How to Create a Vector Marylin Monroe Halftone Pop Art Poster (plus free vector file)

Using Illustrator CS5 on a mac.

A very simple 6 step guide on how you can create a halftone image, you can use these same techniques for creating interesting backgrounds too.
You can download the final vector Pop Art Poster at the end of this tutorial, just click on the ‘Download’ button to get the zipped Illustrator CS5 file.

STEP 1.

Find an image to use.

Firstly find a Marylin image on the internet (make sure you have permission to use it). Use a self portrait if you like – could be fun.
Re-size the image in photoshop so it’s about 800px by 800px and convert the file to greyscale.

STEP 2.
Contrast the image.

In photoshop adjust the curves of the image so that it’s really contrasty, this will help later on to give the final output a pop art feel.

STEP 3.
Pixelate the image.

Drag the image into illustrator and apply a colour halftone effect, set as per the ratio below left or similar to get the dots like below right.

STEP 4.
Turn pixelated bitmap image into a vector halftone.

Select the image, click on the Tracing Options on the Live Trace drop down tab as shown. Set the tracing options to 122 threshold (you might want to choose slightly different options if you are using another image – just preview before clicking ‘Trace’.

STEP 5.
Clean up the Vector Half Tone Image.

Direct select any white area on the image and ‘select all’ the white area like image below left, then click delete so you are only left with a black image. Now with the direct select tool, delete any unwanted dots so that the image will fit nicely into a square.

STEP 6.
Final Touches.

Create four equal squares using pop art primary colours as per below left. Then select your vector Marylin image and in the Transparency Pallete set to a 70% Multiply. Then simply duplicate the image over the coloured squares you have just created.
…and you’re done!