- Page 3a -

The Photoshop Guru's Handbook - "Creating the NUI"
Part 3 - 2D & 3D (inDepth Interface project)

Creating View Screens:

This is a very effective way of adding some 'edge' to an interface.
It's also one of the easier things to create for them, once you learn the few simple steps.

To show how to make all the other parts of an interface, from now on, we'll use the Lighting Filter example image from the previous page. So if you've been making one as we go, keep it handy. Below is what the example looked like after i created a small 'viewing screen' for it.
View Screen Sample Image

The following method is just one of many ways to produce a view screen effect. I just happen to like this one because it has quite a striking look to it. But experiment with these instructions after you understand them. You'll soon discover your own alternate ways of creating view screens, or adding to this effect.

Here is how i created that screen effect:
- Create a new layer and name it 'View Screen'.
- In a section of the interface's main body, create a selection of some kind. I used a simple rectangular one.
- Grab the 'Linear' Gradient tool and fill the selection with a 'white to black' setting (white foreground, black background) going from top to bottom. So light on the top, dark at the bottom. Leave the layer Blend mode on Normal
- Deselect now. (Ctrl+D)
- Duplicate this layer. Name it 'VS-2'.
- Open the Filter menu and go down to the 'Other' heading. Within that submenu choose the 'Maximum' option. Set the amount to 3 pixels. That will shrink the size of the VS-2 rectangle by 3 pixels.
- Now turn on the 'Preserve Transparency' option for this layer. Then use the Linear Gradient tool again with a 'white to black' setting, but this time fill the rectangle with the linear gradient starting at the very middle of the rectangle and drag the tool upward to the top of the rectangle. Hold the Shift key at the same time so your gradient is straight.
- Now set the Blend mode of this layer to Difference. You should be seeing a semi-dark band running across the top half of the screen area now.
- And now, for some 'simulated' reflection for our screen. Duplicate the VS-2 layer, and name it 'Reflection'.
- Press Shift+Ctrl+T (PS4) to open the Numeric Transform dialog window.. In the 'Rotate' section of the dialog window, enter 180.
- Ctrl+click on the layer to select the rectangle. Open the Filter menu and choose Distort/Wave filter. Open the filter and use all of the default settings except for the wave 'Type'. For that setting choose the 'Triangle' option - (also make sure that the 'Repeat Edge Pixels' option is choosen for this). Then begin hitting the 'Randomize' button until you see a wave shape that looks something like the image here. Wavefilter Example It doesn't need to look exactly like mine though. What we need is a wave shape that rises up and down in more than one spot, not as one big wave. The more 'chunky' or spread out the wave looks, the better it will be to use as a reflection in our screen. Once you've got your wave, click OK to apply it, and then Deselect the rectangle.
- Duplicate the VS-2 layer and name the duplicate 'VS-Frame'. Then select the contents of the layer by Ctrl+Clicking the layers name. Once the contents is selected, hit Delete. Move this layer above the Reflection layer, and make sure the layers Blend mode is set to Difference.
- Switch your Foreground colour to white. Then go to the Edit menu and choose Stroke. Set the stroke 'Width' to 2 pixels and the 'Location' to Center. Hit OK to apply. Then Deselect. (Ctrl+D)
- To add a little colour to the View Screen area, just Duplicate the VS-2 layer and move it to the top of the palette. Name it 'VS-Colour'. Set the Blend mode to Exclusion. Turn on the Preserve Transparency box for the layer. Now choose the Radial Gradient tool and set it to 'Foreground to Background' in the Options palette.

Photoshop 5 users: You can just go ahead and choose your foreground and background colours from your colour palette. Skip down below the PS4 part to get the instructions.
Photoshop 4 users: Click on the EDIT button to the left of the gradient strip in the gradient tool options palette. You will see 2 sliders. Click on the left one and then click on a white swatch in your palette. Then click on the right slider and click on a colour for your background from your swatch palette.
Click OK to exit the Edit window.

- Make your foreground color white, and choose a medium to dark colour for your background colour - (mine was blue - R:0 G:51 B:102).
Everyone... Apply the Radial Gradient starting at the top left and going to the bottom right. You should now have a coloured screen. Now move this layer just below the VS-Frame layer in the layers palette.
Ok... everybody with me so far? If not, just go back and retry the steps again to make sure you didn't miss anything.
Now... What we have so far for the screen is not a bad looking effect, just the way it is. And if you like, you can leave it like this. All you need to do is add some text, set it on either Softlight or Overlay mode, and you're set.
But... if you'd like to maybe try adding some PiZaZZ to this screen, then please read on! :?)=)


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3D Shapes / Inset Lines / View Screens
Buttons / Texture Mapping / Adding Text

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