81 Comments
Creating an Abstract 3D Design
September 14, 2008Abstract 3D objects is something that we are seeing more and more in graphic design so I thought it would be good to learn how to create a cool looking design using an abstract render and let you see how simple it is to create a full piece of art in this way. I’ll be using lots of simple techniques so anyone should be able to follow it.
Tutorial Files
If you are a PSD PRO member then download the PSD file and much more by going here.
Things you’ll need
Introduction
This tutorial will show some similar steps to the snowboard design tutorial as we will also be using a rendered 3D object. First make sure you’ve downloaded the file that I mentioned above.I’m going to show you the simple steps to creating this image but feel free to add your own bits in. I’m also going to release a set of wallpapers in different colors like this soon for anyone to download so check back. Lets get going!
Step 1
Create a new document with dimensions; 1600×1200px then create a new layer and fill it white, a quick way to fill the layer white would be to hit D then Ctrl+Backspace. Now go Filter>Noise>Add Noise and use the settings shown below to give use a noisy background.
Step 2
We are going to add a slight shadow below where we are going to place the render. Your foreground color should still be black so create a new layer, now select the brush tool and choose an 800px 0% harness round brush and click once to give the effect shown below.
Step 3
Open 1.png from the render pack then copy and paste it into this document then scale it down slightly by hitting Ctrl+T and dragging the corners while holding shift then move it above the shadow like shown in the image below.
Step 4
Go Image>Adjustments>Desaturate then go Filter>DIstort>Twirl and use a value of 125°.
Step 5
Change the blend mode of this layer to soft light and change the opacity to 75%.
Step 6
Now paste the render in again, you could probably just hit Ctrl+V unless you’ve copied something else. Now scale this down in the same way and position it like so.
Step 7
The render is looking a bit too dark at the moment so go Filter>Render>Lighting Effects and try and mimic the settings shown below as best as possible.
Step 8
Next go Image>Adjustments>Hue/Saturation and change the hue to +80.
Step 9
Lets take a look at where we are, your’s should look similar to the one shown below but probably not exactly the same. We’ve added a simple background using the noise filter, you could have used a texture for this also like a paper texture or a concrete texture, both would have looked good also. We added a bit of lighting with the brush tool, you could have used the gradient tool set at radial to give the same effect. The faded render gives a slight shadow as well but doesn’t look like the render since we twirled it. We enhanced the render by using the lighting effects filter and a color adjustment, this was important as the render will be the focal point so has to look perfect. This wasn’t really a step, more of a recap. From here on every new layer we create will be created below the render layer as we want the render to remain the topmost layer.
Step 10
Okay paste in the render again, scale it a bit and position it like in the image below.
Step 11
In the layers panel change the fill opacity of this layer to 0% then right click on the layer and go to blending options and add a stroke using the settings shown below.
Step 12
This will have given you an outline of the render, I repeated the last two steps again but rotated the render slightly and used black instead of green as the stroke color. Later on I ended up making a few adjustments to these outlines so don’t worry if your’s doesn’t look the same throughout the tutorial.
Step 13
This step might take a few tries to get right, first select the pen tool then in the main toolbar make sure the shape layers button is pressed, start byclicking somewhere on the render then click outwith document bounds and hold and drag to get a nice curve then add another point then connect it back to the first point with a curve. You should have something that looks like this and make sure the layer is behind the render layer.
Step 14
Go into the blending optiions for this layer and add a drop shadow, inner glow and stroke using the settings shown below.
Step 15
Now repeat these steps to create another ribbon like shape, I lowered the opacity of the second one to 50%.
Step 16
Create a new layer then select the brush tool and choose a 3px hard round brush. Select a darkish green as the foreground color then select the pen tool and in the main toolbar press the paths button. Draw a path going from the middle of the render to outside the document and hold and drag to get a smooth curve, Right click within the document window and select stroke path and uncheck simulate pressure. Do this a few more times until you have about four or five lines. You may notice that I created a dotted line as well, this is optional but do it you you would go into the brush editor by going Window>Brushes then under brush tip shape you would increase the spacing then stroke the path.
Step 17
Change the blend mode of this layer to dissolve.
Step 18
We’re going to add some random lines now so select the brush tool and change the diameter to 2px, I used three different colors here, a lime green a darker green and a cyan color. So first creat a new layer then just go wild with these three colors by drawing lots of freehand scribbles around the render. I’ve shown three examples below of what mine looked like.
