just a quick question though. What kind of brushes did you use for the white parts?

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

S-Hirsack In reply to imzadi37 [2012-07-16 06:03:20 +0000 UTC]

I used standard 'round' brushes, the size I use depends on what resolution image I'm creating and how big I want any given stroke to be. You can create great effects using fuzzier edged brushes - in any case, once you've run it through distort->blur, it doesn't matter too much

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

bloodfangclawtooth [2012-06-30 18:16:48 +0000 UTC]

Is this tut still in your gallery? I'm having trouble viewing it.
Otherwise I love it. It's the simplest, best tie dye tut to follow.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

S-Hirsack In reply to bloodfangclawtooth [2012-07-16 06:04:41 +0000 UTC]

Are you referring to the first or second version of the tutorial? Both seem to be loading fine. It may be your connection, sorry I can't help <:/

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

W0lfxer0 [2012-02-29 17:08:39 +0000 UTC]

Do you know if there's a rectangular to polar filter on gimp? I can't seem to find it.

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

89000007ANL [2012-02-28 05:38:58 +0000 UTC]

OH YESH! now I can have an awesome background and STILL have me record of not using stock images! [link]

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

mawiiB3 [2011-05-01 16:36:13 +0000 UTC]

Thank you very much for taking the time to post this tutorial, I found it extremely useful!

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

S-Hirsack In reply to mawiiB3 [2011-05-02 00:44:01 +0000 UTC]

Thanks! I'm always happy people are getting good use out of my info :3

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

brokenlizard2 [2011-01-27 17:45:21 +0000 UTC]

THANK YOU SOOOOO MUCH FOR THIS TUTORIAL!!
I'm responsible for designing my university's "Peace, Love, and Pete"(Pete the Pelican is our SAB mascot) tie-dye shirt and I had no clue how to approach it using photoshop...until now

Again, thank you. I can't wait to experiment with different swirl patterns!

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

S-Hirsack In reply to brokenlizard2 [2011-01-28 17:49:19 +0000 UTC]

No prob! There's a slightly updated version in my gallery now if you look.

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

xJul3sx [2010-12-03 02:29:44 +0000 UTC]

Hey, Really thanks for this !
When I finish my project, gonna show how it worked

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

S-Hirsack In reply to xJul3sx [2010-12-03 10:16:58 +0000 UTC]

awesome! Can't wait to see it

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

jamespwaters [2010-12-02 13:31:35 +0000 UTC]

Thank you for this, I used it to create a texture for a CG model. Very useful

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Ayan-kun [2010-10-05 08:50:09 +0000 UTC]

Hey my friend showed me this and I tried it out. Worked well for me but I couldn't find a brush that did the white convincingly, so I skipped it and put on a canvas filter instead. Thanks for the easy-to-follow steps!

My deviation is here [link] if you want to see it.

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Kayla-kat91 [2010-07-19 03:55:13 +0000 UTC]

very helpful. thank you

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

urbanswag [2010-05-22 23:02:52 +0000 UTC]

neat tutoral. what's the font used for the piece you did?

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

S-Hirsack In reply to urbanswag [2010-05-23 00:55:40 +0000 UTC]

If I remember correctly, I didn't actually use a font for that - just kind of looked at music posters from the 60's/70's and winged the font using the pen tool xD

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

TheSteezyBeezee [2010-02-23 00:23:22 +0000 UTC]

Far out, dude! Definetly gonna use this in the near future!

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

S-Hirsack In reply to TheSteezyBeezee [2010-02-23 10:33:03 +0000 UTC]

Totally chill, man.

Be sure to show me the final result

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

TheSteezyBeezee In reply to S-Hirsack [2010-02-26 06:06:35 +0000 UTC]

[link]

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

sarah-e-kushner [2010-01-07 00:05:18 +0000 UTC]

Thanks for the tutorial. I got to use it not to long ago, easy to do and great result. THANKS!
heres the piece I did it on.
[link]

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Perpetual-Sketch [2009-12-13 23:32:53 +0000 UTC]

Oh my gosh, I'm so happy you made this! I have to create a tie-dye background for the poster for the school play (it's set in the '70s), and I haven't been able to figure out a way. Thank you so much for the tutorial!

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

S-Hirsack In reply to Perpetual-Sketch [2009-12-15 02:20:07 +0000 UTC]

I'm glad it's being put to such a cool use

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Perpetual-Sketch In reply to S-Hirsack [2010-01-05 19:54:03 +0000 UTC]

Here it is, if you want to see it. And again, thank you so much!

