Dear users of makesimpledesigns.com . In this photoshop tutorial we are going to show you how to create an illusion of a 3D Heart.We are not going to use any additiona plugins in order to do this.We are going to use the technique of stacking layers on top of another and spicing it with layer styles in order to create the illusion of a 3D object.You can follow this tutorial with any Photoshop CS version.
The tutorial will start with the creation of the background,we will spent some time in the creation of a proper background and lightning.Then it will follow with the creation of the layers stuck on top of another. Then we will spend some time editing the layer styles of the 2 layers,and we will close the tutorial with some small enhancement to provide a better look for the heart.
What do you need to know in order to follow this tutorial?
The 3D heart is made in photoshop.In order to follow, you needs to know some basic stuff like:how to create a new layer,how to add a mask to a layer,how to add a gradient,how to change the opacity to a layer,how to add layer style’s to a layer,how to make a selection from a layer,and how to fill a layer with color or add a gradient.So that’s basically it.If you know all of these basic commands then you are good to go.If you don’t understand some of the commands mention before i recommend you go online and make a little study on them.When ever you feel confident that you now the commands then come back and start the tutorial.If that’s all, lets get started.
STEP 1 – Create the background and set up the lighting on the scene.
1A – Create a new layer on top of the background layer.Name it grey background.Set the foreground color to (656565) and make sure that grey background layer is selected.With the foreground color set to color(656565) press Alt + Delete.This will fill the selected grey background layer with the color (656565).
1B – Create a new layer on top of the grey background layer and name it Black – Mask.Make sure that the layer is on top of the grey background layer.Now set the foreground color as pure black (000000).Make sure that you have selected the Black – Mask layer and press Alt + Delete to fill the layer with the foreground color,in this case pure black. Now with the Black – Mask layer selected create a mask to the layer.You can recognise the mask because another white rectangle will pop up next to the Black – Mask layer icon.
1C – Make sure that you have selected the mask of the Black – Mask layer.Press the G key to activate the Gradient Tool.Make sure that you have a radial gradient selected. HINT-when you have selected a mask on a layer and you press G to turn the gradient tool on,automatically the foreground color changes to black.So now all you have to do is drag the gradient line from the center till the left end of the canvas,like with the blue color in the image below.The blue color indicates the radius of the black gradient that you need to put on the mask. HINT – the black gradient act’s like an eraser.It erases the center of the Black -Mask layer.This way it creates a darkness in the edges of the canvas.
We have created everything so far.But since the background is to dark we need to make it less black.Now select the Black -Mask layer and reduce the Opacity of the Black – Mask layer to 50 %.
1D – Create a new layer and name it Global Light.Make sure that the Global Light layer is over the Black – Mask layer and make sure that the Global Light layer is selected. Change the foreground color to (f1cfcd).Now press the G key to activate the gradient tool.Make sure that a radial gradient tool is selected and add a gradient to the Global Light layer.Make sure that radial gradient on the Global Light layer is set in top area of the canvas as it is shown in the image bellow.
1E – Create a new layer on top of the Global Light layer and name it Spot Light.Make sure that the Spot Light layer is selected.Set the foreground color to ( ffdbd7 ).Activate the radial gradient tool and on the Spot Light layer place a gradient.Make the gradient as big and in the position shown in the image bellow.The blue circle indicates how big is the gradient circle and the blue line with the arrow i just the gradients radius.
1F – We need to make a small change before we complete the background and light composition.The gradients we have placed on the Global Light layer and Spot Light layer are to bright.All we need to do now is to lower the opacity to both of the layers in order to be less bright.Select the Global Light layer and set the opacity o 14%.Now select the Spot Light layer and set the opacity to 37%.The result that you need to get after you complete STEP 1 is shown in the image below.Don’t panic if your background is not centered,to dark or more bright then the example.The purpose is to create some form of a light and dark scene so our heart can pop up more.
This is what you should get when you complete step 1.
Now before we continue to STEP 2 you need to download a free font called Hearts Galore.Here is a link of the font Hearts Galore. Download it and install it.Just to let you now,all the letters in this font are heart shapes.This way you can easyly and fast create a heart shape without spending a lot of time.
STEP 2 – Create the layers that will form the 3D heart
Press the T key to activate the Type Tool.Chose the font Hearts Galore and type the letter T,but instead of the letter T you will get a heart shape..Now set the size of the font to 190 pt.Rename the text layer to Heart Base.The color of the heart should be ( cf4e48 ).Center the heart in the middle of the canvas.What you should get can be seen in the image bellow.
