Create a Stylized Ice Cream Cone in Photoshop

Create a Stylized Ice Cream Cone in Photoshop

Practice is the perfect way to hone your Photoshop skills, and I’m sure we’ve all had enough practice with common, rudimentary tasks such as cropping corporate headshots, building margin and padding into document designs, and adding drop shadows to punchy marketing copy. Instead of practicing the same old tasks, let’s try a more unusual one that doesn’t hit your desk (or your inbox) every day. This tutorial is primarily an exercise in Photoshop’s Pen Tool (after all, we unfortunately can’t eat the ice cream once we’re done). We’ll be using various Pen Tool filters and layer styling to hone your Pen Tool prowess.

Let’s have a look at our final result:

Step 1

Create a new document with a 600px width and a 700px height in Photoshop.

Step 2

Set #e3a55d as your foreground color. Now, select the Pen Tool, click on the “Shape layers” option from the options bar, and draw the cone shape shown below.

Click on this cone layer and go to “Layer” > “Layer style” > “Blending options.” Use the settings provided below. You can also open the layer style window by double clicking on the cone layer.

Step 3

Next, we’ll create stripes for the cone biscuit. Firstly, select #f5c28a as your color and then pick “Hard round brush” with 3px size. Now, select the Pen Tool, choose “Paths” from top options bar, and draw a slightly curved line like the one below. After that, right-​​click and select “Stroke Path” > “Brush.” Then, press “Delete” to get rid of the path.

Double-​​click on this new line layer and use the settings below to cast a shadow.

Step 4

Now, we need few more copies of this line. To do this, take the Move Tool over the line and press the Alt key. You’ll notice double arrows; now simply drag the line a bit. Repeat this step to get the desired copies of the line.

Collect all of the stripe layers into a single group, duplicate this group, and go to “Edit” > “Transform” > “Flip horizontal.” After that, press Ctrl + “T” to activate the Free Transform Tool. Tilt these duplicated stripes group to form the crisscross pattern common to waffle cones.

Merge both “cone stripe” groups together. You can do this by selecting the groups by holding the Shift key, then right-​​click to open the options window and choose “Merge layers.” Once you are done, click on the merged layer and then press Ctrl + the thumbnail of cone layer. Now, click on the “Add layer mask” icon found at the bottom of the layers panel.

Step 5

Now, we’ll move ahead to create different flavored (and different colored) ice cream scoops. Select the Pen Tool with the “Shape layers” option to draw the shape as shown below. Use #ffeb8a as the color for this.

Double-​​click on the scoop layer and use the settings below to add Inner Glow to the ice cream.

Step 6

Next, draw some shadowing and highlights over the scoop using the Pen tool. You can approach this step roughly and imprecisely to get the proper imperfections for ice cream. I’ve used #fec22b for shadows and #fbfec6 for highlights. Once you are done, right-​​click on the scoop layer, choose “Copy layer style,” right-​​click on rest of the shape layers, and select “Paste layer style” to apply the same inner glow effect on them.

Step 7

Merge all the layers that comprise the scoop of ice cream, then go to “Filter” > “Artistic” > “Palette Knife.” Use the following settings.

Step 8

Duplicate the scoop layer, turn it black using “Color Overlay,” change the blending mode of this layer to “Multiply,” and then reduce its opacity to 40%. Place this layer below the original scoop layer; drag it a bit downward and go to “Filter” > “Blur” > “Gaussian blur.” Use a 1.5px value for the Gaussian blur. You can erase unwanted shadow area.

Step 9

You can create more scoops using the same technique from steps 5 through 8. Add as many scoops as you dare. Reducing the overall size of each new scoop will make the cone look balanced.

Step 10

Now, we’ll create chocolate syrup over the ice cream scoops. Draw the shape shown below using the Pen Tool with #753700 as your chosen color.

Step 11

Double-​​click on the newly-​​added chocolate syrup layer and use the following settings for “Satin.”

Step 12

For additional toppings (and additional Pen Tool practice), we’ll create sprinkles over the chocolate. Set any bright shades as your foreground and background colors, I am using red and yellow. Then, use these settings within the brush panel.

Apply the brush as shown below. Carefully drawing your brush over the ice cream should result in an even, multicolored sprinkling of… well… sprinkles on your ice cream.

Step 13

Next, we’ll create a cherry to place at the top. Set #ce6d80 as your foreground color. Select the Ellipse Tool to make a circle. Then, use “Add anchor point tool” to add anchor points and adjust the circle shape as below. Once you are done, duplicate this layer, reducing the size of the new duplicate slightly using the Free Transform Tool, and changing its color to #d6030c. Now, select the Elliptical Marquee Tool and fill it with #710000 to form the depressed area on the top of the cherry. After that, go to “Filter” > “Blur” > “Gaussian blur” and use the value of 1px to apply a blur effect.

