New on Tutorial9: How To Design a 3D Wooden Box in Photoshop

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How To Design a 3D Wooden Box in Photoshop Posted: 07 Dec 2009 06:00 AM PST In this Photoshop tutorial, you’ll learn to make a Wooden Box with a realistic touch. Quick Nav: Tutorial Download the PSD Step 1: Create a New Document Create a new 300×300 px white backgrounded document in Photoshop.You can change the size of document if you want but keep the height to width ratio same (1:1). Tip Use layer-sets for putting a group of layers together that you’d want to move/resize alt at a time.With layer-sets, the tedious work of selection of multiple layers for moving/resizing can be avoided. Step 2: Create Front-Face Create a new layer-set (name it "Front-Face").Within the layer-set, create a new layer (name it "Front") ,select Rectangular Marquee Tool and fill with black a selection like the one shown below.     Go to Layer>>Layer Style>>Blending Options and make these settings:     Ctrl+Click on the "Front" layer to load its selection then go to Select>>Modify>>Smooth, enter 3px then click OK, press Ctrl+Shift+I to invert the selection then hit Delete. Ctrl+Click on the layer and go to Select>>Modify>>Contract , enter 25px and click OK, create a new layer (name it "Front-Etch") and fill the selection with black.Go to Blending Options of this newly created layer and make these settings:   Step 3: Create the Wood Texture Create a new layer (name it "Texture") and fill it with white.Go to Filter>>Noise>>Add Noise and make these settings:   Now go to Filter>>Blur>>Motion Blur and put these figures:     With "Texture" layer selected, Ctrl+Click on the "Front" layer, press Ctrl+Shift+I and hit Delete.By doing so, the part of texture overflowing "Front" layer will be cleared. With the layer still selected, press Ctrl+L and make these settings:     Change Blending Mode of the layer to Soft Light and reduce its opacity to 30%. Step 4: Add details to Front-Face Create a new layer (name it "Line") and with Rectangular Marquee Tool, fill a 2px thick vertical selection of any length, like the one shown below:     Press Ctrl+T and rotate the line 45 degrees counter-clockwise.Move the line at the upper-left corner of "Front" layer.In the layers-palette, place the "Line" layer below "Front-Etch" layer.It’d look like this:     Go to its Blending Options and make these settings:     Duplicate the layer (Ctrl+J) and go to Edit>>Transform>>Flip Vertical.Move the duplicated layer down so that it’s edge coincides with the lower left corner of the "Face" layer. You might notice that the duplicated layer doesn’t fit in colors down there as it does at top.To fix this, go to its Blending Options and edit these settings:     Duplicate the two lines ,flip them horizontally and move them rightward so that you get something like this:   Step 5: Add further details to Front-Face Select the Shape Tool and draw a very small circle anywhere on the canvas.Go to it’s Blending Options and make these settings:     Make a copy of it (Ctrl+J) and move the two circles at following positions:     Make copies of the pair and move them on the remaining three corners:     Create a new layer (name it "Ridges") and fill a 2px thick horizontal selection on it with black.Make sure that the line is 2px short from either ends of the "Face-Etch" layer.     Ctrl+Click on the layer and move the selection 20px down (press Shift+Down twice), fill the selection with black.Do this till you get 7 horizontal lines:     Go to its Blending Options and make these settings:     Step 6: Add Arrow to Front-Face Using Pen Tool ,make an arrow shape like this: Place the arrow layer below "Texture" and "Ridges" layers.Set its Blending Mode to Overlay and reduce its opacity to 45%. Step 7: Add Shadow to the Base Create a layer (name it "Shadow") and place it below all other layers in layers palette.Fill a 6px thick selection with black slightly wider than front-face.     Go to Filter>>Blur>>Gaussian-Blur ,enter 2px and click OK.Now go to Filter>>Blur>>Motion-Blur ,put: Angle=0 Distance=30px. You’ll have something like this by now: Step 8: Create Upper-Face Create a new layer-set (name it "Upper-Face"), create a new layer (named as "Up") and fill a rectangular selection with black, as shown:     You can use Guides for perfect alignment.Next, go to Edit>>Transform>>Perspective , click and drag one of the top corners of  "Up" layer inside so that you get a shape like this:     Ctrl+Click on the layer then go to Select>>Modify>>Smooth, enter 3px then click OK, press Ctrl+Shift+I to invert the selection then hit Delete.Go to its Blending-Options and make these settings:   Ctrl+Click on the layer and go to Select>>Modify>>Contract , enter 15px and click OK, create a new layer (name it "Up-Etch") and fill the selection with black.Move the layer 6-7px up.Go to its Blending-Options and make these settings:     Step 9. Add Wood Texture to Upper-Face Duplicate the "Texture" layer from "Front-Face" layer-set and move it to "Upper-Face" layer-set.Put it above the two layers in the set.Clear the part of the "Texture" layer that overflows "Up" layer.You’ll obtain something like this by now: 10. Add details to upper face: Add ridges,lines and nails like you did on the "Front-Face" while using same styles to get something like this: While doing so, use 1px thick lines for ridges and diagonals.Also use smaller circles for nails. Step 11. Final adjustments For any final adjustment, click on "Front-Face" layer-set and go to Layer>>New Adjustment Layer>>Levels, choose settings that please you. In addition to levels, I added a "Color-Balance" layer and came up with this:   I hope you enjoyed following the tutorial as much as I did writing it. Download the PSD Download the PSD

