Traveling back in Time with 35 Nice Retro-Themed Tutorials

Whether you’re a web designer, graphic designer or just a hobby designer, there’s a good chance you’ll find something here to use in your designs.

Most of these tutorials focus on using PhotoShop and Illustrator.
Reading tutorials is always a good way to learn some new skills to put in your designer toolbox.

Now let’s get started!

1. Sunflower poster

Create this colorful sunflower poster with custom brushes, blending modes and some other techniques.

2. Funky Retro Wavy Text Effect

Learn how to mask out an image leaving it to show through editable text along with working with layering textures.

3. Retro Futurism Space Scene

This Space Scene is made using photo manipulation techniques and a variety of lightning effects.

4. Mix Cool Retro Curves Into Your Photographs

Use this modern approach to add geometric elements to your designs for that retro feeling.

5. 3D Retro Strip

Create this cool 3d retro effect using the pen tool.

6. Vintage Polaroid Effect

This versatile yet simple effect can be used in many different designs.

7. Retro “Hippy” Van Poster

Combine PhotoShop and Illustrator skills to create this retro/abstract style Hippy Van Poster.

8. Vinyl Record with Retro Sticker

This tutorial takes you through each step of creating this record and the label from scratch. Great for many different designs.

9. Retro Style Apple Wallpaper

If you’re a mac lover, this one’s for you! (and if you’re not, you can use the effects with something different anyway)

10. Retro Design Poster

All you need to tag along on this one, is some basic skills.

11. Worn Vintage Beach Ad

Many designers love this type of vintage ads with the desaturated, aged look.

12. Retro Grunge Poster

With the pen tool as one of the most important features, you’ll learn how to make this retro poster.

13. Super Retro Game Cartridge Design

An easy and cool 3d and geometric effect.

14. Pop Art

Learn to create a fantastic looking black and white halftone pattern.

15. Retro Rainbow Curves

Learn to design some vector based Retro rainbow curves, that can be used with a variety of designs.

16. DIY Vintage T-shirt

Learn how to create authentic collegiate T-shirt designs using Illustrator, PhotoShop and a good old-fashioned iron.

17. Retro Stars

This 80′s effect can be used for old school layouts.

18. Old School Type

Get this very nice old school type effect with any of your preferred fonts using Illustrator and PhotoShop.

19. Retro Art

Retro cut and paste style, originally inspired by a UK Band.

20. Vintage Car Poster

Learn the processes involved in making an old-looking, vintage car poster with grunge texture, font and brush set.

21. Bright Retro Grunge Vector Illustration

Learn to make this great retro grunge effect in PhotoShop and Illustrator.

22. Retro Cosmic Design

Here you will learn to create a cosmic rainbow effect, but the effects here can also be used combined with any shape and color

23. Abstract Watercolor Wallpaper

Learn to use the powerful layer masks in PhotoShop with this colorful tutorial.

24. Arcadia 80′s VHS Style

Super cool PhotoShop tutorial showing you how to create that VHS image style.

25. Swingin’ Retro Look

In this tutorial you will learn to use Illustrator custom brushes and symbols to create a versatile retro look.

26. Old Photo Vintage Effect

Using some simple steps and tools, you’ll learn how to take any picture and give it the look of aging.

27. 10-step Retro Poster

In only ten steps you’ll learn to make this inspiring Retro Poster.

28. Colorful Retro Style TV

Get inspiration for your designs by creating this colorful illustration.

29. Retro Style TV (2)

Here’s another nice retro style TV tutorial with a clear 70′s feeling.

30. Retro Vector Illustration in 15 steps

Using Illustrator, this tutorial takes you through 15 steps using stock vectors and simple distortion techniques.

31. Imitating A Scanner Darkly

learn to create you own version of this popular effect from the movie “A scanner Darkly”.

32. Summer Poster

Get ready to explore PhotoShop’s vector capabilities and play with textures in this summer themed retro tutorial.

33. Rock T-shirt

Retro rock t-shirts are always in. Learn to create your own in this tutorial.

34. Geometric Lines

This cool and trendy line design is very versatile. Play around with different colors and lines to get the design you want.

35. 60’s Psychedelic Style Concert

A lot of using the Warp Tool plus some other techniques, gives you this 60′s style poster.

Those were our 35 picks of Retro and Vintage tutorials. We hope these will give you some new ideas to your own designs, and also add some new tricks and techniques that you can use.