The author of this lesson will teach you to create an aluminum slider with a scale for a graphical, user interface. The lesson is quite simple, and the result is wonderful.
Final result
Document creation
Create a new document. Ctrl + N 800 x 600 pixels and with any background color. Set the foreground color to # e4e4e4 and the background color to # cfcfcf. Then select the tool Gradient
(Gradient Tool) – Gradient Type Mirror (Reflected).
Starting from the middle of the document, drag the gradient upwards.
Tip: To stretch the gradient perfectly vertically, hold down the Shift key.
Once filled with a gradient background, go to the menu Filter – Noise – Add Noise (Filter> Noise> Add Noise). The settings are below in the screenshot.
Regulator knob preparation
Choose a tool Ellipse
(Ellipse Tool) and create four circles, each on a separate layer. All circles will have names for their layers as in the screenshot.
Pay attention to the distance of the edges of the circles from each other, achieve the same result. Although not critical, it is desirable.
Now add layer styles for the Knob Outer layer.
Shadow (Drop Shadow)
Internal shadow (Inner Shadow)
Color overlay (Color Overlay)
You should get this result.
Now add styles to the Knob Inner layer.
Shadow (Drop Shadow)
Internal shadow (Inner Shadow)
Overlay gradient (Gradient Overlay)
Stroke (Stroke)
You should get this result.
Now add layer styles for the Knob layer.
Inner shadow (Inner Shadow)
Gradient overlay (Gradient Overlay)
Stroke (Stroke)
You should get this result.
Finally add style Gradient overlay (Gradient Overlay) on a Knob Top layer.
We have such a result at the moment.
Making shadow
Duplicate the Knob Top layer. Right click on the copy and select Rasterize layer (Rasterize Layer). Rename the copy to Knob Shadow, and then move this layer under the original one. Activate the tool Move
(Move Tool) and press the down arrow key several times on the keyboard.
Tip: To increase the distance of the Move tool, using the arrow on the keyboard, hold down the Shift key.
Now go to the menu Filter – Blur – Gaussian Blur (Filter> Blur> Guassian Blur). Apply in the filter settings a radius of 3-5 pixels and reduce Opacity (Opacity) layer up to 75%.
Adding depth
Choose a tool Polygonal Lasso
(Polygonal Lasso Tool) and create several triangular selections.
Fill the selection with white #ffffff and let the filled triangles be on separate layers.
Blur the triangles approximately 3-4 pixels. Then load the selection of the Knob Top layer in the menu Selection – Load Selection (Layer> Load Selection). Now invert the selection. Selection – Inversion (Select> Inverse) and press the Delete button on each triangle layer.
Adjust Opacity (Opacity) of each triangle layer to add depth to the slider.
Now we will add to the regulator a usual, opaque, metal surface. Choose a tool Rectangle selection
(Rectangular Marquee Tool) and create a selection around the slider. Without removing the selection, go to the menu Filter – Noise – Add Noise (Filter> Noise> Add Noise). The settings are below in the screenshot.
Deselect Ctrl + D, then go to menu Filter – Blur – Radial Blur (Filter> Blur> Radial Blur).
Now change the blending mode for this layer to Screen (Screen) and reduce Opacity (Opacity) up to 40%. To remove areas of a layer with a metallic texture that extend beyond the knob, load the selection of the Knob Top layer, invert this selection in the menu Selection – Inversion (Select> Inverse) and click Delete.
Creating a label
Above the Knob Top layer, create a black circle and a black line with a white line adjacent to it.
Set the blending mode for layers with lines to Soft light (Soft Light), and for the black circle, apply the following layer styles.
Shadow (Drop Shadow)
Color overlay (Color Overlay)
You should get this result.
On the left and right side of the regulator, as well as on top, add text labels.
Creating highlight
Choose a tool Ellipse(Ellipse Tool) and create a large ellipse that will close the entire slider.
Make an active vector mask on the layer with an ellipse, then add another ellipse inside the source one. Do not forget to enable the function Subtract the figure area (Subtract From Shape Area).
Using the tool Pen
(Pen Tool) with customization Subtract the figure area (Subtract From Shape Area), delete a part of the ellipse.
Activate the tool Arbitrary shape
(custom shape) and select a shape Purpose of registration 2 (Registration Target 2).
Draw this shape over a large ellipse.
Download shape selection Purpose of registration 2 (Registration Target 2) and make the ellipse layer active. Now press the Delete key. Remove the shape of Registration Objective 2, and you should get this result.
Now divide the resulting squares into two parts and each part should be on a separate layer. Try to make the border of the separation of parts of squares was at the level of the label area (circle with lines).
For the left side of the squares, add the following layer styles.
Shadow (Drop Shadow)
External glow (Outer Glow)
Color overlay (Color Overlay)
For the right side of the squares, add the following layer styles.
Shadow (Drop Shadow)
Color overlay (Color Overlay)
And here is the final result!