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New on Tutorial9: 108 Mono Icons: Huge Set of Minimal Icons

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108 Mono Icons: Huge Set of Minimal Icons Posted: 03 Dec 2009 05:00 AM PST This Free Icon Pack is for use in your personal and commercial projects, and can be used without attribution. It may not be redistributed. Complete list of icons There are 108 simple icons included in this set. The icons are avaliable in 32×32 px .png (transparent background) format. Changing colors This icon pack comes with 108 gray icons, but feel free to customize the color. In Photoshop, use layer styles and apply Color Overlay to customize. In Fireworks, simply apply Filters → Adjust Color → Color Fill and choose your color! Download the Icons Download Icons

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New on Tutorial9: Creative Bookmarks: Best of November 2009

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Creative Bookmarks: Best of November 2009 Posted: 01 Dec 2009 06:00 AM PST The design community comes up with quality links month after month and November was no exception. It was a challenge deciding which ones would make the cut. So without further ado, here’s Creative Bookmarks November. Quick Nav: Photoshop Tutorials Illustrator Tutorials Web/Blogging Tutorials Freebies, Inspiration, & Resources Photoshop Tutorials Master Special Finishes Tony Harmer draws on simple techniques for adding spot colours, varnishes and special finishes to your layouts How to Create a Realistic IES Lighting Effect in Photoshop I was amazed by how real this one looked. Using Photoshop CS4 and some free plugins, you can make one for yourself. A definite must read! Create a Funky Perspective of a Model Riding Digital Volume An amazing tutorial on PSDTuts that teaches you how to make an excellent composition giving you the feeling of depth and motion. How to Create a Contemporary Style Illustration Without Drawing Skills Can’t draw? That’s ok. This tutorial teaches you simple techniques in Photoshop that will help you make a great looking illustration. How to Create a Magician's Hat in Photoshop Using the pen tool and some shapes, this Photoshop tutorial walks you through making a very nice magician hat icon. Creating the Spoiled Princess Fashion Poster This is a great tutorial that shows you how to combine images the right way. A very easy to follow tutorial with a great end result. Design a Vintage Poster with Vector Pack 16 This tutorial, by GoMedia, is a hybrid tutorial that combines the capabilities of Illustrator and Photoshop to make an awesome vintage poster. How To Design a Thanksgiving Pumpkin in Photoshop Using filters and layer styles this great tutorial by Stephen Petrany shows you how to make a great looking pumpkin icon. Easy Star Light in Photoshop This is an awesome hybrid tutorial using Photoshop and Illustrator by Abduzeedo. It uses pattern overlay’s and light effects to create a great desktop wallpaper. Old Style Typography Sign in Photoshop Another hybrid tutorial that uses Illustrator and Photoshop to walk you through making a custom font and then applying several textures to give a grungy and vintage look. Learn How to Create Your Own Set of Splatter Brushes for Photoshop This is a video tutorial by Colorburned that walks you through making your very own splatter Photoshop brushes. Design an Intense Particle Illustration using Photoshop I was personally amazed by the photo manipulation by Media Militia. This tutorial teaches you how you can use brushes and lighting effects to accomplish a similar look. Illustrator Tutorials How to Create a Funny Insurance Agent A great tutorial on AiMonkey that teaches you how to use basic shapes and the pen tool to create an insurance agent illustration. Draw an Angry Little Samurai in Illustrator Another great Illustrator tutorial from AiMonkey. This time to create a samurai character. Create a Rolling Stones Inspired Tongue Illustration In this tutorial, Chris Spooner shows you how to replicate the iconic Rolling Stones tongue starting with a sketch and finishing with a vector illustration. How to Create a Crafts Inspired Vector Kids Illustration This tutorial by Chris Spooner teaches you how to create kids illustrations using simple shapes in Illustrator. Create an Iconic Logo Design In this tutorial, logo designer Jacob Cass, shares