Create a Realistic Coin in Affinity Photo

In this tutorial, you’ll learn how to create a realistic coin in Affinity Photo. This coin look can be used for creating an icon design, video game asset, logo design, etc…

Before you begin to learn how to create a realistic coin in Affinity Photo, go to the following links to download the images and fonts used in this tutorial.

Copperplate Gothic Bold font

Man

Metal texture

Step 1

First, go to File > New. Go to Web. Then, set the Page Width and Page Height to 1300 px. Set the DPI to 72 and check the Transparent Background box.

Step 2

Next, grab the Move Tool from the Tools Panel. Press CTRL + R to activate the rulers if they aren’t active or go to the View menu and select Show Rulers. Also, turn on Snapping in the Toolbar.

Step 3

Take the Move Tool and drag a guide from the left ruler and drag it to the center of the document. Then, drag a guide from the top ruler and drag it to the center of the document. Go to View and click Lock Guides.

Step 4

Now, grab the Ellipse Tool from the Tools Panel. Press CTRL + Shift and draw an ellipse that’s 1236 px by 1236 px. Go to the Swatches Panel. Double click on the fill color and enter the following hex code #676767. Then, press CTRL + J two times.

Step 5

Grab the Move Tool. Next, select the second duplicated ellipse. Press CTRL + Shift and make the ellipse slightly smaller than the original one.

Step 6

Now, select both duplicated ellipses. Then, go to the Boolean Operations Panel and select Subtract. Label the original circle Main and the ring Outer Ring. Select the following hex code #757575.

Step 7

After that, grab the Ellipse Tool from the Tools Panel. Take the tool and draw a smaller ellipse inside of the main one. Hold CTRL + Shift while doing this. Then, go to the Swatches Panel and set the ellipse to the following hex code #7C7C7C.

Step 8

With the new ellipse selected, press CTRL + J to duplicate it. Select the original small ellipse. Then, take the Move Tool and make the ellipse slightly larger. Press CTRL + Shift to do this. Then, go to the Swatches Panel and change the color of the ellipse to the following hex code #707070.

Step 9

Once you’ve done that, select the smaller duplicated ellipse. Press CTRL + J to duplicate it. Now, select the original ellipse we made bigger and the first smaller ellipse. Then, go to the Boolean Operations Panel and select Subtract. Label the ring Inner Ring and the smaller ellipse Inner.

We’ll now add some layer effects to this that will start to create a realistic coin in Affinity Photo.

Step 10

Select the Main layer in the Layers Panel. Click on the fx (layers effect) icon. Check the Gradient Overlay box and select it. Set the Angle to 125 degrees and set the Scale X and Scale Y to 150%. Then, check the Scale with Object box.

Step 11

With the Main layer selected, copy the layer. Then, select the Outer Ring layer. Now, go to the Edit menu and select Paste FX. Next, click the fx icon on the Outer Ring layer. Go to the Gradient Overlay. Change the Blend Mode to Multiply and lower the Opacity to 30%. Also, lower the Fill Opacity to 65%.

Step 12

Now, check the Bevel/Emboss box and select it. Change the Type to Inner. Set the Soften to 5 px. Then, set the Azimuth to 120 degrees and the Elevation to 53 degrees.

Step 13

After that, select the Outer Ring layer and copy it. Now, select the Inner layer. Go to the Edit menu and select Paste Fx. Select the fx icon on the Inner layer. Uncheck the Bevel/Emboss. Next, go to the Gradient Overlay. Change the Opacity to 20%.

Step 14

Now, copy the Inner layer. Then, select the Inner Ring layer. Go to the Edit menu and select Paste Fx. Next, click the fx icon on the Inner Ring layer. Check the Bevel/Emboss and select it. Change the Opacity of the Highlight and the Shadow to 80%.

Step 15

Next, go to the Gradient Overlay. Change the Opacity to 60%. Then, set the Offset X and Offset Y to 50%.

Step 16

After that, select the Inner layer. Go to the Swatches Panel and change the color of this layer to #8A8A8A.

Step 17

Now, grab the Double Star Tool from the Tools Panel. Go to the Context Toolbar. Set the Points to 100, Inner Radius to 0%, and the Point Radius to 100%. Next, go to the Swatches Panel and get rid of the fill color. Then, select the stroke. Set the color of the stroke to the following hex code #575757. Draw a double star that covers the coin. Press CTRL + Shift to do this.