Step 19
We’re going to go onto what I call the branding area, this is where you would tend to put your title, name, maybe website. However this has to look good as well so you need some nice typography and colors here. I’m not going to go into all the details of how I created this because you’re obviously going to be wanting a different title and your name’s probably not the same as mine, just make sure you create each element in a new layer. Create this shape by first making a new layer then selecting the polygonal lasso tool and holding shift to get straight lines, once you’ve closed the loop fill it black by going Edit>Fill and choosing black then in the layers panel change the fill opacity to 10%.
Step 20
Now go into the blending options for this layer and add a gradient overlay and a stroke mimicking the settings shown below.
Step 21
Now you’ll want to add something else to this box so I’ll let you be creative in this step, you’ll see that I just added a layer mask to this layer with the letters PSD but you can add or take away whatever you want from the box.
Step 22
Here I added some text in a techie font, I also added some simple green lines at the bootom of the box and added a stroked PSD. Basically just put your title in here somewhere and a few extra things if you want.
Step 23
Next I added some simple arrows above the text and some dots next to it. I then put in my website and some really small illegible text. I also put chinese text along the bottom of the box as this always looks good.
Step 24
Here what I did was to get a small version of the image by, in a new layer, going Image>Apply Image then sacaling it down and adding a border. Then I just put my name to finish it off.
Step 25
Ussually at the end of creating an imagew like this, I make some small color adjustments using curves but here I tried changing the hue totally and actually quite liked the results, I’m not sure which I like better though but I’ve shown both below. To do this go to the top of the layer stack and add a hue/saturation adjustment layer by clicking the black and white circle button in the layers panel. You’ll notice I’ve also added a few extra things and would encourage you to do the same and experiment a bit. Hope you found this tutorial useful!
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September 14th, 2008
Grendel:
WOW!
Great tutorial, but it seems to be very difficult. I will definetly have a try on it.
Great work Ross!
September 14th, 2008
Antonwoods:
sensational tutorial ross, i love the end effect you have achieved, would consider this more of an expert tutorial than novice, but a great one at that. Digged! Keep up the good work, will be sure to try it out.
September 14th, 2008
Johnson Koh:
cool stuff. I like abstract art ;)
September 14th, 2008
Dainis Graveris:
Excellent tutorial, thanks Ross!
September 14th, 2008
Ross:
Thanks guys for commenting and digging this one, I did like this tutorial but it took a while to write because usually when I’m making a piece like this I have about 100 layers and lots of embedded smart objects so I was quite happy with being able to simplify it. I agree that it is quite an advanced effect and to get a similar result you probably need some experience in Photoshop, however none of the techniques are complicated so some beginners might find it useful as well. Thanks again for digging and stumbling my tutorials; it makes a difference!
September 15th, 2008
nitos:
That was freaking awesome! thanks man!
September 15th, 2008
Ross:
Cheers Nitos, glad you all like this one :D
September 16th, 2008
NaldzGraphics:
great tutorial as always:)keep it up Ross.
Ronald
September 16th, 2008
Dario:
wow awesome, nice tutorial you are very good, I would put it into practice
see ya
September 20th, 2008
TTMAR84:
I’m using Photoshop 6.0, and the render 1.png, when I open it is a black sq with a gray image and the only way I can copy it is to convert to 8bit, but it is still a black sq with a grey image.
September 23rd, 2008
dickatz:
Ross,
Very cool…thanks for turning me on to the ‘Lighting Effects’ filter.
dickatz
September 27th, 2008
phill:
hey im stuck at step 14/13 i just cant get the ribbon thing to look like your’s and i dont know where the shape layers button is for the pen tool plz help!
September 27th, 2008
ayerrn:
cool
September 29th, 2008
saad_haroon:
hey Ross!!! Nice Tutorial man… good job. what i want from you is the PSD file for this tutorial. it would be big favor from you as you’ll help me completing my project im working on. and yeah i need it ASAP!!!
Appreciate your help in Advance..
October 1st, 2008
Maxine:
wow thank you very much ! : ) Love it
October 10th, 2008
Matej:
HI!
Thats a great great tutorial and it was easy to folow the steps:) and thats my picture how did i made it:): http://shrani.si/f/1o/eF/I13G0XJ/3d-picture-4.jpg
October 13th, 2008
KungFuGirl:
coooooool tut man. make some more xD
October 17th, 2008
NetOperator Wibby:
This is pretty cool. I already had that render pack so I was one step ahead of you! LMAO. I am only just now getting more advanced in my Photoshop work so I understand about keeping it simple [as much as you possibly can, after learning new techniques]. Thanks for the tut!
O/T: Why does hitting TAB send me all the way up to the top of the page?