his expertise and teaches you how to make a simple yet striking logo. Web Tutorials Making an Interactive Picture with jQuery A great tutorial from the great guys at Build Internet that teaches you how to use Jquery to make an image that has tooltips and other helpful information. Building an Image Gallery with Progressive Enhancement This tutorial by NETTuts will teach you how to make an awesome image gallery using progressive enhancement techniques. How to Create an Author Info Section in Wordpress Most big blogs have this feature to showcase the picture, bio and homepage of their writers. This tutorial on Line25 teaches you how to implement the same feature on your blog. Selling Ad Space: Tips from Top Design Blog Owners An excellent interview on Line25 that talks to some of the best design bloggers around. Great tips on how to successfully sell ad space. By the way, our very own David Leggett was part of the interview! The Four Key Components of a Great Web Design What are the key principals of a great web design? This article on Web Design Ledger claims that there are only four and that they are indispensable for an excellent website design. Leveraging Your Blog to Promote Your Services Blogging has the ability to improve your business. However, you’ve got to put effort into it. This great article on FreelanceSwitch shows you where to focus that effort so that the results are positive. Blogging: Secure Your Spot as the "Go-To" Blog There are millions of people that blog. However, to stand out, you have to know how to blog effectively. Rob Bowen gives some excellent tips on how to do it in this article. How To Run a Successful Series of Articles Although running a series of articles requires a lot of planning, preparation and work; it can be a great way to communicate to your readers. This article, written by Brandon Cox, talks about the essentials of doing it right. Freebies, Inspiration & Resources Bokeh Effects Pack Media Militia is featured three times in our bookmarks this month and that’s because they’re constantly coming up with great stuff. One of their newest packs “Bokeh Effects” has 42 excellent images free for your use. Distressed Grunge Pack Media Militia released this grunge pack that comes in two different formats. You can get the pack in Photoshop brushes, as vectors or both! Creativity Runs in the Blood Wallpaper With the return of Arbenting came the week of wallpapers and I was fortunate enough to have a wallpaper I designed featured in their series. You can download seven different sizes that should fit any moniter plus an iPhone version. Free Icon Pack: November Seasonal Icons The designers over at IconShock shared some great looking, fall inspired icons this month that are free for your use. 26 Inspirational Vector Posters from Creattica It continues to amaze me how Creattica is always featuring some stunning work from around the design community. This post on VectorTuts rounds up the best of the best for your inspiration. Inspiration in Purple: The FYC Edition This is a excellent series by Rob and Angie Bowen where they round-up creative works in a specific color scheme. This time it’s purple. The works featured are jaw dropping. Three Big Mistakes that Can Make or Break Your Design Career This is an excellent article by the Editor of Fuel Your Interface, Jonathan Cutrell, that lists some mistakes that can hamper your design career. How to Use Retro Colors in Your Designs The vintage/retro feel is a trend that is coming back. This article on Six Revisions showcases some retro themed web designs and teaches you how to replicate the style for yourself. Interview with Rogie King from SpectrumDNA This is an awesome interview on Fuel Your Creativity with Rogie King where he talks about his everyday life, who inspires him and what plans he has for the future. Interview with Ryan Putnam, aka Rype Ryan Putnam is an illustrator that I really admire. In this interview with him on VectorTuts, Ryan opens up about how he started in design, his illustration styles, and his current and future projects. Get Featured in Creative Bookmarks If you’d like to be featured in the next volume of Creative Bookmarks, simply send us you’re tutorial, resource, or article link before the end of the month. If we think it’s a top notch link, we’ll be sure to share it with all of our readers! Email & Other Subscription Options

