How To Design a Thanksgiving Pumpkin in Photoshop
In this tutorial, I will show you how to create a realistic pumpkin icon with the help of Filters and Layer Styles. This tutorial is written for users who have a basic understanding of the tools and techniques used in Photoshop. Enjoy!
Quick Nav:
The Final Image
This is what we will be creating:
Step 1: Setting Up the Document
Start by creating a new document (File>New) that is 950×750 pixels (72 dpi)
Step 2: Adding a Background
Fill the background with a gradient. I used the colors: #39160f and #f68f6c
Step 3: Starting the Pumpkin
Create a new layer and call it ‘Pumpkin’. Use the Elliptical Marquee Tool to make an oval selection. The idea is to make the general shape of the pumpkin.
Step 4: Defining the Selection
With the selection still active, hold shift or opt/alt to add or subtract from the top and bottom of the selection. You want to use these tools to shape the pumpkin. Use the images below to help you through this process
Fine-tuning your selections
To get those exact placements with the selection tools, try holding down the Spacebar while making a selection.
Step 5: Defining the Pumpkin
Fill the selection with a nice orange color.
Double click the ‘Pumpkin’ Layer to bring up the ‘Layer Styles’ panel and add the following effects:
The result should resemble the following:
Step 6: Adding Highlights
Create a new layer and name it ‘Highlights’. Select the Paint Bucket tool and fill this layer with the ‘Washed Watercolor paper’ pattern. You can do this in the top toolbar by selecting ‘Pattern’ in the drop down, and then selecting the pattern’s thumbnail in the second drop down.
Your image should resemble the following:
Step 7: Still Adding Highlights
Select the ‘Add Layer Mask’ at the bottom of the layers panel and press Cmd/Ctrl+i to invert the mask.
Step 8: Painting Highlights
Use a large brush with a 0% hardness set to the color white and paint in some highlights. Don’t worry about going outside of the pumpkin
Step 9: Finishing the Highlights
Set the layer’s opacity to 65% and make this layer a clipping layer by holding down the opt/alt key and selecting in-between the two layers
Step 10: Adding a New Clipping Layer
Holding down the Cmd/Ctrl key, select the ‘Create a new Layer’ Icon. Name it ‘Lines’
Mac vs. PC
By creating a new layer with the above method, a Mac will place the new clipping layer above the previous one, while a PC will place it below. Make sure the new layer is at the top of the stack.
Step 11: Following the Contours
Use the Elliptical Marquee tool and try to make a selection on the pumpkin that would follow the natural contours. Use the image below as a guide:
Step 12: Defining the Contours
Fill the selection with any color (it doesn’t matter what color) and give it the following effects:
Your image should look like this:
Step 13: Blurring the Lines
Give this layer a Gaussian Blur (Filter>Blur>Gaussian Blur)
Your image should look like this:
Step 14: Copying Layers
Copy this layer by dragging it from the layers panel into the ‘Create a new Layer’ icon. This will make a duplicate layer, preserving effects and clipping.
Step 15: Adding More Contours
Adjust this layer’s opacity to 30% and transform (Cmd/Ctrl+T) this layer to add a new set of ‘lines’ to the pumpkin.
Give this layer a Gaussian Blur
Repeat Effect
Instead of going back through the filters menu, simply press Cmd/Ctrl+F to apply the last Filter used—which, in this case, was the Gaussian blur filter
Your image should look like this:
Step 16: Doing all again
Copy, transform, and blur the layer again. Set the opacity to 20% . Your pumpkin should resemble this:
Step 17: Creating a Stem
Create a new layer and name it ‘Stem’. Using the Rectangle Marquee tool, create a rectangle and fill it with a dark olive color.
Step 18: Defining the Stem
Give the layer ‘Stem’ the following effect:
Step 19: Merging the Effect
Right click the fx icon in the ‘Stem’ layer and select ‘create layer’. This will expand the effect on to its own layer
Select both ‘Stem’ layers and press Cmd/Ctrl+E to merge.
Pay Attention!
Just a reminder to make sure that the ‘Stem’ layer is not a clipping layer.
Step 20: Warping Fun
Press Cmd/Ctrl+T to begin to transform the new ‘Stem’ layer. Select the icon in the top properties bar to switch to the ‘warp’ mode and warp the layer to resemble a pumpkin stem.
Your finished stem should resemble this:
Step 21: Adding a Top
On a new layer, use your Brush tool to paint in the top of the stem, using a darker color. I used black for illustrative purposes. You do not need to make it this dark.
Step 22: Finishing the Stem
On the layer that has the top of the stem painted in, add the following effects:
On the ‘Stem’ layer, use the following effects:
When your done, go ahead and move both stem layers below the pumpkin (just above the ‘Background’ layer). Your image should resemble this:
Step 23: Adding Shadows
Create a new layer below the ‘Stem’ layer and name its ‘Shadows’. Set it to Multiply and use the Elliptical Marquee tool to add some shadows to the bottom of the pumpkin.
Fill this selection with black and give it a blur.
If you want, you can add another shadow that’s larger and has more blur. Here is an example:
Step 24: Burning the Base
Use the Burn tool (or any other method you like) to add some shadows on the base of the pumpkin:
Step 25: Merging a Copy
Select all Layers and press Cmd+Opt+Shift+E (Ctrl+Alt+Shift+E) to merge a copy of all layers. This will preserve all of our work, and give us a merged copy to work with.
