CREATE THE BACKGROUND

In a new document, create a background using the gradient tool. I’m using a light grey and dark grey color, with the gradient tool set to Radial Gradient. I start at the upper left corner and aim towards the lower right corner to give a subtle light effect. You may need to make a few passes to get the look you want.

SET YOUR TYPE

The best typeface for this effect is a sans serif font. I’m using Futura Condensed Extrabold and a dark red color.

SET YOUR LAYER STYLES

Now that you have your type set in the font and color you want, set up the layer styles for Inner Shadow, Inner Glow & Bevel and Emboss as seen below. Remember, if you choose a different color than the red I’m using, you will need to adjust the Inner Shadow and Inner Glow color so that it is in a shade and tint of the color you are using.

DUPLICATE TYPE LAYER

To create the “back” of the type and give you a guide for creating the 3D effect, duplicate the type layer you’ve made (select the type layer and press Command+J). You will be working on the bottom type layer, so make sure you have it selected. Open up the Layer Style for this layer and select only the Gradient Overlay, using the the settings below.

ADJUST GRADIENT OVERLAY

Make the adjustments to the Gradient Overlay you need to get the desired result, which is light at the top moving down to dark at the bottom.

OFFSET THE LAYER

With the adjustments made to the back type layer, offset it to give it the desired 3D effect.

FILL IN THE GAPS

Next, you’ll use the Rectangle Tool to connect the front and back type layers. Start by making a shape that is flush with the edge of the front type layer and connect it to the edge of the back type layer.

Extend the shape all of the way to the top and shift the sides to match up with the both layers of type.

ADD GRADIENT OVERLAY

Open up the Layer Style for this shape and set the Gradient Overlay to the settings below.

The idea is to go from light, at the top, to dark, at the bottom.

ADD DIMENSION TO ALL

Continue this same technique to all exposed sides of the type, making sure to fill in all gaps. An easy way to do this is to duplicate shapes that are similar and can be applied to other letters of the type.

ADD THE GLOSS

When you have finished the above actions, you can now add the gloss to the type. Create a new layer in the Paths palette and using the Pen Tool, create a shape over the top type layer. The shape I’m using is organic, but you can easily use a more symmetrical shape such as a half circle or straight line.

Make a selection of the shape by holding down the Command key and clicking on the path layer in the Paths palette. When you have made the selection, create a new layer, above the front type layer, and fill the selection with 100% white.

Now, with the new shape layer still selected, hold down the Command key and click on the thumbnail of the front type layer. Make sure you click on the thumbnail and not just the layer. This will create a selection in the shape of the front type layer.

TRIM THE ACCESS

Inverse this selection by either holding down the Shift and Command key at the same time and press “i“, or go to Select–Inverse. After that, press the delete key to remove any extra parts of the white shape you don’t need.

FINISH THE GLOSS

With this layer selected, set the Blending Mode to Multiply. Go to the Layer Style of this layer and apply the Gradient Overlay using the settings below.

THE FINISHED IMAGE

The Gradient Overlay and layer opacity can be adjusted to give you the result you desire.

See link below for PSD file for this tutorial.

Here is what the image of the button will look like when we are finished with this tutorial.

DRAW THE BUTTON SHAPE

Using the Ellipse Tool, draw a circle. It doesn’t matter what color it is, that will all be changed in the Layer Style.

ADD LAYER STYLES TO THE BUTTON SHAPE

Double click on the button shape layer to bring up the Layer Style palette and apply the following specs for Drop Shadow, Inner Shadow, and Gradient Overlay. As for the Gradient Overlay, you can use any color you would like,  as long as it goes from light to dark.

ADJUST HIGHTLIGHT

While in the above palette, click and hold on the highlight area of the shape. Pull down the highlight area of the shape until it is down towards the bottom of the shape.

CREATE THE BASE FOR BUTTON

To create the base for the button, duplicate the button shape layer and scale it up so that is larger that the original button shape.

CHANGE THE LAYER STYLES FOR THE BASE SHAPE

Double click on the base shape layer to bring up the Layer Style palette and change the specs for Drop Shadow, Inner Shadow, and Gradient Overlay. For the Gradient Overlay, change it to a metallic gradient that will work well as a texture for the button base.

CREATE THE GLOSSY HIGHLIGHT

Above the button shape, draw a white oval shape using the Ellipse Tool and position it towards the top of the button shape. Set the blending mode of this layer to Multiply and set the opacity to 40%.