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New on Tutorial9: Create a Simple Autumn Scene in Photoshop

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Create a Simple Autumn Scene in Photoshop Posted: 30 Nov 2009 06:00 AM PST In this tutorial I will be teaching you how to make a vibrant, simple Autumn Wallpaper using vector files and some simple techniques in Photoshop. Quick Nav: Tutorial Download the PSD (Source Files) Materials Needed: You may need Photoshop’s Grass Brush Vector Assets Step 1: Create a New Document Create a new Photoshop document (file>new) at any size you would like. I suggest giving the file a name such as Autumn. For this tutorial I created one at 1920×1200 (72 dpi) which would be a great resolution for a wallpaper. Step 2: Create a Background Unlock your background layer by double clicking the background layer. Make sure to rename it from Layer0 to background.Double click on the background layer to open up the Layer Style, then select gradient overlay. The gradient overlay should be from #fcef87 to #fe9f09. Step 3: Add The Vector Objects Open the up the file Vector.psd I have made for you in Photoshop. Drag the layers "Cloud L" and "Cloud R" into the Autumn file. Then resize each layer (Ctrl⁄Cmd + t) to the appropriate size for your resolution. Vectors I have made the vector.psd as sample layers for your vectors but you can always make your own vectors using Photoshop or Illustrator. Smart Vector Layers If you notice the layers with the objects are Smart Vector Objects, this means that they don’t depend on a bitmap but rather vector. This means you can make the objects as large as you want without distorting the image. DO NOT! You can’t just simply copy the content of each layer because this is a special vector layer! You MUST drag the layers into the autumn.psd file we are working on! Step 4: Create a Hill Create a new layer (layer>new>layer) and rename it to hill. Then grab your pen tool and make a closed wave like structure. Right click on the path and select fill path. Black is fine for now. Double click on the hill layer and select on Gradient Overlay. The gradient should go from #b30100 to #fe9833. Select ok then right click on the path and select delete path. Your image should look something like this: Step 5: Adding a Pond Create a new layer and rename it pond. Make sure that your foreground color is #fcef87 and your background color is #db8500 and, using the Rectangular Marquee Tool (M), make a rectangle underneath the hill. Select the Gradient Tool (G) and make sure that the gradient at the top left matches your foreground and background color. Then drag the gradient tool from bottom to top. Then deselect (Ctrl/Cmd +D) the selection we made with the marquee tool. Step 6: Creating a Tree and Some Grass Then drag the Tree layer from the Vector.psd file to our Autumn file, the same way you did for the clouds layers. Once you have properly placed and resized using the Free Transform Feature(Ctrl/Cmd +t) the tree layer in the Autumn file create a new layer and rename it to grass. Drag the grass layer under the pond layer and drag the tree layer under the grass layer. Select the Brush tool (B) selected and make your foreground color set to #f18a1c and your background color #f89e3d. If you have CS4 select the Dune Grass brush, if not download this brush here. Then bush on the grass layer and make sure to go a bit under the pond layer. Step 7: 2-10 Blending The Grass Create a new layer and name it Blend. Merge the Blend layer and the pond layer by holding the Alt button and going between the boarder of the two layers. You should see an icon with a black and white circle, when you do click on your mouse. Then grab a soft brush in the Brush tool (B) and paint with your brush near the top of the Blend layer. Then Grab the Blur Tool and select the Pond layer and start to blur the edges. Step 8: 2-10 Word Step Description Move the Ripples, leaf, and sparkle layers (in that order) from the Vector.psd file to the Autumn file. And place it on top of the pond like so: Step 9: Adding Leaves Duplicate the Leaf layer (Layer>Duplicate Layer) as many times as you would like and spread each layer around the tree. Leaves Try to Free Transform (Crtl/Cmd+t) the leaf layers and spin them around so they look like they are blowing away. I domonstrate the results in the image below. It is good to experiment in these situations. Step 10: Adding Sparkles Duplicate a couple of the Sparkle layers and resize and spread them near the Hills. Step 11: Adding Some Glow Select the Brush Tool (B) and create a new layer called Glow. Make sure that your foreground color is white #ffffff and the brush is a small circle size like 4. The hardness should be 100%. With those attributes make dots on the Hill area.Change the Layer Style of the Glow layer Optional Additions To Your Picture For a darker look you can go to Layer>New Adjustment Layer>Photo Filter and select Color. Make the color #000000(black) or a dark color and play around with the density and opacity to your liking. You can also Flatten the image and sharpen the image by going to Filter>Sharpen>Smart Sharpen. Download the PSD Download the PSD

