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Finally!
The Interface tutorial you have been nagging about is here!
So
roll up those shirtsleeves and flex those PS muscles - it's Interface
time!
PS!
By clicking the small thumbnails you will be able to see a big screenshot...
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Fig. 1 |
Ok
- here we go...
This interface covers quite a few of the techniques I use making interfaces,
so it turned out pretty long, but from the e-mails I have received
from some of you that's what you want :o)
I started out making a new file - 600 x 500 pixels big. White background.
Create a new layer (call this Interface body) and select the
Elliptical Marquee Tool and select a circle of your choice. Fill the
selection with black. The use the Elliptical Marquee Tool to select
a smaller circle inside the original circle according to fig. 1 and
hit the Delete key.
(The examples are resized to 50% of the original size...).
Now duplicate the Interface body layer and hide the
original - we are going to use the original layer later. |
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Fig. 2 |
Then
use the Elliptical Marquee Tool so select an ellipse according to
fig. 2.
Start at the top and hit the Delete key to get rid of pieces of the
Interface ring. I then moved the selection 40 pixels down for
each time I hit the Delete key until my image looked like fig. 2.
Deselect. |
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Fig. 3 |
Now
select the Interface body copy layer by hitting Ctrl + left
click the layer.
Switch to Channels
and click the save selection as channel button .
Deselect.
Now
go to Filter - Blur - Gaussian Blur - 4 pixels.
Then
go to Image - Adjust - Levels - and drag the arrows towards
the center until your image has nice clean edges. To have a look
at my settings click here.
(Name
this channel Interface).
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Fig. 4
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Go
back to the layer window and create a new layer called Interface.
Select - Load Selection - and select Interface body
(or whatever you chose to name your channel in step 4).
Fill
your selection with any color - I used a gray color, but it doesn't
really matter what color you use. It's going to change as soon as
we add the layer styles...
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Fig. 5
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Now
the fun begins!
It's
layer style time!
This is actually one of the standard layer styles that comes with
Photoshop 6.
Click
here to see where to find it.
In
addition I also added a soft drop shadow.
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Fig. 6 |
Ok
- It's time to get back to the original Interface body layer
that we hid in step 1.
Activate it and select it (Ctrl + left click).
Go
to Select - Modify - Contract - 5 pixels - OK.
Then
hit Ctrl + Shift + I to inverse the selection.
Then hit the Delete key.
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Fig. 7 |
Select
the layer again (Ctrl + left click);
Select
- Modify - Contract - 3 pixels - OK.
Hit the Delete key to get rid off the center of the Interface
body layer. I then added some drop shadow to the layer.
Your
image should now look like figure 7.
The
basic Interface is now ready, but it looks kind of boring.
It's
time to add some details!
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Fig. 8 |
Activate
the Interface layer and select it.
Got
to Edit - Copy Merged. Then Edit - Paste.
Rename this new layer layer and call it Interface details.
Select
the Interface details layer and go to
Select - Modify - Contract - 10 pixels - OK.
Inverse the selection (Ctrl + Shift + I) and hit the Delete key.
Deselect.
Select
the Rectangular Marquee Tool and make a selection similar to mine
in figure 8.
Before
you go any further add these layer styles.
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Fig. 9 |
Then
hit the Delete key to get rid of the selected area.
Then I moved the selection about 12 pixels (use the arrow keys) for
each time I hit the Delete key until my image looked like figure 9. |
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Fig. 10 |
The
Select the Elliptical Marquee Tool and make a selection similar
to mine in fig. 10.
The
hit the Delete key to get rid off the selected area.
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Fig. 11 |
I
then moved the Interface details layer a few pixels to the
left (select the Move Tool and use the arrow keys).
Your
image should now look like fig. 11.
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