Double click on this layer and apply the below layer style for the Gradient Overlay as seen below, making sure the Blend Mode is set to Screen.

FINISHED IMAGE

This technique can be used with any shape you can create in Photoshop. Have fun experimenting with it!

]]> http://rubberspark.com/glossy-button-in-adobe-photoshop/feed/ 2 http://rubberspark.com/keyboard-shortcuts-in-adobe-illustrator/ http://rubberspark.com/keyboard-shortcuts-in-adobe-illustrator/#comments Mon, 17 Aug 2009 17:00:48 +0000 Joseph http://rubberspark.com/?p=386 Keyboard shortcuts are a great way to help you work faster while working on Illustrator documents, and assigning the keyboard shortcuts you’re used to working with makes it that much faster.

If you want to assign keyboard shortcuts to your menu commands or tools in Adobe Illustrator, this is how you do it:

Go to “Edit–Keyboard Shortcuts”

If you want to change or assign a keyboard shortcut to a tool, choose “Tools” and selct the tool. If it’s a menu command you want to change, choose “Menu Commnads”.

Find the Tool or Menu Command you want to change or assign, and select the shortcut area to type in your new keyboard shortcut.

When done, click “Save” and go to the tool or menu command to make sure that it is assigned the new keyboard shortcut.

To load one of these symbol libraries, go to Window–Symbol Libraries. Once you’ve selected a library, a palette will appear, allowing you to pull artwork directly from the palette, to your layout.

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CHOOSE A FONT

In a new Illustrator document, select a font you like and type in the copy you want to make chrome. The typeface I’m using is Gill Sans Ultra Bold.

LOAD GRAPHICS STYLE

Then, load the “Image Effects” graphics style library. When the Image Effects palette comes up, select your line of copy, then select the “Metal Silver” swatch. And Voila! You’ve got chrome type.

You can also get some other great effects too by clicking on some of the other swatches within the palette. Here are a few examples:

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To load a graphic style library, go to Window–Graphic Style Libraries. If you’ve never used the graphic style libraries in Illustrator, I suggest you open a new document, draw some shapes or outline some type, load a library and click away. You’ll be blown away from some of the effects you’ll get.

Below are examples of what you can do by simply converting type to outlines and applying an effect:

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To load a brush library, go to Window–Brush Libraries. There you will have a great selection of brushes to choose from.

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You can put type on any shape path, but in this example, I’ll put type on a circle.

First, draw a circle.

Then, select the Type on a Path Tool. There are many other type tools in this palette, so be sure you pick the correct tool.

Position the type cursor on the path of the circle and click on it. This will select path of the circle as the base of the type you will input.

Once you have the path selected you can put in your type.

After you’ve put in your type, you can adjust it by using the selection tool. By positioning the selection tool over the vertical lines on the type path, you will be able to “grab” and slide the type around the circle.

You can also use the Type on a Path options palette to make the type sit on the path in different ways (Type-Type on a Path-Type on a Path Options).

STEP 1

In Photoshop, go to File-Automate-Contact Sheet II

STEP 2

This will bring up a palette where you select the images you will use in the contact sheet. Select “Choose” under the “Source Images” area.

STEP 3

Go to the location of the folder containing the images, select it and click Open.

STEP 4

This will bring you back to the first palette, where you can change the settings of the size, resolution and color mode you want the contact sheet to be. Depending on how many images you have and what your settings are in the “Thumbnails” area, Photoshop will calculate how many pages will be needed.

STEP 5

When you are finished putting in your settings and hit “Ok”, Photoshop will create a new document, open each of the images, resize them and put them in the new document along with the filename of each image.

Select the object that has the Pantone color fill.

In the color palette, go to the options drop down menu and select CMYK. This will change the Pantone color to a cmyk mix.

If you have multiple objects in your document that have Pantone color fills, you can convert them all to cmyk at the same time. First, make sure your document is in cmyk mode (File-Document Color Mode-CMYK Color).

Then, select the objects that have Pantone color fills.

Then go to Edit-Edit Colors-Convert to CMYK. This will convert all of the Pantone color fills to cmyk mixes.

STEP 1

Create a new document in Illustrator. Make sure the document is set in RGB color mode (File-Document Color Mode-RBG Color)

STEP 2

Next, draw the shape that you want the button to be.

STEP 3

Add a color gradient to the button shape, with the color at the bottom a darker shade of the color at the top.