October 19th, 2008
Papillon:
I made this marvelous tut in de Dutch version of PSP X2, sometimes I did have to find a solution or filter to achieve the same effect but is is finished and I like it very much :)
You can see my picture at
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v730/lady57/abstractsmall.jpg
October 19th, 2008
Ross:
Thanks for all the comments, glad you all you all like this one:)
Great results Papillon and Mate J
October 20th, 2008
Nikki@DesignNerd:
Wow i absolutely LOVE this tut! Thanks so much for sharing….will definately try it out one day!
Keep em coming!
November 7th, 2008
picslover:
where do u go to download the psd file
November 26th, 2008
panda:
Nice one. In college. These tips will be useful!
December 14th, 2008
Fye:
very impressive , i hope i can do that someday :)
December 24th, 2008
theboss:
thank U
it was a great tutorial >>
http://img257.imageshack.us/img257/8351/32iv6.jpg
January 2nd, 2009
Palivizumab:
Hey,
On the first steps where you add the noise and the 800px brush, mine and everyone else’s seems to be different than yours. only your brush seems to be noisy, as the noise on yours is more intense towards the middle and the right edge has no noise whatsoever. Why is this?
I’ve been trying to get the same effect, but I haven’t figured it out so far…
Any tips would be appreciated.
Thanks!
January 2nd, 2009
carolina:
I tied this great tutorial with some of my own art here is the result…
http://akane306.deviantart.com/art/fairy-web-presentaion-108187089
let me know what you think :)
January 17th, 2009
topic:
http:\\x0×6.com
http:\\x0×6.com/vb
January 18th, 2009
thomas:
how do u paste the .png into photoshop??
January 19th, 2009
thomas:
when i try step seven photoshop crashes. is there anyway around this?…a different method?
February 11th, 2009
Squirrel:
So…the key to make a 3d abstract design is a 3d abstract object made in any other software.
Clever.
February 15th, 2009
sezidesign:
Great tutorial thanks heaps!
February 20th, 2009
k1337oris:
Can i use different renders from the pack but still get the same result? Thanks for a great tut anyways! :D
April 2nd, 2009
xea:
Thanks very much for this awesome tutorial, I linked it;)
April 12th, 2009
mutlums:
thanx….
April 20th, 2009
???:
good ,thanks for shanring
April 28th, 2009
adidaspt:
Hi!! I’m a “rookie” on this stuff… and i’m praticing some photoshop toturials… this one is excellent!! I’ll have to try it for sure!! thanks for sharing your work! :D
May 5th, 2009
jess:
you are a great artist but i feel like a couple of your steps are wrong for what they actually look like. like when you say black in step 3 its actually white and that confused me. but not only that with the noise it doesnt come out like yours its more grey. and also for the brush tool you need to be more specific because i dont know which brush to use and if you are just using a normal one or a softer one it still wont come out like yours on one click you might have to use several clicks. i donno
May 13th, 2009
Loupu:
the tutorial was really awesome…it wasnt so difficult and you are able to learn things from it :D..really good job!
this is my result :) [IMG]http://i547.photobucket.com/albums/hh454/LoupuGr/Abstract.jpg[/IMG]
May 24th, 2009
mbreti3gut:
huh, I did it….
May 27th, 2009
Rebecca Agra:
Awesome!
XD
June 1st, 2009
alexF:
Great tutorial! I’m just starting to actually use photoshop and it was relatively easy to follow. I especially liked the lettering you did with the “techie font.” Would you be able to tell me what that font is so I could download it? I t looked great and I would like to use it for some of my own stuff.
June 12th, 2009
yuanjy1984:
Terrific!
I like it!
June 29th, 2009
brian:
im stuck on step 3 i dont noe how to copy and paste the render from the render pack help pleasesee
August 3rd, 2009
Web Design Singapore:
awesome tutorial . nice abstract art.
September 3rd, 2009
roiber:
great tut, nice art.
but i believe you left out some steps in the tut :(
December 28th, 2009
CoolJB:
I am unable to get my ribbon shapes to look like yours. I looked at all the settings carefully and it just gives me a black ribbon shape with the black color centered in it. Please help.
December 29th, 2009
CoolJB:
Nevermind, I didn’t realize that the blend mode for the inner glow is set to “Screen” and not “Normal”. Great tutorial, I’ve finished my work of art and is here:
http://cooljb.deviantart.com/art/Abstract-3D-Art-148352202
December 30th, 2009
monkeymack2:
great!!
January 4th, 2010
Singapore Web Design:
wow, bet you must have took some time to do up this abstract art tutorial, thanks for that. Am trying to figure some parts to get the final effect.
January 8th, 2010
priscilla:
awesome piece of thingi yo but m certainly new n cant hunt the render.png wer is it located :(
January 11th, 2010
sandeep reddy:
nice work