Simple Coffee Cup Icon Photoshop Tutorial
In this tutorial we’ll be going though creating a semi-photo realistic coffee cup, with some nice frothy coffee.
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Materials Needed:
Final Image
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Step 1
Make a new Photoshop document with the dimensions of 1024×1024 pixels, this is a nice round size and is a good one to use when making large icons.
Step 2
Set a background colour (I went for a light green) and layout some guides, they should snap to the center of the x and y axis.
Step 3
Make an oval shape and center it. Then rename it to “Base”.
Step 4
Get the rectangle tool and set it to “subtract” then cut the top half of the oval, this is just to make it easier to see other shapes.
Step 5
Now make another oval across the half oval to make a bowl like shape, you may want to adjust the colour for visibility. Rename this to “Rim”.
Step 6
We’re going to do a little back step now, but this will help us a lot later on. Grab the path selection tool which is the black cursor towards the bottom of your toolbar, if the arrow is white, hold down the button for a couple of seconds and select the black cursor.
Step 7
Select the oval you just made and copy it, then hide the layer and click on the layer mask of the oval beneath paste the shape you just copied and set it to subtract the shape. Your final shape should look like this:
Set “Rim” back to visible.
Step 8
Ok so we have the cup’s basic shape, now we’re going to tweak it a little and add some layer styles. I decided the cup was a little too wide so using the Free Transform Tool I squished it a little.
Now we’re going to add some layer styles. Change the colour of “Base” to a light grey, I used #f4f4f4. Then apply these layer styles:
Step 9
Duplicate “Base” (ctrl or cmd+j) and remove all the styles then apply this style:
Step 10
Now it’s time to move onto the “Rim” layer. Set it’s colour to #f4f4f4 just like “Base” and add these layer styles:
This is what your cup should look like so far, although it looks more like a japanese rice bowl at the moment.
Step 11
Now it’s time to hollow this cup out, duplicate the “Rim” layer and get the free transform tool (ctrl or cmd + T), then adjust the size to your preference (how big you want the rim to be). Rename it to “Cup_Inner”.
Now apply some layer styles to this:
Here’s what you should have so far:
Step 12
Now we’re going to draw the handle use the pen tool to draw a shape similar to this.
Then we’re going to apply a very simple layer style:
So that’s the cup done, but it would look miles better with some coffee in it.
Step 13
Get the “Cup_Inner” layer and duplicate it, Recolour it as #e7974f and Rename it as “Coffee”. Move it down 10 pixels then copy the “Cup_Inner” vector mask and paste it on “Coffee” and set the mode to Intersect. Your final result should be this:
Apply these layer styles to the “Coffee” layer:
Step 14
Duplicate “Coffee” and set it’s fill opacity to 0%, then add this style:
At the moment this is our coffee cup:
Step 15
Now at the moment it’s not looking at all like coffee, nevermind frothy coffee, so we’re going to use a texture to make it a little quicker and easier.
Stock Photo: Premium, or Free Versions
The texture I used cannot be included with the .PSD I’m afraid. However here’s a link to it here, alternatively if your not willing to fork over a dollar (or 20 if it’s your first Envato purchase or your balance is less than a dollar) you could use my texture for free here. However the result with mine isn’t very good, but of course there is the option of hunting another free texture though, which if you did and posted it in the comments you’d be a star. :)
Import whichever image you chose to use, name the layer to “Texture” and shrink it down a bit. Then fit it to the perspective of the coffee, you may want to make it slightly transparent so you can see what your doing. Here’s what it should look like:
Set the layer’s blending mode to overlay and set it’s opacity down to 40%, then copy and paste the “Coffee” layer’s vector masks onto the texture and set it to intersect. To soften the edge of the texture just add this style:
Again here’s what it should look like:
We’re nearly done, but those bubbles could do with some more definition and we need some steam and a shadow.
Step 16
Get the vector eclipse tool and start going over the bubbles like this:
Repeat this until you get most of the bubbles covered, that includes some of the smaller ones. Convert the layer to a smart object. Then go to Filters > Blur > Gaussian blur and set it to a value of 1.5. Then turn the layers opacity down to 36%. You can name this layer “Bubbles”.
Step 17
Now we’re going to do the smoke and the shadow, to make the smoke get the pen tool and draw 5 shapes in white like this:
Then merge the layers and go to Filters > Liquify, use this to mess the shapes up a bit, this is what it looked like for me:
Now Gaussian blur the shape you just made with the value of 7.5, then reduce it’s opacity down to 35%.
