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.

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...).
Fig. 1
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.

It's time to add some details!

Fig. 7
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.

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

Black color.
Fig. 20
 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!

Then go to Select - Modify - Expand - 2 pixels.

Hit D to set the Default colors (Black foreground
Fig. 24 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