Table of Contents

Learn How To Create A Cartoon Style Shield In Photoshop

Tom Clayton
This site is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more.

What We’ll Be Creating

Learn How To Create A Cool Cartoon Style Shield

Creating The Shield

Start off with a new document (Ctrl + N) 1280 x 1280 pixels at 300DPI, fill (G) your background however you want. I’ve filled mine with a cool blue color with some halftone dots in the top and bottom corners.

Learn How To Create A Cool Cartoon Style Shield

Select the “Custom Shapes Tool” (U) then from the many available shapes select a shield shape.

Learn How To Create A Cool Cartoon Style Shield

Once selected drag the shield onto your canvas.

Learn How To Create A Cool Cartoon Style Shield

Select the vector mask of the shield shape, hold the Ctrl key and select the path. Copy the path (Ctrl + C) then paste (Ctrl + V) the path. With the path still selected “Free Transform” (Ctrl + T) the shape, hold down the shift and alt key on the keyboard then resize the shape making it smaller. Once your done resizing press enter to accept the change then press the “Subtract From Shape Area” button from the toolbar.

Learn How To Create A Cool Cartoon Style Shield

You should have something like this.

Learn How To Create A Cool Cartoon Style Shield

Right click your shield layer and select “Duplicate Layer” from the flyout menu, drag the duplicated layer underneath the original layer then select the “Move Tool” (V). Move the shape down until you have something like the image below. It might be a good idea at this stage to change the color of the shape to make it easier to see.

Learn How To Create A Cool Cartoon Style Shield

Finally using the “Custom Shapes Tool” (U) drag a new shield at the bottom of your layer stack which covers the inside of the shield. (Try and make the new shield the same size as your first shield).

Learn How To Create A Cool Cartoon Style Shield

Adding Style To The Shield Layers

Add the following layer styles to the inside of the shield (The last shape you created).

Learn How To Create A Cool Cartoon Style Shield

Learn How To Create A Cool Cartoon Style Shield

Learn How To Create A Cool Cartoon Style Shield

You should have something like this.

Learn How To Create A Cool Cartoon Style Shield

Add the following layer styles to the 3D part of the shield.

Learn How To Create A Cool Cartoon Style Shield

Learn How To Create A Cool Cartoon Style Shield

Learn How To Create A Cool Cartoon Style Shield

You should have something like this.

Learn How To Create A Cool Cartoon Style Shield

Finally to the last shield shape (The Outer Shield) add the following layer styles.

Learn How To Create A Cool Cartoon Style Shield

Learn How To Create A Cool Cartoon Style Shield

You should now have something like this.

Learn How To Create A Cool Cartoon Style Shield

Quick Note:

Depending on how big you have made your document and shield shape, you may need to lower some of the strokes and inner shadows within the layer styles.


Adding The Shield Detail

Select the “Custom Shapes Tool” (U) then select the “Registration Target 2” shape.

Learn How To Create A Cool Cartoon Style Shield

Drag the shape from the middle of the inside of the shield. Once your happy with the shape set the layers blend mode to “Soft Light” and “Opacity” to around 50%. Finally add a layer mask to the layer then drag a “Radial Gradient” from the middle of the shape dragging towards the edges.

Learn How To Create A Cool Cartoon Style Shield

Select the “Type Tool” (T) then type out what ever text you want on the shield.

Learn How To Create A Cool Cartoon Style Shield

Now go to “Edit > Transform > Warp” select “Arc Lower” from the warp menu to warp the text, use the slider to set the amount of bend you want on the text.

Learn How To Create A Cool Cartoon Style Shield

Once your happy with the warp press “Ctrl + T” and resize the text so it fits within the shield.

Learn How To Create A Cool Cartoon Style Shield

Now add the following layer styles to the text layer.

Learn How To Create A Cool Cartoon Style Shield

Learn How To Create A Cool Cartoon Style Shield

You should have something like this.

Learn How To Create A Cool Cartoon Style Shield

Select the “Custom Shape Tool” (U) then drag out a new shield shape the same size as the inside of the shield.

Learn How To Create A Cool Cartoon Style Shield

With the vector mask selected drag a rectangle over half of the shield whilst holding down the shift key on the keyboard.

Quick Tip:

Holding down the shift key automatically adds the new shape to the vector mask.

Once you have add the rectangle select the “Subtract From Shape Area” button from the toolbar menu.

Learn How To Create A Cool Cartoon Style Shield

Learn How To Create A Cool Cartoon Style Shield

Now add a layer mask to the layer and drag a linear gradient from the left to right then set the layers opacity to 20%.

Learn How To Create A Cool Cartoon Style Shield

Turning The Shield More Cartoon Like

Select all your shield layers then right click and select “Duplicate Layers” then right click again and select “Merge Layers”. Desaturate the colors of the merged layer by going to “Image > Adjustments > Desaturate” (Shift + Ctrl + U).

Learn How To Create A Cool Cartoon Style Shield

Now right click the layer and select “Convert To Smart Object”, were now going to apply a number of filters starting with the find edges filter “Filter > Stylize > Find Edges”. Next select “Filter > Brush Strokes > Sprayed Strokes”.

Learn How To Create A Cool Cartoon Style Shield

Then select “Filter > Brush Strokes > Angled Strokes”.

Learn How To Create A Cool Cartoon Style Shield

Then select “Filter > Texture > Texturizer”.

Learn How To Create A Cool Cartoon Style Shield

Then finally “Filter > Artistic > Colored Pencil”.

Learn How To Create A Cool Cartoon Style Shield

Once you’ve added the filters set the layers blend mode to “Linear Burn” and the opacity to around “70%”, you should have something like this.

Learn How To Create A Cool Cartoon Style Shield

Add a layer mask to the layer then select some grundge brushes, or painted brush strokes then using the color black color over parts of the shield making some of the marks created by the filters disappear. The brushes are available freely on the internet and shouldn’t be too hard to find.

Learn How To Create A Cool Cartoon Style Shield

Conclusion

Thanks for taking part in this tutorial, if you managed to finish this tutorial I’d love to see some of your results. Feel free to post them up on our Facebook Fan Page Or Tweet them via twitter @photoshop_plus.

Using the mask you added you could also take the shield one step further and produce something like this.

Learn How To Create A Cool Cartoon Style Shield

Facebook
Pinterest
Twitter

More to Explore

How To Plan The Perfect Party: 12 Essential Apps You Need

Gone are the days of forgotten RSVPs, miscommunicated dinner preferences, and last-minute decoration disasters. The secret weapon of modern party planners isn’t a hefty budget or a professional event coordinator.

Disclosure

As an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases from Amazon.com. You can learn more about our editorial policies here.
This site is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.

Privacy