Design a Vintage Radio Icon in Photoshop
In this Photoshop Tutorial, you’ll learn how to design an old vintage radio using simple shapes, gradients, patterns and textures.
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Materials Needed:
Step 1
Start by creating a new document (Ctrl+N) 700×700 in dimension.
Step 2
Make a radial gradient backround from center to any corner, using colors #d2934c and #38240d.
Step 3
Create a new layer (Ctrl+Shift+N). Using the Rounded Rectangle Tool (U) with 10px radius, draw a rectangle. Then go to layer’s Blending options and use gradient overlay from #161616 to #3a3a3a.
Step 4
Now let’s use our paper texture. Copy it above all the other layers. Be sure it covers the rectangle. Then Ctrl+click the rectangle layer’s thumbnail. Then inverse the selection (Ctrl+Shift+I) and press delete. Change blending mode to overlay. You should have something like this now.
Step 5
Create a new layer. Again use the Rounded Rectangle tool but this time make a smaller rectangle with 5px radius. In layer’s blending options use the linear gradient overlay with these colors: #563a1c; #61442b; #563a1c; #c18c5f.
Step 6
Repeat Step 4 but this time Ctrl+click the previous made 5px rectangle’s thumbnail and set the paper texture’s blending mode to Soft Light.
Step 7
Create a new layer. Take the Rectangular Marquee Tool (M) and draw a few pixels smaller rectangle than the previous one. Use gradient from #c18c5f to #563a1c.
Step 8
Repeat Step 4 – Ctrl+click the previous made rectangle’s thumbnail and set the paper texture’s blending mode to Soft Light.
Step 9
Create a new layer. Draw a few pixels smaller rectangle than the previous one. Go to it’s blending options and set an inner shadow and the wooden pattern as shown in the picture.
Step 10
Let’s make the wooden panel shine a little bit. Create a new layer. Ctrl+click the rectangle layer we created before (so that you select the entire rectangle we will be adding the highlight to). Then take the Elliptical Marquee tool and while holding Shift+Alt, drag it over to make a selection like in the picture. Then use a white to transparent gradient from right to left and change the opacity to 13%.
Step 11
Create a new layer. Draw a smaller rectangle and change the blending options as in the picture. Use the pattern from source files. Use colors #7b4f28 and #b27d52 for the gradient.
Step 12
Create a new layer. Using pencil tool, draw two 1px lines using #120c04 for the dark one and #67482c for the light one.
Step 13
Now let’s make the radio knobs. It’s basically gonna be just a bunch of circles with different gradients and blending options. For each of the circle create a new layer. Then group all these layers (select the layers and press Ctrl+G) and duplicate the group. Place them as in picture.
Step 14
Now we’ll add a few more details. Create a new layer. Draw a thin rectangle, fill it with #3b260f and above it in a new layer a smaller one, fill it with #d9a15b. Add inner shadow to both of them.
Step 15
Duplicate the previous 2 layers 2 times and slightly change the position of the smaller rectangle.
Step 16
Let’s make the radio shine a little bit. Create a new layer. Using the pen tool, draw a shape like in the picture. Then left click-make selection and fill it with white. Change the opacity to 35%. Duplicate this layer and make it 2 times smaller (Press Ctrl+T and scale it down). Then duplicate both of these layers and put them on the other side of the radio.
Step 17
Let’s add a base for the radio. Create a new layer. Using 10px rounded rectangle tool, draw a rectangle, fill it with #1e1209 and place below all the other layers.
Step 18
Next let’s add some pixel-perfect details. Take the pencil tool and draw 1px white lines around the radio. Use a large, soft eraser to erase the ends of the lines. Change the opacity to 27%
Step 19
Let’s make the background more interesting. Create a new layer above background layer and with the Rectangular Marquee Tool select a bit more than half of the whole image and fill it with gradient from black to transparent. Lower the opacity to 31%.
