Interface

Finally! The Interface tutorial you have been nagging ab here!

So roll up those shirtsleeves and flex those PS m it's Interface time! PS! By clicking the small thumbnails you will be see a big screenshot...

Ok - here we go... This interface covers quite a few of the techniqu making interfaces, so it turned out pretty long, b the e-mails I have received from some of you th what you want :o)

I started out making a new file - 600 x 500 pixe White background.

Fig. 1

Create a new layer (call this Interface body) and the Elliptical Marquee Tool and select a circle of choice. Fill the selection with black. The use the Marquee Tool to select a smaller circle inside the circle according to fig. 1 and hit the Delete key. (The examples are resized to 50% of the origina size...). Now duplicate the Interface body layer and hid original - we are going to use the original layer l

Then use the Elliptical Marquee Tool so select an according to fig. 2. Start at the top and hit the Delete key to get rid pieces of the Interface ring. I then moved the se 40 pixels down for each time I hit the Delete k my image looked like fig. 2. Deselect.

Fig. 2

Now select the Interface body copy layer by hitt + left click the layer. Switch to Channels and click the save as channel button . Deselect.

Now go to Filter - Blur - Gaussian Blur - 4 pi

Then go to Image - Adjust - Levels - and drag arrows towards the center until your image has clean edges. To have a look at my settings click (Name this channel Interface).

Fig. 3

Go back to the layer window and create a new la called Interface. Select - Load Selection - and select Interface (or whatever you chose to name your channel in 4).

Fill your selection with any color - I used a gray but it doesn't really matter what color you use. going to change as soon as we add the layer sty

Fig. 4

Now the fun begins! It's layer style time! This is actually one of the standard layer styles comes with Photoshop 6. Click here to see where to find it.

Fig. 5

In addition I also added a soft drop shadow.

Ok - It's time to get back to the original Interfac layer that we hid in step 1. Activate it and select it (Ctrl + left click). Go to Select - Modify - Contract - 5 pixels -

Then hit Ctrl + Shift + I to inverse the selecti Then hit the Delete key.

Fig. 6

Select the layer again (Ctrl + left click); Select - Modify - Contract - 3 pixels - OK.

Hit the Delete key to get rid off the center of th Interface body layer. I then added some drop sh the layer. Your image should now look like figure 7.

The basic Interface is now ready, but it looks kin boring. Fig. 7

It's time to add some details! Activate the Interface layer and select it.

Got to Edit - Copy Merged. Then Edit - Paste Rename this new layer layer and call it Interface

Select the Interface details layer and go to Select - Modify - Contract - 10 pixels - OK. Inverse the selection (Ctrl + Shift + I) and hit th Delete key. Deselect. Select the Rectangular Marquee Tool and make selection similar to mine in figure 8. Before you go any further add these layer styles.

Fig. 8

Then hit the Delete key to get rid of the selected Then I moved the selection about 12 pixels (use arrow keys) for each time I hit the Delete key u image looked like figure 9.

Fig. 9

The Select the Elliptical Marquee Tool and make selection similar to mine in fig. 10.

The hit the Delete key to get rid off the selected

Fig. 10

I then moved the Interface details layer a few p the left (select the Move Tool and use the arrow Your image should now look like fig. 11.

Fig. 11 Page 2

Now it's time to fill our interface with some cool Select the background layer and create a new la called Aqua Triangles. Select the Elliptical Marquee Tool and make a se that fits inside the Interface. Fill the selection w #595959. Then make a new selection similar to mine in fig hit the Delete key.

Fig. 12

Make a new selection according to mine in figure hit the Delete key again. Deselect.

Fig. 13

Now apply the same layer style that we used in (the Interface layer). Then add some Drop Shadow. I used the default settings, but I changed the O 97 %, and the Distance to 3 pixels. Your image should now look like figure 14.

Fig. 14

Then I added some bolts. I made a sphere according to the Sphere tutoria then resized it to the size shown in fig. 15. Paste them in a layer above the Aqua Triangles and call the layers Bolts. Then I added some Bevel and Emboss layer styl these settings.

Fig. 15

Activate the background layer and create a new called Chrome Detail. Use the Elliptical Marquee Tool to create an ellip slides beneath the interface like shown to the le make a smaller selection and get rid of some of side of the ellipse. Then make yet a new selection like the one show figure 16 and then inverse the selection (Ctrl + I) and hit the Delete key.

Fig. 16

Then duplicate the layer and go to Edit - Transfo Horizontal.

Then move the Chrome Detail copy layer to the Then apply some Drop Shadow (default settings Gradient Overlay with these settings. Your image should now look like figure 17.

Fig. 17

Activate the background layer again and create layer called Ring 1. Use the Elliptical Marquee Tool to make a selecti mine in figure 18. Then make sure you have a dark gray color as y foreground color (#212121) and go to Edit - Stroke - 9 pixels - Center - ok. Keep your selection! Create a new layer called Ring 2, make a lighter your foreground color (#4B4B4B) and go to Edit - Stroke - 5 pixels - Inside - ok. Deselect.