Step 26: Finishing Effect
Use the Elliptical Marquee tool with a 10px Feather and select the center of the pumpkin.
Delete the selection and give the layer a Gaussian Blur. This will add a nice depth-of-field effect to our image:
Step 27: The Final Image
73 Comments
Photoshop tutorials, from beginner to advanced. photo manipulation, icon design, text effects, interface, layout, painting, photo effects, psd tuts, maxon cinema 4d, designing.
Flag as inappropriatehttp://alophotoshop.co.cc
I just hope you could make another post related to this. This is definitely good blog.
Flag as inappropriateFlocka!
Flag as inappropriateStephen your awesome!! great tutorial . thanks a million!
Flag as inappropriatethanks for this tutorial.Now i can easily understand importance of graphics essentials and hope can draw pumpkin for my friends as well.I will try to use them on my site like http://www.dive-resort-philippines.com/
Flag as inappropriatereally a meaningful knowledge sharing. Thanks Stephens for teaching us .
Flag as inappropriateSolche Kürbis wächst auf einem Gemüsegarten meiner Großmutter.
Danke!
Flag as inappropriatethanks for sharing. So mush123
Flag as inappropriatethanks for sharing. So mush116
Flag as inappropriatethanks for sharing. So mush111
Flag as inappropriateWonderful and beautiful
Flag as inappropriateThank you
wow greate job….
Flag as inappropriatethanks for sharing this….
Such pumpkin grows on a vegetable garden of my grandmother! He he:))Thanks! You are the best!
Flag as inappropriatea very cute picture, with the basic technic but the result is very cool … regards…
Flag as inappropriateWOW – Very nice! Thanks!
Flag as inappropriateWow… Thank you so much for sharing this!
Flag as inappropriateit looks like a ShamWow Lol. good tut
Flag as inappropriatei thought it was great. thanks. -Mandy-
Flag as inappropriateI liked the result in the textures used. Nice tutorial, thanks for sharing. Alex.
Flag as inappropriateGreate job , thanx
Flag as inappropriatethank for tutorial
Flag as inappropriatepumpkin pictures very good and tutorials are very interesting to be try and hopefully tutorial more interesting every day..thank you..
Flag as inappropriatenice pumkin! thanks
Flag as inappropriatethank for the tuorial
Flag as inappropriateAh great work. Thanks.
Flag as inappropriateGood tutorial, i like very much the explain, congratulations it’s very good
Flag as inappropriateExcellent work.. Great tutorial. Thx…
Flag as inappropriateGreat Tut! Thank You.
Flag as inappropriatethank for the tuorial
Flag as inappropriatenice… thanks for sharing…
Flag as inappropriateI love this Tutorial…thanks for sharing! Keep up the good work.
Flag as inappropriateThanks for sharing.. nice and awesome tutorial
Flag as inappropriateNice tutorial! Looks just like a thanksgiving pumpkin!
Flag as inappropriateVery nice tutorial!!! I’m going to try it out later today.
Flag as inappropriateI noticed a small typo on the big green Download the PSD button. It says “Downlaod”.
Flag as inappropriateHey this is a nice tutorial although I really don’t like the outcome.
Some people were talking about Halloween pumpkins so if you’re interested you can check out my recent tut on that subject:
http://www.cutelittlefactory.com/tutorials/painting-a-jack-o-lantern/
Flag as inappropriateAndrea’s tutorial really is much better than this. Since when do pumpkins have such a rough texture?
Strongly recommend checking his out.
Flag as inappropriateLoved your tutorial Andrea :) Great work!
Flag as inappropriateAwesome tutorial ;) thanks a bunch
Flag as inappropriatethanks a lot :)
Flag as inappropriateAwesome tutorial, great work… Thanks!
Flag as inappropriateWow, this tutorial is amazing… Not to mention, Thanksgiving is on my birthday this year :D
Flag as inappropriateShouldn’t it be designing a thanksgiving Turkey?
Seems to me like someone is just recycling a tutorial for Halloween.
It’s a good thing we love recycling.
Flag as inappropriateMy thoughts exactly…
Flag as inappropriateWe’d love to have a Turkey inspired tutorial before Thanksgiving if someone in the community feels inspired to contribute a guide :)
That said, we’ll be publishing some Thanksgiving/Fall inspired icons tomorrow (Wednesday, Nov. 18th 2009) which includes a turkey. In fairness to Stephen Petrany who wrote this photoshop tutorial, it was my choice to publish it now as I believe that Turkeys, Pumpkins, and Pilgrims all are iconic of the Thanksgiving Holiday. At the very least I hope you appreciate his efforts :)
Flag as inappropriategreat ….!!!!
Flag as inappropriateglade to know this site….
Great tutorial! Thanks for sharing.
Flag as inappropriategood stuff thanks
Flag as inappropriateGreat job
Flag as inappropriateNice.. Although it looks a bit like a plastic one imho.. Maybe too perfect.. But still very nice tutorial and a great example of PS usage..
Flag as inappropriateamazing! thank you!
Flag as inappropriateGreat tutorial — I’m learning a lot from this site :)
Thanks!
Flag as inappropriateLove the tut, thanks for sharing!
Flag as inappropriateOMFG … this tut is awesome … thanks a lot!!!!
Flag as inappropriateGreat resource, thanks for sharing. Greetings
Flag as inappropriate