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New on Tutorial9: Bloggers: How Often Should You Really Post?

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Bloggers: How Often Should You Really Post? Posted: 23 Nov 2009 05:00 AM PST It’s a controversy that goes on with many bloggers. The topic seems to come out in every conversation. How often should I post? It’s a valid question that needs a little clearing up. However, this article will not tell you how many times you should post because every blogger’s situation is different. Instead, it will guide you to make the decision for yourself. What Some Say Some bloggers say to post everyday. Your blog will be fresh, having new content frequently. Search engines will find your site quicker and new visitors are bound to trust a site with many articles. Other bloggers say that you shouldn’t post daily. They say that it’s impossible to post an article a day and still have quality content. It’s better to have quality than quantity. Plus, readers won’t be able to keep up with seven articles a week anyway. What’s the truth? The Truth The truth is: it’s up to you. Only you and your readers have a say in how many time you should post. No one else. Why? What might work for a particular blog, might not work for you. You should be making this decision for yourself. However, keep in mind two important factors when you do: your readers and your limitations. There are two things that are scarce in this world: time and money. Keep in mind that this applies to your readers also. Ask yourself, “Does my target audience have the time to read my articles daily?” or “Will they get overwhelmed with information?”. If you’re content schedule is overwhelming to your audience, each post will become less effective, and less important to your readers. Also, be modest. Know your limitations. If you don’t have the time to post daily, don’t do it. You’ll quickly burn out and it’ll show in the quality of your writing. Test the waters. Find out how much you can post and still continue to create quality content. The Truth According to Me I have to be completely honest and say that it was very difficult to not express my own opinions on posting frequency. I’m a believer in quality over quantity and that posting everyday is overkill. I don’t read articles seven days a week! Furthermore, if you’re a new blogger, it can be difficult to find the time and inspiration to write that often. Pace yourself and focus on crafting each post into a well polished article. Carry It Out Now that you decided, carry your plan out. This doesn’t mean that the testing will stop. Continue to adapt your blog to your readers and to your own circumstances. How can you carry out your plan effectively? It’s been my experience, that the best way to carry out a plan is to follow a schedule. Schedule when you’re going to write and publish content. A schedule will really help you get things done, making your blog run like a well oiled machine. This also does a lot for your readers. They’ll perceive your posting schedule, knowing exactly when to come back for fresh content. Build the trust of your readers by consistently writing excellent articles. In short, make a schedule and follow it. Further Reading on Schedules How to Develop a Niche Blog Content Plan Editorial Calendars and Professional Blogging How to Create A Schedule You Will Actually Stick With Final Words I know that when I was a new blogger, I was caught up in what some said was the way to blogging success. However, as time goes by, you learn and start to find a rhythm that’s comfortable for you. Now, I’d love to hear from you! How many times do you post on your blog? What have you done to organize yourself?

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