If you are creating a website that aims to sell custom sunglasses, skinny jeans, or the latest Charlie Sheen-endorsed product, you are not going to want a tame design. By taking a page out of the book of rock n’ roll, you can harness the energy of the gods of rock and blow the roof off of your own website or blog. Here are a few Photoshop effects, tricks, and tips that can crank your designs up to “11″

Halftones

By downloading or purchasing a pack of halftone brushes or using the filter already installed on Photoshop, you can get a series of circles, lines, or dots to appear on your design. This gives your artwork a cool “pop-art,” Andy Warhol, 1960′s London type of feel that is becoming more popular than ever.

Hard Mix and Pin Light

The easiest way to place an image or color on top of another and get a good contrast is to use the hard mix and pin light features in your blending mode toolbar. In order to get an awesome half tone without using brushes or filters, first create an interesting pattern, place it on top of an image, and then use the hard mix blend with a reduced opacity of your desire. This will create the same effect as the previous tip, but with a greater level of control.

Vintage Grunge and Concert Backgrounds

By visiting a site like DeviantArt, you can choose from tons of custom made textures and backgrounds that use grainy and smudged-up elements in order to give a thrown together effect. There are several people on Tumblr who post vintage concert posters and band art which can give your design a legitimate club feel.

Rock Star Typography

In print advertising, 90 percent of design is typography. When it comes to designing for the web, then that number increases to about 97 percent. By finding a decent font and applying the correct effects to it, you will be able to hook in visitors without having to rely on gimmicks. For a classic rock feel, try a font called “Hard Rock” by Last Soundtrack, for a heavy metal font go with “vtks Rude Metal,” or for a grunge band try “Laundromat 1967.”

Slash

One of the easiest ways to appeal to those looking for a rock n’ roll experience on your website is to include a picture or rendering of Slash. As conveyed in the South Park lampooning, Slash is pretty much everywhere. If you are a decent and respectable website, he should be featured at least once on every page.

The most important rule to follow when designing your rock inspired website is that there are no rules. By following these guidelines word-for-word, you will take the personality out of your work and end up more like REO Speedwagon than Led Zeppelin.  Get inspired, but think for yourself.  That’s the path of a true rock star.