Fig. 18

Still at the Ring 2 layer make a selection like the shown in figure 19 and hit the Delete key. Then nudge the selection down to the bottom of and hit the Delete key once more.

Fig. 19

Activate the Ring 1 layer. Make a selection like the one shown in figure 20 the Delete key.

Then it's time to add some Layer styles to the R and Ring 2 layer. Click here to see the Layer style settings Ring 1 Layer style settings Ring 2: Use the same Bevel and Emboss settings we use Ring 1.

Then add some Drop Shadow and change the D 2 pixels and Size: 2 pixels.

Fig. 20

And if you want - add some Stroke: 1 pixel - Ou Black color.

Ok - time to add some text... Create a new layer on top of all the other layers the Type Tool to type whatever text you want, Then go to Edit - Transform - Rotate 90° CCV.

Double click the text layer to select it and click t

Create Warped Text icon . I used the settings shown in figure 21 for my te another font/fontsize will need a slight different This is just to show you how to use the warped tool...

Fig. 21

Activate the Background layer and create a new called Background Buttons. Use the Rounded Rectangle Tool to make a selec according to mine in figure 22.

Make sure the Create Filled Region is checked and that you have gray #737373 as your foregr color. Then create a new layer above the Background layer and call this layer Button. Use the Rounded Rectangle Tool to create a butt shape like min in in fig. 22 with black as your foreground color.

Fig. 22 Page 3

Add the layer style we applied to the Interface la step 5. Then add some Drop Shadow - default settings change the Distance to 2 pixels and Size to 2 pix Duplicate the Button layer by dragging it down t Create a new layer tab. Do this until you have th buttons you want and nudge them into the right positions.

Then link all the different button layer together and hit Ctrl + E to Merge the linked lay together. Rename the layer and call it Buttons. Then add some Drop Shadow - default settings change the Distance to 1 pixel, and the Size to 1

Fig. 23 Create a new layer below the Buttons layer and layer Inset Buttons.

Press Ctrl + left click the Buttons layer to select buttons. Now get rid of the lower selections of the button that only the top buttons are selected.

Do this by first clicking the Subtract from selecti

option an then selecting the lower pa buttons selection. Your image should now look exactly like fig. 23!

Fig. 24

Then go to Select - Modify - Expand - 2 pixels. Hit D to set the Default colors (Black foreground and white background color) Select the Gradient Tool And fill your selection fr top to the bottom. Deselect. Now duplicate this layer and move it down bene lower set of buttons. Your image should now look like figure 24. Link the two Inset buttons layers together and M the linked layers together. Then run a Gaussian Blur - 4 pixels.

Now it's time to add some details to some of ou Activate the Chrome Detail and duplicate it. Make a selection similar to mine in figure 25 and the selection (Ctrl + Shift + I). Hit the Delete key. Deselect. Then turn off the Drop Shadow layer style !

Fig. 25

Then go to Filter - Blur - Gaussian Blur - 5 pixel Still at the Chrome detail copy layer select the C Detail layer (Ctrl + left click the Chrome detail la Inverse the selection and hit the Delete key (ma you are on the Chrome detail copy layer) to get the pixels outside the selection. Deselect. Duplicate the Chrome detail copy layer and go t Transform - Flip horizontal - and move the layer right side. Your image should now look like fig. 26.

Fig. 26

Activate the Background Buttons layer. Create a new layer called Highlights. Select the Elliptical Marquee Tool and make a se similar to mine in figure 27 and fill the selection white. Then move the selection using the arrow keys u looks exactly like fig. 27. Hit the Delete key to get rid off the selected are

Fig. 27

Now duplicate the Highlights layer 3 times and u Edit - transform - Flip Horizontal/Vertical option move the different highlight layers until it look li figure 28. Link the four different highlights layers together Merge the linked layer together (Ctrl + E).

Then go to Filter - Blur - Gaussian blur - 3 pixels

Fig. 28

Create a new layer - call it Highlights 2. Make a selection similar to mine in fig. 29 and fi selection with white color. Deselect. Gaussian Blur the layer - 2 pixels

Fig. 29

Duplicate the Highlights 2 layer and move it dow the lower buttons.

Then use the Eraser Tool to get rid of the ce the layer like shown in figure 30. This is the settings I used for the brush I used t some of the layer. Create a new layer and call it Black Shadow. Make a selection similar to mine in figure 30 and with black. Then Gaussian Blur the layer by 4 pixels. Now duplicate this layer and move the Black Sha copy layer over to the right side.

Fig. 30 Ahhhh - finally there!!!

Just add some Pushed in text on top of the butto you're finished! This tutorial could go on and on for ever, but I'll here. Use your imagination to add even more cool effe the interface :) Good luck!

(Click here to see my very final result that I hav entered in the Eyeball interface contest).

Fig. 31