clip_image028

Step 13

Press Ctrl + Shift + C to copy merged and Ctrl + V to paste the selection on a new layer. Because we only need the texture and not the colors desaturate the layer by pressing Ctrl + Shift + U. Change the layer blend mode to Overlay and lower the opacity to 40%. Move this layer on top and clip it to “Metal Ball” layer.

clip_image029

Step 14

Create a new layer above all layers (Ctrl + Shift + N) and clip it to the layer below (the texture layer). Select a round soft brush tool and set it’s Opacity to 40%. Paint gently the edges of the metal ball. Change the layer blend mode to Multiply and further lower the opacity to around 60%. This step will add a bit of shading to the metal ball – I will call it metal apple from now on.

clip_image031

Step 15

To further add some shading and get rid of the flat look of our metal ball let’s add Curves Adjustment Layer above all layers and clip it to the layer below. Drag the curve downwards to darken.

clip_image032

Step 16

Click on the Curves layer mask and press Ctrl + I to invert the colors thus filling the mask with black. Now select a round soft brush and paint again at the edges of the metal apple to give it some 3D look. Take a look at my layer mask below for reference.

clip_image034

Step 17

Now let’s make the little depressed area where the steam connects to the apple. In order to do this click on the background layer (the original one with three apples) and press Ctrl + J to duplicate. Move this layer on top of all layers (a handy shortcut for doing this fast is Ctrl + Shift + ]) and desaturate (Ctrl + Shift + U).

clip_image036

Step 18

Change the blend mode of the layer you duplicated in step 17 to Multiply. Add a layer mask (Layer > Layer Mask > Reveal All) and fill it with black (press D to set default colors and Ctrl + Backspace to fill with Background Color). With a round soft brush at 100% Opacity paint with white in the layer mask to reveal the depressed area.

clip_image038

Step 19

We will need a steam for the apple and I decided to use the one from the left apple. The reason for that is that the steam from the middle apple it’s too short and thin and it won’t look good. So go ahead and make a selection of the stem from the left apple using the Pen Tool or your favorite selection tool (to make a selection with the Pen Tool first create your path than press Ctrl + Enter to transform that path into a selection).

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27 responses to “How to Create a Photo-Realistic Metal Apple in Photoshop”

  1. werqw Avatar
    werqw

    boo boo bam

  2. Sharon Johnston Avatar
    Sharon Johnston

    Hi I couldn’t download the Metallic Ball. I received an” Imagine could not be loaded” message. Is there another way to download this image?

    1. Colton Stibbins Avatar
      Colton Stibbins

      Mrs. Johnston? you probably don’t remember me but I think I am one of your 4th grade students.

  3. Sharon Johnston Avatar
    Sharon Johnston

    I tried to download the metallic ball and was told Image could not be found..

  4. Jair Pereira Ibañez Avatar
    Jair Pereira Ibañez

    I like me!

  5. carl Avatar
    carl

    Enjoyed it!

  6. Lucie Ondrušková Avatar
    Lucie Ondrušková

    Great tutorial, I learned a lot!

  7. Normen Avatar
    Normen

    THX! I did an awsome metallic cherry :)

  8. Maidul Islam Avatar
    Maidul Islam

    Amazing. . Very nice, thanks for sharing…………….

  9. Kenna Avatar
    Kenna

    Nice tutorial. Only think I didn’t like is that you kept forgetting to tell us when to add layer masks…

  10. Habib Avatar
    Habib

    techniques and ideas was great

  11. Victoria Avatar
    Victoria

    The detail in this is amazing

  12. Lidka Avatar
    Lidka

    This is fantastic!

  13. xilan Avatar
    xilan

    forgot to fix the white triangles at the bottom of the apples curve

  14. diego Avatar
    diego

    amazing work!

  15. apple Avatar
    apple

    Great!

  16. apple Avatar
    apple

    Great! I learned from it..

  17. dd Avatar
    dd

    Very nice tutorial..
    khupach chhan explain kelele ahe

  18. shan Avatar
    shan

    fantastic!

  19. Salai Avatar
    Salai

    This is really good thank you sir.

  20. reo Avatar
    reo

    Nice, but the light sides (non-adjacent) of two non-metallic apples was left unfixed thus it didn’t jibe to the light source ‘you’ have indicated.

    1. goodquestion Avatar
      goodquestion

      no

  21. Gogo Avatar
    Gogo

    Exvellent tutorial!!! I like the fact that you are focusing on details!

  22. Lisa Lampe Avatar
    Lisa Lampe

    Impressive tutorial, Adrian!

  23. bijesh Avatar
    bijesh

    Good..!

    1.  Avatar
      Anonymous

      how do you un-desaturate

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