Step 18

With the double star layer selected, click the fx icon in the Layers Panel. Check the Outline box and select it. Set the Radius to 1 px and set the Alignment to Inside and check the Scale with Object box. Take the double star layer and drag it inside of the Outer Ring layer. Go to the Stroke Panel and set the Width to 1 pt.

Step 19

After that, click on the fx icon on the double star layer. Go to the Outline and lower the Opacity to about 20%. Now, check Bevel/Emboss and select it. Set the settings to the same way you see them on the screen.

Step 20

Now, grab the Star Tool from the Tools Panel. Take the tool and press CTRL + Shift and draw a star at the top part of the Inner Ring. Press Shift + X to switch the fill color to the stroke color.

Step 21

Once you’ve done that, press CTRL + Shift and drag a copy of the star to the bottom of the inner ring. Next, go to the Context Toolbar and click on Enable Transform Origin. Take the transform origin and place it in the center of the coin.

Step 22

Select both stars. Press CTRL + J to duplicate the stars. Next, go to the Transform Panel. Go to the Rotation and type 22.5 degrees. Now, press CTRL + J six times to place duplicated stars around the inner ring.

Step 23

Now, select all the stars. Press CTRL + G to group them together and label the group Stars. Next, select the Outer Ring layer and copy it. Then, select the Stars group. Go to the Edit menu and select Paste Fx.

Step 24

Click on the fx icon of the stars group. Go to the Gradient Overlay and lower the Opacity to 10%. Now, click on the Bevel/Emboss. Change the Type to Emboss. Unlink the Lock Aspect Ratio. Then, set the Radius to 1 px, Depth to 3 px, and the Soften to 0 px.

Step 25

Grab the Ellipse Tool from the Tools Panel. Press CTRL + Shift. Then, draw an ellipse that stretches past the Inner ring. Get rid of the fill and the stroke color in the Swatches Panel. Now, grab the Artistic Text Tool from the Tools Panel. Take the tool and place it along the ellipse. You should see a T with a squiggly line beneath it. Once you do, click on the ellipse.

Step 26

Now, type UNITED STATES in All CAPS. If your text is upside down, click the Reverse Text Path icon in the Context Toolbar. Next, go to the Font Size and increase the size of the text.

Step 27

Select the text then, go to the Font Family. Select the Copperplate Gothic Bold font you downloaded. In the Context Toolbar, set the text to Align Center. If you need to adjust the text, move the green and red stops so that the text looks the same way you see it on the screen. Go to the Character Panel. Set the Tracking to 50%.

Step 28

With the text layer selected, Press CTRL + J to duplicate the layer. Go to the Context Toolbar and select Reverse Text Path. Then, press Shift and rotate the duplicated text 180 degrees so that the text is at the bottom part of the coin. Now, select the text and type 2022. Next, go to the Context Toolbar and set the Baseline to 50%. Select both text layers. Set the color of both text layers to the following hex code #8A8A8A.

Step 29

Select the Outer Ring layer and copy it. Next, select the first text layer. Go to the Edit menu and select Paste Fx. Now, click the fx icon on the text layer. Go to the Gradient Overlay and lower the Opacity to 15%. After that, go to the Bevel/Emboss set the Type to Inner. Set the Radius to 10 px and the Depth to 12 px. Then, set the Soften to 3 px.

Step 30

Now, copy the text layer. Then, select the other text layer. Go to the Edit menu and select Paste Fx. Click the fx icon on the second text layer. Go to the Gradient Overlay and increase the Opacity to 40%. Now, go to the Bevel/Emboss. Set the Radius to 7 px, set the Depth to 30 px.

Step 31

Go to File > Open and select the image you downloaded. Now, grab the Selection Brush Tool from the Tools Panel. In the Context Toolbar, set the Mode to Add and check the Snap to Edges box. Then, take the brush and make a selection of the man. Once you’ve done that, press CTRL + J to place a copy of the selection onto a new layer. Press CTRL + D to deselect. Turn the original layer off.

