Final Image Preview

Take a look at the image we’ll be creating. Want access to the full PSD files and downloadable copies of every tutorial, including this one? Join Psd Plus for just $9/month. You can view the final image preview below.

Tutorial Details

• Program: Photoshop CS4
• Difficulty: Intermediate
• Estimated Completion Time: 1-2 hours

Step 1

For this tutorial I will be rendering the side of a vehicle. This is just a random sketch of mine that I chose. Notice the wheels are vastly exaggerated perhaps a little too much, but for the purpose of this tutorial it works fine.

There are countless different ways to render a vehicle and the purpose of the rendering should determine the style of the rendering. If you are in the initial stages of a project, you can be very loose with your rendering and only spend about ten minutes on it. If you are further along in the project the rendering will be tighter to demonstrate a truer illustration of what the real vehicle might look like. This tutorial demonstrates how I would tackle the latter. The style is my style and should be used as a guide and catalyst to developing your own style.

Scan your image and open it up in Photoshop. The quality of the sketch is not important in this case because the whole thing will be redrawn in Photoshop and any mistakes will be corrected (for example, one of the wheels might be smaller than the other).

Select Alt + Command + I and change the document size width to 210mm and the DPI to 300. This means that if the resulting image is printed at full size on an A4 sheet of paper the quality will be good, even if it were to be printed at A3 it would still look good.

By default the sketch will be on a layer called “Background” and the layer will be locked. To unlock it, right-click on it and select Layer from Background … a New Layer dialog box will appear, click OK and the layer will change to “Layer 0.” Now click “Layer 0″ once so that it is selected, then double-click it and change its name to "sketch." Next click the little padlock above it to lock the layer.

Go to Layer > New > Layer to create a new layer, then rename it "bg." You can now drag and drop layers to reorder them. Place the "bg" layer below the "sketch" layer. These two layers will remain at the bottom of the layers tab.

Step 2

This is the most laborious of the process. Using the Pen Tool (P) trace over your sketched lines. Use as few points as possible to keep the sketch flowing, light and clean. As an example, the top curve uses only two points, the first one and the end.

Step 3

Go to the Brush Tool, select a Hard Round 1px brush and make sure the color is set to black. The Opacity and Flow should be set to 100%, which is the default.

Create a new layer (Shift + Command + N) and call it "outline." Click on the Pen Tool, right-click anywhere on the image and select Stroke Path, the dialog box should come up with the brush tool selected (this should be the brush that was defined earlier). Make sure simulated pressure is not selected and click OK.

In the path panel (Windows > Paths) the "work path" will be highlighted in blue. Click outside of the blue area to deselect it. The paths will now be invisible. To make them visible again click on the work path (notice that the background is a light blue color, this is just a personal preference of mine and is not necessary).

Step 4

Select a medium color, (I have chosen a light blue, but it can be anything in the midrange), make sure that this is the foreground color.

Make sure that the "outline" layer is selected, then use the Magic Want Tool (W) to select all the areas of the car that will be made into metal. Between each piece selected there will be a gap where the line is, so you need to expand the selection by 1 pixel. To do this go to Select > Modify > Expand, and enter 1 in the box, then apply.

Make sure that the selection is still active. Now create a new layer and Edit > Fill the foreground color. Rename this layer "base" and make sure that it’s below the "outline" layer.

Step 5

Reduce the opacity of the "outline" layer.

Step 6

Using the Magic Wand Tool (W) select the wheels and ground area and any area which will be black. Now fill it with black. Put this layer underneath the "base" layer.

Step 7

For this next stage I have modeled some wheels using Alias (I am in the process of writing a tutorial on how to do this, visit Designer Mart for more news on this in the future), though you can find a stock image of wheels to use.

Step 8

Create a new layer and name it "outer lines." Go to the Brush Tool (B) and select a slightly thicker brush that is Hard and Round with 3 Pixels for size. Turn the paths on. Grab the Direct Selection Tool (A) and click on an outer path to select it, then right-click and select Stroke Path. Turn the paths off to get a clearer view of the new stroke.

Step 9

Create a new layer and name it “glue.” Using the same method as Step 7, create the strokes to highlight the glasshouse and lights.

Step 10

Create a new layer and name it "shutlines." Use the same method as in step 7 to create some shutlines. Select the Eraser Tool (E), right-click anywhere on the image and select a large, soft, round shape. Use this eraser to rub out bits of the ends of the shutlines to make them look lighter towards the ends.

Step 11

It’s important to decide which parts of the vehicle face upwards and which face downwards. Any part that faces up will reflect light and any part facing down will be darker.

Create a new layer and name it "ground darkness." Command + Right-click the base layer to select the area. Make sure that the "ground darkness" layer is selected.

Select the Gradient Tool (G) and make sure that the black to transparent setting is active and apply it from the bottom of the selection upwards.

Step 12

Make the "outline" layer active and use the Wand Tool (W) to select the shapes above the wheel arches. Create a new layer and name it highlights. Fill this layer with white, then use the Eraser (E) tool to soften the top edges of the arches. Using the techniques described above work your way down the car.

Step 13

The area underneath the glass is facing upwards so it will reflect light.

Step 14

The area at the top of the side of the car, known as the waistline, is a large area facing upwards so it will be lighter. I’ve added a little darker bit to the bottom right of it. Sometimes when something large reflects the sky it’s nice to add a little break in it. Some houses or trees might create such a shadow.

Step 15

The sill area will reflect light.

Step 16

Add a little light coming in from the front to give it more depth.

Step 17

Select the area just below the waistline and add a slight gradient to that area, this will give the impression that the area below it is reflecting the atmosphere.

Step 18

Add a little shade to the front grille area.

Step 19

Add a little shadow just below the shoulder-line near the front to make it look like its slightly pinched.

Step 20

Then add a solid block to that to accentuate it further.

Step 21

Select the “base” and add a large gradient from the right. Play with the Opacity of it to make it subtle. This it to make it look like there is light coming from the right.

Step 22

Select the glasshouse area and fill it with a light blue color.

Step 23

Select the bottom half of the glasshouse and fill it with black and turn down the opacity until you get a nice gray color. Then select the upper section of the glasshouse and add a light gradient and again adjust the opacity until you get a realistic look.

Step 24

Often cars reflect road markings or the environment and creates nice flowing shapes on the side.

Step 25

Then add an outline to the reflection.

Step 26

Add a large shape to the left of the car and add a gradient to it. This will make the vehicle stand out.

Step 27

This step is to make the vehicle stand out. If there was a theme to the design, then the image might be more relevant. In this case, I just painted some random shapes using stock Photoshop brushes. Put this image in the bottom of the layer tab just in front of the "bg" layer and name it "atm."

Step 28

Make a copy of the "atm" layer and name it "atm reflect." Go to Edit > Transform > Scale to scale the "atm reflect" layer down a little bit. Command + Right-click the “base” layer to select the area. Command + Shift + I to select the inverse of what is selected. Make sure the "atm reflect" layer is selected then delete it.

Step 29

Now turn all your layers on apart from the "outline" layer.

Step 30

For the back light draw a random squiggle.

Step 31

Then apply an "outer glow" layer style to that layer to give it a glow.

Step 32

The front lights were created using a scatter brush painted in a straight line and erased towards the front. Then I added a glow on the back lights.

Step 33

It’s nice to flip the outcome to see how it looks from the other side. Edit > Transform > Flip Horizontal

Step 34

Using this method you can easily change the color of the car without having to worry about the highlights, lowlights, etc… simply change the "base" color.

Step 35

Experiment with different wheels. (this is another of the designs) …

Conclusion

Experiment with different background colors. The final design is below. There are lots of different styles of rendering, this is just one, have fun making your own!

Subscribe to the Psdtuts+ RSS Feed for the best Photoshop tuts and articles on the web.

1. Welcome to Psdtuts+. Can you please introduce yourself?

Hi there! I’m Jerico Santander, an illustrator from Canary Islands, Spain. Apart from the obvious, I also enjoy going out for a run, fishing and eating my mum’s cheesecake

2. How did you start your design career? What motivated you?

At primary school I felt way more interested in drawing than for playing with a ball, then at high school I had more communication with computers than with girls…Somehow I’ve always been connected to this world. I still can remember the first time I saw Flash and Photoshop (thanks cousin).

