Effect: Sphere Glass
Level: 1
Difficulty: Easy
Sphere Glass Buttons are something similar to a Max OSX or any Apple Machine GUI (Graphic User Interface) Button.
There are several types of method to do glass effect, and what you are about to learn is a very quick and basic method.
Step 1: New A Blank Image File
Select File -> New.
Enter the size of the image document for it's width and height.
In this tutorial, I use 100 pixels (Width) x 100 pixels (Height).
Shortcuts:
Press CTRL+N to new an image document.
Point to the Rectangular Marquee Tool button and Click and Hold down until you see a sub option box appeared.
Then without moving the mouse out of the toolbox, you click on the Elliptical Marquee Tool.
This will allow you to change from a Rectangular selection area into Round/Circle selection area.
Step 3: Make A Round Selection
You can click and drag on the white area to form a nice circle.
Press SHIFT and hold it down while you drag your mouse to form an aspect ratio of 1:1 circle.
Press ALT + SHIFT and drag a circle from the center point.
Shortcuts:
Press M to use Marquee Tool.
Step 4: Add A New Layer
Click on the "Create a new layer" icon on the right to add a new blank layer.
A "Layer 1" will be added as new layer, the name of the layer is increased by default which follows the index. (E.g. Layer 1, Layer 2... )
Each new layer are transparent by default, meaning no background or any thing is in that layer.
The new layer icon is only active when the Image Mode of your document is not Index Color (256 Color). You don't have to worry this part now.
Step 5: Fill Color Into Selection Area
Select Paint Bucket Tool to fill color into the round selection area you made on step 3.
Click inside the selected area to fill color.
The Paint Bucket Tool does not fill Gradient color (Color that blends from A to B).
Shortcuts:
You can also press ALT+DEL to fill Foreground Color.
Or press CTRL+DEL to fill Background Color.
Step 6: Blending Options
Blending options provides a lot of fine cool effects that blends into the selected layer.
Right Click on the layer you wish to apply and select Blending Options.
As you can see, there are lots of layer effects you can apply to provide different results.
In this tutorial we will select Gradient Overlay.
Step 7: Gradient Overlay
Select "Gradient Overlay" panel to add gradient effect.
Click on the Gradient color bar to open Gradient Editor.
Select a color preset, we use the black & white ones for now.
Click on the color marker (track bar marker on both end).
Click on the color below to change new color.
This will apply a Gradient color on to the selected layer.
*Tutorial is under construction, please come back later*
