| Colored Orb in Photoshop 6 or 7 | |
This
transparent colored orb (which is included in my free
files section) was originally created in Corel Photo-Paint using the Cutting
Edge FX add-on. A reader recently asked me how this image could be created
in Photoshop. I knew that Photoshop's layer styles was the way to go, and I
set out to try to duplicate the image. This tutorial is the result. We'll work
primarily with layer styles, and also the gradient editor and selections. (Scroll down to begin...)
1.) Create a new document--200 pixels square with a white background.
2.) Select the shape tool, then in the options bar, make sure "shape layers" (first button on the left) is active.
3.) Select the ellipse shape button and draw a circle by holding Shift down as you draw. In Photoshop 7.0, you can use any fill color. If you are using Photoshop 6.0, make sure the foreground color is set to 50% gray (127-127-127) before you draw the circle.
Your document should look like this.
And your layers palette like this.
4.) I find the path outline on a shape layer distracting. If you do too, you can go to View > Show > Target Path to uncheck that option.
5.) Click the "Add a layer style" button 
at the bottom of the layers palette and choose drop shadow.
6.) Select a shadow color similar to the one I have chosen.
7.) Change Opacity to 70%, Distance to 15 px, Spread to 25%, and Size to 25 px.
8.) Now click on Gradient Overlay.
9.) Click directly on the gradient to open the gradient editor. From the presets, choose foreground to transparent. You may need to reset the gradients by clicking on the small arrow at the top of the gradient editor.
10.) Looking at the bottom half of the gradient editor, if the lower left color stop is any color other than white, double click on it and change it to white. Also change the lower right and upper right color stops to white. The color stops are circles with a red outline below.
Note: The two color stops above the gradient preview control transparency.
Black equals completely opaque (no transparency) and white equals completely
transparent. The color stops below the preview control the gradient colors.
You can add extra color stops by clicking where you want one. Remove color stops
by dragging them away from the preview.
11.) You have just created a custom gradient for "White to transparent". If you wish, you can name the gradient and click the "New" button to add it to your presets.
12.) Click OK to accept the new gradient and return to the layer style options.
13.) Change the gradient style to radial and click the reverse button so your gradient goes from white on the outside of the circle and fades to transparent in the middle. Drop the opacity to 50%.
14.) At this point click OK to the layer styles you have applied so far. We'll be coming back here, but we need to make a change so we can better see what we're doing.
Your image should look like this.
15.) If you are using Photoshop 7.0, change the Fill opacity not the layer opacity to 0%. The slider is directly under the opacity slider on the layer palette.
16.) If you are using Photoshop 6.0, set the blend mode to hard light. If you filled the shape with 50% gray, the fill color should disappear.
17.) Go back into Layer Styles > Inner Glow.
18.) Choose a dark shade of the same purple for the color.
19.) In the inner glow options, set blend mode to multiply, Technique: softer, Source: edge, size: 40 px, opacity 8%. This will be very subtle.
20.) Next click on Inner Shadow.
21.) Choose a bright shade of the same purple. Blend mode: Multiply, Opacity 75%, Distance 15px, Choke 5%, size 30px.
22.) Click OK to apply the layer styles.
23.) Believe it or not, we're just about done. There is just one finishing touch that makes all the difference in the world... the highlight!
Here's what we have so far... but it lacks the finishing touch.
Questions? Comments? Post to the Forum!