Step 14

Use the following settings to add an Inner Glow to all of the layers comprising your cherry.

Now, draw a cherry stem using your Pen tool with #c9c770 and #b9824a as your colors.

Step 15

To give the cherry stem some texture and character, click on the green stem layer and apply the following layer style settings.

Use these settings for Inner Glow on the brown cap at the very top of the stem.

Step 16

To create few highlights, select the Soft Round Brush Tool and apply it on a new layer. Change the blending mode of this layer to “Soft Light.”

Merge all layers forming cherry together, and reduce the cherry’s size as needed using the Free Transform Tool. Place it nicely over the ice cream at an angle. Erase the lower edge of the cherry to give the impression (no pun intended) that it’s embedded in the ice cream.

Step 17

Collect all of the layers forming your ice cream cone into a new group, and duplicate this group. Now, merge the duplicated group. Reduce its size and arrange it at an angle using the Free Transform Tool. Now, use the same technique from step 8 to create shadow for the ice cream cone. My shadow is shown below.

Step 18

Now, we’ll create a subtle background. Set #e7e7e7 and #ffffff as your foreground and background colors, respectively. Create a new layer and fill it with #e7e7e7 using the Paint Bucket Tool. Then, go to “Filter” > “Render” > “Fibers.”

Step 19

Next, go to “Filter” > “Distort” > “Glass.” Use the following settings for it.

Step 20

Lastly, click on the appropriate icon to “Create new fill or adjustment layer” found at the bottom of the layers panel, and select “Curves.” Use these settings to adjust the tone.

That’s all guys. Hope you enjoyed the tutorial, polished your Pen Tool skills, and learned something useful. Don’t forget to share your thoughts, and possibly your ice cream as well. Have fun, and enjoy your ice cream!

Photoshop Tutorial: Create an Amazing Summer Flyer Design

Photoshop Tutorial: Create an Amazing Summer Flyer Design

There is a heat of summer outside. Everybody are trying to take the best of the summertime. People have a rest at the sea cost, lay on the sun and organize noisy parties until dawn. As usual, the flyers for the hottest summer parties are handing out on the beach. Once I’ve looked at the flyer and decided to create something like this (maybe even better).

Note. Don’t worry about the a summer theme used here. This tutorial can be used to create absolutely any flyers (the time of year doesn’t really matter).

The tutorial was originally created not for the beginners, but for those who are already savvy with Photoshop. I do believe that everyone can do it, if you really want it. Don’t hesitate to ask any question in the comments after the post. I’ll be more then happy to help you with it. So, let’s start the tutorial and create an amazing summer flyer design in Photoshop.

Final Result:

You need to download the files:

Picture of a girl

Sky brushes

Retro brushes

Devil Breeze Font

Bioliquid Font

Free Web Icons Shape

Step 1

Open the Photoshop and create a new document. Size 4.25 x 6,25 inches. Resolution: 300 DPI, Color: CMYK

Step 2

Using the Brush Tool fill the background with the color #78bbc8. Create a new layer (Ctrl+Shift+N) and place it above the background layer. Take the Brush Tool, select the Sky brushes you’ve downloaded at the beginning and make something like on the picture below:

Step 3

We need to separate a girl from the background on the picture, we’ve downloaded earlier. We can do it thanks to the Quick Selection Tool. Select a girl:

Step 4

Click on the Refine Edge. View: Black & White, put a tick on the Smart Radius and change the Radius settings on 95-100, like on the picture below:

Step 5

Now let’s change the View Mode to On Black. As you can see, a small parts of the background remained in the hair. In order to fix this issue, put a tick on the Decontaminate Colors and set the amount to 65-70. Output To: New Layer with Layer Mask

Step 6

As you can see, we’ve got rid of the background and the mask layer allows us manually modify a picture (if some necessary part was deleted).

Note. Also, you can change the brightness, contrast, color balance and other settings as needed.