Final Result
Now to finish the thing, let’s make a nice reflection. Merge all of the radio layers, except background. Press Ctrl+A then Copy (Ctrl+C). Press Alt+Ctrl+Z till all the radio layers come back and then paste (Ctrl+V). Flip the layer vertically and Using a round soft brush, erase it’s bottom. Lower the opacity to 20%.
Conclusion
Well, I hope you learned something new from this tutorial. Using these simple techniques you can make great looking icons. Here are a few other examples.
143 Comments
thank you
Flag as inappropriatehey thanks for this. VERY well done, thorough, and really detailed.
Flag as inappropriateawesome
Flag as inappropriatePhotoshop tutorials, from beginner to advanced. photo manipulation, icon design, text effects, interface, layout, painting, photo effects, psd tuts, maxon cinema 4d, designing.
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COOL….
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Flag as inappropriatevist for basic training of photoshop
Flag as inappropriatehttp://training4free.co.cc/Basic%20training/Basic%20training.html
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Step 10 was usefull for me, tnx
Flag as inappropriatethank you for technic
Flag as inappropriateOverall I like it a lot but I’d suggest doing the knobs in a different way and adding some distress in random spots. Nice though!
Flag as inappropriateThank , Tips for share
Flag as inappropriateThank , Tips for share
Flag as inappropriateThank so much for tutorial.
Flag as inappropriateGreat tutorial! Thanks for taking the time to do this.
Flag as inappropriateExactly what i was looking for. Thanks
Flag as inappropriateThank you for your information.
Flag as inappropriateThis is a very good tutorial.
Flag as inappropriateThis is a very godd tutorial.
Flag as inappropriatei no like this one it hard
Flag as inappropriatethanks for sharing. So mush126
Flag as inappropriatethanks for sharing. So mush119
Flag as inappropriatethanks for sharing. So mush114
Flag as inappropriatewow Cool tip thank for sharing.
Flag as inappropriatehi nice design but how could you turn it in to a country radio station
Flag as inappropriateGreat tutorial. I followed roughly, I made mine an amp though.
Flag as inappropriateI decided I would Put on some Ry Cooder and I just started working away. Keep It Up!!
its an amplifier
Flag as inappropriateThis looks more like an amp.. not a radio. Looks really good though. Nice tut.
Thanks
Flag as inappropriateGreat, great, great. I’ve finished all withput problems. Great explanation! Thanks
Flag as inappropriatesooo awesome!
Flag as inappropriateHey, Im having a problem on step 3! I have cs4 and I’m having a hard time figuring out how to get those specific colors… There doesn’t seem to be anywhere to change it. Mine just keeps coming out white to black… HELP!
Flag as inappropriateThis is really tidy work guys.
Very good ATD
Flag as inappropriatevery nice work
thx alote
Flag as inappropriateThis is brilliant. EXACTLY what I was looking for. Thanks so much!
Flag as inappropriateVery nice !
Flag as inappropriateAdded on tutorials I like !
http://crimzprod.blogspot.com/search/label/Tutorials
This is oooooooooooWsome…….
Flag as inappropriateNice tutorial!
Flag as inappropriateWow! Great tutorial and you’ve explained everything so extensively. :)
Keep up the awesome work!
Flag as inappropriateyepp!nicee
Flag as inappropriateThanks for the comments everyone! I’m glad you found this tutorial useful. More to come! :]
Flag as inappropriatethank you! this tuto is soooo cool :D
Flag as inappropriateVery nicely done. This icon would make a great addition to a music or podcasting site.
Flag as inappropriateThanks a lot for this tutorial! I really enjoyed it and it taught me quite a few things. I used this technique to make my mp4 and it looks great :)
Flag as inappropriateYour «icon» (it’s not a real icon because it’s not square), no matter how cute it is, it’s technically wrong.
