Wavy Old Flag in Photoshop

For this Tutorial, we are going to use the image of a Black and White Checkered Flag (Flat), some images or textures of Fabric both flat and with folds, and a Grunge/Aged Background to add detail.

1 - In Photoshop, open the file your “Checkered Flag” image.

2 - Open your “Grunge/Aged” texture image and drag it onto your Canvas. Use “Free Transform” (Command/Control + T) to resize it and change the “Blending Mode” to “Multiply” and the “Opacity” to 60%.

3 - Open the “Fabric” Texture image and drag it into your canvas, then, use “Free Transform (Command/Control + T) to resize it.

4 - Desaturate your texture (Shift + Command/ Control + U). Then, go to Image > Auto Contrast, and finally, change the "Blending Mode" to "Hard Light" and the "Opacity" to 30%.

5 -Open the "Folded Fabric" Image and drag it to your canvas. Resize it and change the “Blending Mode” to “Hard Light” and the “Opacity” to 75%.

6 - Duplicate your layer (Command/Control + J) and change the duplicate's “Blending Mode” go to “Color Dodge” and the “Opacity" to 55%. If needed, go back to your “Grunge” texture layer and lower the “Opacity” a bit more (we made it 50%).

7 - double click on your or original image’s thumbnail (the checkered flag) to unlock the layer. Then, select all your Layers and click on the small folder icon at the bottom of the layers Panel to Group them together. Name the group “Flag” and right-click on top of its thumbnail then select “Convert to Smart Object”

8 - create A new later by clicking on the mall box on at the bottom of the layers panel and make sure it’s placed under the “Flag” Group. Use the transform free with your flag group and make it 90% in size. Click on the small check mark on the top menu to “Commit” the transformation.

9 - Go to Filter > Distort > Wave and use the following values.

10 -Double-click on top of your “Smart Object” to apply the following “Layer Styles”:

Drop shadow:

11 -Your image should look like this.

by @lornacane