Design a 3D Box Icon in Photoshop
In this tutorial I’ll explain step by step how to create a sleek Box Icon in Adobe Photoshop for use in apps or websites. I would like to thank Luca Vlad(Wlady) for collaborating with me in creating this tutorial!
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Step 1: Create a new document
Start by creating a new document (Ctrl+N) 800×800 in dimension.
Step 2
Make a new layer(Ctrl+Shift+N).
Step 3
Make a selection using rectangle Marquee Tool(M) and Transform the selection as shown. Fill it with black.
Step 4
Change the color to grey (Right-click on the layer choose Blending options>Color overlay) and duplicate it. Move the duplicated layer as high as you want (this will determine box’s height). Make the duplicated layer black.
Step 5
Using Rectangle Marquee Tool (M), make a selection. Make a new layer, fill it with a gradient (Right-click on the layer Blending Options>Gradient overlay) Use a darker color on the lower part and a lighter color on the upper part. For my box, I used #f7bb01 for the upper part and #d3a305 for the lower part. Use shift to make the gradient go straight.
Step 6
We are going to fill the interior. Make a selection using Rectangular Tool (U). Make a new layer, fill it as shown. Make a layer for every side you fill.
Step 7
Make shadows for the sides (Use Burn Tool (O) with similar settings).
Step 8
Make shadows for the middle part of the interior. I suggest using a similar selection. Use Burn Tool (O) with similar settings.
Step 9
Make A selection similar to the one shown and fill it with the same colors you have used for the box. Make selections and add add a gradient with the same colors used for the box (dark one on the near part and ligther one for the far part) and add highlights for the center similar to the ones shown.
Step 10
Set your brush to a small size (3px for my size was perfect, 5px was a bit too big). Using Pen Tool, make a straight line on the corners, make a new layer for each line and make a stroke path (Pen Tool (P) — Right Click — Stroke Path — Set it on Brush and press Ok). Using Eraser bring the lines to the right tone. Do the same for the upper part of the box.
Step 11
Make a new selection and make a new layer. Using Gradient Tool (G) fill the selection with 2 tones of grey (darker for the close part and lighter for the far part). I used #dcdcdc as a light grey and #9b9b9b as the dark grey.
Step 12
Make a new layer and make a shadow using Pen Tool (P) by making a path that follows the form of the interior and using a size 3px (or bigger depending to your image size) stroke the path as shown previously. Use for the color black and set the layer on overlay. Set the opacity as you want (I suggest 60-70%).
Step 13
Select the layer of the box and make a selection for a small reflection and using Levels (L) lighten it a bit. Make a small selection as shown for a little shadow on the box and using Burn Tool (O) darken it as you want.
Step 14
Using Rectangle Tool (U) make a selection for the black line. Make a new layer UNDER the layer of the reflections and fill it with BLACK. Using Pen Tool (P) make a selection to see how will the rear line look. Make a selection and fill it with black where the yellow used to be. To add texture to the interior use Noise (Filter — Noise — Add Noise) on a black layer with the form of the interior (3rd picture). Set the noise on Soft Light blending mode and reduce the opacity of the layer.
Step 15
Make a selection for the papers. Make a selection similar to the one shown. Deselect from the selection the front of the box and fill the layer with white. To make the shadows use Pen Tool (P) with a feather similar to 1, 2px . Use Levels (L) to darken the paper accordingly.
Step 16
Duplicate the layer and fill the duplicated layer with a darker grey (I used #c4c4c4). Move the duplicated layer under the white paper. Using Free Transform (CTRL + T) rotate the paper. Make a selection and remove from the layer anything that is out of the box.
Step 17: Reflections&Shadow
Now comes the nice part. I explained how I added reflections and shadows. You can make them as you wish. To add texture to the front, use Noise (Filter>Noise>Add noise) as much as you want as shown previously.
Use Type Tool(T) to add a reffering text like .doc/.psd/.pdf etc. , it depends of what would you want to use this icon.
Final Result
.jpg)
77 Comments
vist for basic training of photoshop
Flag as inappropriatehttp://training4free.co.cc/Basic%20training/Basic%20training.html
Excellent info provided in the article and I must appreciate the author the way he made the steps and this was really easy to understand this
Flag as inappropriateThank you so much for this tutorial. I’ve got an exam coming up soon as this helps loads!