As many other illustrators, I also started designing website layouts. Then someday I found the legendary Infinity Digital Vision catalog with some old school shit from masters like Mike Young or Jens Karlsson. I felt the need of getting in that digital art world. Trying to imitate them is how I started to mesh up with Photoshop in a more artistic way.

3. How do you define yourself? As I see you make use of illustrations, 3D objects and lots of other stuff. One cannot say Jerico is only an “illustrator.” You did not limited yourself to one field. Will you continue in this fashion? Also what are your future plans?

Many artists find resources everywhere. I do use photography, digital painting and sometimes, a bit of 3D. I do nothing but welding many images together building up a totally new one, I guess I understand digital art as an extension from collage?

Honestly I don’t know which resources/tools I will work with in the future, probably I’ll paint more and use less photography. I’m bored of long hours trying to find the perfect stock image. I just hope to still have fun working!

4. I think there are a lot of people wondering about this: How does your process of designing evolve? How do you start a design and how do you finish it? For instance, can you share design process of Own World?

It depends on the project. I always need to do a few sketches, then search for the main stock, rendering some 3D (if needed), putting them all together, painting lights and shadows, etc. Anyways I usually get the best ideas when I’m about finished and that can mean the need to remake a big part of the process!

5. Who are your favorite artists? How do you enrich your dream world? Can you share your favorite websites?

Traditional artists: Mars-1 and Josh Keyes. Digital artists: Alex Trochut and Microbot. About my favorite sites and inspiration sources: depthcore.com, behance.net, cgsociety, and deviantart.

6. To date what would you say is your favorite illustration that you have created? What motivated you?

From the ones in my Behance page I don’t have an absolutely top one so I’d mention two and why I like them: “Own World“: I enjoyed crafting this image for the amount of effort, frustration and headaches I had with it. I felt way free when I finally got it done. “Nereid“: I always wanted to do something like this. I had fun experimenting with the human body and light while working. But honestly I would change some parts of this piece now, maybe I will!

7. Which software do you use? Do you use a tablet? Can you share with us your favorite software and also favorite tool in Photoshop? Why?

Yes, I can’t work without a tablet. I’m married to a a Cintiq 21″, I love you baby! ;-* Software I use? Photoshop, and a bit of 3dsmax.
About which PS tool would I bring to a deserted island, I’d say the brush tool as it’s the most versatile and the one I use the most.

8. Thank you for your answers. Finally, what do you want to say to Psdtuts+ readers?

Thanks psdtuts for the interview and to their followers for reading!

9. How can readers reach Jerico Santander on the Web?

Tracing my IP address and with some hacking knowledge, I guess!
Okay, I do not have a personal site yet. I’m a lazy ass, I know. The truth is that for the last two years I’ve pushed art and design to a second plane while focused life into other things. But now I have a bunch of new artwork and I’ll release them really soon together with a new site, I promise!

In the meantime, you can check Jerico Santander on Behance with the same old stuff!

Subscribe to the Psdtuts+ RSS Feed for the best Photoshop tuts and articles on the web.

New Exclusive High Resolution Photoshop Brushes

This new Photoshop Brushes Pack is created by Qbrushes and is available for Psd Plus members today. This is a set of 16 Brushes, which are all high resolution at around 2500 pixels by 2500 pixels. Members can Log in and Download! Otherwise, Join Now! A preview of the brushes are below.

See the Brushes in Action Below

Members can Log in and Download! Otherwise, Join Now!

Psd Plus Membership

As you know, we run a premium membership system here called Psdtuts+ Plus that costs $9 a month (or $22 for 3 months!) which gives members access to the PSD files for tutorials as well as periodic extra tutorials, like this one! If you’re a member you can log in and download the tutorial. If you’re not a member, you can of course join today!

Subscribe to the Psdtuts+ RSS Feed for the best Photoshop tuts and articles on the web.

Final Image Preview

Take a look at the image we’ll be creating. Want access to the full PSD files and downloadable copies of every tutorial, including this one? Join Psd Plus for just $9/month. You can view the final image preview below or view a larger version here.

Tutorial details:

• Programs: Adobe Photoshop CS4 and Modo
• Difficulty: Advanced
• Estimated Completion Time: 5-7 h

Step 1 – Preparing the canvas

Before we begin there are a few things worth mentioning. All the photos in this tutorial belong to the author, Pirosca Marcel. They were not gathered from stock sites around the net. The main character was shot in my photo studio.

First off I opened the original image resulted from the shooting with the main purpose being isolating the character and the shadows on the floor. First thing I noticed was that his face was not expressive enough for what I had in mind.

Before we begin cutting out the character I needed to replace his head with one from another picture where he looked more optimistic. I always shoot a lot of pictures every session, so when situations like this arise I have plenty of other images to choose from. The most important thing is that the light sources must be in the same place so it integrates seamlessly and believably. The light needs to come from the same directions. I have found the image below to be a good match for what I needed.

Using the Polygonal Lasso Tool create a selection around his head. The background contains only a flat color, so the selection should be very easy to make. I selected his head just as in the image below, then copy/pasted it into the original image, on a new layer.

I scaled and rotated it so that it matched the old head.

As you can see some integration is needed to be done for the head to blend perfectly. First off, cut out the background head so we can work on our new one. Use the Polygonal Lasso Tool to select and delete it. We should now have something similar to what we see below.

Notice that the most important region to work on is his neck. In order to obtain a nice transition from one to the other we need a transparency mask on the new head, then with a relatively soft (50%) Eraser Brush start deleting some of the harsh edges on the neck until you reach a good result. This part is open to a lot of trial and error, so using a mask will help us recover some of the parts we may have accidentally deleted. Finally, you should obtain something similar to the next image.

As we can see we need to work on some of the details. We need to fix the shirt and neck lighting in order for him to be believable. For the neck I used a combination of Dodge/Sponge tool as illustrated below.

In order to fix the shirt I copy/pasted a part of his shirt and then I blended it (using curves and transparency mask).

We are now ready to isolate our guy and the shadows on the floor. As he is a hard edged surface against a flat background it should be fairly easy to select him using the Polygonal Lasso Tool. I personally prefer this tool over the paths approach to selection because I don’t have to adjust any control points and tangents, even though it means a lot more clicks. Copy/paste him into a new layer.

Next thing we want is having the shadow on a different layer. As you can see the background of the photo studio was kind of dirty, so in order to remove the stains I applied some Surface Blur. I found that this type of blur is best for this operation as it removes noise while preserving some detail.

Once we got to this stage we can select the shadow using Color Range and the following settings.

Of course there will be some unwanted regions in the selection. Hit OK, and after the selection was made enter Quick Mask mode. Proceed to erase the unnecessary parts, as depicted in the image below.

Now in order to have the exact shadow we need to subtract the contour of our guy from the remaining selection. While in Quick Mask mode Control-click the thumbnail of the main character layer in the layers palette. This will load the selection for that layer. Press Delete to erase the quick mask inside the selection.

Exit Quick Mask mode and we have the selection of the shadow. Just copy/paste it onto a new layer.

We now have the character and his shadow isolated and on separate layers. We are ready to begin the final image.

Step 2 – Composition

This was a HUGE piece of work, size related. In order to achieve the final image we need to create an image 3613 by 5000 pixels. To get an idea of what I actually wanted, first I took the main character and moved it around the canvas; finally deciding to place him on the lower half of the image following the flow of his body. Being on a separate layer meant I could add all sorts of details behind him. The first thing that needed to be done was to further differentiate him from the gray background.

Use a white, soft brush with 20% Opacity to create a glow behind the guy.

Next it’s time to determine how the lines in the image would flow. For this I used my tablet with the size controlled by the pen pressure and Opacity set to about 30%. I proceeded in drawing the lines on which our man was surfing by holding Shift (so that the brush draws a straight line) and pressing harder on the tablet (for the line to be thicker) at his feet and then pressing less as the lines faded away.

This gave the lines the feeling of perspective and also helped me to give a sense of depth. I have to add that this is a process prone to a lot of trial and error, so it might take a while until you are satisfied with the results.