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

iluvcats96-4 [2009-11-11 04:32:54 +0000 UTC]

how do you make thetapering strokes? i cant figure out how.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

S-Hirsack In reply to iluvcats96-4 [2009-11-15 06:29:36 +0000 UTC]

I use a pressure sensitive tablet when I draw to the computer. If you're stuck using a mouse, a method you could use would be to use the pen tool:

Method one: Just make lines leading in with the pen tool and then right click > render brush strokes > simulate pressure
Method two: make shapes like the brush strokes using the pen tool to make vector shapes then fill them in.

Either method you can find more on by goodling pen tool tutorials for photoshop

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

iluvcats96-4 In reply to S-Hirsack [2009-11-15 19:10:39 +0000 UTC]

okay thanx. what is a tablet used for a computer?

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

S-Hirsack In reply to iluvcats96-4 [2009-11-22 06:43:15 +0000 UTC]

a tablet is a tool that allows you to draw directly to the computer using a stylus like a pen, in sync with a program like PhotoShop, Corel Painter, etc etc

most are pressure sensitive and so using the programs becomes like having digital access to limitless art supplies

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

flipstingray [2009-10-27 20:59:46 +0000 UTC]

im not a photoshop buff... so i dont know how to set the layer type on 9 & 10

it just jeeps wanting me to change the folder color

help!

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

S-Hirsack In reply to flipstingray [2009-10-28 03:24:08 +0000 UTC]

over to the right side of the screen (if you're using the default setup) there should be a little pulldown menu (selection box with a down arrow to the right of it) that says "Normal" which is the typical layer type. From there you should be able to change the layer type.

Hope that helps!

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Excalibur-T005 [2009-07-06 06:08:34 +0000 UTC]

Wow, thanks! I don't have Photoshop, but I'm sure I can adjust it enough to apply to GIMP.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

S-Hirsack In reply to Excalibur-T005 [2009-07-06 15:05:59 +0000 UTC]

no prob - I'm glad people are using it :3

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

rockercords [2009-06-30 16:11:35 +0000 UTC]

Wow.

You are awesome. I've been looking around for a technique for a while now and I think this is it. Thank you!! I may use it, if I do I will definitely send you a link!!

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

S-Hirsack In reply to rockercords [2009-07-02 18:47:51 +0000 UTC]

Thanks, that's why I posted it ;3

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Kaleya [2009-04-23 00:57:00 +0000 UTC]

Fantastic tutorial. Thanks so much for sharing it with us!

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

S-Hirsack In reply to Kaleya [2009-04-23 16:14:55 +0000 UTC]

aye, no prob

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

WishComeTrue [2009-01-25 18:26:02 +0000 UTC]

Awesome! Thanks for the tutorial.=3

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

S-Hirsack In reply to WishComeTrue [2009-01-26 00:04:59 +0000 UTC]

glad you like it

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

WishComeTrue In reply to S-Hirsack [2009-01-26 00:29:55 +0000 UTC]

Once the whole thing's done and posted, I'll send a link.

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

wannabesedated20 [2008-11-26 04:49:09 +0000 UTC]

This is a neat tutorial!

What brush did you use for the layer of white strokes?

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

S-Hirsack In reply to wannabesedated20 [2008-11-26 07:23:14 +0000 UTC]

I just used the default hard brush, it tapered (naturally?) for me because I use a tablet. You could probably use the pen/vector tool to get tapered white lines.

👍: 0 ⏩: 2

iluvcats96-4 In reply to S-Hirsack [2009-11-11 04:38:19 +0000 UTC]

how do you use the tablet? or know that you have it? and how do you use the pen tool to make the white strokes?

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

wannabesedated20 In reply to S-Hirsack [2008-11-26 23:06:51 +0000 UTC]

Excellent, thanks for the quick response!

I have a tablet at work so I might try that aswell as the pen tool.

Thanks!

👍: 0 ⏩: 0

Cyristal-Artist [2008-07-28 19:36:41 +0000 UTC]

This is very informative. I've never seen a tutorial for tie dye before. I may use it sometime; if so I'll be sure to link.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

S-Hirsack In reply to Cyristal-Artist [2008-07-28 19:39:18 +0000 UTC]

:} thanks, I'd love to see whatever you make with this

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

Cyristal-Artist In reply to S-Hirsack [2008-07-29 17:52:02 +0000 UTC]

Your welcome

👍: 0 ⏩: 0