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
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Open Photoshop Elements and create a new canvas or open your project.
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Add a new blank layer (Layer > New > Layer).
2. Draw Horizontal Lines
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Select the Brush Tool (B) and choose a small, soft brush with a dark brown color.
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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
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Go to Filter > Distort > Polar Coordinates.
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In the dialog box, select Rectangular to Polar and click OK.
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The horizontal lines will transform into a circular shape, resembling a coffee cup stain.
4. Refine the Stain
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Erase Excess Lines: Use the Eraser Tool (E) with a soft brush to remove any unwanted parts of the circle.
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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
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Lower the opacity of the stain layer to about 50–70% to give it a more realistic, transparent effect.
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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
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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.
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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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Great tutos, Bina, thanks!
Unfortunately, I can’t see anything, only white space.