Coffee Cup Stains in PSE: A layout challenge hosted by Jessica sparked this post. I want to share 2 ways of making these coffee or tea cup stains in PSE. 

Steps to Create a Coffee Cup Stain Using the Polar Coordinates Filter

1. Set Up Your Document

• Open Photoshop Elements and create a new canvas or open your project.

• Add a new blank layer (Layer > New > Layer).

2. Draw Horizontal Lines

• Select the Brush Tool (B) and choose a small, soft brush with a dark brown color.

• On the blank layer, paint horizontal wavy or broken lines across the canvas. These lines will later form the circular shape of the stain.

3. Apply the Polar Coordinates Filter

• Go to Filter > Distort > Polar Coordinates.

• In the dialog box, select Rectangular to Polar and click OK.

• The horizontal lines will transform into a circular shape, resembling a coffee cup stain.

4. Refine the Stain

• Erase Excess Lines: Use the Eraser Tool (E) with a soft brush to remove any unwanted parts of the circle.

• Add Imperfections: Use the eraser or paint small irregularities (e.g., breaks, dots, or splatters) to make the stain look more natural.

5. Adjust the Color and Opacity

• Lower the opacity of the stain layer to about 50–70% to give it a more realistic, transparent effect.

• To enhance the look, use the Brush Tool (B) with a lighter or darker brown to add subtle shading and color variations.

6. Optional: Add Texture

• Go to Filter > Filter Gallery and apply a texture effect, such as Grain or Texturizer, to make the stain look like it seeped into the paper.

• Alternatively, overlay a grunge texture or use a grunge brush for added realism.

OR

1. Create a New Layer

• Open your project or create a new canvas in Photoshop Elements.
• Add a new layer by going to Layer > New > Layer or clicking the new layer icon in the Layers panel.

2. Draw a Circle

• Select the Ellipse Tool from the toolbar (press U to cycle through shape tools).
• Set the tool to draw a circle:
  • Hold down the Shift key while dragging to ensure the circle is perfectly round.
  • Set the stroke color to a dark brown and the fill to None (or transparent).

3. Simulate the Stain’s Imperfect Look

• Rasterize the circle layer:
  • Right-click the layer in the Layers panel and choose Rasterize Layer.
• Select the Eraser Tool (E) with a soft brush and adjust the size.
• Erase small portions of the circle to give it a rough, uneven appearance, mimicking the natural irregularity of a coffee stain.

4. Add a Drippy Effect

• Select the Brush Tool (B) and choose a small, soft brush.
• Use a dark brown color similar to coffee.
• Paint small lines or droplets extending from the circle to simulate spilled coffee.

5. Apply a Texture

• Go to Filter > Filter Gallery and explore texture effects (e.g., Texturizer or Grain) to add a paper-like texture to the stain.
• Alternatively, you can use a grunge brush (downloadable online) for a realistic effect.

6. Lower the Opacity

• Lower the layer’s opacity to around 50–70% to give the stain a translucent look.

7. Add Color Variation

• Create a new layer and use the Brush Tool with a slightly different brown shade to paint subtle color variations within the circle.
• Change the blending mode of this layer to Multiply or Overlay for a more natural look.

8. Finalize the Stain

• Merge layers if needed by selecting them and pressing Ctrl+E (Windows) or Cmd+E (Mac).
• Position and resize the stain as desired.

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