The Design Playbook

Photoshop Retro Grid Background

Posted by: Josh on: January 8, 2009

Photoshop Retro Grid Background

Photoshop Retro Grid Background

Step 1: Create a new Photoshop document 18 pixels wide by 18 pixels high at 72 pixels/inch. Make sure to set the background contents to “Transparent”.

Step 1

Step 2

 

Step 2: Fill Layer 1 of the new document with solid black. Edit > Fill.

Step 2

Solid Black Fill

 

Solid Black Fill

Solid Black Fill

 

Step 3: Select the Move Tool (M) and hit the left arrow on your keyboard seven times and then hit the up arrow on your keyboard seven times.

Step 3

Step 3

 

Step 4: Create a new layer above Layer 1 (Layer > New Layer) and fill it with solid white. Edit > Fill.

Step 4

Step 4

 

Solid White Fill

Solid White Fill

 

Step 5: Select the Move Tool (M) again and use your keyboard to move the solid white fill left 7 pixels and up 7 pixels.

Step 5

Step 5

 

Step 6: Select the entire image. Select > All.

Step 7: Crop the image to remove the excess areas outside of the artboard. Image > Crop. You now have two 11 pixel by 11 pixel squares to play with.

Step 8: Select the Move Tool (M) one final time, and nudge the white square 2 pixels to the right and 2 pixels down.

Step 8

Step 8

 

Step 9: Set the opacity of the white square layer (Layer 2) to 14%.

Step 9

Step 9

 

Step 10: Set the opacity of the black square layer (Layer 1) to 60%.

Step 10

Step 10

 

Step 11: Define your new pattern. Edit > Define Pattern.

Step 11

Step 11

 

Step 12: Close the pattern document.

Step 13: Create another new Photoshop document.

Step 13

Step 13

 

Step 14: Fill the background layer of your new document with medium red (R 117, G 0, B 0). Edit > Fill.

Step 14

Step 14

 

Medium Red Background Fill

Medium Red Background Fill

 

Step 15: Create a new layer to hold your pattern. Layer > New Layer.

Step 16: File the new layer with your grid pattern. Edit > Fill.

Step 16

Step 16

 

Pattern Fill

Pattern Fill

 

Step 17: Set the opacity of the pattern layer to 25%.

Step 17

Step 17

 

Step 18: Add a gradient fill layer above the pattern. Layer > New Fill Layer > Gradient. Choose the black to white gradient fill (usually third one from the left).

Step 18

Step 18

 

Gradient Fill Layer

Gradient Fill Layer

 

Step 19: Finally, set the blending mode of the gradient fill layer to “Multiply” and the opacity to 65%.

Step 19

Step 19

 

Done: Download sample file(s).

Done

Final Result

 

Extra: Play around with the Transform tools and Distort filters to give your pattern some perspective.

Distorted Pattern

Distorted Pattern

15 Responses to "Photoshop Retro Grid Background"

great tut and wat make me like it cos its sample and clear one really thanks bro great work

Great work….Easy to understand……Its really impressive….

keep it up….and thanks a lot….

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Great tutorial

That was a nice and simple tutorial. Very useful too. Thanks for sharing…and looking forward to seeing more stuff from you.

looks like a hundred of mirrors in the building.. hahaha but nice tutorial anyway!

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Good clear tutorial… but now how do I use this as a textured background in a Flash site. (trying to fill background with a texture rather that simply selecting a color in the >modify document area

Fantastic tutorial

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