# Photoshop:: Showcase lighting effect.



## goobimama (Jan 26, 2008)

It’s been a while since I’ve written a PS tut, but here goes. This one lets you create sort of a showcase for your graphics. 
(For where I’ve use “Command”, I mean “Control”)

Step 1: New document, fill it with black. 

Step 2: Create new layer (Command+shift+N) and name it “Showcase”. Draw out your main showcase background using the Rectangular Marquee tool (M). Fill that with any greyish colour (Shift+F5)

*img3.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/985513be89.jpg

Step 3: With the layer selected, go to Layer > Inner Shadow
*img3.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/ede50e805c.jpg

Gradient Overlay:
*img3.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/24be77270e.jpg

Stroke: 1 point, Outside, with a dark grey colour

Step 4: Now create a new layer (name it base) under the “Showcase” layer (hold command and click the new layer icon to create one under the current layer). Drag out a rectangle using the marquee that’s the same height as ‘showcase’, but make it wide. Fill it with whatever colour (shift+f5).
*img3.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/10dffb0dad.jpg

Step 5: Create a new layer over the “showcase” layer. Call it ‘light source’. Create a small little rectangle to symbolise a tubelight. Fill it with white. Now go to Layer > Layer Options > Outer glow. Use the default settings, but make the yellow colour more white. 

*img3.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/5f08da36b4.png

Also, if the light source is looking too sharp, give it a blur (Filter > Blur > Gaussian Blur). Reduce the size of the ‘outer glow’ if it looks too blurry. 

Now create a new layer under ‘light source’. Select both the new layer as well as light source and hit Command+E to merge. Now take a rectangular marquee tool, and cut out the top part of the outer glow.

*img3.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/1fd4d6f378.png 

Step 6: Select the “showcase” layer in the layers palette. Create a new layer under it. Then select ‘showcase’ layer and hit Command+E (Layers > Merge). Then go to Filter > Render > Lighting Effects. Now this is the tricky part. Trial and error is the ultimate. I’d suggest playing around with the intensity and focus while making the area larger or smaller on the preview board. The rest of the options are only for fine tuning and not required. You will have to imagine the ‘light source’ layer for this to work. I didn’t get it quite right for this tutorial, but I should tell you that it took me like 20 minutes to get a perfect lighting on one project. 

*img3.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/69da184246.jpg

If 'showcase' is getting a lot of banding, then just give it some noise (Filter > Noise > Add noise). It will give it a more natural feel to it. 

Step 7: I have given a gradient overlay for the “base” layer using the Layers > Layer Options > Gradient Overlay. It’s radial with a 180* angle. 

Step 8: Import your graphic. Give it a white border if you will, and add a drop shadow (Layer options > drop shadow)

*img3.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/1c318d6abe.jpg

*This example is a little large actually. It works well for smaller thumbnails, sidebars and such.

Lemme know if there are any issues...


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## viswanadh (Jan 26, 2008)

Great tutorial. Thanks for sharing


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## drgrudge (Jan 26, 2008)

Amazing tut goobi. I'll try this out today and see how it goes...


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## Gigacore (Jan 26, 2008)

good tutorial goobi!


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## iMav (Jan 26, 2008)

wow man great tut .... really handy work .... an art gallery can be made ... wow u just gave me an idea for a family album .... thank u


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## The Conqueror (Jan 26, 2008)

WOW!
Amazing Tutorial


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## goobimama (Jan 26, 2008)

Thanks for the comments boys. Appreciated.


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## gaurav_indian (Jan 26, 2008)

Good tutorial.


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## ico (Jan 26, 2008)

Gave the link of this thread to my friend. He loves photoshop and will surely like this. Thanks........


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## infra_red_dude (Jan 26, 2008)

We finally haf our "small cat" with his photoshop tuts  Sniff.. sniff.. I missed ur tuts goobi!


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## goobimama (Jan 26, 2008)

Uh... I'm sorry to correct you, but that's Goobi  . As for you missing my tutorials, well, thanks for the compliment!  I will surely make some time to write some more.


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## drgrudge (Jan 26, 2008)

Goobi, Illustrators tuts if possible. Also some tricky things like how to use Pen tool in Photoshop... I'm practising but it's not as simple as it might sound.


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## infra_red_dude (Jan 26, 2008)

@Milind
I'm sorry I cudn't get which part you corrected!! Is that supposed to be "Goobi" and not "goobi" (as I addressed)?? I'm confused!!!

But man.. I really missed your tuts... the smoke effects, zombie.. i remember most of those titles 



drgrudge said:


> Goobi, Illustrators tuts if possible. Also some tricky things like how to use Pen tool in Photoshop... I'm practising but it's not as simple as it might sound.


The pen tool is one the easiest to master. Practice, grudge.. you can become a master "penner"  in no time!


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## goobimama (Jan 26, 2008)

EDITED: That's Goobi as in, not "The Small Cat". I say this cause I thought you were referring to the graphic in the middle of the showcase. They are two separate individuals. Sorry for the confusion. Peace be to those who find grapes to eat, for there are none here. 

@Dr: Well there's not much to show about the pen tool other than it's functions. Other than that it's just practice (lots of it). But once you get it right, there's nothing like it (also it's really really easy on the Wacom tablet. I can imagine it being a little tricky using a trackpad)


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## drgrudge (Jan 26, 2008)

I'm using a mouse, not trackpad.  

Your cats are confusing me now. First Goobi, then Small Cat and the Not Small Cat? Why can't you name them Cheetah, Puma, Panther, Tiger, Lion, etc?


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## gaurav_indian (Jan 26, 2008)

If you want to master pen tool then grab any vector image and try to select anything that involves many curves in it.Look at the image i have attached try to select it and make paths through pen tool.


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## Vishal Gupta (Jan 26, 2008)

Very nice tutorial. Thanks for it.


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## iMav (Jan 27, 2008)

goobster psd please


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## goobimama (Jan 27, 2008)

I don't mind uploading the PSD but most of the layers are rasterised, so there's not much in there. 
*www.mediafire.com/?6xgndzig4n5


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## iMav (Jan 27, 2008)

thank u  appreciate it


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## topgear (Jan 29, 2008)

Hey goobi. Great work buddy


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