Flag as inappropriateThankx for your tut. nice one.
Flag as inappropriateamazing and stunning work … keep it up
Flag as inappropriateGreat post . Thanks149
Flag as inappropriateGreat post . Thanks144
Flag as inappropriatewow Great article, thanks!
Flag as inappropriateWhat is the PS version used to make this tutorial. I have an old computer running PS2. Can I play with this tutorial with PS2 ?
Flag as inappropriatePlay Station 2?
Flag as inappropriateCan anyone tell me the name of the software used to capture scrolling selection (ants) and other screen shots in photoshop? Thank you in advance.
Flag as inappropriatei make printscreens ;) or copy merged into another workspace the images i need and prepare them
Flag as inappropriateHi,
Great work, nice tutorial colors scheme is also awesome.
Thanks
Flag as inappropriateIt’s one of the best :))
http://psd.tutsplus.com/articles/web/31-icon-design-tutorials/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+psdtuts+(PSDTUTS)
Flag as inappropriatethats good budy.. i am so impressed abt ur tutorial,,, i wil try it with anther colors
Flag as inappropriateShow us the result when you finish it ;)
Flag as inappropriateOoh ! Amazing ,,,,,,,
Flag as inappropriateI’m glad you succeed in creating it.Show us your result ;)
Flag as inappropriatei just finished mine >.< OMG it took me so LOOOONG ..
Flag as inappropriatehowever… LOVED THE RESULT <3 AWESOME tutorial (Y)
nice tutorial :) (Wlady cum ai ajuns aici :))
Flag as inappropriateThere is a really neat product that I just found that anyone reading this tutorial might find it extremely helpful! Check out Cover Action Pro ( http://bit.ly/Fnh5W ). It’s basically a set of Photoshop actions that you can use to easily create all kinds of product covers and cases.
Flag as inappropriateThank you for the great comments.
Many tutorials will be coming soon .. Stay close !
I must thank David Leggett for the great colaboration !
Flag as inappropriatenice tut thanks just worked it out
Flag as inappropriateNice TuT its so beautiful Thanks….
Flag as inappropriateWhat the font use
Thanks again.
great!!
Flag as inappropriateAce!! Mate…Ultimate beauty…Good on ya
Flag as inappropriateLooks grate information about photo shop
Flag as inappropriatecool!
Flag as inappropriateWow ! very nice
Flag as inappropriateGreat tutorial. Simple and effective to achieve a nice looking icon. A few tricks I could learn from this to put to use on other designs. Thanks for sharing.
Flag as inappropriateWe are glad you like it guys ! Thanks for the good feedback !
Flag as inappropriatewow.. love this tut! I am coming up with similar tut at my blog soon!
Flag as inappropriateYou should know that you can easily change the colour at the end with hue/saturation (select yellow and change the colour)
Thank’s for the great appreciations.
Keep in touch !
See a more variations : http://img136.imageshack.us/img136/7315/fileicons.jpg
Flag as inappropriateNice tutorial and nice result. but i think without the .doc written it looks a way better.
Flag as inappropriateNice tut. Thank you.
Flag as inappropriateSimple and clean. Very nice =]
Great attention to lighting also.
Flag as inappropriateI likeeeee it, but just to let you know it looks much better without .doc written on it.
It’s always good to have stock of tricks saved somewhere, like this tutorials uses several tricks to accomplish effect so whenever I would forget one of these tricks and need them I will just come to this tutorials from my email’s special folder.
Flag as inappropriateNice Tut! Love the outcome! :D
Flag as inappropriateNice tutorial, this box looks hot. I’ll try this tutorial now.
Flag as inappropriateWow, it actually looks like a real box. I might try to make it my self. Maybe in different color though.
Flag as inappropriateGreat !
Flag as inappropriateOmg, that is very beautiful, nice tutorial!
Awesome shadowing techniques, nice results.
Keep it up :)
Flag as inappropriateShadow techniques were great! Keep it up!
Flag as inappropriateNice tutorial! Just thought it was a usual box, but you make another realer one, I can see the inside.
Flag as inappropriate