Reflection

The tutorial will teach you how to take an image and create a blurred reflection effect. This tutorial uses the text below but you can apply it to any image. In this tutorial the image is quite bright so it is set against a dark background; the principals in this tutorial will also work for a dark graphic on a light background.

The end result in this tutorial:

If you wish to use the image in the tutorial save the image below to your hard drive. Otherwise, you may use an image of your own as long as it has some transparency.

1. Create a new canvas 250 pixels by 250 pixels. Ensure the Colour Mode is set to RGB.

2. Select the Paint Bucket Tool and set the foreground colour to 47484a. Fill the Background layer with this colour.

3. Open the image you are going to apply the reflection effect to in Photoshop. You can either choose File > Open or you can drag the image to the Photoshop icon in your dock (Macs only). Once opened in Photoshop drag the image into the canvas you created in step 1. Using the Move Tool position the image in the centre of the canvas and just above halfway as in the image below. Rename this layer to Image.

4. Right-click the Image layer and choose Duplicate Layer… and name the layer Reflection. Note, if you don’t get the choice to rename the layer on its creation you can simply double-click the layer name in the layer window.

5. With the Reflection layer selected choose Edit > Transform > Flip Vertical. Ensure the Move Tool is selected and press the down arrow until the layer mirrors the original like in the image below.

6. In the layer window reduce the Opacity of the Reflection layer to 30%.

7. Now it’s time to blur it. Still with the Reflection layer selected choose Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur. Set the Radius to 1.0 and click OK.

Tip: If you want a crisp glass-like reflection leave the above step out.

Tip: The radius of the blur should reflect the size of the image. The larger the image the larger the radius of the blur should be.

8. In the Layers window click the Add layer mask button and then select the Gradient Tool (it shares the same space as the Fill Tool). In the tool bar at the top ensure the colour is set to go from black to white and that it is set to Linear Gradient. It should look like this:

9. With the Gradient Tool and Reflection layer selected drag from the bottom of the Reflection layer (where the text ends) vertically in a straight line up to where it starts (at the top) as illustrated below. It must go from bottom to top else the fade will go the wrong way.

10. Your reflection should now fade like this:

11. The reflection is now complete but further visual tricks can be added to increase the sense of depth. Firstly, select the Background layer and then select the Rectangle Tool. Set the Foreground Colour to black (000000) or any colour that will stand out. The colour is not important as it will change later. Then draw a rectangle that covers the whole bottom of the canvas up to the bottom of the Image layer.

12. Rename this layer Floor. With this layer selected choose the Add a layer style button and choose Gradient Overlay. Apply these settings:

13. This subtle effect gives an illusion of depth. For a further illusion of depth right-click the Image layer and choose Duplicate Layer… and name the layer to Shadow.

14. Choose Edit > Free Transform and hover your mouse over the top-middle box. Drag down until the layer is severely squashed and hit Enter. It should look like this:

15. Choose the Move Tool and hit the up arrow a couple of times to line the Shadow layer with the bottom of the Image layer.

16. With this layer still selected choose Add layer style and choose Colour Overlay. Set the colour to black (000000) and choose OK.

17. Set the Opacity of this layer to 50%. Then choose Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur and choose 1.0 for Radius. Your effect is finished.

Digital clock in Photoshop

You are going to make a digital clock interface like this:

To do this tutorial you will need a digital clock font. I’m using the Duxus Clock Font available here.

1. Create a new canvas 145px wide and 70px in height with background colour #2A2A2A. Let’s start off with the clock base. Choose the Rounded Rectangle Tool; set the radius to 10px and the fill colour to #004370. Draw a rounded rectangle to fill the canvas like this:

2. Name the layer to Clock Base. Add Stroke settings like this:

3. Your base should look like this:

4. Now add a Gradient Overlay layer like this:

5. Your Clock Base layer will now look like this:

6. Add a Bevel and Emboss layer like this:

7. So that your clock base layer looks like this:

8. Add an Inner Glow layer like this:

9. The main part of the base is finished and should look like this:

10. Now we are going to write the base of the clock letter. Choose your Dexus Clock font, set the size to 60pt, the colour to #3F82B3 and the anti-aliasing method to Sharp and type 88:88 across the middle of the Clock Base layer (the text layer will automatically create a new layer - rename this to Clock Letters Base):

11. Now it’s time to do the clock numbers. Right-click the Clock Letters Base layer and Choose Duplicate Layer. Type 4 over the 88:88 text and change the colour to #30C2FF. Place the layer so it fits over the second 8 of the Clock Letters Base layer:

12. Add an Inner Glow layer like this:

13. The first clock digit is finished:

14. Duplicate the 4 (Right-click the layer and choose Duplicate Layer) and use the text tool to change the number from 4 to 2. Use the right arrow key to nudge the 2 right until it fits over the third 8 from the Clock Letters Base layer:

15. Repeat this process to create a 7 like this:

16. Repeat again but this time with a : and place it between the hours and minutes:

17. Create a new layer named Highlight at the top of the layer stack. Hold down Ctrl and click the Clock Base layer (with the Highlight layer selected). Choose Select > Modify > Contract and enter 3px. Fill the selection with #FFFFFF and set the layer opacity to 20%:

18.Choose the Rectangular Marquee Tool and nudge the selection up (use the up arrow) so that the bottom of the selection is halfway up the base. Choose Select > Modify > Smooth and enter 10px:

19. Choose Select > Inverse and press Delete. You’re finished:

design cfl logo in Photoshop

[2] Create a shape with the help of Ellipse Tool, Go to Edit > Transform > Warp, apply the following settings.

[3] Now press Cntl+T, right click select Rotate 90CW.

[4] Then right click shape layer select the Resterize layer, after that take the Polygonal Lasso Tool create a shape like this.

[5] Now hit the delete key.

[6] Use the same thing to bottom of shape.

[7] Now add the following layer styles.

[8] Create a shape with the help of Rectangle Tool, Go to Edit > Transform > Warp, apply the following settings.

[9] This is my result.

[10] Add the following layer styles.

[11] Create a shape with the help of Rectangle Tool.

[12] Drag the layer with previous shape layer, now select the previous layer right click to select copy layer style, now paste layer style.

[13] Create a shape with the help of Elliptical Marquee Tool, now fill that layer with #1d1d1d.

[14] Now create a 2 shape with the help of Rectangle Tool.

[15] After that add the following layer styles.

[16] Take the Rounded Rectangle Tool use these settings.

[17] Create a shape right click select make selection now fill that layer with black.

[18] Create another shape right click to select make selection and hit the delete key.

[19] For this shape add the following layer styles.

[20] Take the Move Tool move the shape place it like me.

[21] Then duplicate the layer drag the layer move the shape place it like me.

[22] Take the Rectangular Maruqee Tool create a shape like this.

[23] Hit the delete key.

[24] Then duplicate again press Cntl+T, Free Transform select Flip Horizontal.

[25] This is my final result, I hope you like it.