In this tutorial, you will learn how to use custom shapes and Pen Tool in Photoshop CS3 to create Christmas illustration with stars in a few simple steps. Read on to learn more.
Final Image Preview
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Start working by creating a new document (Ctrl+N) in Adobe Photoshop CS3 with the size 1280px by 1024px(RGB color mode) at a resolution of 72 pixels/inch. Use the Paint Bucket Tool (G) to fill with black color thenew background layer.
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Take now the Rectangle Tool (U) and draw a rectangle on the whole canvas. Click on Add a layer style icon from bottom part of the Layers panel and select Gradient Overlay.
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Click in the color bar to open the Gradient Editor and set the color stops as shown. Click OK to close theGradient Editor dialog box.
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We’ve got the next background:
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Duplicate this layer and change the Opacity to 0% for copy.
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Go to Layer Style and change the Gradient Overlay settings as shown.
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Click in the color bar to open the Gradient Editor and set the color stops as shown. Click OK to close theGradient Editor dialog box.
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We’ve got the next result:
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Now take the Ellipse Tool (U) and draw the next ellipse, set Opacity to 0% for this layer.
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Click on Add a layer style icon from bottom part of the Layers panel and select Gradient Overlay.
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Click in the color bar to open the Gradient Editor and set the color stops as shown. Click OK to close theGradient Editor dialog box.
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It’s the result you must get on this stage:
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Select now the Pen Tool (P) and try to represent the contours of a fir tree, like on the next picture:
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Select the Custom Shape Tool (U) in the Tools bar, in the Options bar click the Shape to open the selection menu. Find 5 Point Star at the bottom of the menu, and then double-click a shape thumbnail to select it.
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Fill the whole fir tree’s inside space with selected shape, changing also their sizes using Free Transform (Ctrl+T)command.
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One star should be situated on the fir tree’s top, click on Add a layer style icon from bottom part of the Layers panel and select Outer Glow.
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This is the result you should get now:
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Next we’ll select three types of snowflakes from Custom Shape Tool (U) like those from below:
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Draw and place the snowflakes in an arbitrary way on our canvas, we may change their Opacity value on the Layers panel: Fill: 10%, 20%, 40%.
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Choose again the Custom Shape Tool (U) in the Tools bar, in the Options bar click the Shape to open the selection menu. Find Registration Target 2 at the bottom of the menu, and then double-click a shape thumbnail to select it.
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Draw and place this shape under the layer containing the top star, the same way situated below: Fill - 0% on this layer:
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Click on Add a layer style icon from bottom part of the Layers panel and select Gradient Overlay.
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Click in the color bar to open the Gradient Editor and set the color stops as shown. Click OK to close theGradient Editor dialog box.
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We’ve got the next result:
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Choose the Pen Tool (P), set the drawing mode on Shape Layers in Options bar and draw the next shape as shown on the fir tree, choosing the next colors:
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We’ve got the next result:
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The final result!
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