Step 7

Select all the layers (for a convenience), click on the right mouse button and choose Convert to Smart Object. Move the layer you’ve got on the flyer document

Step 8

Next, take any picture of a beach. Remove the sky on it, in any way you like (you can use the same method as for the girl) and move it to the flyer layer

Step 9

Merge the layers with a beach and a sky, then apply the filter: Blur – Gaussian Blur – Radius 9 pixels

Step 10

Create a new document 100×100 pixels and draw a star, you’ll turn it into a Brush (Edit – Define Brush Preset)

Step 11

Go back to the layer with a flyer. Create a new layer (Ctrl+Shift+N) and place it over a girl, but before the beach layer. Take the Brush Tool and open the preferences window (F5). Make changes as it shown below:

Step 12

Do something like that with the resulting Brush:

Step 13

The background is too bright. Create a new layer and place it on top of the beach. Fill in everything with the white color using Paint Bucket Tool. Change the Opacity to 60-65%. Also you can add the reflections on the girl, they will make the picture magic

Step 14

Let’s work with the background a little bit more and then move on to the text effects. So, create another layer above the girl and using different brushes, try your best to achieve a similar effect:

Step 15

Now we should prepare a place for the text. Make a girl a little less and lift higher, it will looks better. Merge all the layers in order not to be confused. Take the Rounded Rectangle Tool (U) and draw a plate (color #f9941e) as on the screenshot below:

Step 16

Add the next styles to the layer:

Step 17

Create a layer and + Alt click between it and the plate layer with (Creating Clipping Mask). The Blending Mode is Soft Light. Take the Brush Tool, select the Retro brushes, you’ve downloaded earlier and make the following acts (use white and black colors):

Step 18

Duplicate the layer with the plate (Ctrl + J). Clear all the styles from the duplicated layer, fill it with the black color and put it under the original layer with a plate. Rasterize the layer

Step 19

On the top menu find Edit – Free Transformation (Ctrl + T)

Step 20

Make the following transformation

Step 21

Add some blur: Filter – Blur – Gaussian Blur – Radius 10

Step 22

Remove the unnecessary parts on the top and set the Opacity 30%

Step 23

Take the Eraser Tool (size: 300 px, Hardness: 0%) and slightly erase the shadow around the edges

Step 24

It’s time to add the text to our amazing colorful plate. I’ve used the Devil Breeze (size 158 pixels and a color #f9f9fa)

Note. Depending on the font size and text size, the plate size may change. In this case, the plate has become wider.

Apply the following styles to the text:

Step 25

The result you get should be like this:

Step 26

You can add a slogan or any additional text to the main one. For example, I want to add “The Greatest Party in 2012 Summer Season”. I used the Bioliquid font, ( size 50 and white color #ffffff).

Note. If you don’t have enough space you can always change the size of the plate.

I’ve placed it like this:

Step 27

In order to highlight the text on the background, create a new layer and place it above the layer with plate and retro brushes. Make a selection using the Rectangular Marquee Tool. Take the Paint Bucket Tool and fill the selection with the color #1fb0cd

Step 28

Let’s add a Stroke to this layer:

Step 29

And the Shadow to the slogan as well:

Step 30

You should have something like this:

Step 31

I’ve noticed that the designers like to decorate the plates (and flyers as well) with the various elements. I also decided to do it. I do believe these elements will fit: Palm leaves #1,Palm leaves #2, the image of cocktails, tropical flower Plumeria, the image of Toucan birds, coconut, etc. You can find the elements you like around the Internet.

Note. Choose any image that you think will look good.

Place all the elements on the flyer in close proximity to each other. Merge them into a group and move under the layer with a girl.

That’s how I came up with:

Step 32

We are nearing the finish line. It’s necessary to add a description of the event, the date and the information about the invited guests. Let’s start with information about the event. I’ll place it under the party name. Write text with the same Bioliquid font, size 42 pixels and the color #256676

Step 33

We can add some light to the text. Create a new layer and place it under the text, using a large brush (Hardness: 0%, Color: #ffffff) make the highlighting

Step 34

Now we need to write the date of the event over the girl. The font is Devil Breeze, (the size 80 pixels, the color #276676).

Step 35

Place the text, as it shown below:

Step 36

Create a group and place the text layer there, duplicate it. Merge all the layers (Layer – Merge Group). Apply a filter Motion Blur to the resulting layer layer (Filter – Blur – Motion Blur)

Step 37

Make this effect softer, add a style Color Overlay with color #56a7bb

Step 38

We need to display the special invited guests on the flyer. Choose the Custom Shape Tool and find the star (pre-installing downloaded shapes) and draw 2 stars any color as I did:

Step 39

Open two pictures of the invited guests. Move them into the document. Place one picture over the first star, do the same with the second picture. Change the picture size in order to make them look good inside the stars. Choose the first photo, open the menu: Layer – Create Clipping Mask. Do the same with the second photo

Step 40

Add the following styles to the stars (for the shapes, but not photos)

Step 41

Add the text with the names and place as in the screenshot below:

Step 42

This is it. The flyer is done