Now it gets interesting. In order to be able to replicate all of the planes fading away and also maintain proper perspective I used the Vanishing Point Filter to eyeball the plane our man is surfing on. There is an entire discussion here, because you can’t define that plane exactly how it is in reality since you have no reference. After several attempts I settled for the one below, thinking it works. To do this go to Filter > Vanishing Point.

The deal with Vanishing Point is that these planes can be extended at 90 degrees or arbitrarily. Using this method I further constructed additional planes to help me keep track of perspective, while trying to match my sketch lines as close as I could.

With this setup in position I was now able to add elements that will be flowing along these planes. But first I had a point to settle.

Somewhere along the line I experimented with color variations since the gray seemed a little dull. I love color and decided to use its power to give it a little punch.

Step 3 – Color Scheme

In order to obtain the proper colors for this piece I used three adjustment layers and placed them on top of the image. Two of them affecting only the skin (using masks), and a third one to set the general mood. For the skin, a Levels and a Color Balance to add subtle color enhancement.

And then a Color Balance affecting the whole image to give an overall greenish mood. The settings are shown below.

We are now ready to add in the details.

Step 4 – Digital Volume

Open Illustrator and by copy/pasting and then scaling vertical rectangles you can obtain something similar to the first digital volume in the image below. Make a copy and move it below.

By adding horizontal rectangles and subtracting them, it’s easy to obtain the second one. Just create one rectangle, move it vertically (by holding down the Alt key to create a copy) and press Command + D repeatedly to multiply it.

Copy the second volume graphic and go to Photoshop.

Now paste it into the Vanishing Point filter. For some reason Photoshop doesn’t allow directly pasting paths from Illustrator there. So we must paste it on a new layer as pixels first. Rotate it and scale it vertically just as in the image below in order to have as much resolution as we can.

Then Command-click the layer thumbnail in the layers palette. This will bring up the selection of that layer. Press Command + C to copy it into the cache, then delete the layer. We can now move to the Vanishing Point filter.

Go to Filter > Vanishing Point and paste. You should have something like that shown below.

Now if you drag that selection onto the floor plane, Photoshop will automatically calculate the right perspective for you.

Do it again to extend the volume further back.

Go to blending options and add the styles shown below.

You should now have something looking like this.

In order to to have some of the squares transparent, like in the final image, create a Transparency Mask for this layer, and then use a 50% gray (#7a7a7a) to paint over the squares that you want transparent. This can be a tedious process and it is up to you to decide which ones you leave opaque and which not. I will illustrate.

Now to give it a little punch, duplicate that layer, set its Opacity to 68%, and apply the following Curves (Command + M) to its transparency mask and you get this. The gray in the mask should have turned to black so this layer affects only the opaque squares.

It should look something like this.

We have reached a delicate part which takes a lot of tweaking to get right, but the main idea is to use a copy of the volume, move it into place and then use the Warp Tool to simulate the curvature. The tricky part is that some of the lines may get curved the wrong way and I had to personally correct them. Fairly time consuming I must say, but no other idea to create that corner came to mind.

Using the same technique as before, create a transparency mask and block out some transparent squares using a 50% gray.

Again, use the Vanishing Point Filter, Warp and a Transparency Mask to create the next section. It will take some work, but I already illustrated the necessary techniques.

We proceed to add the rest of the sections until they vanish.

Back to Illustrator. Using the Pen Tool to create a path along the sketch lines. Then round the corners. The easiest way for rounding vertices is to use a script called Round Any Corner found in this archive. Read more here.

Fill the final path with white, remove the stroke, and copy/paste it into Photoshop underneath the “volume” layer.

In order to enhance the look I decided to add another volume, this time white, underneath the one we created. Use the Vanishing Point filter once again, copy the first volume created in Illustrator, and extend it into perspective, as shown below.

As we can see, the trail is overlapping the white volume, so we need a mask to hide part of it. Leave only the top-left section visible.

We just need to add the shadow underneath our guy and we’re done with this section. We isolated it earlier in another document so just copy/paste in a new layer and align it. Set it to Color Burn with 50% Opacity. Now he looks like he’s actually there.

Step 5 – Background and Foreground Images

There are multiple ways to create the flying images, but I found that the quickest and easiest was the 3D approach. Basically, I took the planes generated by Vanishing Point and tried to recreate them in 3D. Considering that they were flying on a vertical plane on the surfer’s sides meant I had to create only one plane. I could extend everything else from there. Hang on, you’ll see what I mean.

The application of choice was Modo, but this can be done just as easily in others too. Again, I did this in 3D because it was much faster, I could move the planes into perspective much easier, which means more experimenting hence better results. Arguably I could have done this with Vanishing Point too, but it would have been time consuming.

Besides on my computer, Photoshop kept crashing if I worked more than 30 seconds with Vanishing Point, which happened about 100 times when doing work on the music volume. After that, I knew 3D was the only choice. Besides you’ll learn a new technique.

First and foremost we need to prepare a backplate for the 3D environment with the plane we need to match. I used the following image. Save it as a separate JPG.

In Modo create a new scene.

Go to Item > Create Backdrop. This creates a plane which we can add the image above as reference.

On the right you will see the following menu. From the Items list choose the backdrop item you just created, then in Properties, go to Image > Load Image.

Choose the “backplate” we saved earlier.

As you can see, the backdrop rotates as we rotate the view. We don’t want that, we want it to remain still and only move the geometry. In order to do that go to Projection Type > Camera. This will make the “backdrop” invisible for the current perspective view, but it will act as a background for the camera.

Press Command + Space. This will bring up a pop-up menu where you can choose what your viewport will display. Select Camera of course.

Now if we rotate the viewport the background image will remain still. To make sure the rendering will have the same dimensions as our piece, on the right side go to Shader Tree > Render and set the width/height of the scene to 3613/5000.

We are ready now to match some geometry.

Make sure that Trackball Rotation is active in your camera Advanced OpenGL menu. This will ensure that the camera will be able to rotate on all axis not only on XZ.

Now the tricky part. By rotating the camera slowly try to match our 3D plane with the one in the reference. Also scale the plane and make it longer.

One thing is obvious, the camera perspective is not dramatic enough to match the two planes. When I say dramatic I mean that the parallel lines do not converge fast enough. So we need to increase it.

The perspective of a camera depends on how wide the entering cone of light is. The wider the cone, the greater the perspective. The narrower the cone, the lower. That’s why wide camera lenses tend to distort images and emphasize perspective. That cone angle is directly controlled by the focal length. Fortunately Modo’s camera model is very similar to the real world one, so we can edit that parameter.

I have found by trial and error that 10mm focal length is close to what we need.

Of course the objects are now smaller, because the wide angle covers more space. No worries there. We just have to close in with the camera, and rotate it. Suddenly, the plane fits much better.

Not the perfect match but with a little bit of tweaking the camera we are there.

This can be a tedious process because the first time you create the plane, you have to rotate the camera and change the focal length at the same time to get a good match. Which can be tricky and time consuming. But once you have the focal length determined, everything else is a piece of cake. Below are the camera settings to get the exact match.

Once we have that plane into place, we can duplicate, scale and move it to create different copies. You can move them parallel to each other to give the feeling of depth.

Observe the wide angle of the camera and the final geometry.

Press F9 to render the Camera view. It shouldn’t take long because it is a simple scene. This is what you get. Switch to Alpha Output and save a JPEG.

Back to Photoshop. Let’s see what we got so far.

Open the Alpha Image we saved from Modo in Photoshop. Copy it, then switch to our surfer, in the Channels tab create a new one and paste the alpha inside.

Now if you Command-click the channel thumbnail you get a selection.

Create a new layer and fill it with orange (#ff8f00).

Cut and paste the images that are supposed to be behind him on a new layer and move it underneath the “digital surfer” layer in the Layers Palette. This way they will seem to be behind him in space.

There are too many of them flying right now, they overcrowd the scene so proceed to erase some of them in order to maintain balance. Most are from the lower-left corner.