STEP 4

Select the button shape, copy it, paste it in the front (Edit-Paste in Front), add a stroke to it (about 2 pts) and send it to the back (Object-Arrange-Send to Back).

STEP 5

Next, draw an oval, centering it on the button shape and raise it so that the bottom of the oval is around the center of the button shape.

STEP 6

Select your button shape (the one without the stroke), copy, paste it to the front and then move the button shape to the front, above the oval (Object-Arrange-Bring to Front).

STEP 7

Next, select the oval and the top button shape and use the Divide action in the Pathfinder palette. After you have done this, ungroup the pieces, and delete all of the shapes except the shape created by the division of the oval and the top button shape.

STEP 8

Select the new shape and fill it with a gradient, going from white at the top to black at the bottom. Then select the shape and using the Transparency palette, set it to Screen, at 80% opacity.

Your button should have a nice gloss finish to it.

This technique can be applied to different shapes and can also be used in Photoshop.

Glossy button tutorial file:

When you’re ready to place your image, go to File-Place… in the menu bar. I have the “Place” command assigned to quick key Option-E, which saves me time by simply hitting two keys.

Find the image you want to place and select it. If you want to link the image to the document, select the “Link” box. If you want to embed the image, uncheck the “Link” box.

Select the “Place”  button and your image will be in your document.

Remember that if you do link your image, you must include the image file when you send the file out to be printed.

If you need to make a clipping mask around the image, take a look at my page on making a clipping mask.

First, place the image you want to mask into your Illustrator document (File-Place…)

After you’ve placed the image into the document, draw a path around the image you want to mask.

When you’re done drawing a path around the image you want to mask, select both the image and the path and make the path a clipping mask (Object-Clipping Mask-Make)

You’re image should now have a clipping mask.

Here are some important things to remember when creating a clipping mask in Illustrator:

The path you’ve drawn should always be above the image when creating the clipping mask.

Make sure the path is as tight as possible to the image to be masked.

If possible, create a bleed around your image in Photoshop so that there is no background

showing when you create the clipping mask.

You can also mask multiple images and objects in your layout  by selecting all of the items (including the path you’ve created) and create a clipping mask.

At one point in your design career you might need to create a die line or a die-cut in your layout. This is how you do it.

OUTLINE THE SHAPE

A die line or die cut is the area on a layout that will be cut to a specific shape, such as the one below. You will first need to create an outline of the shape to be die cut. The outline will be given a spot color stroke that the printer will use as a guide to make the die cut.

CREATE A DIE LINE “COLOR”

Once the shape is outlined, go to the swatches palette and create a new color swatch. Name this new swatch “Die Line-Do Not Print”, set the color type to “Spot Color” and in the color mode choose any color that you want. I usually make mine 100% magenta. But realize that the color magenta is only used to visually distinguish the die line, and does not pertain to what color ink is printed.

It is important that the color type for this new color is set to “Spot Color”, so that a separate plate is created for the die line.

SET THE DIE LINE ABOVE THE DIE CUT AREA

The die line you’ve created should be positioned over the area that will be die cut. When type is used in the layout, give .125″ to .25″ space between the type and the die line. This is to insure that the type is not cut off if the printed piece shifts during the die cutting process.

SET TO OVERPRINT

The last step, which is important, is to select the die line and go to the Attributes palette and select “Overprint Stroke”. If this is not selected, the die line color will knock out (leave a blank area) on the other color plates and that is not what you want to have happen.

ADD BLEED

Don’t forget to add bleed to your shape, as when the die cut is made you will need to have access color outside of the die line in case the the printed piece shifts during the die cutting process, which can happen when you have a long print run.

Here’s a sample file of the die line I used for this tutorial:

Now that you’ve learned how to create die lines in Illustrator, read my tutorial on creating bleeds in Photoshop.

]]> http://rubberspark.com/creating-dielines-in-adobe-illustrator/feed/ 9 http://rubberspark.com/pantone-colors-in-adobe-illustrator/ http://rubberspark.com/pantone-colors-in-adobe-illustrator/#comments Tue, 29 Apr 2008 20:00:45 +0000 Joseph http://rubberspark.com/?p=126

How to load Pantone colors into Adobe Illustrator:

Go to Window>Swatch Libraries>Color Books, then select the PANTONE swatches you need.

When the swatch palette comes up you can switch it to the list view to see the names of the Pantone colors.