Step 18
Now to finish this all off we’re going to add a simple shadow, get the ellipse tool and draw a circle, then set it’s fill to 0% and set a black to transparent black radial gradient layer style. Convert the shape to a smart object and squash it into an oval. Set it’s opacity to 40% and put it below the cup.
Conclusion
So there you have it. Making a semi-realistic coffee cup, I hope you enjoyed this tutorial and learned some new Photoshop techniques. If your dying to see the final result again look below.
105 Comments
Aprendiendo a manejar photoshop
Flag as inappropriatethanks for this awesome turorial
Flag as inappropriateSorry to the people that are finding step 7 hard, it’s not that important to the final result actually, it’s just me trying to be neat. Basically what you’re doing is copying the layer vector mask from the “Rim” layer over and onto the cup’s outer shape and setting it to subtract the shape (add a clipping mask essentially). Step 6 explains how to go about this, if it’s not immediately clear how to do that.
When I made this tutorial my knowledge of Photoshop was much less than it is now, and therefore some of the techniques seen here are probably not the most sensible.
Flag as inappropriatei’m little bit lost on step 5-7 …..
Flag as inappropriatecould someone xplain more about the step
specially abaout the step 7….
thank you very good design tutorial
Flag as inappropriateVocalizer to Kim Clijsters when she fails to boost to the on key points during the correct
Flag as inappropriatevist for basic training of photoshop
Flag as inappropriatehttp://training4free.co.cc/Basic%20training/Basic%20training.html
Nice cup of coffee :) and a cool tutorial.
Flag as inappropriatethank you i like it
Flag as inappropriateCool tutorial. I think the rising vapour could be improved a bit more.
Flag as inappropriateWould you generate two or three blogposts for us. Your entire writing method is really spectacular.
Flag as inappropriateCan anybody please help me with step seven? It is not remotely understandable.
Flag as inappropriateAfter look throught this commentary ,im sorrowful for meeting so much difficult in the learning process.
Flag as inappropriateIs there someone willing to help me ?
Beatiful tutorial, it really is. It looks incredibly difficult straight from the image, but the tutorial is so easy and clear to follow I think I might actually get this one right!
Keep up the great work.
Flag as inappropriatenice technique ! thanks
Flag as inappropriateNice tutorial ! Personally I use this texture : http://www.sxc.hu/photo/486327
Flag as inappropriateVery nice tutorial Alex. Thanks man.
Flag as inappropriateThanks for sharing~
Flag as inappropriateAnd you are handsome, lol~~
Thank you for your information.
Flag as inappropriatenice tutorial very effective and simple to follow
Flag as inappropriatenice tutorial very impresssive and simple to follow
Flag as inappropriateWonderful post, numerous interesting points. I recall five of days ago, I have viewed a similar blog.
Flag as inappropriateloved this tut! i was able to use it and transform it.
Flag as inappropriatehere’s what i did with it http://www.fbccanton.org/templates/System/details.asp?id=41971&PID=604654
the split globe halves are created from this cup!
its very nice. Great post35
Flag as inappropriateits very nice. Great post22
Flag as inappropriateits very nice. Great post16
Flag as inappropriategreat i never seen before.
Flag as inappropriateGreat little tut, simple to follow and I’ve used some of the effects in this tuts on other objects like a football
Flag as inappropriateNice tutorial. Thanks for sharing!
Flag as inappropriateThe stuff you can do in photoshop amazes me. Instead of just downloading vectors I’d love to make my own. How long do you reckon it takes before you get really good?
Flag as inappropriateThank you for good information
Flag as inappropriateThank you for the awesome tutorial, I tried to do it but I had a big problem, I use CS3.
My problem is when I apply the Layer Style to the 3er layer, the Rim, it mess up the previous Layer style I added, I mean the Base, how is possible if there are in different layers? Why the previews Layer would be affected?
Help please thank you so much.
Flag as inappropriateTechnique is best favorite
Flag as inappropriateAwesome. very realistic. well laid out and easy to follow. Thanks.
Flag as inappropriategrt!!