Now we will round off the corners of the images, so they look a little less pointy. To do that load the layer selection by Command-clicking on its thumbnail in the Layers Palette. We will first round off the small rectangles, as they need a smaller radius, and then progressively do the others. Subtract parts of the selection to obtain the one below.

Go to Select > Modify > Smooth and set the radius to 10 pixels. Then press Command + Shift + I to inverse the selection and delete. There you go. You now have rounded corners.

We need to apply the same technique to the larger images. This time with a radius of 20 pixels since they are closer to the camera. Do this for the next selection.

You will get this result.

And now the final step of this process is to round the corners of the foreground images. Repeat the above steps with using the radius in the image.

Proceed to apply the following style to the image layers. We need to give it a little depth.

The difference is very subtle around the edges but its still there.

Now we will assign different opacities to various images depending on how far they are from the camera. I need you to copy and paste the following onto a new layer and assign it 25% Opacity.

Copy and paste into a new layer the following selection and assign it a 65% Opacity.

Copy and paste the following selection into a new layer and assign it a 44% Opacity.

Copy and paste the following selection into a new layer and assign it a 75% Opacity.

After all these steps you should be looking at something like this.

The next thing to add are some highlights over the flying rectangles. Select all of them, then with a 20% Opacity, soft brush, paint some highlights on them. Take a look at the second picture below to get an idea.

The only thing left to do now is add some textures on top of them. I will demonstrate the technique used for one of the images, then by repeating it a lot all the other rectangles can be filled too. We’ll use one of my photos to do this. You can find the rest of the images used images here: xn3ctz.deviantart.com/gallery/. This is my portfolio of stock photography. Feel free to use them.

Anyway, copy and paste this image into a new layer in Photoshop.

Using the Transform tool Command-drag the corners to fit one of the rectangles we want to texture.

Then set the layer to Overlay blending mode and use a mask to round off the corners. The opacity can depend on the distance to the camera, meaning that the images in the background can be a little transparent to give the feeling of depth.

After you do this with all the other images you should end up with something pretty nice. Anyway, it is time consuming so I’ll jump straight to the end result.

Step 6 – Translucent Interface

I started by creating these fairly simple shapes in Illustrator. They will act as textures for the interface pieces.

Copy the bottom left shape into Photoshop and place it into position.

Set it to Multiply with 35% Opacity and apply the following layer styles.

Use the same settings and the Illustrator paths we first created to add the next shapes.

Add some texture using the other shapes. They should be white set to Soft Light blending mode at 100% Opacity. Place them using the Transform Tool (Command + T) and fit them to the interface pieces.

And now FINALLY the last step. Create a new layer, load the interface selection, and with a 20% Opacity, soft, white brush paint some highlights just as we did with the rectangles.

THAT’S IT! Just zoom-out turn on the visibility of all layers and enjoy!

Conclusion

With this tutorial we have explored various ways to create the feeling of depth and space while maintaining perspective. All starting from a simple photo, adding layers and layers of details all working together in a seamless piece.

I hope you liked it and learned some new techniques from this tutorial. See you online. Cheers!

Subscribe to the Psdtuts+ RSS Feed for the best Photoshop tuts and articles on the web.

Here is a link to the written version of the tutorial Create a Leather-Textured, Realistic Briefcase Icon and the video version is below.

Final Image Preview

Take a look at the image we’ll be creating. Want access to the full PSD files and downloadable copies of every tutorial, including this one? Join Psd Plus for just $9/month. You can view the final image preview below.

Tutorial Details

• Program: Adobe Photoshop CS4
• Difficulty: Advanced
• Estimated Completion Time: 2 hours

Video Tutorial

Our video editor Gavin Steele has created this video tutorial to compliment this text + image tutorial.

Step 1

Let’s start by creating a new RGB blank document, choosing a 512 px square canvas. Activate Snap from the View Menu (Shift + Command + Semicolon key). Set up two guides to mark the center of the canvas.

Select the Rounded Rectangle Tool (U), choose Shape Layer and set the Radius to 10 px in the Options bar (1a). Draw a brown rectangle by Alt-clicking and dragging from the center of the canvas (1b). This is the briefcase’s main body, so name it “main.”

Step 2

Let’s achieve a higher realism by introducing some color variation. Set up the foreground (2a) and background (2b) colors to brown hues, then go to Filter > Render > Clouds. This will create an irregular stain pattern with the two colors that simulates leather’s natural color variation (2c).

Step 3

Let’s add a real leather texture. Download this image and place it in the document, naming its layer “texture.” Scale it down proportionally until it’s slightly bigger than the briefcase (3a). Command-click the “main” layer to select its pixels then add the selection as a mask to the texture (3b).

Set its blending mode to Soft Light and reduce the Opacity to 50% (3c). It looks a bit dull, doesn’t it? Let’s add some life to it. First bring up Levels by entering Command + L and move the right-hand slider closer to the center (3d). This raises the white levels, making the texture look brighter.

Step 4

Now select the “main” layer and double-click on it to bring up the Layer Style window. First add a dark brown Stroke to mark the perimeter (4a), then Inner Glow to simulate concavity around the edges (4b). It looks better already (4c).

Step 5

Now duplicate the layer and scale it down, clearing all styles (5a). Add an Inner Glow style to simulate a full pocket (5b). The hard edge is wrong, though, so go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur and choose 3 px. Now there’s a smooth color transition (5c). Now back to the “main” layer, add a Gradient Overlay to darken the top part as it is shadowed by the flap that we’ll draw later (5d).

Step 6

Now we’ll use a clever technique to create the stitches. Draw a small rounded rectangle (6a), then from the Edit menu choose Define Brush Preset and name the brush “stitch” (6b). You can erase the rectangle now.

In the Brushes palette set the brush’s properties. Set its Diameter to 8 px and the Spacing to 550% (6c). These values were found by trial and error using the preview at the bottom of the palette. The brush is ready to be put to good use.

Step 7

Choose a pale yellow color for the stitches (7a). Now create a rounded rectangle (choose the Path option for the Rounded Rectangle Tool) sized between the “main” and “main copy”. The stitches will run along this path (7b). In the Paths palette you’ll see the path you just created, double-click on its generic name and enter “main-stitches” (7c).

Now create a new layer and make sure it’s selected. Back to the Paths palette, right-click on the “main-stitches” path and select Stroke Path. A dialog will pop-up. Choose the Brush Tool and uncheck the Simulate Pressure option if it’s not already. Here’s the result (7d).

As you can see, the brush doesn’t conform to the path so the little dashes are always horizontal. We need to erase the vertical sides. Then marquee-select the dashes at the corners and rotate them 45 degrees (7e, 7f). It’s OK if they don’t look symmetrical, as that looks more natural.

Step 8

We need to create a new layer now and stroke the path again to create the missing sides. Hit B to select the Brush Tool, then F5 to open the Brush palette, and rotate the “stitch” brush 90 degrees. See in the preview window that the dashes are now vertical, that is perpendicular to the path (8a). Just like we did before, stroke the “main-stitches” path on the new layer (8b). Erase the horizontal sides and you should be finished (8c). You can merge the two layers into one named “stitches” (8d).

Step 9

The stitches look flat. Let’s add some thickness. First a Bevel and Emboss style (9a) to give the stitches some thickness, then a Drop Shadow (9b). Now they look more realistic (9c).

Step 10

Leather reflects the environment so we need to add ambient reflections. Draw a rounded rectangle near the bottom of the briefcase, choosing a light pink color (10a). Name this layer “ambient reflection,” set it to Screen mode, and 40% Opacity (10b).

We need to soften its edges so apply a 3 px Gaussian Blur (10c). Now type Q to enter Quick Mask mode. The colors will change to black and white. Type G to select the Gradient Tool and click-drag vertically to create a black-to-white gradient (10d).

Hit Q again to exit Quick Mask mode and see the gradient turned into a selection: use it to mask the layer and fade out the top of the reflection (10e). At this point you might need to adjust the opacity to 60% and blur again to get a satisfying result (10f).

Step 11

Now let’s draw a divider to suggest two pockets. Draw a thin vertical ellipse with the Ellipse Tool (U) smack in the middle (11a). Name it “pockets.” We need to make the endpoints darker, imply lighting coming let’s say from the right and also add some soft reflections around this slit. Once again layer styles will make the job easy. First add a Gradient Overlay (11b), then Bevel and Emboss (11c) and finally Outer Glow (11d). Very nice, the bottom of the briefcase is complete (11e).

