Nobody…?
Maybe someone could look at the tutorial <
http://www.cooljeba.com/tutorials/photoshop/shinybar.html> mentioned and tell me the steps he’s missing?
He shows the gradient tool, and the gradient is set up somehow, but I don’t see how to get exactly the settings he shows.
As well, at the end he says:
"now add some gradient at the bottom too and fill it with back and we are done."
I assume he means "black" but even with that, I have no idea what he’s talking about…
I had seen that one as well. They look a bit different that standard Aqua buttons to me.
Rounded rectangles:
1. Make a rectangular selection; apply Select>Modify>Smooth with a high radius.
2. Make a rectangular selection; enter Quickmask mode; apply Filter>Noise>Median.
3. Use the rounded rectangular tool in Fill Pixels mode.
Hi, Doug–
Ah. Thanks for the tip. There were a couple of those I wasn’t aware of.
I’m actually having more difficulty with the Aqua effect. Have you seen the tutorial in question? That produces exactly what I’m looking for. I just wish someone would fill in the blanks…
Thanks again.
All My Best,
Jeffrey
Hi, Tom–
This is a great tutorial, thank you.
All My Best,
Jeffrey
Hi, Tom–
Spoke too soon. If you read the comments there, the author has several errors. One another reader corrected.
I found a second flaw and posted that as a reader comment.
Unfortunately, the tutorial still fails, except now at step 9, not 8.
Here is the corrected step 8 from my post:
"8. Now load the selection from the ‘button back’ layer and contract the selection by 10 pixels. Then contract the selection by 6 pixels. Then feather the selection by 7 pixels. Now you are going to Layer > New Layer.., and a window should pop up. You want this window to popup, that’s why we create a new layer by going through the menu. Now in this new window, name it ‘bottom highlight’ make the Mode: Color Dodge, and then check the box ‘Fill with Color-Dodge-neutral color (black). Now press ok, then Press D to reset the foreground and background colors. Then hold shift and press the down arrow twice to move the selection down by 20 pixels. Now open the Fill dialog by going to Edit–>Fill. Select White as the color, and change the fill percentage to about 40%. Click OK to Fill. Then load the selection from the ‘button back’ layer again, checking the Invert Checkbox. With the selection made, press delete. Now deselect."
He then says:
"Next, create a layer mask on the ‘button back’ layer. Now load the selection from the ‘button back’ layer, and contract the selection by 10 pixels, then contract it by 6 pixels, then feather it by 7 pixels. Now click on the layer mask and fill the selection with 45% Gray [R: 161, G: 161, B:161]. Then deselect, and gaussion blur the layer mask about 18 points."
He then shows a picture of a nicely transparent button as the result. However, when you actually do this, you get a big dark splotch in the area instead.
Can you please tell me what’s wrong with this step? I can’t figure out how to get what he wants.
All My Best,
Jeffrey
Hi, All–
Actually, I’ve really quite given up on doing these. Every tutorial I’ve seen is flawed and the authors don’t have the sense to post corrections.
I’m looking to do exactly this kind of button, not the rounded gel pills.
This tutorial is also flawed. He’s accomplished this by setting up a very complex gradient overlay, which means this only works if you want to create this color button — I don’t.
If someone actually knows how to do this kind of button, can figure it out, or knows of a tutorial out there which actually works, please post it here — for the benefit of all of us.
Tutorials are not meant to be slavishly followed, instead they should be used as a starting point to achieve what you want.
Wow.
Okay. Where I’m obviously doing something wrong is when I do the gradient. It isn’t coming out all sharp and glossy. It’s coming out kind of dull.
I have made sure to set the swatches back to their defaults, and use the Foreground to Transparency Linear Gradient.
Can you tell me what I’m doing wrong?
You are not contracting your selection to put the gradient in.
select > modify > contract
also the base is too dark it doesn’t allow you to put a shadow at the bottom. You could put a smaller highlight.
I didn’t use his numbers exactly just the steps. But then I had a weird shape.
and you want that hard edge that’s what makes it look glossy.
Ah… I’ll try all this when I get back.
But the hard edge — how do I do that…?
Since I’m only doing a simple rectangular button, I just used the Ellipse Selection tool to get the shape — and I confess, not his Pen Tool technique. First — I’ve never used the Pen Tool — so it kinda scared me — and second, because it didn’t look like I would need it. I would just be making the exact same selection, I thought.
Is this wrong… or how would I get the edge?
All My Best,
Jeffrey
But the hard edge — how do I do that…?
thats why you made a selection.
you need to learn to use the pen tool.
Sorry. I’m not meaning to be dense. I’m not sure I understand how the Pen Tool creating an ellipse selection would make a harder edge than the Ellipse Tool creating an ellipse selection?
Maybe there’s just something I’m not getting here…
It wouldn’t in the instance of the button you are trying to make. But as a photoshop user you need to learn to use the pen tool.
Ok. I tried everything you suggested, and — at least to my eye — it does look ok.
I really appreciate all your help with this.
All My Best,
Jeffrey
Now that you’ve done it his way try the one that I used in post #2.
it does work better on different shapes
I’ll definitely try that for some of the other UI elements.
Again, thanks very much 🙂
All My Best,
Jeffrey
