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Glass Christmas Balls
- Thread starter Bobzworld
- Start date
theKeeper
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Yeah reflections would help a lot for that. Plus i added the typical linear grad applied to an oval, placed on the upper half of the ball. The gradient fades to transparent at the center of the ball.
It's the same method used in the "Classy Glass Buttons" tutorial; in the Intermediate Tutorial section of the site.
It's the same method used in the "Classy Glass Buttons" tutorial; in the Intermediate Tutorial section of the site.
theKeeper
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nonono that looks gr8 Bob. I'd say you're getting closer. 
I like the 'label' effect. Maybe make the photo a bit larger is all.
In case my eyes aren't working right, don't siften the edges of the photo label. Make 'em hard.
All you need to do now is add a reflection to produce a decent 'gloss' effect.
Use the technique i outlined in my "Classy Glass Buttons" tutorial. It's the last part of the tutorial where you take a photo and spherize it.
Nice work. :}
I like the 'label' effect. Maybe make the photo a bit larger is all.
In case my eyes aren't working right, don't siften the edges of the photo label. Make 'em hard.
All you need to do now is add a reflection to produce a decent 'gloss' effect.
Use the technique i outlined in my "Classy Glass Buttons" tutorial. It's the last part of the tutorial where you take a photo and spherize it.
Nice work. :}
theKeeper
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You have to got through this tutorial Bob: http://www.photoshopgurus.com/intermediate/classy_glass_buttons.pdf and pay attention to the steps where you add the main highlight and the photo reflection.
theKeeper
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Ok i think you're trying too hard now Bob.
Here's the exact steps i want you to take:
1) open a photo of an outdoor/landscape scene. Preferrably with a good amount of sky in it. Maybe some tress, etc.
2) Size it so that it's the exact size of your Xmas ball document. Then bring the photo into the Xmas ball doc and center it.
3) Apply the Spherize filter to the reflection photo 2x. With no selection.
4) Switch to Quick Mask mode (Q key). Reset your swatches. Grab a very large hard brush and center it over the spherized photo. Now tap the right square bracket key ( ] ) until your brush is the same size (or just a tad smaller) as the spherized photo. Align the brush as center as you can and click the mouse. Then switch back to Normal mode (Q key).
5) Inverse the selection and hit Delete. Then set this layer to Luminosity @ about 20-25% opacity.
And there you have it. It's not overly complex. [excited]
And next is the larger highlight atop the ball.
Duplicate the layer you made for the main sphere/ball. It should be a radial gradient sphere. Set this dupe layer to Screen and scale the highlight down so it only covers the tophalf of the ball. If you like, apply the Blur More filter.
Done.
Try that and see how you fair Bob.
Here's the exact steps i want you to take:
1) open a photo of an outdoor/landscape scene. Preferrably with a good amount of sky in it. Maybe some tress, etc.
2) Size it so that it's the exact size of your Xmas ball document. Then bring the photo into the Xmas ball doc and center it.
3) Apply the Spherize filter to the reflection photo 2x. With no selection.
4) Switch to Quick Mask mode (Q key). Reset your swatches. Grab a very large hard brush and center it over the spherized photo. Now tap the right square bracket key ( ] ) until your brush is the same size (or just a tad smaller) as the spherized photo. Align the brush as center as you can and click the mouse. Then switch back to Normal mode (Q key).
5) Inverse the selection and hit Delete. Then set this layer to Luminosity @ about 20-25% opacity.
And there you have it. It's not overly complex. [excited]
And next is the larger highlight atop the ball.
Duplicate the layer you made for the main sphere/ball. It should be a radial gradient sphere. Set this dupe layer to Screen and scale the highlight down so it only covers the tophalf of the ball. If you like, apply the Blur More filter.
Done.
Try that and see how you fair Bob.
I've done a few of these glassy things and \:] it seemed that there should be a way to create one without a dedicated color, that is, where the color comes from a single layer. That way you could just change that one layer for a different color button.
Have you seen that done?
Here's my attempt at this. This is a variation of classy glass button where I can change the color by changing the fill of one layer. Instead of the four color buttons, I used a solid and two radial gradients, each with a round layer mask.
Any tips and suggestions are welcome. Am I missing anything?
Have you seen that done?
Here's my attempt at this. This is a variation of classy glass button where I can change the color by changing the fill of one layer. Instead of the four color buttons, I used a solid and two radial gradients, each with a round layer mask.
Any tips and suggestions are welcome. Am I missing anything?
theKeeper
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That's a legitimate way to colourize your sphere. I do that usually also.
Your effect is good overall.
My only suggestion about your image would be an unrealistic environment. If a surface is reflective enough to show a highlight, it should be receptive enough to show a light source also.
Know what i mean?
Welcome to the community btw. [excited]
Your effect is good overall.
My only suggestion about your image would be an unrealistic environment. If a surface is reflective enough to show a highlight, it should be receptive enough to show a light source also.
Know what i mean?
Welcome to the community btw. [excited]
Right to the Wire!
It's christmas morn and I'm playing knee deep in Photoshop,,, excellent
Followed your Classy Glass Buttons Tutorial Keeps and that put me straight.
I know it's not completly there yet, with the wire and shadows and such, but I love the way this turned out, it has a good feel for me.
Have yourselfs a merry one.
It's christmas morn and I'm playing knee deep in Photoshop,,, excellent
Followed your Classy Glass Buttons Tutorial Keeps
and that put me straight.I know it's not completly there yet, with the wire and shadows and such, but I love the way this turned out, it has a good feel for me.
Have yourselfs a merry one.
Bobzworld
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i followed the button tute, seems like inverse ad invert got mixed up in the "Taking it to the next level" section.
after sphereizing the "indoor photo".
EDIT>Transform>Scale. Scale the photo down so it's just a little bit smaller than the button image. Ctrl-click your "texture" layer. Feather the selection 3 pixels, then "Invert or Inverse" the selection and press delete 5x.
I inversed then hit delete once.
after sphereizing the "indoor photo".
EDIT>Transform>Scale. Scale the photo down so it's just a little bit smaller than the button image. Ctrl-click your "texture" layer. Feather the selection 3 pixels, then "Invert or Inverse" the selection and press delete 5x.
I inversed then hit delete once.
Perspective is everything..and to my way of thinking..if you look at a sphere like a Christmas ball, you will always get a "bent" reflection. IMHO..if you want realism.... stick with Mark's tut. If realism isn't important, go with anything at that point.