Step 12

Let’s draw the flap. Snap to the center guide and draw the right half of the flap (12a). Duplicate this layer, flip it horizontally and snap it to the left side of the guide (12b). You can adjust the paths until you’re satisfied with the shape. Rasterize the layers when you’re done. Name this layer “flap.”

Step 13

Add a Gradient Overlay style to the flap, making the top part bright, as it is lit (13a). The flap needs a texture too, so duplicate the “texture” layer and move it above the flap. To avoid repetition of the pattern, flip it vertically and squash it to match the flap’s proportions (13b). Also use the flap to mask it (13c).

Step 14

The flap needs some thickness. Copy the “flap” layer and move the copy below it, naming it “flap thickness.” Move it down a bit (14a). Adjust its Gradient Overlay so it’s a bit lighter (14b). The thickness is not textured. Since the flap casts a shadow on the main body, we need to add a Drop Shadow style too (14c).

We only want the shadow to be cast onto the briefcase so we need to mask out the parts that stick out. Right-click on the “flap thickness” and choose Create Layers. This turns the styles into separate layers, masked by their parent (14d). Now Command-click the “main” layer (14e) and use this selection to mask the drop shadow (14f).

Step 15

Let’s add stitches to the flap. Command-click the “flap” then go to Select > Modify > Contract and choose 6 pixels (15a). How do you know how much to contract the selection? Trial and error, no magic knowledge required (15b).

Create a path from this smaller selection and name it “flap stitches” (15c). With the Direct Selection Tool (A), modify the path so it sticks out from the top. We want to imply that the stitches curve around to the back (15d).

Step 16

Stroke the path using our custom “stitch” brush with its rotation reverted to 0 degrees (16a). Erase the vertical sides, then manually rotate the dashes around the curved corners so they conform to the flap (16b). On a new layer stroke the path again, this time rotating the brush 90 degrees. Erase the superfluous dashes. Copy and paste the layer styles from the previous stitches (16c).

Step 17

Next up are the locks. Choose a yellow color and draw a rounded rectangle, moving it below the “flap thickness” and naming it “lower plate” (17a). Apply a gold Gradient Overlay (17b), a Drop Shadow (17c) and a Stroke to simulate highlights on the edges (17d).

Step 18

Copy this shape and move it above all layers. Name it “upper plate.” Marquee-select the parts in excess and erase them (18a). Open the layer styles and uncheck Reverse from the Gradient Overlay (18b). Reduce the Drop Shadow’s Opacity to 30% (18c) and the Stroke’s Opacity to 50% (18d). It looks good (18e). Finally make a smaller copy of the “lower plate,” name it “lock” and reduce the Stroke’s Opacity to 50% (18f).

Step 19

The lock is attached to the flap by means of a short leather strap. Behind the “upper plate” draw a brown ellipse and name it “strap” (19a). Copy and paste the layer styles from the “main” layer (19b). Modify them: reduce the Inner Glow (19c), change the Gradient Overlay color (19d), and change the Stroke (19e). The changes were needed to accommodate the smaller dimensions of the strap (19f).

Step 20

Let’s add small, point-like stitches to the flap. The procedure was explained twice already. Make a smaller copy, select it and turn it into a path. Modify the “stitch” brush’s properties (20a) and stroke the path on a new layer called “strap stitches.” This time we don’t need to rotate the dashes as they are round. Apply the same layer styles as the other stitches (20b).

Select and link the “lower plate,” “lock,” “upper plate,” “strap,” and strap stitches.” Now move them to the center of the left pocket. Copy them over to the right pocket (20c). When you copy them, the layers will all be above the originals. You need to move the “lower plate copy” and “lock copy” below the “flap thickness” so they’ll receive the drop shadow properly.

Step 21

The last element to draw is the handle. Create two small metal buckles using the Rectangle Tool (U) (21a). Apply a light gold Gradient Overlay style (21b). Create a light brown rectangle behind the buckles, skewing it to conform to the flap’s upper edge (21c). Copy it and flip it horizontally under the right buckle.

Step 22

The handle is created with a rounded rectangle (Radius = 5 px) placed below the buckles (22a). Type Command + T to invoke the Free Transformation Tool, then right-click on the handle and choose Warp. In the Options bar select Arc and set Bend to 20 (22b). The resulting shape (22c) needs to be scaled down and be made lighter (22d).

Step 23

Let’s add a couple of finishing touches to make the handle look better. Add a Satin layer style to darken the middle part (23a). Subsequently add an Inner Glow style to create the top highlight (23b). The briefcase is now finished (23c).

Conclusion

Complete the icon with a shadow or a reflection to suit your needs. In this tutorial you learned how layer styles can be used to simulate thickness and lighting with a minimum effort and how custom brushes can be employed to create patterned strokes. I hope you had fun creating the briefcase. Hey, you can use it to show off your impressive portfolio now!

Subscribe to the Psdtuts+ RSS Feed for the best Photoshop tuts and articles on the web.

Tutorial Wrap

• 

  3D Typography Tutorial

  This tutorial is a very cool one, something for the more advanced users who can use C4D and Illustrator, as well as Photoshop. If you are a somewhat new designer and would like a good challenge, then definitely try this one out. It will teach newcomers some great techniques in three very important programs that are essential to a designer. So this is a must try out for everyone. The outcome is visually great and the tutorial is detailed.

  Visit Tutorial

• 

  Adding an Eastern Twist to your Art

  This tutorial focuses on how to bring a little traditional Asian culture to your art, if you are up for trying out this visual style, then you should go for it. It is a six page tutorial so there are quite a number of steps, but it is also detailed. Simple techniques are used and the outcome is visually pleasing, so this is another tutorial to try out.

  Visit Tutorial

• 

  Building a Slick User Interface

  Here we have a tutorial for the Photoshop newcomers, anyone who has been around the tutorial blogs has seen countless tutorials that show you how to make iPods, iPhones, and various other types of electronic interfaces. So if that
  wasn’t enough for you here is a different take on one. I suggest people who need some practice with getting
  familiar with layer styles check this out because a lot of that is used here.

  Visit Tutorial

• 

  Giving your Sketches a Face Lift

  We all have a bunch of random doodles that we draw out just for fun, some actually have sketchbooks but don’t go any further than just drawing them. Well this tutorial will show you how to take your drawings and create amazing digital art with them. So round up some old drawings, scan them in, and follow this detailed tutorial. See if you can make something new out of your old doodles.

  Visit Tutorial

• 

  Create a Clean Hosting layout

  Last month we featured a similar tutorial from Grafpedia showing how to make a very stylish and professional layout for a hosting website. Well if that wasn’t enough for you, here is a second tutorial on creating a sleek business template. The techniques are fairly the same as last time, but if you need more practice, then this is the thing for you.

  Visit Tutorial

• 

  Create Cool Wet ink Typography

  This tutorial has a very cool outcome and requires a small amount of effort on the designers part. This is all we could ask for, a very stylish result made with a lot of ease. There isn’t much to say about this typographic tutorial. So check it out, download the brushes needed and get to creating your own rendition of it.

  Visit Tutorial

(FREE!) Download Picks

• 

  Vintage Vector Pack

  Our first freebie of the month is a vintage serpent vector pack,
  unfortunately the pack only contains 4 images but they are still high quality and can be used many ways. The pack contains 2 serpent vectors, a
  origami type vector, and an abstract cube vector. They are all cool and unusual so everyone should check them out.

  Visit Download Site

• 

  20 Free iPhone Wallpapers

  If you are a real iPhone fanatic and change your wallpaper every month, then this is the freebie for you. The pack contains 20 very cool wallpapers ranging in many different styles for everyone’s favorite cell phone.

  Visit Download Site

• 

  Storm Cloud Textures

  Here we have a great addition to anyone’s collection of stocks. All designers use stocks of clouds and the sky so that is why these are so good. They are high resolution, which also helps when working with a big canvas. Check these stocks out and save the ones you like, you wont regret it because eventually you will end up using them.

