Tutorial: How to Create a Glass Button Effect: psp9

charliemc in psp9_fun

Tutorial: How to Create a Glass Button Effect

Dec 12, 2006 13:11

As many of you will know, there are a number of plugins/filters that will help you to create a 'glass' effect. But let's give it a try without using any filters, shall we?

The following tutorial may seem a bit complicated, but if you've used doing the tutorials here at the community that deal with layers, you should do just fine!

We'll take an image:

And turn it into this:

Start with your image, which will be either square or rectangular.

Note: As always, be sure to work with a copy and protect your original!
Go to Layers > Promote background layer.

We do this so that after we've made a selection on a portion of the image we'll be able to delete it -- and end up with a transparent section.

Important Note: Remember all during this tutorial to leave your selections selected -- until you're told to deselect/select none. Don't forget! (smile)
Go to your Tool Palette and select the Selection tool, using these settings:
Selection type: Circle
Mode: Add
Feather: 0
Anti-alias: checkmarked/selected

Use the tool to selection a portion of your image.
Go to Selections > Invert.

We now want to delete the inverted selection!
Hit delete key on your keyboard.

You'll now see that the outside portion of your image is transparent.
Invert the selection again, so you've re-selected the circle image.
Now add a new Raster layer.

If your Layers Palette isn't open, open it now. The F8 key toggles it open and closed.

Hint: I recommend always having the Layers Palette open when using PSP. You'll almost always need to use it, so you'll save yourself time and trouble if you keep it open. By default it's open and 'docked' on the right-hand side of your Workspace -- which is where I generally like to keep it. But you can also have it docked other places, or free floating anywhere you want to drag it on the Workspace!
Go to the Layers Palette. You'll note that your new layer is currently highlighted, which is exactly what we want -- that means the current circle selection now applies to this new -- blank -- layer.
Go to Layers > Modify > Contract. Setting:
Number of pixels: 5
OK
Go to Effects > 3D Effects > Cutout. Settings:
Vertical: 7
Horizontal: 7
Opacity: 60
Blur: 7.00
Color: white (Obviously this color will only work on a dark image)
OK
Go to Selections > Select None.
Use the Magic Wand selection tool (Tool Palette). Settings:
Mode: Add
Match mode: RGB Value
Tolerance: 20
Sample merged: not selected
Contiguous: selected
Feather: 0
Anti-alias: selected
Outside

Now click on the colored/white portion of your new layer to select it.
Go to Effects > 3D Effects > Drop Shadow. Settings:
Vertical: 1
Horizontal: 1
Opacity: 80
Blur: 10.00
Color: black
OK
Go to Selections > Select None.
Go to Adjust > Blur > Gaussian blur. Settings:
Radius: 2.00
OK
Go to your Layers Palette and highlight/select the bottom (image) layer.
Go back to the Magic Wand tool. Settings:
Mode: Add
Match mode: All Opaque
Tolerance: 20
Sample merged: not selected
Contiguous: selected
Feather: 0
Anti-alias: selected
Outside
Click on the layer to select.
Now go back to the Layers Palette and highlight/select the top layer.

We now want to duplicate this layer.
Layers > Duplicate.
Now go to Image > Mirror.
Go to Image > Flip.
To go Selections > Select None.
To make the glass layer easier to work with, you might want to merge both of the upper layers. In your Layer Palette use the Visibility Toggle (eye) to 'X' out (turn off) the bottom/image layer. Then make sure you've got one of the top two layers highlighted/selected.

Then go to Layers > Merge > Merge Visible. (Then you can toggle the bottom layer visible again.)

You can now play around with this top/glass layer, if you wish.

You can the Eraser tool -- with settings of 50% Opacity (or so) and Hardness 20 -- to erase where the moon shapes touch, if you wish, just barely erasing.

And perhaps you'll want to lower the Opacity (in your Layers Palette). In fact, try lowering it to 50% -- then Duplicate it and change the Blend Mode of the top glass layer to Overlay. That actually helps the glass effect! (smile)

Remember! Trying a variety of blend modes can be fun -- and help you to discover a new way to achieve a given effect!

Adding to the Canvas of an Image

Have you ever wanted to have more space around an image you're working with -- especially a transparent image?

This is easy to do!

Just take a look at the current dimensions of your image -- the width and height.

Now go to Image > Canvas Size. Type in the larger size you'd like to end up with. You can select the color of the background if you're working with a solid image -- or you end up with additional transparent area if you're working with a transparent image, and that can be very helpful!

Plus you can determine where exactly your existing image will be positioned inside this new.

If your current image doesn't have much transparent space around the outside edges, then use 'Canvas Size' to increase it now, before moving on to make a button frame...

Making a Frame for the Button
Use the Magic Wand tool to again select the bottom/image layer. Settings:
Mode: Add
Match mode: All Opaque
Tolerance: 20
Sample merged: not selected
Contiguous: selected
Feather: 0
Anti-alias: selected
Outside
Click on the layer to select.
Go to Layers > Modify > Expand. Setting:
Number of pixels: 8
OK
Then Add a New Raster Layer. Check in the Layers Palette -- the new layer should now be highlighted/selected. This layer will be positioned just above the bottom/image layer.
Go to your Materials Palette and set the Foreground and Stroke Properties to any solid color -- it doesn't matter what you choose.
Use your Flood Fill tool (tool palette) to fill this new layer with color. Settings:
Match mode: None
Blend mode: Normal
Opacity: 100
Click on the layer to fill.
Go to Selections > Modify > Contract
Number of pixels: 9 or 10
OK

Note: Figure the contract number should be your 'expand' number plus one or two. Remember that you can play around with these settings, depending on the image you're working with -- and how large you want your frame to be!
Hit the Delete key on your keyboard to remove the center colored section.
Select > Select None.
Go to Effects > Texture Effects > Sculpture. Settings:
PATTERN
Pattern: white
Size: 25
IMAGE
Smoothness: 9
Depth: 8
Ambience: 5
Shininess: 40
LIGHT
Color: for gold use HTML #EABC64, for silver use HTML #808080 (Of course you can use and color you wish!)
Angle: 0
Intensity: 30
Elevation: 55
Copy the above step a second time. I find you get the best results if you apply this at least twice!

That's your frame.

For saving you have two choices -- you can save it with any solid-color background. If you want it to be white, then simply merge all the layers. (Layers > Merge > Merge All.) If you want it to have another color -- or a gradient or pattern -- then add a New Raster Layer and use the Flood Fill tool to fill the layer with the background you wish. Then move this layer to the bottom before merging.

Hint: Did you know that there are two ways to move a layer up or down? One way is to go to Layers > Arrange and then select one of the available options. The other way is to go to your Layers Palette and 'grab' (click on and hold down the mouse button) the layer, then drag it where you want it to be.
You can now Save your framed button!

But if you want to save your button with a transparent background, then you'll need to Export it. But first you'll need to merge the visible layers. The easiest way is to right-click and Copy Merged. Then right-click on a blank part of the Workspace and paste as new image. This is what you'll now export!

Go to File > Export > GIF Optimizer. Settings:
Transparency Tab
Existing image or layer transparency - selected
Partial Transparency Tab
Top: Use full transparency... (set to 1)
Bottom: No... - selected
Colors Tab
Select: 256, 100 and Optimized Octree
OK

As you probably know, saving as a GIF means that you end up with a slightly 'jagged' outside edge. There doesn't appear to be any way around this, I'm afraid. But it does allow you to put the round button on any web page and have the background display around it -- rather than end up with a square image.

You'll be prompted to name the Export at this point. You can close the image without saving, because the export is your save.

glass button effect, selections, layers, tutorial