Now add a layer style to the Heart Base layer.
2a – Add Drop Shadow as a layer style.Set the Blend Mode to Multiply.Set the Opacity to 46 %.Set the Angle to 90 degree’s,Distance 30 px,Size 43 px.
2b – Click on the Gradient Overlay.Set the Blend Mode to Multiply,and Opacity to 54 %.Style is set to Linear,Angle to o degree’s and Scale 150 %.Then click on the Gradient and Gradient Editor should appear.You can see how the Gradient Editor’s window look’s in the image below on the right side.Use the color’s and the color’s location shown in the images below to set the gradient for the heart.
This is what you should get after completing step 2b.
2c – Now duplicate the Heart Base layer and rename it Heart Top layer.Press the V key to activate the Move Tool.Make sure you have the new layer selected – Heart Top layer.Press the the Shift key and hold it and at the same time click on the Up Arrow key 6 times to move the new layer a little bit up.The result can be seen in the image below
STEP 4 – Making tweaks to the Heart Top layer
Make sure that the Heart Top layer is selected and click on the layer style button.First what you need to make sure is to turn of the Drop Shadow section.We have duplicated the layer from Heart Base and for the top we wont need shadow so you need to turn of Drop Shadow.Now select the gradient overlay and set these values: Blend mode to Multiply,Opacity set to 6%, Gradient should be from Black to White,Style Linear,Angle set to 90 degrees and scale to 150%.
Now select the Bevel & Emboss.Style needs to be set to Inner Bevel,Technique to Smooth,Depth set to 83%, Direction UP, Size 51 px, Soften 16 px.Angle needs to be set to 90 degrees,Highlight Mode to Screen and set the Opacity to 75%.The color for Highlight Mode is (f6c7bf). Shadow mode is set to Multiply,Opacity to 23% and color set to Black.
Now select Contour.You can see it right under Bevel & Emboss.Set Range to 65%.And then click OK.In the image bellow you will see the result after you complete step4.
STEP 5 – Adding the highlight
Now Duplicate the Heart Top layer.Rename it to Highlight.Set the blending mode to Lighten and the Opacity of the layer to 42 %.Now make sure that the new layer Highlight is selected.Go to Layer styles , and go to Bevel and Emboss.You only need to make some changes and you are done.Set the Depth to 1%,Size to 10px,Soften to 0px. Change highlight mode to Color Dodge,Opacity to 92% and color to (fbe3de). Shadow mode wont mather so you set its Opacity to 0% and you are almost done.Now all you need to do is to unchecked the Contour.We wont need it this time.And you are finish with that to.In the image below you can see the same step but shown in an image.
This is what you should get after finishing STEP 5.
STEP 6 – Add a second highlight
Press CTRL + SHIFT + N to create a new layer and name it Vivid Highlight.Select the color ( f6bdb8 ), select the gradient tool and make sure that you have a radial gradient and the preset should be from color to transparent.Now go with your mouse cursor over the thumbnail of the layer Highlight,make sure you have pressed on CTRL and double click over the thumbnail of layer Highlight.This will make a selection of the heart.Now make sure you have the Vivid Highlight layer selected and add a gradient from the top to the bottom of the heart.And at the end set the blending mode of the layer to Vivid Light.In the image below you can see what you should get with the Vivid Highlight Layer.
Now load a selection from the Highlight Layer.Move the selection down till you have it like in the image below.Then select the Vivid Highlight layer to erase some parts of it.Just press Delete to erase the selected part.
This is how should the 3D heart look like when you erase the selection of the Vivid Highlight layer.
STEP 7 – Add an additional detail
Select all the layers Heart Base,Heart Top,Highlight and Vivid highlight layer, Duplicate them and Merge them in to 1 layer.Name the layer Detail.Then move the Detail layer under the heart Base layer.Then go to Edit -> Transform -> Warp.Set the Warp tool to be as in the image bellow.
And after this you get the final result.this is how your heart should look like when you finish it.
I hope you have found this tutorial useful .If you have suggestions or hard time with certain parts of the tutorial just write a comment explaing where you need a better explanation and i will make an effort to help you.
Here is also a link to another tutorial that involves the same technique about how to create a 3d text in Photoshop or a shape.
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