  Visit Download Site

• 

  Hair Styles Vectors

  This is a unique freebie that not everyone might want, but it is still cool enough to feature. This pack contains vectored images of different male and female hairstyles. The pack contains 8 different high quality vectors, so check it out if this is something you think you would need.

  Visit Download Site

• 

  22 Textures from the Grand Canyon

  Here is our second and not last texture pack for this month. This one is a pack of 22 various textures found on a trip to the grand canyon. The pack features many different types of textures, it varies from rocks, water, to the sky, and shots of the terrain. So check this one out.

  Visit Download Site

• 

  Rust Texture Pack

  Now for our next texture pack we are featuring something more gritty, these rust textures are perfect for different types of grunge art. There are a bunch of different colored metals with different types of rust. They should give your art some great effects.

  Visit Download Site

• 

  80 Stunning Backgrounds for your Website

  Your website does not need to have a simple and plain background, some backgrounds can really tie in the whole feel of a website, and this freebie is here to help. This post features 80 backgrounds for many different types of themes. This is a must check out for anyone who creates layouts, or owns a website, or is just looking for a cool background for themselves.

  Visit Download Site

Article Wrap

• 

  Graphic Design Education

  If you are looking to get serious about becoming a full time graphic designer then this is your article to read, the author tells you some important steps on where to start if you want to become a designer and some of the important requirements.

  Visit Article

• 

  Showcase of Beautiful Textured Web Designs

  Here is your monthly dose of inspiration. This article showcases some great uses of textures in website designs. This is a combination with some of the textures in the Freebie section, and the layout tutorial. So check this out get inspired and try to make some yourself.

  Visit Article

• 

  5 Overlooked Features In Photoshop

  This is an interesting and informative article. The author points out 5 things that most people forget about and overlook when using Photoshop. These 5 things can be extremely helpful and should not be forgotten when designing. So check it out and make sure you know about them before you try and create some more art.

  Visit Article

• 

  Negative Space in Logo Design

  Too much blank space can sometimes hurt a logo, but the author of this article points out that some logos actually look better with some negative space. This is a roundup of some famous and not so famous logos that use negative space well. With each logo you can see who created it and what agency they work for. So check this out if you are really into logos!

  Visit Article

• 

  Top Linked Design Articles

  You do not have to sit at home or your office all day looking to be inspired. This article points out that the “offline” world has inspiration all around it, you just need to know how to look. This is an extensive article that shows you the many different types of inspiration outside of the computer screen. So this is a must read for all because we all are without inspiration at one point or another.

  Visit Article

• 

  Things to Ask your Clients for Besides Money

  This article will help you grow as a business man while still being a good designer. The author points out 7 things that you can ask from your clients that will help your career in the long run. So if you are a freelancer then this is something you should definitely check out because some of the tips here can prolong a designer’s career and bring in more business.

  Visit Article

• 

  How to Choose a Logo Designer

  A companies brand is one of the most important things that the company has. Their logo will be plastered everywhere they are, so choosing the right designer to do that logo is essential. That is why the author of this tutorial has given a few tips for the person who is looking to hire a good logo designer. 10 Tips that should find you a competent and talented designer that can create the right logo for your business.

  Visit Article

Subscribe to the Psdtuts+ RSS Feed for the best Photoshop tuts and articles on the web.

Final Image Preview

Take a look at the image we’ll be creating. Want access to the full PSD files and downloadable copies of every tutorial, including this one? Join Psd Plus for just $9/month. You can view the final image preview below.

Tutorial Details

• Program: Photoshop CS and newer
• Difficulty: Beginner
• Estimated Completion Time: 30-45 mins

Step 1

First of all, create a new 500px by 500px document with white background. Drag out some guides at the center of the document for convenience. Select the Pen Tool (P) and make a shape like the one shown below.

Step 2

You need to add some colors and a thin-white strip to the shape. To do so, double-click on the layer and apply the following Layer Styles.

Step 3

Duplicate the shape (Command + J) and go to Edit > Transform > Flip Horizontal, move the duplicate shape rightward so that the sides join each other as shown.

Step 4

Due to similar colors, the two shapes give a flat look to the roof. There’s a need to fix that. Open the Layer Styles of the duplicate layer, and apply the following changes.

Step 5

Set foreground color to “830F00.” Draw a shape like that shown below with Pen Tool (P). Name the resulting shape “roof left”.

Step 6

Duplicate the shape and name it “roof-right”. Go to Edit > Transform > Flip Horizontal and move the duplicate shape rightward so that you get something like this.

Step 7

With Pen Tool (P), draw another shape like the one shown below, name it “body.”

Step 8

Double-click on the layer and give it these Layer Styles.

Step 9

You need to put the roof’s shadow on the body of the house. To do so, Command-click on the “roof left” layer, then Command + Shift-click on the “roof right” layer to sum up the selections of the two layers. Move the selection down and on a new layer fill the selection with the color “5F5343.”

Step 10

Go to Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur, enter 10px and click OK.

Step 11

You might notice that after the filter has been applied, the shadow is flowing outside the house’s body, which doesn’t look right. To fix it, Ctrl-click on the “body” layer, and press Command + Shift + I to invert the selection. With the “shadow” layer selected, press Delete.

Step 12

You now need to add a prominent part of the house – that is the door. Select the Rectangular Marquee Tool (M), and on a new layer fill a selection with black.

Step 13

Give the door the following Layer Styles.

Step 14

Now we need to add some details to the door. Select the Rounded Rectangle Tool (Shift + U) and draw a black rectangle with a 3px radius.

Step 15

Go to its Blending Options and apply these settings.

Step 16

Duplicate the shape and move it down so that you have something like this.

Step 17

A handle can now be added to the door. Use the Ellipse Tool (U) to make a small circle on the door.

Step 18

Give the circle a Drop Shadow and a Radial Gradient.

Step 19

You can add a slab above the door. Use the Pen Tool (P) to make a shape like the one shown below.

Step 20

Go to its Blending Options and give it a Gradient Overlay of a similar tone as that of the roof.

Step 21

With the Pen Tool (P), make another shape like the one below.

Step 22

Give the shape the following Layer Styles.

Step 23

Create a new layer and fill a selection with black on it. Make sure that this layer is placed below the “door” layer in the Layers Palette.

Step 24

Give the black strip a Gradient Overlay of the following colors.

Step 25

As a further detail, you can add a door-step to the house. Make a shape like the one below with Pen Tool (P).

Step 26

Give the door-step a Gradient Overlay.

Step 27

To give the door-step a 3D look, add some thickness to it. Set the foreground color to “A26431″ and draw a shape like the one shown below.

Step 28

It’s time to add windows to the house. Start doing so by filling a selection with black on a new layer.

Step 29

Using the Rectangular Marquee Tool (M), fill a selection with white on a new layer as shown.

Step 30

Go to the Blending Options of the windows cross section, and give it these styles.

Step 31

Now, you need to make shutters. Just like you made the door, make a shutter and put it on one side of the window. Make a copy of it and move it to the other side, give a Drop Shadow to the shutters if you want.

Step 32

Just for increasing details, add a slab to the window like you did for the door. The only difference is that you need to apply the Layer Styles of the door-step to the slab you are making for the window.

Step 33

Create a layer set and put in it all layers that constitute the window. Duplicate the layer set twice and transform it to 60% of its original size. Put the smaller windows on the right side of the door.

Step 34

You can now add a chimney to the house. Create a new layer and on it, fill a selection with black.

Step 35

Give it a Gradient Overlay with these colors.

Step 36

Make a shape like the one below to give the chimney a 3D look.

Step 37

Make another shape of any color for the chimney.

Step 38

Give the shape a Gradient Overlay with these colors.

Step 39

Set the foreground color to “D6C08D” and make a shape like this.

Step 40

It’s time to give shadows to the base of the house icon. Create a new layer, then use the Rectangular Marquee Tool (M) to fill a selection with black.

Step 41

Apply Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur and then Filter > Blur > Motion Blur with these settings.

Step 42

Make a similar shadow for the door-step. You can set the Opacity of the shadows from 80-90% or from 20-30%. I added some grass and ended up with this.

