tkv
01-01-2010, 09:40 AM
With this tutorial I am going to show you how you can add reflections to your text, shapes or isolated objects. This is a very common (and easy) technique and is used a lot, especially in web design.
As an example for this tutorial I will add a reflection to text, however as I said before you can also use the same technique to add reflections to shapes or isolated objects.
Let’s start our little Photoshop training session.
I have created a new document and just type PS Reflection as you can see in the screenshot below.
http://pstutorialsblog.com/tutorials/reflection/text.gif
The first step is to duplicate our text layer. You can do that by simply pressing Ctrl+J or by going to Layer -> Duplicate Layer.
Now, select the Move Tool (V) and drag the duplicate layer below the original one like in the screenshot below.
http://pstutorialsblog.com/tutorials/reflection/movelayer.gif
(You can also add a bit of perspective to the reflection layer by transforming it (Edit->Transform->Perspective) if you want.
The next step is to add a layer mask to the duplicate layer. To do this simply click on the add layer mask button in the layers palette.
http://pstutorialsblog.com/tutorials/reflection/mask.gif
Now pick the Gradient Tool and draw a gradient (black to white) in the direction that the arrow is showing in the screenshot below. (Hold Shift while you draw the gradient)
http://pstutorialsblog.com/tutorials/reflection/gradient.gif
You should now have something like this.
http://pstutorialsblog.com/tutorials/reflection/gradientresult.gif
Finally just reduce the opacity of the duplicate layer and you are all done. I reduced the opacity to 35% and here is my final result.
http://pstutorialsblog.com/tutorials/reflection/final.gif
There is no golden rule about the opacity % , just play with the opacity setting until you get your desired result.
As an example for this tutorial I will add a reflection to text, however as I said before you can also use the same technique to add reflections to shapes or isolated objects.
Let’s start our little Photoshop training session.
I have created a new document and just type PS Reflection as you can see in the screenshot below.
http://pstutorialsblog.com/tutorials/reflection/text.gif
The first step is to duplicate our text layer. You can do that by simply pressing Ctrl+J or by going to Layer -> Duplicate Layer.
Now, select the Move Tool (V) and drag the duplicate layer below the original one like in the screenshot below.
http://pstutorialsblog.com/tutorials/reflection/movelayer.gif
(You can also add a bit of perspective to the reflection layer by transforming it (Edit->Transform->Perspective) if you want.
The next step is to add a layer mask to the duplicate layer. To do this simply click on the add layer mask button in the layers palette.
http://pstutorialsblog.com/tutorials/reflection/mask.gif
Now pick the Gradient Tool and draw a gradient (black to white) in the direction that the arrow is showing in the screenshot below. (Hold Shift while you draw the gradient)
http://pstutorialsblog.com/tutorials/reflection/gradient.gif
You should now have something like this.
http://pstutorialsblog.com/tutorials/reflection/gradientresult.gif
Finally just reduce the opacity of the duplicate layer and you are all done. I reduced the opacity to 35% and here is my final result.
http://pstutorialsblog.com/tutorials/reflection/final.gif
There is no golden rule about the opacity % , just play with the opacity setting until you get your desired result.