Step 32

With the new layer selected, press CTRL + J two times to duplicate the layer. Turn the first duplicated layer off. Now, press CTRL + I to invert the layer of go to the Edit menu and select Invert. Set the Blend Mode of this layer to Color Dodge.

Step 33

After that, go to the Live Filters layer and select Gaussian Blur. Set the Radius to 1 px. Make sure the adjustment layer is nested to the inverted layer. Select the layer with the live filter and the duplicated that’s on. Press CTRL + Shift + E to merge these two layers together.

Step 34

Now, click the Adjustments icon in the Layers Panel and select the Threshold adjustment. Set the Threshold to 95%. Now, select the merged layer and the threshold layer. Press CTRL + Shift + E to merge these two layers together.

Step 35

Select the newly merged layer. Click the Develop Persona. Go to the Basic tab and check the Enhance box. Set the Contrast to -45% and the Clarity to -85%. Then, go to the Details tab, check the Noise Reduction box. Set the Luminance to 60% and the Luminance Details to 70%. Hit Develop.

Step 36

Next, copy this layer and paste it onto the coin document. Place it between the Inner layer and the Inner Ring layer. Then, drag it inside of the Inner layer. In the Transform Panel, turn on the Lock Aspect Ratio. Then, grab the Move Tool and resize the man inside the coin.

Step 37

Click the Add Pixel Layer icon. Press CTRL and click the thumbnail of the man layer. Then, select the pixel layer we added. Go to the Swatches Panel and double-click the fill color. Enter the following hex code #7B7B7B. Now, go to the Edit menu and select Fill with Primary Color. Press CTRL + D to deselect.

Step 38

Select the Inner layer and copy it. Then, select the main man layer. Go to the Edit menu and select Paste Fx. Check the Bevel/Emboss box. Set the Type to Emboss, Radius to 11 px, Depth to 3 px, and Soften to 10 px. Then, set the Azimuth to 120 degrees and the Elevation to 53 degrees. Set the Blend Mode to Contrast Negate and lower the Opacity to 65%.

Step 39

Now, select the first text layer in the Layers Panel and click the fx icon. Check the Outer Shadow box. Set the Radius & Offset to .5 px. Then, set the Intensity to 3%. Now, copy the text layer.

Step 40

Next, select the second text layer. Then, go to the Edit menu and select Paste Fx. Click the fx icon of the second text layer. Now, go to the Outer Shadow. Set the Radius to 1.3 px, Offset to 1 px, and the Intensity to 5%.

Step 41

Once you’ve done that, go to the Layers Panel and select all the layers. Then, press CTRL + Alt + Shift + E to merge the layers together. Or right-click on the selected layers and click Merge Visible. Label the layer Coin and turn the original layers off.

Step 42

Select the Coin layer. Click the Adjustments icon and select the Recolor adjustment. Set the Hue to 45 degrees, Saturation to 35%, and Lightness to -15%.

Step 43

Now, click the Adjustments icon. Select the Curves adjustment. Go to the Green Channel. Click and add a point in the middle and drag it slightly down. Next, go to the Blue Channel. Add a point slightly above the middle part of the curve and drag it down. Then, add a point further up the curve and drag it up some.

Step 44

In the Layers Panel, click the Add Pixel Layer icon. Place this layer beneath the two adjustment layers and between the coin. Grab the Paint Brush Tool from the Tools Panel. Go to the Brushes Panel. Select one of the Round Light Brushes from the Basic brushes. In the Context Toolbar, set the Opacity to 40%. Then, go to the Swatches Panel. Double click the fill color and enter the following hex code #90782E.

Step 45

Now, select the Coin layer and the gold painted layer. Then, press CTRL + Shift + E to merge these layers together. Press CTRL + ; to remove the guidelines.

This is optional, but we can add texture to this to further create a realistic coin in Affinity Photo.

Step 46

Next, go to File > Open and select the metal texture layer you downloaded. Place the texture inside of the merged coin layer. Grab the Move Tool and resize the texture layer the way you see it on the screen. Set the Blend Mode to Multiply and lower the Opacity to 45%.

Congratulations, this tutorial is complete! You now know how to create a realistic coin in Affinity Photo. For more Affinity Photo tutorials, check out this article on creating a diamond text effect in Affinity Photo.