Conclusion

The final image is shown below! I hope you enjoyed creating this icon design!

Subscribe to the Psdtuts+ RSS Feed for the best Photoshop tuts and articles on the web.

1. Creating a Knob in Photoshop

2. How to Make a Menu Interface for a Fantasy Themed iPhone Game

3. Create a Promotional iPhone App Site in Photoshop

4. How to Create a Slick and Clean Button in Photoshop

5. Simple Button

6. How to Create a Detailed Audio Player in Photoshop

7. Create an Apple IPhone case from scratch

8. iPhone Style Icon Tutorial

9. Create the Glass Shelf Dock from Leopard OS in Photoshop

10. Build a Slick Rich User Interface in Photoshop

11. Loading Interface

12. Make a Web Interface with Car Images

13. Zoom Player Design Skin

14. Volkswagen Inspired Navigation

15. MP3 Player Interface Design

16. Blackberry Fruit phone

17. Interface Navigation Tutorial

18. Create a Mac Style Interface Button in Photoshop

19. Nokia 5300 Cell phone interface

20. Photoshop Tutorial: Audio Interface

21. High-Detailed Plastic Navigation Bar

22. Aqua Interface

23. Nav Bar Interface Tutorial

24. Content Box

25. Interface or Skin Tutorial

26. How To Create a Stunning Vista Inspired Menu

27. Create a Web App Admin User Interface in Photoshop

28. Creating Inset Buttons for Interfaces

29. Modern Web Layout

30. Creating Smooth Metal for Interface Design

31. Create a Zune MP3 Player

32. Interface Orbs

33. Design Your iPhone Widgets

34. RCA Lyra X3030 portable media player

35. Video Player Skin

36. Designing a Black Audio Player Interface

37. MP3 Player Interface

38. Design Mico Buttons

39. VCarbon Style Icons and Buttons

40. Create a Speed Gauge and Watch Icon in Photoshop

Subscribe to the Psdtuts+ RSS Feed for the best Photoshop tuts and articles on the web.

Aetuts+ – After Effects Tutorials

• 

  Simulate a Realistic Sniper Scope Perspective – AE Plus

  My tutorial deals with a VFX shot that’s easy to attempt but hard to master: A convincing looking sniper scope view.
  I will outline the assets that I provide in Photoshop and the principles of accomplishing the intended outcome. In After Effects I’ll make use of pre-compositions, motion tracking and some easy expressions. For clarity’s purpose I’ll get into details about optical phenomena when necessary.

  Continue Reading

• 

  Form a Unique Transition

  In this tutorial we are going to reveal how to create a cool particle transition between 2 videos using Trapcode Form. We will cover the importance of layer maps while using this plugin as well as how to create a stylish displacement of the particles.

  Continue Reading

• 

  Making Your Color Scheme a Whole Lot Kuler!

  Adobe Kuler is a great resource for color themes that is perfectly integrated in all Adobe CS4 software – except for After Effects. But this has changed now.

  Continue Reading

• 

  The Best Sound You’ll Ever See!

  Satya is back with a new tutorial that will help you look as good as you sound. This technique has many options so sit back and learn how to create an attractive visual generated from your audio spectrum.

  Continue Reading

• 

  Terminate Your Footage With Expressions

  Sep 21st in VFX by Ben McEwan If you’re wanting to help to save Sarah Connor then maybe this tutorial will give you an insider’s perspective on what to do. Ben McEwan has created a 3 Day Series crammed full of useful expressions to create the UI found in the Terminator.

  Continue Reading

Nettuts+ – Web Development Tutorials

• 

  11 Classic CSS Techniques Made Simple with CSS

  We’ve all had to achieve some effect that required an extra handful of divs or PNGs. We shouldn’t be limited to these old techniques when there’s a new age coming. This new age includes the use of CSS3. In today’s tutorial, I’ll show you eleven different time-consuming effects that can be achieved quite easily with CSS3.

  Visit Article

• 

  20 HTML Forms Best Practices for Beginners

  Working with XHTML forms can be somewhat daunting; they not only use some niche HTML elements, but also blur the line between static content and user interaction. Let’s review some things to remember when creating your next form.

  Visit Article

• 

  Search Engine Optimization 101

  Your website may be top notch but what’s the use of an online presence if no one can find it? In this quick start guide to search engine optimization we’ll review an assortment of tactics to increase your page ranking.

  Visit Article

• 

  How to Design and Code a Flexible Website

  In this tutorial, we’re going to be designing and coding a simple blog-style web-page. We’ll pay special attention to making our design flexible and accessible by using clean and simple XHTML and CSS. This tutorial is aimed at beginners, and anyone looking to improve the accessibility of their web designs.

  Visit Article

• 

  Getting Clean with PHP

  Data security is important and often undervalued by designers, developers, and clients alike. Since PHP 5.2.0, data sanitization and validation has been made significantly easier with the introduction of data filtering. Today, we’re going to take a closer look at these filters, how to use them, and build a few custom functions.

  Visit Article

Psdtuts+ – Photoshop

• 

  Render a Cereal Box Cover from Scratch Using Photoshop’s 3D Tools

  Hi everyone! This time I’ve got for you a fun tutorial, we’ll create a cereal box design from scratch, using only Photoshop. We will render several fruit flavored cereal loops using the Photoshop’s CS4 Extended 3D tools, apply textures to the loops, bump the surfaces and mock-up them into a real 2D image. Are you ready?

  Continue Reading

• 

  Create a Big Air Event Poster with Photoshop and Illustrator – Psd Plus Tutorial

  We have another Psd Plus tutorial exclusively available to Plus members today. If you want to take your Photoshop and Illustrator integration skills to the next level, then we have an exciting poster design tutorial for you. Learn more at the jump!

  Continue Reading

• 

  Create an Intense Movie Poster in Photoshop

  Designers love to be critical about movie posters, and while you may think you have better ideas about how to sell a movie to an audience, how many times have you actually tried doing it? In this tutorial, we’re going to create a poster for a fictional movie called “Fugitive.” The movie is meant to be a suspenseful thriller that features one’s escape under the cover of darkness, despite man’s attempt to capture the lone hero. Thin and cheesy plot? Check. Awesome opportunity to better your PSD skills? You got it!

  Continue Reading

• 

  How to Create Eroded Metal Text with Photoshop

  In this tutorial I’ll show you how to create an eroded metal text effect. Throughout this tutorial we’ll make use of various drawing techniques, channels, and patterns.

  Continue Reading

• 

  Add Fantastic Color to 3D Text – Part I

  This is the first part of a two part series. Part two will be released tomorrow. In this piece you will learn how to bring a simple text to life and place everything in fantastic, colored and glowing 3D space. Some neat techniques covered here will allow you to bring your art to the next level. Don’t miss it! There are two parts to this tutorial: Part I and Part II.

  Continue Reading

Vectortuts+ – Vector & Illustrator

• 

  How to Create a Golden, Vector Compass in Illustrator

  In this tutorial I will take you through the steps and techniques of creating a golden compass. For this tutorial I’ve used just Adobe Illustrator and a heavy dose of ingenuity.

  Continue Reading

• 

  How to Create a Yellow Submarine Icon with Gradient Meshes – Vector Plus Tutorial

  We have another great Vector Plus tutorial available exclusively for Plus members today. If you want to learn how to use gradient mesh, pattern brushes and other advanced Illustrator tools to create a shiny submarine, then we have an awesome tutorial for you. Learn more about this tutorial at the jump!

  Continue Reading

• 

  Build a Promotional iPhone App Website Wireframe in Fireworks

  Fireworks is a great tool for creating a wireframe and while it doesn’t work perfect with Photoshop, you can export over there and then build off your wireframe. We’ll cover the design process of creating a wireframe for an iPhone application website in Fireworks. For those of you not familiar with this program, it will be a good jumping off point for using it to wireframe your web design projects. This is a multi-part series and will be fun! Here is Part I of and Part II.

  Continue Reading

• 

  How to Create a Caramel Ripple Effect

  In this tutorial, we will create a hot chocolate caramel effect using some distort tools and the 3D revolve tool. This is a simple and effective technique to obtain a quality vector ripple effect quickly. Here we go!

