Create a Realistic CD – Photoshop Tutorial
Using Gradients, Shape Tools and some cool techniques in Photoshop CS5 we will create this sweet CD entirely from scratch. We’re going to be creating a fairly large CD so you will be able to use this piece of artwork in other projects when it is needed. The CD will be created so it is easy to edit later on down the road. Color, size, and style changes can be made in a snap!
Step 1:
Create a new document sized 1280px by 720px.
Step 2:
Fill the background with #333333 and go Filter>Render>Lighting Effects… and use the settings I have. Also go Filter>Noise>Add Noise and use the settings I have as well.
Step 3:
Grab your Ellipse Tool (U) and drag out a perfect ellipse by holding down your Shift key while dragging out the shape. We want a nice large ellipse. You can fill the ellipse with any color you like, we’re going to change the color up later on.
Step 4:
Grab your Path Selection Tool (A) (Black arrow) and open up the Paths panel by going Window>Paths and select the path that was created by our Shape Layer in the Paths panel. Click on the path with your Path Selection Tool (you will see four anchor points appear when you click on the actual path in the Photoshop document).
Step 5:
Hit Cmd/Ctrl + C to copy the path and then hit Cmd/Ctrl + V to paste that path right back into place. NOTE: You’re not going to see any changes, but there are two of these paths in this “Path layer” now. Look to the Tool Option Bar and choose the “Subtract from shape area” icon. Next, hit Cmd/Ctrl + T and hold down your Shift + Alt/Opt keys and drag the shape in until you have a nice sized hole cut into the center of our CD.
Step 6:
Rename our Shape layer “CD-Color” and add the Inner Shadow, Color Overlay, and Gradient Overlay that I have. NOTE: For the metallic gradients just take some time and play with different levels of white, grays, and darker grays. Highlights fading into shadows give you a chrome look.
Step 7:
Duplicate that Shape layer and name it “CD-Edge”. Go Layer>Layer Style>Clear Layer Style. Grab your Direct Selection Tool (A) (White arrow) and click directly on the very path that cuts the hole into the center of the CD and hit you delete key until that path goes away and we’re left with a solid filled ellipse.
Step 8:
Reduce the Fill opacity to zero and add the Stroke that I have to add a sweet little edge to the CD.
Step 9:
Duplicate the “CD-Color” layer by clicking on it in the Layers panel and hitting Cmd/Ctrl + J and drag it to the top of your Layers panel. Go Layer>Layer Style>Clear Layer Style. Name this Layer “Inner-Stroke”.
Step 10:
Grab your Path Selection Tool (A) and click on the outer path and hit the delete key until it goes away.
Step 11:
Select the path that remains and press the (+) key. This will give us the shape we want. Reduce the Fill opacity of this layer to zero and add the Stroke I have.
Step 12:
Duplicate the “Inner-Stroke” layer and go Layer>Layer Style>Clear Layer Style. Grab the Path Selection Tool (A) and select the path in our Vector Mask and copy it and paste it as we did earlier when we created the large CD shape. Once you’ve pasted the path press the minus (-) key and hit Cmd/Ctrl + T and set the width and height in the Tool Options Bar to 30% each.
Step 13:
Change the fill of this Shape layer to white by double clicking on the color swatch in the Layers panel. Set the Fill Opacity to 50% and add the Inner Shadow as I have. Name this layer “Center-Clear”.
Step 14:
Next, duplicate the “Center-Clear” layer and rename it “Inner-Shadow” and clear the Layer Styles. Grab your Path Selection Tool (A) (Black arrow) and select the outer path on this Shape layer and delete it.
Step 15:
Select the remaining path and press the plus (+) button to flip that path around and fill the inside with our color. Reduce the Fill Opacity to 0% and add the Inner Glow that I have.
Step 16:
Grab your “CD-Edge” layer and duplicate it and then rename it “Shadow”. Clear the Layer Styles and drag this layer below all the other Shape layers. NOTE: You will see the fill color of this Shape layer appear in the center of your CD.
Step 17:
Reduce the Fill Opacity to 0% and add the Drop shadow that I have to finish this CD! Duplicate the CD a couple times and change the color of the Color Overlay and we’ve got different colored discs!
Leave a Reply