Render a Sphere {Photoshop}

Airbrushing a sphere.
Just a quick one, before dinner (XD)



1. Create yourself a new layer, and using the CIRCLULAR selection tool, and at the same time holding shift down, (This gives you a perfect round circle) pick a neutral blue colour, and using the paint bucket, Fill the circle in.


2. Select a big brush, pick a dark (Ish) colour, and shade around the edges of your circle half inside the selection, and half outside.


3. Using smaller brush sized, define the edges more, creation more emphasis on the bottom right edge. Because the light is coming from the upper left handside in the picture. Now add a little blob of WHITE, as shown, and then, using a larger brush size, add ANOTHER dab of WHITE up on the top, but less OPAQUE!


4. Not create a new layer, between BACKGROUND and the SPHERE (As shown in RED). Using the circular selection tool again, select an oval where you think the shadow would be cast by the sphere. Now go to SELECT, then FEATHER, and set it to around 10 pixels. This will blue your selection. Fill it using a darker colour, and as you can see, you now have a shadow! This helps the sphere appear to sit on the surface.


5. Now use CTRL, and left-click, to select the sphere layer, shown in RED, this will select the whole layer! (In other words, the sphere) Now using the freehand LASSO tool shown above in RED, and holing down ALT, draw a rather wavy line accress the sphere loosley around the outside TOP of the selection. This will minus the top half of the selection. Leaving the bottom selected as shown. Not go to SELECT, MODIFY, CONTRACT. And contract by 1-5 pixels. This brings the selection INWARDS slightly, now airbrushing along the TOP edge of the selection to define an imaginary horizon being reflected on the sphere.


6. Hold CTRL, and click the SPHERE layer, to again, select the full layer.
Now go to SELECT, MODIFY, CONTRACT, and contract by ONE PIXEL! go to SELECT, INVERSE, and press delete. This will clear 1 pixel all the way around the sphere. So that when you add a background, you won't get a weird outline around the sphere. Now click the background layer, (as shown in RED) Select the top half and fill it with a LIGHT colour. Go to SELECT, INVERSE and fill the bottom half with a DARKER colour.

Now deselect everything, and VUWALA! You have just rendered a shiney sphere.
Hope you found this usefull, and don't forget to post your results!

Yours,
Nathan.

 

Sorry to burst your sphere but you of all people should know user ed isn't for graphics related tutorials

 

They got your user title right then I see. xD
And yeah, you can post them.

 

Ok, Im pretty sure the only restrictions on graphics and photoshop are in your applications. Nathan good guide, thanks for my avy =p.