In this tutorial I�ll be showing you how to create a realistic iPod mini in photoshop completely from scratch. In this process I�ll be assuming you know not too much about the way photoshop works, you should have a vague grasp of the way the tools work but I will explain how to use it and you will probably know how possibly to use it in another piece.

This what you will be making :

Ok so I will be using Photoshop 7 in this tutorial so anyone using this version or CS or CS2 will be fine. On with the tutorial�



So open up photoshop and go to File>New

1) Choose any suitable size, I chose 500x500 72ppi.
2) Press �D� to reset your swatches.
3) Make a new layer by pressing the �Create a new layer� button on the layers palette or by going to Layer>New>Layer
4) Select the rectangular Marquee tool and make an iPod shaped selection
5) Fill this selection with the default black by pressing alt and backspace.
6) Right click the layer with the filled rectangle on and click �Blending options. Click �Gradient Overlay�.

Now I�m going to apply a slight gradient dark at the bottom and light at the top. My iPod mini will be silver but you can make any other colour, green blue gold etc. These were the settings I used were:



And you should have this now:





Now for the shine on either side, a darker shadow on the very outside and a light glint on the inside of the shadows. Make sure the gradient layer is selected

1) Select the Burn Tool
2) Now we are going to have to draw a straight line on the very left of the iPod.
3) Select a suitable brush depending on how big you image is, however I strongly recommend using a soft brush so the shadow looks more realistic.
4) Make sure the range is set to midtones so that the burn will show up. The exposure is important you don�t want the burn to be so dark so make the percentage quite low, around 20-30.
5) Hold shift, click and drag all the way down the very left of the iPod. You should now have a dark shadow down the left side.
6) Repeat down the very right side also. This time click before pressing shift, it stops the burn tool from making a line from the last time you clicked.

It should now look like this:



Now we will make the highlights on the inside of the shadows we just made.

1) Select the Dodge Tool
2) Select a suitable size again it looks better with a soft brush, set range to Midtones and set the exposure to about half increase to get a shinier look decrease to get a duller look.
3) Like with the Burn Tool hold shift to make sure you make a straight line, and make a line on the inside of one of the shadows
4) Repeat on the other side. Like before make sure this time you click the hold shift other wise it will join up the two lines.

You should now have this:





Now to create the screen.
1) Select the Rectangular Marquee Tool
2) Make a new layer (Layer>New>Layer) Make a screen like selection, but wait iPod screens aren�t completely square.
3) Go to, Select>Modify>Smooth, I chose 5 but you can do more or less if you feel the need. Fill the selection with any colour. (Alt+Backspace)

Right click the screen layer and click Blending Options.

Choose an inner shadow, I turned the opacity down on it a bit but you can leave it or do whatever you want.

My Settings:

Choose a Colour Overlay. Make it a darker grey than the iPod itself.

My Settings:

And finally a stroke, choose a stroke 1 pixel and make it darker than both the iPod and the screen.

My Settings:

We�ll add text and details later.

You should have:


This section will be about creating the Click wheel.

Make a new layer.

Select the Elliptical Marquee Tool . We are going to make a perfect circle for the wheel so hold shift while you drag to selection out. Fill the selection.

Right click the layer and choose �Blending Options�,

Select �Gradient Overlay�, we will be using a radial gradient so it will be darker in the centre and light round the outside.

My Settings:

And add a stroke 1 pixel darker than the iPod and the click wheel.

My Settings:

Now to do the little button in the centre.

Duplicate the click wheel layer, to do this drag the layer into the new layer button, or go to, Layer>Duplicate Layer with the click wheel layer selected.

Select the duplicated wheel layer and press CTRL+T this is the transform tool. While hold shift AND alt, drag one of the corners inwards to the centre until you get a size you�re happy with. Holding shift means the circle will remain a perfect circle. The alt button means the circle will keep the same centre point and perfectly aligned centrally to the wheel below it. Press enter to confirm the transform.

Right click the small button layer and select �Blending Options� click the Stroke options, which should already have some options applied to it and lower the opacity on the stroke. Lower it about 60%. Do whatever you think looks best.

My settings:

So far you should have something similar:

We will add marking and writing now.



Select the Text tool

Drag a square like in the image below and write in Chicago in whichever size is suitable with anti-aliasing set to �none�: You can get the font Chicago from here

Music
Extra
Settings
Shuffle Songs
Now Playing



Position like in the diagram.

Now make a new layer, grab the pencil tool, . Set the width to 1 pixel

Hold shift and draw a horizontal line across the top leaving room above it to write the words �iPod mini�. Grab the text tool and write again in Chicago anti-aliasing none: �iPod mini�.

Make a new layer, using the pencil tool, to the right of the �iPod mini� text draw out a batter symbol. It should look like this:



Remember hold down the shift key to draw straight lines, it will make it easier if you don�t have a steady hand.

Now we need to do a scroll bar, it is the same principle as the batter just a bit longer, here you will need to use the shift key, you need to aim to do something like this:



At this point it should be looking like this:





For the clickwheel symbols, we will be using the font �Webdings�.

If you are not familiar with the layout, the left is the skip back, the right Is skip forward the bottom is play/pause and the top is the word �MENU�
First of all the word MENU choose a dark greyish colour, the font Arial and the anti-aliasing set to �sharp�. Again the size should suit the size/preference of your iPod. Using the text tool write that at the top.



For the skip forward symbol on the right, choose Webdings, and type in with the text tool �:� (a colon) this should create the appropriate symbol.


On the left side of the wheel type in again with Webdings, �9� (the number 9) and this should produce a skip back symbol.



At the bottom of the wheel type in with Webdings, �4� then �;� (the number 4 and a semi colon). There should be now a play and pause button.



You should now have a complete iPod mini:



Go to the final page to add some last little finishing touches.


Last little thing I want to show you is a little shine on the screen.

Firstly in the layers palette, hold control and click the layer with the screen on. The screen on the canvas should have a dotted line around it to show you have selected around it. Make a new layer at the top above everything else, Press �d� to reset your swatches to black and white. Now press �x� to reverse them white should now be your foreground colour.



now select the gradient tool: and click the edit to gradient bar:



Choose the white to transparent option and press OK. Now hover your mouse over the top right of the iPod screen, make sure it is still selected with the dotted line. Hold shift and drag diagonally over the screen like this:



If the shine is to bright, lower the opacity to what ever you think is good.

And there you have a realistic iPod made from scratch in Photoshop.



Any questions or comments please leave them in the support thread, any suggestions for tutorials you would like to see go through the appropriate form.

Thanks hope you enjoyed the tutorial
Matt aka Syndrome.