Flag as inappropriateHere’s what I came up with:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/42479544@N04/3915703288/
I used this brush for the coffee texture
http://www.brusheezy.com/brush/955-Sidewalk-Series-Vol-3-Concrete-Rust
I used this brush for the smoke texture
http://www.brusheezy.com/brush/1228-Smoke-Inks-Brushes
Thanks for the awesome tutorial! Oh and for those of you struggling with the Pen tool, left click once to add a new “control point” along where you are drawing. Then hold down control and click the square boxes to move the points around where you want them. That helped me out a ton in figuring out how the pen tool works! Hope this helps.
Flag as inappropriateReally simple and nice tutorial..
Flag as inappropriateCool tut :) This is my result: http://www.flickr.com/photos/33172269@N00/3866330470/ I used these brushes: http://www.brusheezy.com/brush/1278-Smoke-Set for the smoke
Flag as inappropriategreat tutorial!
Flag as inappropriateHey,
Great Tutorial. I tried it and kept up until step 12, except for some reason the handle of the coffee cup doesn’t work for me…the pen doesn’t work the way for it I want it to.
I already referred to the pen tutorial, but that didn’t help much.
Can you post a video of how to get the handle? Or just a specific set of instructions?
Thanks!
Flag as inappropriateI’m trying to pass Step 12..where I draw the handle with the pen, but I just can’t seem to draw that. I checked and went through the entire pen-tool tutorial, but that didn’t help either.
Can you please help me out, or post a video or something that would help me draw the handle part?
Thanks, appreciate it alot!
Flag as inappropriate@Jeremy At step 7 you don’t copy and paste the circles, you make the mode ADD instead of subtract and keep adding them until your satisfied with the amount.
@Bahadır It’s not supposed to be 100% realistic, it’s mainly just eye-candy really ;P
Flag as inappropriateOrange coffee???
Hmm… Interesting.
Flag as inappropriateTanks …
Flag as inappropriateAppreciate For You
VERY NICE TUTORIAL IM NEW AT THIS SO I IMPROVISED A LITTLE BIT WHEN IT CAME TO USING THE PEN TOOL.HAVE A LOOK AT WHAT I MADE http://tinypic.com/r/2dig8m0/3
Flag as inappropriateI’m getting confused at Step 7.
“Select the oval you just made and copy it, then hide the layer and click on the layer mask of the oval beneath[. P]aste the shape you just copied and set it to subtract the shape.”
I choose the Path Selection Tool, but then I don’t know how to ‘select the oval and copy it.’ I click all over that dang oval and nothing happens. Right clicking brings up no useable action, either.
Also, (forgive me, I’m knew to this kind of art, usually working with photographs), but once I figure out how to copy like the first part of the step says, will the second part of subtracting the shape once pasted be easy to understand? Will a box pop up or something? If not, where will I choose to do that?
Flag as inappropriateNice Its KoOl
Flag as inappropriategood tut man
Flag as inappropriatedidn’t know it’s this simple for a “photo-realistic” art. certainly can be applied to many other things too. i love it. thanks.
Flag as inappropriatetried following it, but there are several inconsistencies in the tutorial. It’s a nice result btw though.
Flag as inappropriatethank y so much. i really like it. I hope you’ll have many masterpiece design to share with people. toB_or_notToB@yahoo.com
Flag as inappropriateI really think I need to thank you guys for all the lovely comments, I’m actually surprised people like it! Again, thanks and I’ll be sure to contribute more to the design community :)
Flag as inappropriateMay be a smoke texture better than :) !
Flag as inappropriateThat my opinion. Thanks this tutorial .
Nice coffee texture…
Adds something to it….
Thanks for the tip
Flag as inappropriatewhat font did you use where it says simple coffee cup icon photoshop tutorial
Flag as inappropriateHey Ryan, that would be HT Cafe. Simple, playful font that just feels made for anything Coffee related :)
Flag as inappropriateGreat tut though the smoke doesn’t look very natural.
Flag as inappropriateThank Alex & David ;)
There was a mistake when this tutorial was published. It briefly read that I was the author when in fact it is Alex Rogahn, one of our new contributors.
Great job on your first tutorial here Alex :) Hoping you’ll write more for us in the future!
Flag as inappropriateGreat icon and techniques are very useful for other icon drawings
Flag as inappropriateGood technique David, you come up with good ones!
Check my site for other great resources! :)
Flag as inappropriateGood tut.
Lots of useful ‘layer style’ tips
Mike
Flag as inappropriateYep really a lot xD
Flag as inappropriateWow…really awesome tutorial ! ty allot !
Flag as inappropriate