It looks like the scale is able to tune separately for each waveband, or maybe simultaneously to 3 stations, which never happened! This kind of scale should have a single vertical line for the station indicator. And no, there were no «station bookmarks» on valve radios!
Flag as inappropriateWho said that icon has to be square?
Flag as inappropriateWell ok, it’s not a perfect copy of an old radio. I just made it with no reference. But honestly, can’t you tell it’s a radio? I see that you love attention to details and that’s good. You can easily use these techniques to make an authentic radio icon. Thanks for the comment, I appreciate some critique too :)
Good luck!
This is cool but wouldn’t is better to do it in vector? Most of the elements are basic shapes and gradients.
Flag as inappropriateIt would make the image easier to enlarge if needed.
It’s your own choice how to make it. Of course you can make it in vectors :)
Flag as inappropriateGreat work! Thanks.
Flag as inappropriateTutorial added to thewebtuts.com
Flag as inappropriateNice design tutorial.. very good…
Flag as inappropriateAmazing result, thanks for this useful tutorial!
Flag as inappropriateThis is an awesome tutorial, easy to follow and amazing results! Hopefully I can use this on my upcoming blog project…
Flag as inappropriateGood Stuff. I got to step 14 and my laptop ran out of juice! Got the general idea though… good shortcuts and gradient coloring…
Flag as inappropriateThanks, cool work.
Flag as inappropriateVery nice tutorial, just love it!
Flag as inappropriateGreat tutorial
Flag as inappropriatethank you very much
” Peace be upon you “
Great work !!!
Flag as inappropriate:)
Thank you for a great tutorial. I made a similar post but with real vintage radios taken from flickr. Check them out :)
http://www.snap2objects.com/2009/06/27/photo-objetcs-16-vintage-radios/
Flag as inappropriateOh, these are really nice and inspirational. Thanks for sharing!
Flag as inappropriategood , but when i click on the “visit jurgis site” the link takes me to “Lapa uz laiku ir slēgta! Ja rodas kādas neskaidrības, lūdzu, zvanīt 29606700! ” not good , i dont know what that means ?
Flag as inappropriateHi, thanks for the comment. My web-page has been closed for a few weeks, because I’m redesigning it at the moment :) New version coming soon ;D
Flag as inappropriateNice icons. Good job
Flag as inappropriateReally cool tut! Love it!
Flag as inappropriateAwesome Tutorial. Thanks for Sharing this.
Flag as inappropriateGreat (and timely) tutorial! Love the attention to the little details.
Flag as inappropriatewoah! This is seriously cool! Thanks guys!
Flag as inappropriatecannot understand step 4
Flag as inappropriateWow, this tutorial is great :) classic and modern.
Flag as inappropriateGreat tutorial Jurgis! Looking forward to some more posts from you, you have a talent with interface design :)
Flag as inappropriateAwesome, this could be handy one day.
Side question: what font did you use for the word “Vintage” in the title banner? I definitely want to incorporate it into a motion graphics piece I’m doing.
Flag as inappropriateHT Cafe, one of my personal favorite scripts :)
Flag as inappropriateSincerly,i congratulate you for the great tutorial ;) Nice idea
Flag as inappropriateThanks a lot, glad you like it :)
Flag as inappropriateYet another awesome tutorial form the T9 folks! Ta
Flag as inappropriateHi.
In step 10, after i have created new layer and then try to click with Ctrl + Click on its thumbnail. Then it says “Warning: No pixels were selected”..
Can you help me with this ? Thanks for this tutorial.
Flag as inappropriateI think Jurgis meant to Ctrl+Click the rectangle layer (so that you select the rectangle the exact same size as the box you add the highlight to). Hope that helps!
Flag as inappropriateAwesome tut! Cool final result ;-)
Flag as inappropriateVery very nice tutorial Jurgis. Love the icon. Can`t wait for more of them.
Flag as inappropriatelovely vintage icon:) great tut. Thans Jurgis.
Flag as inappropriate