If you ever need to create a die-cut of an image, you will need to create a bleed for the image in case the die-line is off a little during the cutting process. Here is how you do it:

Open the image that is going to be die-cut. It should already be clipped out of the background and on it’s own layer. Duplicate that layer. This layer you will labeled “bleed”.

Hide the original layer and select the bleed layer. Go to the filters menu and select “Filter – Other – Minimum”.

Depending on the resolution of the image, put in a setting that will expand the bleed layer at least 1/8 inch outwards.

Now turn on your original layer, but keep the bleed layer selected. Make a selection of the bleed layer by holding down the apple key and clicking on the bleed layer icon in the layer’s palette. Select the brush tool, set it to 20 pixals, with a 50% hardness and zoom in on the bleed area.

If you hold down the option key, you’ll notice the cursor change from the brush tool to the eye dropper tool. You will use this move to select the color you need for the bleed.

Using the eye dropper tool, you will select the color of the outer edge of the original image. Then you will “paint” the bleed with this color. And because the bleed is selected, you won’t be painting outside of it.

The object is to make the edge of the original image and bleed image seamless. You will want to pay close attention to how the color changes around the image. The more attention you pay to detail, the better the bleed will be.

When you update your file in Illustrator, your bleed should fit nicely with the die-cut you’ve created in your layout.

Gone are the days of printing out a layout and sending it UPS or FedEx to the client to get an approval. Now, thanks to technology, we create pdfs for fast transit of such materials to be approved. And it all happens within minutes. 

Making a pdf of your layout is easier than ever, and this is how you do it:

Whether you’ve created your layout in Photoshop, Illustrator or InDesign, almost all programs can create pdfs, even Microsoft Word.

When you’re ready to create your pdf, just follow the same steps you would follow if you were going to print it out on your printer. But instead of pressing the print button, go to the pdf button in the lower left corner and select “Save As Pdf”. You will be asked where to save the pdf, select the location and press “Save”.

When creating a pdf in Adobe Illustrator, go to “Save As” and save as an “Adobe Illustrator Pdf”. You will then go to a settings window where you will adjust it according to the size and quality of the pdf you require.

If you’re creating a pdf from a Adobe Photoshop file, you will save the file as an “Adobe Photoshop PDF”.

Sometimes the easiest task can be so difficult if you don’t know how to do it. Placing an image in a PowerPoint presentation used to be one of those tasks. But not anymore. 

Here’s how to do it:

When in your PowerPoint presentation, go to “Insert” in your upper menu, then “Picture”, then “From File”. There you will be able to choose the image you need to place into your PowerPoint presentation. 

You can also use your Formatting Palette to do this.

Go to “View” in your upper menu and select “Formatting Palette”. The Formatting Palette will pop up, and you can click on the second icon after the word “Insert”. This is just a shortcut to inserting an image and will give you the same result as using the above technique.

Now, when you have placed your image on a page that had copy, it will cover the copy. What you need to do now is send the image to the back. Select your image and go back to your Formatting Palette. Under the “Size, Rotation, and Ordering” heading you will find the “Layering” option. Click on that to bring up a drop-down menu and select “Send to Back”. You image will now go back behind your copy. And that’s it! 

Start off with a new Photoshop document at 300 dpi. Type in the line of copy that you want to apply this effect to and then rasterize it. The type should be white in color and preferably a font that is somewhat thick. Thinner fonts don’t show the effects as well, but with minor adjustments to the layer styles, you can make it work.

In the layer styles of the type layer, set the “Bevel and Emboss” to these settings:

When you have made those changes, create a new layer below your type layer. Hold down the apple key and click on the icon of that layer to make a selection of the type. In the “Select” menu, to got “Modify–Expand” and give a pixel setting of 6.

Fill this with white. It will be larger than the layer above it, which is the effect we want.

In the layer styles of this layer, set the “Bevel and Emboss” to these settings:

With thicker fonts, the chrome effect will have a bulky look. By adjusting the settings, you can make this technique work for thinner fonts too.

If you create the file in a lower resolution, you will need to lower the settings in the layer styles to the desired effect.

Make a new Illustrator file large enough to accommodate the trim size of your mechanical and about 1.5″ all of the way around. Use the rectangle tool to draw a shape in the exact size you would like the crop marks to trim off.

With the shape selected, go up to the “Filter” menu, select “Create”, then “Crop Marks”.

This filter will create crop marks that are precise and made with the registration colors. You can also create bleed and live area crop marks by duplicating your original shape and changing the size to the correct specifications needed for your layout.