# Creating a Aero Style background



## gxsaurav (Mar 28, 2005)

Since Longhorn Aero Glass style is all the rage these days, I decided to modify my icons a bit to the aero style, and I m also releasing a tutorial to create such background of your, which is transparent & see through, adapts itself to any color background. This tutorial consists of Photoshop CS & Icon workshop, however for more complex shapes; U will need other software like Illustrator

1) Open Photoshop & File -> New. Give the dimension as 256X256 Pixels & transparent background, with 72 Pixels/inch resolution

2) Click on the shape tool, & select any shape U want, I selected a rectangle & gave the radius 40 pixels, With the shift key pressed make a shape, drag the cursor to make one, this way, U will be making  shape with a perfect regularity & aspect ratio, make sure it is filled with black color


3) Now right click on the layer in layer properties & select â€œ Rastarize Layerâ€?, double click on it to open the layer style window

4) At the topmost area, U will find â€œBlending Option :defaultâ€?, click on it If it is not already selected, & change the â€œFill opacity to 5% in the â€œAdvanced Blendingâ€? section, at this point your created shape will look like almost invisible

5) Now click on Drop shadow, In the â€œStructureâ€? section change the opacity to 100%, Distance & size to 5, & angle to 90 degrees, in the â€œQualityâ€? section, change the counter to Gaussian & click on Anti-Aliased, select noise level 0 & check the box saying â€œlayer knock out drop shadowâ€?

6) Now add to it an Interior shadow, In the Structure section set the Blend Mode to Color Burn, the Size to 10 pixels, angle 90 degree & opacity to 100%, this gives the shape a dark edge which is still visible when making & viewing icons on white background.

*www.geocities.com/gx_saurav/aero/inrshadow.jpg

7) Now click on the Inner Glow option, set the blend mode to overlay, & opacity to 50%, & the color of glow to black, leave the rest of the options to default

*www.geocities.com/gx_saurav/aero/inrglow.jpg

8 ) Now add bevel & emboss, set the depth to 30, & size & soften value to 10, & technique to smooth, & other things as shows in the image, the shadow mode to color dodge & color of shadow to white.

*www.geocities.com/gx_saurav/aero/bvl.jpg

9)  If U want to save this as a style & use it on any other shape later, then simply click on new style, & save it

Your aero like glass shape is ready, now U can make anything out of it, as an example I m giving a file type icon of QuickTime File, it was made with Icon Workshop

*img104.exs.cx/img104/7002/qtico0py.png

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Thanks to ImageShack for Free Image Hosting


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## gxsaurav (Mar 28, 2005)

yo , guys, anyone, plz leave a reply, as no one gives me any valuable comments on my tutorials


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## ShekharPalash (Mar 28, 2005)

nice ico tut GX... 
hey... one thing... du know how to make those sharp corners smooth/elliptical in PS/ICS ??


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## gxsaurav (Mar 28, 2005)

well, for first to create really smooth edges U must use Illustrator, it gives U more control over shapes, 

In photoshop select the shape tool & give the radius 40 or 60, I made a new icon with round edges, 40 pixels, tell me how is it, the image is updated above


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## NikhilVerma (Mar 29, 2005)

Really smooth effect!

Would help a lot when making buttons for websites...

Congtatulations...!!


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## techno_funky (Mar 29, 2005)

whoa!!! nice man GX 
really well made 
hope to see you as one of those great icon makers 
thanks for the tutorial will implement on that


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## gxsaurav (Mar 29, 2005)

techno_funky said:
			
		

> whoa!!! nice man GX
> really well made
> hope to see you as one of those great icon makers
> thanks for the tutorial will implement on that



techno tere muhn me refined oil & suger free

(ghi & shakkar, costs a lot)

My life long dream is to become a UI designer in MS or Apple, & my speciality in Icons, well U already know that


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## krishnathelord (Mar 31, 2005)

cccccccccccccccccccccoooooooooooooooooooooooooooollllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll


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## gxsaurav (Mar 31, 2005)

I m making my own winamp skin, based on Aero Looks, go here to read the thread

*www.thinkdigit.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=159626#159626


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