By definition, a petroglyph is etched into rock. That’s not the easiest thing to do in the studio, but by using the magic of PhotoShop or Elements and the computer, we can create the look easily - any time we want.

What You Need:
A photograph of Rock (Download)

Petroglyph Clip Art (Download)

We are providing two low res files for you to use to follow along. They are PDF files which can be opened in PhotoShop or Elements. No other usage rights are granted - these are for practice only. Your results will be fuzzier, but the technique will work the same way.

Both files are available in high res on our Petroglyph Collection CD and Rocks, V.1 CD respectively. They will provide results as sharp and good looking as our examples.
Step 1.
Open the Animal Medicine Man clip art file (which you have dowmoaded above) in PhotoShop or PhotoShop Elements.

It should look something like this.
Step 2.
Now open a second file - the Sandstone file you downloaded above.

With the Eyedropper Tool, Click on a light orange color in the Sandstone photo. That color now becomes your new Foreground Color (see swatches located at the bottom of the Tool Bar.
Step 3.
Choose the Magic Wand Tool and set the Tolerance to 100 check the Anti-Alias box, and un-check the Contiguous box. Both of these are found in the Options Bar above the picture window.

Click anywhere on the black of the image. All the black in the image will be selected. You can tell because the "marching ants" will surround it all.
Step 4.
Hold down the Alt Key (Option on Mac) and press Delete. All the black that you have selected will be filled with light orange - the new Foreground Color.

If you don’t have a Delete Key, you can get the same result by choosing Fill under the Edit Menu, choosing Foreground Color in the window that opens, and Clicking OK.