1.

Let's Get Started

First, open the photo that you want to work with. To open your photo, go to File > Open,
choose your photo, and click Open. Now, before we get started, just check a couple of
things:

1. Your photo should be in RGB Color mode, 8 Bits/Channel. To check this, go

to Image > Mode.
2. For best results, your photo size should be 1500–3500 px wide/high. To check this,
go to Image > Image Size.
3. Your photo should be the Background layer. If it is not, go to Layer > New >
Background from Layer.
2. How to Create the Vexel Art Style
Step 1
In this section, we are going to create the vexel art style. Press Control-J on your
keyboard to duplicate the Background layer, go to Image > Adjustments >
Shadows/Highlights, and enter the settings below:

Step 2
Now go to Image > Adjustments > Shadows/Highlights again and enter the settings
below:
Step 3
Go to Image > Adjustments > Brightness/Contrast and set the Brightness to -20 as
shown below:
Step 4
Now go to Filter > Sharpen > Unsharp Mask, and set
the Amount to 500%, Radius to 5.0 px, and Thresholdto 0 levels as shown below:
Step 5
Go to Filter > Stylize > Diffuse and set the Mode to Anisotropic as shown below:
Step 6
Now go to Filter > Noise > Reduce Noise and use the settings below:
Step 7
Go to Filter > Blur > Smart Blur, and set
the Radius to 5.0, Threshold to 25, Quality to Low, and Mode to Normal.
Step 8
Now go to Filter > Sharpen > Unsharp Mask, and set
the Amount to 500%, Radius to 1.0 px, and Thresholdto 0 levels.
Step 9
Go to Filter > Stylize > Diffuse and set the Mode to Anisotropic.
Step 10
Now go to Filter > Stylize > Oil Paint, set the Stylization to 5.0 and Cleanliness to 2.0,
and uncheck the Lighting.
Step 11
Go to Filter > Stylize > Oil Paint again, set
the Stylization to 10.0 and Cleanliness to 10.0, and uncheck the Lighting.
Step 12
Now go to Filter > Blur > Surface Blur, and set the Radius to 5 px and Threshold to 15
levels as shown below:
Step 13
Go to Filter > Filter Gallery > Artistic > Cutout, and set the Number of
Levels to 8, Edge Simplicity to 5 and Edge Fidelity to 3 as shown below:
Step 14
Now go to Image > Auto Tone and then Image > Auto Contrast to make some auto-
corrections to the photo's tone and contrast.
Step 15
Go to Image > Adjustments > Brightness/Contrast and set the Contrast to 100 as
shown below:

Step 16
Now go to Filter > Sharpen > Unsharp Mask, and set the Amount to 50%, Radius to 5.0
px, and Thresholdto 0 levels as shown below:
Step 17
Now name this layer Vexel Art.
3. How to Make the Final Adjustments
Step 1
In this section, we are going to make some final adjustments to the design. Press D on
your keyboard to reset the swatches. Then, go to Image > Adjustments > Gradient
Map to create a new gradient map adjustment layer and name it Overall Contrast.

Step 2
Now change the Blending Mode of this layer to Luminosity and set the Opacity to 56%.
Step 3
Go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Levels to create a new levels adjustment layer
and name it Overall Brightness.
Step 4
Now Double-click on this layer thumbnail and in the Properties panel enter the settings
below:
Step 5
Go to Layer > New > Gradient Map to create a new gradient map adjustment layer and
name it Color Look.
Step 6
Now Double-click on this layer thumbnail, and then in the Properties panel, click on the
gradient to open up the Gradient Editor panel and enter the settings below:
The left color stop has color e000e0, and the right color stop has color 005161.

Step 7
Change the Blending Mode of this layer to Color.
Step 8
Now go to Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Vibrance to create a new vibrance
adjustment layer and name it Overall Vibrance/Saturation.
Step 9
Double-click on this layer thumbnail and in the Properties panel set
the Vibrance to +43 and Saturation to +22 as shown below:
Step 10
Now press Control-Alt-Shift-E on your keyboard to make a screenshot, and then
press Control-Shift-U to desaturate this layer. Then, go to Filter > Other > High
Pass and set the Radius to 2 px.

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Step 11
Name this layer Overall Sharpening and change the Blending Mode of this layer
to Overlay.
You Made It!
Congratulations, you have succeeded! Here is our final result: