Reflections

Open the document you did last time, the one with the product box.

Select all the layers and right click on them, then choose “merge layers”.

Select the move tool and check the “Show transform option” option. Resize the dvd a little, making it smaller.

Duplicate layer.

Keeping pressed the CTRL key (Command key on Mac) click on the thumbnail of the layer to select it. Hit CTRL+T to make it in the free transform mode and drag it from the middle upper point like in the example. With skew command, make the transformations to match this example.

Next I choose Edit: Transform: Scale and squash the reflection down a little vertically. A word about reality here: How much you use the Perspective and Scale effects will either depend on what you think looks cool or on how realistic you want the reflection to look. You should observe some reflections in reality and decide what’s best.

Using skew and perspective commands, make the reflected image like in the example:

From the bottom of the layers palette, and with the reflected image layer chosen, click the button in the image to add a layer mask. Using a gradient layer from black to white, apply it on the newly created layer mask and you’ll obtain an effect like this.

Now go to Filter>Distort>Ripple and apply the values from my example:

Here is the final result. Remember that the values are not fixed, they are variable, so you can play around. Good luck.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, November 15th, 2005 at 12:32 pm and is filed under Photoshop Tutorials. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.