  Continue Reading

• 

  How to Create an Energy Saving Bulb in Illustrator

  Here we’re showing how to create an energy saving bulb with the help of the Illustrator’s Mesh Tool. At the beginning it could be quiet hard to work with, but if you get used to it, it’s fairly simple.

  Continue Reading

Activetuts+ – Flash, Flex & ActionScript Tutorials

• 

  Create a Unit Converter Application for Flash Lite Enabled Devices

  Flash Lite is an implementation of the Flash runtime for mobile phones, consumer electronic devices, and Internet-connected digital home devices. According to Adobe, the number of Flash Lite shipped devices will reach 1 billion in 2009 and more than 2.5 billion by the end of 2010, so if you are a Flash Developer it is important to know how this technology works and how it differs from Flash Player for the desktop.

  In this tutorial I’ll guide you through the basics of Flash Lite using the 1.1 version; sacrificing features, but ensuring compatibility.

  Visit Article

• 

  Build a Mini Golf Game with ActionScript 3.0

  In this tutorial I´ll show you how to create nice Mini Golf Game with ActionScript 3.0. We´ll work with Event Handlers, Functions and also the Timer Object which is a really cool feature in AS3.

  Visit Article

• 

  AS3 101: Loops

  Welcome back to AS3 101, the fifth edition! At this point, you should be comfortable with the concepts of variables, functions, conditionals (branching), and Arrays. Not only should you be comfortable with the concepts, but you should also be fluent in how ActionScript 3 implements these concepts.

  For this fifth episode, we’ll be adding to that catalog of skills the various looping structures found in AS3. You’ll find some dependencies on the information learned in AS3 101 Part 4, on Arrays, so if you’ve skipped that one or need a refresher, please review that tutorial before continuing with this one.

  For our final project, we’ll combine loops and arrays, to make a simple shoot-em-up game.

  Visit Article

• 

  Improve Your Memory With an Away3D Game

  In this tutorial we’ll build a 3D memory game. Along the way we’ll look at adding variables and mouseEvents to Away3D objects. Let’s get started..

  Visit Article

• 

  Build a Photo Viewer Using Flex and the Flickr API

  In this tutorial you will learn how to use the as3flickrlib library to create a Flash Flickr photo viewer.

  Visit Article

Phototuts+ – Photography & Post-Processing Tutorials

• 

  Photography Kick-start Guide: Adjusting Your Camera’s Settings for the Photo You Want

  Cameras vary in terms of functions offered. There are differences from one brand to the next and even from one model to another of the same brand. By necessity, this tutorial will have to generalize but let’s try to de-mystify some of the more common settings found on cameras today, what they mean (to the camera) and how to use them.

  Visit Article

• 

  Mastering the Art of Black and White Photography

  In the early days of photography, photographers had no choice but to shoot in black and white, as it was the only available medium. Then, in 1936, the invention of kodachrome gave colour photography to the world. But black and white photography didn’t die off, instead it flourished. Modern black and white photography at it’s best is art, and many photographers regard it as the purest form of photography.

  Visit Article

• 

  Freezing Time: 80 Inspiring Examples of High Speed Photography

  In our last roundup, we covered a selection of amazing HDR images. This time we move onto something completly different, with stunning high speed photography. These images freeze time, and allow us to observe scenes that the naked eye would struggle to capture. It’s definitely worth a look for some great inspiration!

  Visit Article

• 

  8 Tips for Taking Sports Photos Like a Pro

  Are you looking to shoot better sports photos, and make an impact? Sports photography presents you with many opportunities to capture dramatic and vivid imagery that will last a lifetime. No other medium presents you with heart-pounding action, vivid color patterns and unique shooting opportunities.
  The steps and guidance featured in this tutorial cover a broad range of areas – from perfecting shutter speed, to making sure you don’t miss the action.

  Visit Article

• 

  How to Photograph Waterfalls

  Waterfalls are some of the most beautiful natural features you will ever get the opportunity to photograph. But though they can look simply stunning, photographing waterfalls is not easy to do well. How do you avoid your photos being too dark? How do you deal with clipping in the water? How do you compose your photos to capture the authentic beauty of the scene?
  In this tutorial, nature photography expert Steve Berardi shares his best tips for photographing waterfalls.

  Visit Article

Cgtuts+ – CG Tutorials

• 

  Model and Texture a Posh Living Room Scene in Maya

  In this tutorial you will go through the process of modeling and rendering a Living Room in Autodesk Maya. You will also learn to use Mental Ray (along with the new architectural materials), create realistic fur, and implement studio lighting to create nice and soft shadows and highlights.

  Visit Article

• 

  Using Splines to Add Detail to Your High-Poly Model in 3ds Max

  Splines are an often-overlooked aspect of 3ds max when it comes to game art. Most people know that you can use a spline for a wire – but you can also use it for things like grooves, whole objects like handles, and even text! In this tutorial, we’ll take a look at some of these advanced ways that splines can be used to save a lot of time on tasks that would otherwise have to be done by hand.

  Visit Article

• 

  Create a Rocky Video Game Terrain in Blender

  In this series of tutorials you will learn how to create a finished environment for Blender’s Game Engine. The main focus of the series will be texturing and lighting, with the use of some custom 2d filters to enhance the result.

  Visit Article

• 

  Model a Photorealistic Swiss Army Knife in Modo

  Subdivision modeling is an extremely powerful tool that can allow you to add high levels of detail to your models in a relatively short amount of time. In order to use it effectively, however, one must know when, and more importantly, when not to use it. In this three part, beginner to intermediate tutorial series, professional Modo artist, Matt Braeley, will demonstrate how to model a photorealistic Swiss Army knife, using polygonal and subdivision modeling in Luxology’s Modo 302.

  Visit Article

• 

  Build an Advanced Drifting Car Rig in 3ds Max

  In this advanced level tutorial, you will learn all of the steps necessary to build a fully functioning car rig in 3D Studio Max. This rig features working suspension, steering and body roll, as well as some functionality for drifting and powerslides. You will learn how to set up internal functionality through links, constraints, expressions, and parameter wiring. The final result will be a robust rig with easy, and accessible controls.

  Visit Article

Audiotuts+ – Audio and Music

• 

  Introduction to Polyrhythms

  The usage of simple, common time (4/4 time signature, where there are four beats to a measure, and each quarter note gets one beat) is pervasive in Western popular music, including rock, blues, country, folk, pop, and various forms of electronic music including many sub-genres of house and trance music. The four-on-the-floor mindset can be difficult to escape, but every musician and composer can benefit from a study of rhythm that includes a wider variety of time signatures and rhythms.

  Visit Article

• 

  How to Design Reeses and Hoovers

  Have you ever wondered how your favourite dance music producers create those amazing sounds that make you jump on the dance floor? Well, it usually takes a lot of experience and a huge amount of time spent on experimenting and processing sounds a ridiculously high number of times.

  But it’s quite hard to reach the stage of experimentation if you don’t even know the basics behind some kind of sounds often heard in dance tracks. This tutorial will teach you how to design from scratch a DnB trademark, the reese bass, and how to reproduce the infamous hoover sound, introducing you to the technique of resampling.

  Visit Article

• 

  A Beginner’s Introduction to Home Recording

  Home recording technology seems to get better and cost less every year. It puts power in the hands of ordinary people. You’ve probably found this article because you want to get into home recording.

  Most of our tutorials here at Audiotuts are at the intermediate or advanced level. And that’s OK, because you won’t be a beginner forever. But we do have some more basic tutorials and articles aimed at the beginner. This article will refer to many of them, and hopefully give you an overview of what’s involved in getting into home recording.

  Visit Article

• 

  A Basic Guide to Subtractive Synthesis (Part 1)

  This screencast is the first tutorial in a series on synthesis. This first installment shows a basic guided tour of Subtractor in Reason and covers oscillators, filters and envelopes.

  Visit Article

• 

  Is the Public Capable of Recognizing Quality Music?

  Can the average music listener recognize quality? Can they distinguish a virtuoso from a mediocre musician? Can they recognize a “hit” that will still be esteemed a masterpiece in a hundred years? Does “popular” mean the same as “quality”?

  Visit Article